Fiona Apple Explains Album Title
Wall Of Sound · 
Oct 28 '99

by Gary Graff

So what is the deal with the title of Fiona Apple's sophomore album, which hits stores Nov. 9?

For the record, its full name is When the Pawn Hits the Conflicts He Thinks Like a King What He Knows Throws the Blows When He Goes to the Fight and He'll Win the Whole Thing 'Fore He Enters the Ring There's No Body to Batter When Your Mind Is Your Might So When You Go Solo, You Hold Your Own Hand and Remember That Depth Is the Greatest of Heights and If You Know Where You Stand, Then You Know Where to Land and If You Fall It Won't Matter, Cuz You'll Know That You're Right. For those who lost track along the way, that's 90 words.

Phew. Can we call it When for short?

According to Apple, the title is drawn from a poem she wrote while on the road to support her debut album. "It was a poem that I needed to write for myself," she explains. "I knew I didn't want to make it into a song, but I needed to write something for myself to remind me that everybody who was making fun of me wasn't right. I needed to remind myself that I have not done anything to hurt anybody. It's telling me that when everyone's being mean to me, I shouldn't believe it. Do not think that you're wrong because people are saying that you are."

The irony is that some are poking at her — for using the poem as her album title.

"Yeah, it's getting made fun of a lot right now," Apple says. "I don't know if it's because they don't think the writing's as great as I can do, or if it's just long. I don't know; it's probably just because it's me. But it's there for me to use to remind myself of how I feel again."  

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