“When the Pawn…” also known as “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 You” is a long name for an album right? Yes, it is, but it is a poem that was written by Fiona Apple herself. Listening to this album gave me many emotions.
The first song on the album is titled “On the Bound.” The song has a very dramatic feel to it, from the piano to the way she phrases her words in a long dramatic way. This relates to the lyrics and how they talk about her emotional dependency and struggle to break free from a toxic relationship. The character she creates has a dependency on this person even though she knows that it is bad and toxic. This is relayed when the song repeats “You’re all I need.” She then follows this line up with the line, “Maybe some faith would do me good.” She is saying that maybe she needs to be enlightened and that she finally realizes she should leave this man. That is why she ends the song with that same lyric, it makes a good and hopeful outcome for the future.
One of the songs on the album is “Get Gone,” which is about the singer getting liberated from a toxic relationship that was a struggle to get out of. The character Apple creates throughout the song questions herself about how she will deal with this and how she will heal and get better from it. This gives the song a very back-and-forth feel. She is very conflicted about what will happen, but she knows it is for the best.
The final song on the album is titled “I Know,” which is about being in love with someone who does not give the same feeling back at all or gives it back somewhat slightly. Even though the singer knows this about the person they are speaking about, they still wait for their turn and hope that someday, it will come. This is very different from the beginning song on the album, with a harsh and dramatic piano, whereas this song has a lovely and comforting piano which gives a resolved feeling.
The listener and the singer experience many states of mind during this album, which shows many emotions and experiences. Overall, I would give this album a nine out of ten. I love how it shows vulnerability and the ability to be open with emotions. It also uses percussive instruments, such as the piano or synthesizer, in amazing ways.
