Seeds from the Black Apple

For an otherwise cheery, warm album, the title track "Black Apple" has a very dark theme. After tracking vocals for this song, it was then that I really studied the lyrics intensely and tried to understand who Patrick was writing about and why. Clearly the song was written about a break-up or the dissolution of a partnership. And naturally John and Paul came to mind. I don't have a clear indicator as to the exact date for which this song was penned, but my best guess is somewhere between 1970 and 1975.

Patrick was a very joyful and happy fellow who rarely had a cross word for anything or anyone, so for him to write such a letter in the form of this angst filled song, well, that really speaks volumes.

I will share a few lyrical excerpts and try to break them down.

Black apple
twisting on the vine, waiting to be plucked
and ever ripe for intertwine

--- This intro section suggests that the "Black Apple" is in fact a  person who is about to/or has been inserted or connected to a thing or a group (probably a band). And, that he was selected (plucked) for such a thing.

Black Apple
you could have fooled them all
smaller by an inch, though some would say your still too tall

--- Well, this bit seems fairly obvious so I will let you make your own conclusion to its meaning. But I will say that there is a harsh undercurrent happening here, and these lyrics feel as if they were written by John Lennon. Very sassy.

Black Apple
suffocating in a room
swapping spit with devils, like you're on a honeymoon

---This lyrical passage has me stumped. What was Patrick trying to say here? Such dark lyrics, such disdain.  These lyrics and this song had bothered me at the time. Not so much anymore, but at first this song was very off-putting.....which is why it was decided to include it as the title track. Its a rare side of Patrick that we had never really seen, or  had come across in any other of his lyrics. But we felt that it was important to include such a bittersweet song, because it was clearly important enough for him to write. Its how he felt at the time and so it must of had important value no matter how brief he may have felt in this way.

And whomever this was directed towards, I hope he found reconciliation before he departed. Or at least peace of mind.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this song once you have heard it. It would be interesting to dissect it with others, peel the layers as it were.

Cheers,
KM