Fiona Apple - "Paper Bag" live @ TheToday Show [HQ with lyrics]

[forzalessa]

Wish I was that microphone

[MissBeatriss]

Listening to recent female singers like Adele makes me sad. Sad because the "best" right now can't even compete with the likes of Fiona. Don't nobody use metaphors in their sad songs anymore? Damn.

[NrthDall81]

I love this woman's work; I Pray she releases another project...indie or big record company or via the Internet...she is a TRUE artist!

[PulpFiction57]

She is not only beautiful. She is not only a good singer. She had a very hard life and now she is telling it to us. She is magnificent.

[stdavross666]

Is it just me or the whole paper bag thing funny?? Am I weird because I like this song and i am a bloke??

[leeportcam]

@stdavross666 How can one who loves music not love fiona and this song regardless of your gender.

[zasddsaf]

Such a great song. The trumpet makes it so much more melancholic.

[dimebagjames1]

GENIUS..........THATS ALL I HAVE

[anarchyonline211]

this idiot thinks this song is about a eating disorder because it has 2 words.. hunger and starving.... sounds like a personall problem... keep it that way

[darkaddict18]

@anarchyonline211 Exactly. I mean we all interpret things differently. But to claim it is 100 percent about that is not the right way to go or say. The bottom line she is healthy Skinny not Unhealthy skinny do to eating disorder.

There is an extreme difference. Her skin is glowing and healthy looking. This is natural some can't gain wait

by eating junk. She has a fast metabolism it probably runs in the family.

[ilksupial]

i love this song <3

[cassavetes1024]

She's the real deal.

[noam2205]

"hunger hurts but starving works, when it costs too much to love" I thought it was pretty clear that the hunger was not literal, and she is not starving herself from food, but from the companionship she craves?

[EnfermagemJu]

@noam2205 I think it's not clear cause she has anorexy. This IS a ambiguous song. And honestly, I think it's ambiguity it's what makes it so beautiful. I don't see it as an apology to anorexy, but those are thought of a person who suffers from it.

[Ibber]

@EnfermagemJu This song isn't ambiguous, if you've ever been in a serious long term relationship that failed. Whenever you get involved, someone is likely to have personal baggage that will need to be addressed. Real love risks sharing/giving parts of yourself that you are emotionally attached to. Unfortunately, she's been hurt, let down, and has low self esteem. She thought he was a man, but he was just a little boy. It costs too much to love. Those strong feelings take time to develop.

[jpdlcj]

@noam2205 from my understand i think what she means is that hunger hurts cause she needs something to feed her emptiness, starving works cause she's filled with love and joy... it's metaphoric and it's cool that we all try to find the real interpretation of the lyrics... love her....

[heathbar67]

This song is a 10 and a half!

[WhiteBoy41]

This is a song and a half...She gets deep - goes low. this means alot to her. she feels it. I dig it. Play it over and over... Happy Birthday Daddy !!

[TMSreptiles]

@solariis888 well im sorry then. how about we just listen to the music?

she has said that she suffers from an eating disorder (not anorexia) but go on believe whatever you want. i dont care. and PS your message made about zero sense. "You're fool of shit little girl". Um. I'm a guy, and that wouldn't make any sense even if I was a "little girl".

[sp4eva1]

new album pls!

[inkedk]

00:51 might be the prettiest expression I have ever seen.

[DoesHeLookLikeAB1tch]

i think it's about both utilizing your eating disorder to cope with dissappointment, and also about having walls up when it comes to relationships. it hurts to be so "hungry" for love, but when you've been burned one too many times, you metarphorically "starve" yourself from love because its the only way you can protect yourself

[Lordoftheflies234]

I use to be a heavy metal fan but this song is just...amazing!

[Starskysea]

Wow, I can't see how this song is about eating disorders. I understand the 'hunger hurts, but starving works, when it costs too much to love' line as meaning that even though it hurts to stay away from the person you love, it's an effective method when you know that that love is hopeless'...it's not meant to be interpreted literally, 'hunger' here is a metaphor for being away from the person you want.

[parasitic15]

@Starskysea People with eating disorders will look for anything that can remotely refer to one in a song. Like many troubled individuals, they're just looking for something to relate with.

[avirazzy]

she is so amazing!

[rigidlynumb]

I really don't think this song is about an eating disorder. I'm not having a go at people who think it is, though. I'm just saying that if I had to rank the top 100 things it could be about, eating disorders wouldn't even be close to making the list.

[dubified89]

@rigidlynumb It could be a double meaning, like as done sometimes with wordplay in hip-hop

[bid1lov]

anybody knows who the players r here?

[xtymps]

@bid1lov If you look up her performance of "Fast As You Can" at Vegoose, she introduces the band, and I think most of them are the same. The drummer (hot black guy) is Charlie Drayton, who's producing her next album. ;)

[docambra]

VERY HIGH QUALITY RENDITION. LOVE THIS LADY

[bradtwo]

@BreFgt - You're completely right. She talks about the meaning of this song on her iTunes performance. The line about the paper-bag is a literal translation about when she was younger and saw what she thought was a bird falling, but turned out to be a paper bag; Her words, not mine. 

[uberpoof]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY

[Craverofchocolate]

This song is like much of the world's art and poetry: What it means to one person, will mean something totally different to the next. Fiona says that she came up with the title for this song while going grocery shopping with her dad and she thought she saw a beautiful dove flying in the sky but it turned out to be a paper bag. She's so creative.

[Brettmania]

Any Fiona Apple fans on Twitter should retweet about the #bringbackfiona campaign. Trying to get "When The Pawn" onto the iTunes charts!

[mariuo]

man. imagine if there were real french horns

[jeterlover03]

I think the hunger part is a metaphor. She's talking about her relationship....I mean it seems pretty obvious to me....

[mindsearrecords]

her singing borders on astounding on this, especially for a live performance.

[locababy007]

to those debating the meaning of this song,unless you are the artist you will NEVER know the true meaning, it's up for interpretation to everyone hence the reason why it's a song! Fiona Apple did have an eating disorder,it was not anorexia or bulimia,it was non-specified but an E.D none the less.song writing is a coping mechanism,and obviously one she used often. no one is right or wrong,just make sure you brush up on the facts before making a definite statement or youll sound ignorant.

[monstamf]

One of my favorite songs ever. I love her.

[beowulf3075]

She's a class act, listen to that range and timing. Thanks for the posting.

[NarutimateItachi]

The song is NOT about an eating disorder. She doesn't have one. She's just very fit and naturally skinny. She does have meat on her arms and legs/thighs that you can see in her videos. She's healthy and normal. The song is obviously about wanting a boy and craving his love, but she knows the boy won't go for her. Kinda about self-esteem, saying "he wouldn't go for someone as frail as me."

[locababy007]

@NarutimateItachi you do have some really good insight but Fiona Apple DID have an eating disorder back around the time of this video and DID admit to it.im not necessarily saying that this song is solely about an eating disorder but it could be. Many singers'song writers use music as a way to cope and will often mention their problems in a song,much like Alanis Morissette.Fiona couldve been coming terms with an e.d. therefore, not afraid to admit to it in a song because it no longer defined her

[NarutimateItachi]

@locababy007 I never actually knew that she had an eating disorder. She has always been really skinny in the first place. Her figure is very narrow and boney anyway, but it could be the hidden meaning yes. The direct meaning is obviously about a boy because doesnt she say "...and I want him so bad oh it kills and I know I'm a mess he don't want to clean up" So maybe it's about her disorder intertwining with a relationship? I think that's a good conclusion :)

[marla6singer]

@NarutimateItachi She has openly admitted her eating disorder.

[Yankeeshomie76]

Fuck her hate her

[MegaWhiner]

@Yankeeshomie76 You hate her? You can dislike her music, but why hate her? That is a strong word.

[prazanautobus]

Lyrics! Amazing!!! Tnx for video

[michaeljamesmccabe]

Beautiful. I feel like saying a million thngs about this performance. But, just beautiful.

[vironfletcher]

Oh I love her! Absolutely beautiful...

[xOEHLALA]

I like kina grannis more for some reason

[chinkuwinkta]

she is one of the true artists of this generation, thank whatever that she has not hurt herself like Elliott Smith, sadly most tortured souls do in the spotlight. Her talent has only begun, as she is totally a jazz artist, therefore very hard for most people to place in a category, as they do. RELAX AND MATURE PEOPLE!!!!!!, but then again, don't, and save real artists for real people. did i mention how hot she is?

[butterflykisses1715]

wow shes amazing!!!

[butterflykisses1715]

wow shes amazing!!!

[katierocks1299]

Started to like Fiona this summer, a am going to sing this song in the talent show at my school :)

[titti1506]

@katierocks1299

better late than never! :)

Fiona is a genius

[baseball4247]

You can get this mp3 at instantmp3s..com

[LanIost]

I've seen Fiona three times with my GF. Let's see, I got her into Fiona about 5 years ago.

Whoever ever it was in the comments that mentioned it.. yes, it is awesome to that you can see a world class talent at shows that are so accessible and be right up front, easily, if you want.

Great shows too by the way..

[Muffindustrial]

just discovered Fiona... great song ♥

[dederjot]

When you think a paper bag is a bird.. You know you need a pair of glasses :)

Oh, and I love Fiona.

[Bluj200]

Any one who wants someone who won't take them back can definitely relate to this song.

[HopingForAnEncore]

='(

[johntetzel]

Is that Jon Brion on the left of the stage (stage right)?

[07239088]

he don't wanna clean up

[MegaWhiner]

I think this Today Show, Paper Bag performance is her best sound. Her voice sounds so good!

[candshann]

This is a great recording

[freemysoul3286]

i hope she never stops making music.

[Lirree88]

:( Sad song. beautiful. made me cry.

[EMABand1]

I LOVE FIONA!! I WISH SHE'D COME OUT WITH A NEW ALBUM!!! :)

[thora13]

Awesome video-and I seriously love the interactive transcript! Your my hero, thank you for the upload!

[Malzarin]

I love Fiona! She may have her videos and exploits but I truly love her music. I don't often gravitate toward female artrtists but she is an exception. To be able to combine musical complexity, melodic pleasure, powerful lyrics, and tie it all up with a versitile voice and performing talent, what is not to love? If she stays at her current level of fame it will be a loss for the world of music but I will reap the benefits, knowing that I am seeing a world talent at local seating.

[turboterra]

@Malzarin why don't you 'gravitate' towards female artist's ?

:)

[Malzarin]

@turboterra Honestly, because I am a singer and musician. It is hard for me to sing female parts and most I hear have no interest to me. Melodicaly she is one of the greatest artists I have ever heard. I don't mean to speak ill of women artists it just tends to not be my taste.

[SirBede]

Isteni hang! :D

[kekolia]

J'aime tellement cette chanson <3

[pacifiedfools]

Damn her voice is nice!

[As33forme]

crummy and boring lyrics, but her voice makes up for it.

[thebetsever]

@As33forme wtf the song is gr8!!!

[As33forme]

@thebetsever

 yell and scream all you want, "bets", but my opinion remains different from yours. You might want to think about learning to let go of your need to control how everyone thinks.

[Donnovanollathir]

O brasil ama essa mulher, principalmente eu!

[hiphopguru81]

I love Fiona Apple and my name is that of a hiphopguru......the 80's and 90's were bad as fuck.....todays hiphop is garbarge thats why I come back to this!.......fuck all the haters, no exlamation point just a .

[deimiankm8]

she got talen! luv from argentina fiona!

[21raulsoto]

What a great voice!!!! and she's beautifull too!!!

[rwbies]

In Fiona's words: "I definitely had an eating disorder." "I was really depressed and self-loathing. For me, it wasn't about being thin, it was about getting rid of the bait attached to my body. A lot of it came from the self-loathing that came from being raped at the point of developing my voluptuousness." "I just thought that if you had a body and if you had anything on you that would be grabbed, it would be grabbed. So I did purposely get rid of it.".

[sorcerer1975]

OMG this is brilliant !

[adnerbhuh]

I just love how NBC had to display the day's temperature during Fiona's song.

[pipersue19]

i have 2 fold

[DominicRiv]

Fiona. Extraordinary Machine came out in 2005. Should have been 2003. It's 2010. Please! From all your fans. You focking rock! Love your lyrics, love your style, love your voice, whatever it is that makes you you. I miss it. Just write girl! It'll come! Be yourself!

[HarryPotterCat]

Well, I think it's an awesome song whether it's about an eating disorder or not. Now why don't we all shush and listen to her amazing voice (:

[blazing64]

always a pleasure you bitch

[firstjibb]

why isn't she playing piano?! That's like 75% of her amazingness. I object to this.

[Lohvate]

"I know I'm a mess he don't wanna clean up"

I love that line

((:

[xkidd092]

whats this song about? eating disorder ? :S

[Phbzero]

please say you were trying to be funny

[xkidd092]

sorry? Its just how interpret it

[postyesterdayman]

You are an idiot that doesn't know a metaphor from a meteor. Stop contributing.

[xkidd092]

@postyesterdayman; hollyyy. someones hostile. Its just the way i interpret it assfuck. I've struggled with an eating disordered for 2 years of my life.

Sorry? Its the 3rd time ive heard it. Im not going to go any deeper into this song then that.

[Phazonin]

Don't listen to em. Fiona struggled with an eating disorder as well, but I'm pretty sure the song is not about that. Then again, she may have purposely made it have a double meaning.. no one will know for sure. "Hunger hurts, but starvin' works" is just an example of a damn good line, it can take on so many meanings and interpretations... no one's wrong in theirs.

[fearhasaglare]

It's obviously about a guy.. but I think the concept of hunger and it's use as an analogy is definitely coloured by her experiences with anorexia.

[postyesterdayman]

Sorry, didn't mean to be an 'assfuck' but every time I see responses to this song it's 'damn, she's skinny, this song is about anorexia or bulimia' etc. I just think that's giving short shrift to the song in itself and if, as you said, it;s only the third time you have heard it, then listen some more and then comment with an informed opinion. It just seemed to me you were asking a question w/o first giving an effort to understand it on yr own. There may be a double entendre here, you tell me.

[BreFgt]

i hate how people try to call other people out and say what they thing a song means is "wrong".

as a person who has struggled with an eating disorder for the majority of my life, i can relate in many ways to this song. however- that doesn't mean that the song is definitely about eating disorders.

good artists like fiona write songs that many people can relate to many different things.. and attacking people for saying what it means to THEM is kind of like a slap in the face to the artist.

[tenley1234]

@BreFgt she has explained this song. when she was younger she was in a bad mood and she was sitting in her dad's car while he was in the grocery store. she saw a dove and thought it was a sign that things were looking up and then she realized it was a plastic bag. she thought it was a good metaphor for her life. and she changed it to paper bag because it sounded better. she doesn't fucking have an eating disorder.. get over it... she has admitted she is OCD but not having an eating disorder

[BreFgt]

@tenley1234 are you a tard? did i ever, in any way, say SHE had an eating disorder? i did not. despite what the song may be written about, my comment clearly stated how amazing she is for being able to write songs that people can relate to.. even if that's not exactly what it's about. i'm happy that you're so aware of what she wrote the song about, my comment was only explaining what it means to ME.

"get over it." good job coming off as a total dick, by the way. kudos.

[BreFgt]

@tenley1234 "I definitely did have an eating disorder. What was really frustrating for me was that everyone thought I was anorexic, and I wasn't. I was just really depressed and self-loathing." direct quote from a rolling stone magazine interview with fiona in 1998 titled "the caged bird sings". google it. know your facts before you try to act all high and mighty.

[turboterra]

@tenley1234 wiki people ....

[Skeletor1889]

@BreFgt

The reason I don't like taking the "hunger hurts" section literally, is that it's diminishing the metaphor and thoughts Fiona is trying to convey here. If someone had an IQ of 70, I'd assume that's how they'd interpret the song. But seriously, what's next: "I got to fold cause these hands are too shaky to hold" is actually telling a story about a poker player who has an issue with shaky hands? Gimme a break.

[Phazonin]

@Skeletor1889 i always thought it might be understood as a double entendre given Fiona's history... either way, her lyrics are some of the best.

[solariis888]

@BreFgt she doesn't have a eating disorder idiot... she's talking about being starved for love. She has insomnia... most geniuses get that alot... they call it the racing mind.

[TMSreptiles]

@solariis888 actually, she does. she suffers from an eating disorder. she was raped as a little girl, too. i thought you might want to know that

[BreFgt]

@solariis888 what's with the name calling, is this elementary school? anyway, fiona HAS had an eating disorder. she spoke about it openly in many, many interviews from the 90's. in fact, just by using google you can find quite a few of them online. notably one called "the caged bird sings" in rolling stone, 1998.

as i've said before to all the people who felt the need to rage at me for saying she did have one, please know your facts before you act all high and mighty. thanks.

[BuffaloBrian101]

its very simple. the hunger for love can end horribly so sometimes its better to starve (not love at all) than to want something that might night nourish in the end. i dont see what the context of the song has to do with consuming food.... "costs to much to love"

[xkidd092]

cool

[LulzCuppieCakes]

She looks so sad. I wonder why...

[SamPants827]

it's a pretty sad song, she was probably just getting into it. i could be wrong of course. maybe something happened.

[wahnwee23]

a true singer.

Lovely!

[Boobalopbop]

This entire album was amazing... One of the few albums out there that is perfect from beginning to end.

[MCCOGGLETRAVEL]

i like this song

[Marguerite0607]

I love this song! Does anyone know if she is planning to make another album? We need her!!

[looliefernandez]

shes recorded a few song in.. june, july... sth like that!

hope she makes a whole record sometime soon!

[gensu3k1]

make another album, fiona. Pretty please.

[bluesteel9]

She got the sexiest voice. awesome live performance.

[PoisonTea4u]

I thought he was a man but he's just a little boy

;)

[whenthepawn1]

she's awesome and i really love this song

[LillaBlueberry]

She's amazing O__o ♥.

[manus21]

one of my all-time favourites...

hope she continues making music...

[jakespick]

i can't believe her and paul broke up. to me, they were like perfect together.

[paulipaz]

Still one of my favorites too!

She's always so wonderful live.

[soundvomit]

still one of my favs!

[precieuse9]

the drummer is cute!!! I LOVE YOU FIONA

[madamehollywoood]

god she is so amazing

[creome17]

this is an incredible performance. what i love most is that she isn't disconnected from what she's singing; it's almost like watching an actor. it seems as if though she's narrating something as it plays out.

[sebox]

I love how easy is to believe everything she sings. You KNOW that every word is true, and it comes from her heart.

[eliaisher]

yeah i know that the physical look has nothing to do with her soul :)

[invaderlark]

omg she sounds sooooooo good live. amazing

[eliaisher]

i agree she sings really gd but she is not beautifull

[psychogroupie1]

seriously? i think she is hot in the video for criminal. i think she cares about her art enough not to worry about what she looks like when she sings.

[CorycianMuse]

Superficial.

[Serafinalu]

her soul is beautiful...seriously theres more to life than the way people look.

[jkfar12]

awesomee drummer

[andrewbwerner]

the vibrato on her voice is such her trademark.. some of the most amazing lyrics i ever read in my life...

[Phazonin]

Her vibrato is cool but for me it's that husky, heavy undertone she has when she sings the low notes. Either way, she has a great voice.

[n33daname]

the organ keyboard sounds totally out of place. maybe it's just me

[kh2218]

i dont hear organ

[n33daname]

there are two keyboards a drummer and a bass player, second keyboard kicks in around 0:49.  probably not technically organ but close with a slight electrical fakeness to it.

[KingOfTheBritains]

i love her music...she has such a unique sound and so much seems to go into her songs

[eliaisher]

she is not pretty at all.. :S

[themiserychic]

are you kidding me? she's beautiful, and i'm not just saying that because i love her. she has naturally full lips, high cheekbones and gorgeous eyes. and i love that she hasn't bleached her hair like most mousy blondes do. (:

[playbill101]

she is so pretty... look at her eyes at 0:51

[dancingbearfilms]

too early in the morning for that shit...

hunger hurst, but starving works.

[peoplethrower]

she should do a tour in eu. i want to see her live in germany.

amazing voice, great lyrics & music and beautiful woman

[taychris39]

She puts a lot of herself into her songs. I love her voice. Thanks for posting this.

[watermark260783]

Amazing how she with so little 'performance' really makes you feel the song. She totally becomes the song without putting on a show, sorta.

[BunBeeJazz]

I am speechless when it comes to her talent.

[marjorie0201]

she's a poet... she touches my heart with every song... especially this one :)

[PerfectionAtItsBest]

shes amazing i love her

[geniiial]

cause i know im a mess he dont wanna clean up..saad

[geniiial]

fiona apple is the best artist i've ever knew

[donuteyes]

one of the best singer/songwriters ever.

[absolutelyems]

totally agree; her lyrics are true poetry.

[rfpajarillaga]

I love it!

[FickleDawn]

Great performance. Thanks for posting!

[peachy974]

marvelous !

[caiodarc]

Fiona Apple rules!

Great movie!