"This one goes out to all the bad, bad girls."
July 25, 2015 2:24 PM   Subscribe

Postmodern Jukebox (previously) has posted their most recent cover, which takes Fiona Apple's classic "Criminal" and creates a 1940's torch song with the assistance of some mean horns and the sultry stylings of Jazz singer Ariana Savalas .
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI (23 comments total) 18 users marked this as a favorite
 
That was interesting but, honestly, it just reminds me how amazing Fionna Apple is.
posted by Bee'sWing at 2:32 PM on July 25, 2015 [8 favorites]


Really, the original was already basically a torch song.
posted by entropicamericana at 2:52 PM on July 25, 2015 [18 favorites]


I was hoping she would be the daughter of you know who....
posted by vrakatar at 2:55 PM on July 25, 2015 [2 favorites]


Fiona Apple's Criminal basically just makes me want to strip my panties off. This cover makes me want to strip my panties off and give them to the horn section.
posted by DarlingBri at 3:12 PM on July 25, 2015 [15 favorites]


Postmodern Jukebox is amazing, thanks.
posted by Foci for Analysis at 3:27 PM on July 25, 2015


A story about "Criminal".

I fool around with a woman who, near the moment of consummation, qualifies that she "doesn't do these things casually". Saying that if we follow through we are official. Being more horny than reasonable in this moment, I roll with it, despite not being interested in that way.

So, pressured into being "an item", without the courage to declare it isn't happening, or even to declare it was over... I find that she's singing Criminal to herself. She works her way up to it. She hints at it, hoping I'll confront her. Eventually it has to come out, she fooled around with some other guy, but she's still committed to me, and she wants my forgiveness.

I somehow grow a pair of something and refuse to accept that she did anything wrong. No, what she did was fine. No, it's no business of mine if she slept with some guy, hell she can move in with him if she feels inspired. She's trying to prompt me with the narrative she had in mind - she's my girl, I'm mad that she strayed, she's going to make it up to me.

So for me this song feels like being young, and so insecure, such a total coward, so bad at conflict I couldn't even convince someone she wasn't my girlfriend.
posted by occasional profanity is allowed on this forum at 3:31 PM on July 25, 2015 [4 favorites]


I liked it. I was hoping she would sell "the devil wants to know" a bit more, but oh well. And that horn section, chilling in the overstuffed chairs. Nice.
posted by Thorzdad at 4:01 PM on July 25, 2015


Gotta say that seemed completely off to me. The too-cool-for-school-we're-just-gonna-sit-on-this couch attitude combined with those weird movements the singer was making...? The whole thing comes off as insincere and unconvincing--like it didn't matter what they were playing, what words she was singing. There was no soul there.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 4:14 PM on July 25, 2015 [4 favorites]


And I just listened to the first 45 seconds of the original, which I'd never heard before. The difference is night and day. Apple sells it completely.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 4:16 PM on July 25, 2015


I can't agree with you, Other Guy. Cue it up again but this time don't watch, just listen.
posted by ashbury at 4:18 PM on July 25, 2015


You posted twice! I can't agree with your first statement. Your second about the original is spot on.
posted by ashbury at 4:20 PM on July 25, 2015


"Criminal" as well as Apple's "Paper Bag" were somewhat of an anthem amongst the eating-disordered internet community back in the day, especially for those for whom their eating disorder was tied to a history of sexual abuse.

I like the original version better; it sounds more honest.
posted by gemutlichkeit at 4:55 PM on July 25, 2015 [2 favorites]


Doesn't work as a Forties torch song because the melody is so nondescript. You know who could do this song and own it? Bonnie Raitt. Apple is playing at being a blues singer; Raitt has the chops to elevate it, viz., "Guilty."
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 5:05 PM on July 25, 2015 [3 favorites]


You may not care for the melody, but the chord changes are interesting. Starts in A minor, and the bridge gives you a B major which is actually a C-flat because she has already modulated that far around the circle of 4ths.
posted by kurumi at 5:13 PM on July 25, 2015 [2 favorites]


I like this song played bluegrass style - Fiona with Nickel Creek 2007
posted by Lanark at 5:28 PM on July 25, 2015 [3 favorites]


I dig it. My relationship with Fiona Apple's music is pretty platonic so sometimes an interpretation gives an unexpected little jolt: Oh, this a SEXY song. I get it now. P.S. I wonder if Miles Davis ever performed sitting in an overstuffed chair turned away from the audience.
posted by Lorin at 5:31 PM on July 25, 2015


Doesn't work as a Forties torch song because the melody is so nondescript.

My thoughts exactly. The melody is way too flat for the context.
posted by ssg at 7:24 PM on July 25, 2015 [1 favorite]


You know who could do this any song and own it? Bonnie Raitt.
posted by Bonzai at 7:27 PM on July 25, 2015 [1 favorite]


I made an FPP about FA's cabaret singing sister some time ago.
posted by brujita at 8:01 PM on July 25, 2015 [1 favorite]


I like this version better.
posted by faceonmars at 10:17 PM on July 25, 2015 [2 favorites]


Whoa. Creepy and tuneful, that's how I like 'em.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 7:05 AM on July 26, 2015


Lorin, Miles Davis actually did perform facing away from the audience, especially during the later years of his career. Bobby McFerrin said about him, "Miles Davis turned his back to the audience when he came out on stage, and he offended people. But, he wasn't there to entertain; he was all about the music."

This video is a pretty good example of Davis's 70's/80's performance style and attitude.
posted by eitan at 3:21 PM on July 26, 2015 [1 favorite]


Postmodern Jukebox has been tearing it up lately. This version of Creep is both delicate and powerful (even better live version here). I feel like as a band they are more successful the farther in musical space their covers are from the original (cf. Style, Sweet Child O' Mine, Burn).
posted by euphorb at 7:39 PM on July 26, 2015


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