Valentine

Album: The Idler Wheel... (2012)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song finds Apple taking on two voices to convey her feelings about the fallout from a broken relationship. While the first one is brusque and dangerous to herself, the second is more innocent and childlike. "I stand no chance of growing up," she sings as we hear her tearfully try to cope with a dinner date with her ex.
  • Apple sings first with a self-destructive voice:

    While you were watching someone else
    I stared at you and cut myself


    Speaking with Interview Magazine, she expressed her concerns about that lyric: "I was a little afraid of putting that line in because I didn't want to make it sound cool," Apple said, "because I don't cut myself… I used to be somebody that would cut themselves, and it is about wanting to feel something. But something that I do... I mean, this is totally from an actual situation of me watching someone watching someone else being really alive - not quite in the way it seems in the song - but after a while I realize that I've dug holes in my palm with my fingernails. I just tend to do things to myself that I don't realize I'm doing. Sometimes I bite my lip so that it splits and hurts, and yet I can't stop. And sometimes I'd play shows on the last run, I'd scratch my neck while I was singing, and I'd horrified to see these red streaks of blood after. I'd go back after meet-and-greets, and I would look in the mirror and be horrified because there would be, like, just streaks, like I'd gone like this." [Mimes scratching her neck.]

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Dan Reed

Dan ReedSongwriter Interviews

Dan cracked the Top 40 with "Ritual," then went to India and spent 2 hours with the Dalai Lama.

Wedding Bell Blues

Wedding Bell BluesSong Writing

When a song describes a wedding, it's rarely something to celebrate - with one big exception.

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy Talent

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy TalentSongwriter Interviews

The frontman for one of Canada's most well-known punk rock bands talks about his Eddie Vedder encounter, Billy Talent's new album, and the importance of rock and roll.

Tom Johnston from The Doobie Brothers

Tom Johnston from The Doobie BrothersSongwriter Interviews

The Doobies guitarist and lead singer, Tom wrote the classics "Listen To The Music," "Long Train Runnin'" and "China Grove."

Dean Friedman - "Ariel"

Dean Friedman - "Ariel"They're Playing My Song

Dean's saga began with "Ariel," a song about falling in love with a Jewish girl from New Jersey.

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.