On earlier Songs of the Day, commenters Amy and Dana correctly pointed out that Fiona Apple’s music is often dark and brooding. While there are certainly exceptions on her three albums, it’s true that the overall mood is one of angst and melancholy.
So I’ve decided to finish off Fiona Apple week with something completely different… a performance of the classic Christmas song ‘Frosty the Snowman’ Apple recorded for a holiday album.
Of course, in her version Frosty goes on the lam after killing a traffic cop (or maybe I’m reading too much into it… I’d actually never heard the complete lyrics before).
Was a jolly happy soul
With a corn-cob pipe and a button nose
And two eyes made out of coal
Frosty the Snowman
Is a fairy tale they say
He was made of snow
But the children know
How he came to life one day
There must have been some magic
In that old silk hat they found
For when they placed it on his head
He began to dance around
Frosty the Snowman
Was alive as he could be
And the children say
He could laugh and play
Just the same as you and me
Frosty the Snowman
Knew the sun was hot that day
So he said, “Let’s run
And we’ll have some fun
Now before I melt away”
Down to the village
With a broomstick in his hand
Running here and there
All around the square
Saying, “Catch me if you can”
He led them down
The streets of town
Right to the traffic cop
And he only paused a moment
When he heard him holler, “Stop!”
Frosty the Snowman
Had to hurry on his way
But he waved goodbye
Saying, “Don’t you cry
I’ll be back again some day”
Meet Me In Montauk 
You’ve never heard the entire song before? That’s odd. Well, I can’t say this is the version I would play for the kiddies, but it certainly shows Fiona’s willingness to sing something a bit more whimsical and cheerful. Of course, the “just the same as you and me” is delivered in a somewhat threatening manner. I could almost imagine there will be reprisals for those who didn’t understand Frosty, while he was still alive. Her final “I’ll be back again some day” is a far creepier promise that that delivered by Ahnold all those years ago.
I take it you’re being facetious? That final note is sweet as can be.
Interestingly, Apple seems to be fond of lighter fare when she performs live, often covering ditties like this. I guess it’s a change of pace from her own stuff. The question is why she doesn’t choose to write that sort of thing very often herself.
You find this song a departure? Really? I mean she picks the ONE Christmas song that involves the angst and heartbreak of small children watching a snowman melt and die in front of their very eyes. Closing with the haunting lyrics:
Frosty the Snowman
Had to hurry on his way
But he waved goodbye
Saying, “Don’t you cry
I’ll be back again some day”
Of course, he leaves the children crying despite his pleas as he vanishes before their eyes. And, will he back again someday as he optimistically predicts? Maybe, maybe not. But these crushed children’s souls are forces to wait a whole year (an eternity in a child’s life) to desperately build that snowman again, only to find that, when Frosty does come back to life, he has forgotten all of his previous experiences, pathetically exclaiming “Happy Birthday!” So, now the kids are left with a dementia-adled snowman.
Really light and happy song to close Fiona’s week! Nice!
speaking of snowmen, the one you all made here at Christmas time finally melted into a little bump ;( –this is a sweet version of Frosty.