Dull Tool

File:Fiona Apple 10 2012.jpg in 2012]]

American singer-songwriter Fiona Apple became involved with the comedy 2012 film This Is 40 after being sent a script by its writer and director, Judd Apatow. The two had met a few years previously during a benefit concert for a family clinic; Apatow was a self-described fan of her music. Some time after sending Apple the script, film composer Jon Brion told Apatow that Apple had recorded a demo for the film. Apatow later commented in an interview with Pitchfork Media, "I didn't know she would write anything. The song was perfect, and I knew exactly where to put it." He added that Apple had recorded a second song, but he could not find an appropriate place to insert it into the film; he called this song "equally as great as 'Dull Tool'. It was heartbreaking not to put it in, but I'm sure it'll reach people at some point. It's a beautiful song."{{Cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/features/interviews/9011-judd-apatow/ |title= Interviews: Judd Apatow |publisher=Pitchfork Media |first=Larry |last=Fitzmaurice |date=December 11, 2012 |access-date=February 1, 2013}} Brion, a long-time collaborator of Apple's,{{Cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/22/fiona-apple-this-is-40-dull-tool_n_2003496.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003 |title=Fiona Apple & 'This Is 40': Original Song 'Dull Tool' Will Appear On Soundtrack |work=The Huffington Post |first=Christopher |last=Rosen |date=October 22, 2012 |access-date=February 1, 2013}} produced "Dull Tool", as well as every other original song featured on the album.{{Cite web|url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/listen-fiona-apples-dull-tool-from-the-this-is-40-soundtrack-paul-rudd-hearts-ween-in-new-poster-20121117 |title=Listen: Fiona Apple's "Dull Tool" From The 'This Is 40' Soundtrack; Paul Rudd Hearts Ween In New Poster |publisher=IndieWire |first=Edward |last=Davis |date=November 17, 2012 |access-date=February 1, 2013}} The second song written by Apple for the film, "Cosmonauts", was also recorded with Jon Brion, but went unreleased at the time, eventually appearing in re-recorded form on Apple's acclaimed 2020 album, Fetch The Bolt Cutters.

File:Jon Brion (cropped).jpg, 2004]]

"Dull Tool" has been perceived to reference a poorly-ended relationship, in which Apple begins by discussing the game hide and seek and ends by "launching into a barrage of insults." Lyrically, various music critics considered the "dense and fevered" song to be the "tortured antidote" or "painful sequel" to "Hot Knife", a song from Apple's 2012 album, The Idler Wheel....{{Cite web|url=http://www.vh1.com/music/tuner/2012-11-19/fiona-apple-lays-it-straight-in-dull-tool-her-new-song-for-judd-apatows-this-is-40/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511154530/http://www.vh1.com/music/tuner/2012-11-19/fiona-apple-lays-it-straight-in-dull-tool-her-new-song-for-judd-apatows-this-is-40/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 11, 2013 |title=Fiona Apple Digs In With "Dull Tool," Her New Song For Judd Apatow's This Is 40 |work=VH1 |publisher=Viacom |first= Zara |last=Golden |date=November 19, 2012 |access-date=February 1, 2013}} Slate noted that the song included Apple's regular "fast-tumbling waltzes on the piano" as well as "an orchestra’s worth of mandolins, violins, electric guitars, and timpani."

The song appears in This Is 40, but was not initially planned for inclusion in the film's soundtrack.{{Cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/news/48319-fiona-apple-records-song-for-judd-apatow-movie/ |title=Fiona Apple Records Song for Judd Apatow Movie |publisher=Pitchfork Media |first=Carrie |last=Battan |date=October 23, 2012 |access-date=February 1, 2013}}{{Cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/news/48522-fiona-apples-song-for-the-judd-apatow-movie-this-is-40-will-be-released-after-all/ |title=Fiona Apple's Song for the Judd Apatow Movie This Is 40 Will Be Released After All |first=Carrie |last=Battan |publisher=Pitchfork Media |date=November 8, 2012 |access-date=February 1, 2013 }} In October 2012, Pitchfork Media reported a supposed conflict between Apple and her record label, Epic Records. Apple had reportedly "lashed out at her label for pulling promotional support from her new album [The Idler Wheel...] in response to her placing a song on a soundtrack" that was being produced by two other music companies.{{Cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/news/48328-did-fiona-apples-label-epic-records-stop-her-judd-apatow-film-song-from-being-released/ |title=Did Fiona Apple's Label Epic Records Stop Her Judd Apatow Film Song From Being Released? |first=Carrie |last=Battan |publisher=Pitchfork Media |date=October 24, 2012 |access-date=February 1, 2013 }} This led to speculation that Epic did not want the soundtrack to be released.{{Cite web |url=http://blogs.music.msn.ca/2012/10/fiona-apples-label-blocking-release-of-apatow-film-song.html |title=Fiona Apple feuding with label over Apatow film song? |publisher=MSN |date=October 25, 2012 |access-date=February 1, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130219185319/http://blogs.music.msn.ca/2012/10/fiona-apples-label-blocking-release-of-apatow-film-song.html |archive-date=February 19, 2013 }} It leaked online in November 2012, several weeks before the soundtrack debuted in stores on December 11.{{Cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2012/11/19/fiona_apple_new_song_dull_tool_from_the_soundtrack_to_this_is_40_listen.html |title=Listen to a New Song From Fiona Apple |work=Slate |publisher=The Washington Post Company |first= Forrest |last=Wickman |date=November 19, 2012 |access-date=February 1, 2013}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.fuse.tv/2012/11/fiona-apple-dull-tool-this-is-40-leaks |title=Fiona Apple's "Dull Tool" Leaks |first=Araceli |last=Cruz |work=Fuse |publisher=The Madison Square Garden Company |date=November 19, 2012 |access-date=February 1, 2013 }}

In a review of the soundtrack, Rolling Stone called the song "sprightly but vicious",{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/this-is-40-20121211 |title=This Is 40 Album Reviews |first=Jody |last=Rosen |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=December 11, 2012 |access-date=February 1, 2013 }} while the Corpus Christi Caller-Times opined that the album was "smartly assembled" and Apple's song "convincingly echo[ed] domestic frustration".{{Cite web|url=http://www.caller.com/news/2013/jan/25/this-is-40-soundtrack-signals-middle-age-in/ |title='This is 40' soundtrack signals middle age in style |first=Jesse |last=De Leon|work=Corpus Christi Caller-Times |publisher=The E.W. Scripps Company |date=January 25, 2013 |access-date=February 1, 2013 }} Though Apple's music has been featured on other film soundtracks, "Dull Tool" marked the first time she could be eligible for an Academy Award. The Huffington Post revealed that Universal had listed it among other pieces it submitted for consideration to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences,{{Cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/18/dull-tool-fiona-apple-this-is-40-song_n_2154747.html |title='Dull Tool': Fiona Apple's 'This Is 40' Song Arrives With Plenty Of Spunk |work=The Huffington Post |first= Kia |last=Makarechi |date=November 18, 2012 |access-date=February 1, 2013}} but it did not receive a nomination for Best Original Song.{{Cite web|url=http://www.vulture.com/2013/01/turns-out-the-academy-isnt-into-pop-music.html |title=Turns Out the Academy Doesn't Like Cool Music |work=Vulture |publisher=New York Media |first= Amanda |last=Dobbins |date=January 10, 2013 |access-date=February 1, 2013}}

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Fiona Apple}}

{{authority control}}

Category:2012 songs

Category:Fiona Apple songs

Category:Song recordings produced by Jon Brion

Category:Songs written by Fiona Apple

Category:Songs written for films

Category:American pop rock songs