New Song: Fiona Apple Returns With (Brief) “Horns Of A Bull,” Theme From Anya Taylor Joy’s ‘Lucky’

Fiona Apple has released a new song, albeit a very brief one, “Horns Of A Bull” which serves as the theme song of the new Anya Taylor Joy show, Lucky. I think this is similar to what R.E.M.’s erstwhile singer Michael Stipe (working with uber-producer Andrew Watt) did earlier this year with “I Played The Fool” from Rooster. 

It has been six long years since Apple released her brilliant (and brilliantly titled) album Fetch The Bolt Cutters. I’ve been on Apple’s bandwagon since her debut album, Tidal, came out. I remember being at the record store with my buddy Young Goodman Browne and he said, at one of those end cap listening stations they had back then for CDs, “You need to hear this album,” with headphones in his outstretched hand.

I stood there with the headphones on staring into those eyes from the photo of her on the cover of the album and was utterly transfixed. She was younger than me, but I couldn’t help but think, “Fiona has lived.”

I followed this tortured, brilliant woman through her second album and up to Extraordinary Machine. I lost track of her a bit until Bolt Cutters came out in ’20 and then I went back and picked up 2012’s brilliant The Idler Wheel…

What I’ve always enjoyed about her music – beyond her wonderful lyrics – was the way she used the piano as an almost percussive instrument. She also uses varied, interesting percussion so it all makes for a cacophonous jazz-tinged, aural assault, in a good way. Her voice is a personal favorite of mine.

While it has been six years since we last got an album from Apple, we have heard from her. She’s made some guest appearances on other people’s LPs (notably, Dylan’s “Murder Most Foul”) and has contributed several tracks to artist tribute albums, my favorite being her cover of Neil Young’s “Heart Of Gold” from Heart Of Gold: The Songs Of Neil Young Vol. 1.

While I’m from the school of “I’ll take anything I can get from an artist/band I’m into,” even I have to admit that this new song, “Horns Of A Bull,” which clocks in at 1-minute and 40-seconds, leaves me, well, wanting more.

It’s the signature Apple sound, starting with piano and percussion. Her voice comes in. When she sings the title phrase, she drops her voice to a real low register for the word “bull.” She does it again later in the chorus and it creates a real off-kilter, disorienting vibe.

She repeats, “My daddy put my crib under Damocles’ sword,” and I tend to believe it. But as I mentioned, like dating in high school, it’s over before we’ve even gotten started. Enjoy all 100 seconds…

Here’s a sample:

I saw some blurb from an interview she gave, where she said she felt she wasn’t doing her job as an artist – to create something during these especially troubled times – so I’m hoping she’s got something cooking in the studio. I’d love a new, feral album from this fierce artist.

Enjoy this song as a small way to tide ourselves over while we wait for Ms. Apple to deliver whatever is next. I’m sure whatever that is, it’ll be brilliant. This short song has only wetted my appetite for more Fiona!

Cheers! And take care of each other out there.