5 Things to Know About Fiona Apple’s Fourth Album Title

The album title is a full-length sentence. It reads: “The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do.”

The title is a single, unbroken sentence. There are no commas or periods, just a string of words that form a complete thought.

It is the longest album title of any major artist. At 88 characters, it holds the record for a commercially released album.

The title reflects the album’s themes of restraint and control. The contrast between “idler wheel” and “driver,” and “whipping cords” versus “ropes,” suggests that patience and flexibility are more effective than force.

Apple wrote the title herself. She has said it came from a line in a poem she wrote, and she felt it captured the album’s emotional core.