Official video (directed by Paul Thomas Anderson):

I had no idea that the jazzy, somewhat manic “Fast As You Can” was one of Fiona Apple’s most successful singles. Of course, as I’ve mentioned, I missed the When The Pawn… album entirely when it originally came out.

Its one of Apple’s faster paced songs, with a driving piano line, some killer bass and another stellar vocal performance. In the lyrics, Apple encourages his current paramour to get away from her as fast as he can due to her mental condition.

Most of the song has a very fast rhythm, but it slow down considerably on the bridge as Apple sings:

Sometimes my mind don’t shake and shift
But most of the time, it does
And I get to the place where I’m begging for a lift
Or I’ll drown in the wonders and the was
And I’ll be your girl, if you say it’s a gift
And you give me some more of your drugs
Yeah, I’ll be your pet, if you just tell me it’s a gift
Cuz I’m tired of whys, choking on whys,
Just need a little because, because

The more of Apple’s lyrics I listen to, the more familiar a character she seems to me. Indeed, had she and I crossed paths during certain points in my life, she’d have been exactly the maybe insane, maybe just really intense woman that I tend to be attracted to, God help me.