Fiona Apple - Cover Songs, Volume 1: 1997-2005

A few weeks ago (as I write this in February 2024), I posted an alternate version of a Fiona Apple. I wasn't that familiar with her music other than a couple of hit songs, so I decided to listen more of her stuff. Long story short, that led me to create this, a series of four albums of cover versions she did. None of these appeared on any of her studio albums, since she reserves those for her original songs.

I must say I was very pleasantly surprised by her choice of covers. She's a bit like Marshall Crenshaw, with his deep knowledge of music history resulting in the many albums of cover versions I've been posting here. Apple must have a similar deep musical knowledge, because she hasn't just done the usual suspects of big rock hits from the 1960s until today. She's done some of those songs, sure, but she also goes way back, covering songs from the pre-rock and roll era. There are some of those here, like "It's Only a Paper Moon" (first done in 1933), "River, Stay Away from My Door" (first done in 1931), "Tonight You Belong to Me" (first done in 1928), and the like. There are more in the same vein on the other volumes in this series. I did NOT expect that from a 1990s alt rock star! Additionally, she has an excellent, unique voice, so this is a winner of an album all around.

Seven of the songs here have been officially released, and five have not. "Across the Universe" and "Please Send Me Someone to Love" are from the "Pleasantville" movie soundtrack. "Frosty the Snowman" is from a various artists Christmas album. Maude Maggart is Apple's sister, though she changed her last name to differentiate herself from her sister. "It's Only a Paper Moon" and "After You've Gone" are both from a Maggart album. "Tonight You Belong to Me" and "River, Stay Away from My Door" are live performances included as bonus tracks on Apple's 2005 album "Extraordinary Machine."

As for the unreleased songs (the first four plus track 10), they're generally from concert bootlegs. However, "Please Come Home for Christmas" is from an in-person radio station appearance. They all have excellent sound quality, except for "After You've Gone," which is a bit rougher, since it's from an audience boot.

The two bonus tracks are bonus tracks due to sound quality. They also are from audience boots, but even rougher ones.

This album is 41 minutes long, not including the two bonus tracks.

01 Angel (Fiona Apple)
02 Siting in Limbo (Fiona Apple)
03 Use Me (Fiona Apple)
04 Please Come Home for Christmas (Fiona Apple)
05 Across the Universe (Fiona Apple)
06 Please Send Me Someone to Love (Fiona Apple)
07 Frosty the Snowman (Fiona Apple)
08 It's Only a Paper Moon (Maude Maggart & Fiona Apple)
09 A Sleeping Bee (Maude Maggart & Fiona Apple)
10 After You've Gone (Fiona Apple)
11 Tonight You Belong to Me (Fiona Apple)
12 River, Stay Away from My Door (Fiona Apple)

Just One of Those Things (Fiona Apple)
Kissing My Love (Fiona Apple)

https://www.upload.ee/files/16247074/FONAAPPL1997-2005CovrSngsVlum1_atse.zip.html

The cover photo shows Apple at a concert in a Tower Records store in West Hollywood, California, in 2005. As an aside, "After You've Gone" is from this performance.