{{Infobox song | name = Dull Tool | cover = | alt = | type = | artist = Fiona Apple from the film ''This Is 40'' | album = | released = December 11, 2012 | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = | length = 4:22 | label = Capitol Records<br>Universal Music | writer = Fiona Apple | producer = Jon Brion }}
'''"Dull Tool"''' is a song by American singer-songwriter Fiona Apple, released on the soundtrack to the comedy film ''This Is 40'' (2012).<ref name=Allmusic>{{Cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/this-is-40-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-mw0002441002 |title=This Is 40 [Original Motion Soundtrack<nowiki>]</nowiki> |access-date=February 1, 2013|work=Allmusic|publisher=Rovi Corporation|first=Stephen Thomas|last= Erlewine}}</ref> It is the first track Apple wrote solely for a film.<ref name=RollingStoneLeaks>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/fiona-apples-this-is-40-song-dull-tool-leaks-20121118 |title=Fiona Apple's 'This Is 40' Song 'Dull Tool' Leaks |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=November 18, 2012 |access-date=February 1, 2013 }}</ref> "Dull Tool" was produced by Apple's long-time collaborator Jon Brion, and leaked online in November 2012, several weeks before the soundtrack hit stores on December 11.
==Background and composition== [[File:Fiona Apple 10 2012.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Fiona Apple 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,<ref name=PitchforkInterview/> 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."<ref name=PitchforkInterview/> 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."<ref name=PitchforkInterview>{{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}}</ref> Brion, a long-time collaborator of Apple's,<ref>{{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}}</ref> produced "Dull Tool", as well as every other original song featured on the album.<ref>{{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}}</ref> 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|thumb|right|upright|Producer Jon Brion, 2004]]
"Dull Tool" has been perceived to reference a poorly-ended relationship,<ref name=VH1Digs/> in which Apple begins by discussing the game hide and seek and ends by "launching into a barrage of insults."<ref name=SlateWickman/> 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...''.<ref name=VH1Digs>{{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}}</ref><ref name=SlateWickman/> ''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."<ref name=SlateWickman/>
==Release and reception== The song appears in ''This Is 40'', but was not initially planned for inclusion in the film's soundtrack.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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 }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{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 }}</ref> This led to speculation that Epic did not want the soundtrack to be released.<ref>{{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 }}</ref> It leaked online in November 2012, several weeks before the soundtrack debuted in stores on December 11.<ref name=SlateWickman>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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 }}</ref>
In a review of the soundtrack, ''Rolling Stone'' called the song "sprightly but vicious",<ref>{{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 }}</ref> while the ''Corpus Christi Caller-Times'' opined that the album was "smartly assembled" and Apple's song "convincingly echo[ed] domestic frustration".<ref>{{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 }}</ref> 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.<ref name=RollingStoneLeaks/> ''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,<ref>{{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}}</ref> but it did not receive a nomination for Best Original Song.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
{{Fiona Apple}}
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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