Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morissette

Track List:

  1. All I Really Want

  2. You Oughta Know

  3. Perfect

  4. Hand in My Pocket

  5. Ride Through You

  6. Forgiven

  7. You Learn

  8. Head Over Feet

  9. Mary Jane

  10. Ironic

  11. Not the Doctor

  12. Wake Up


Will this be a hard pill to swallow?

So I believe I have heard this album before. Probably when I was 8 or 9 and I didn’t really listen to it because it was Jenny’s album and she really liked the song Ironic and I thought it was annoying but Jenny had a trampoline and a pool too so I didn’t mind listening to Ironic on repeat. I know I have heard other songs from this album and more recently too. I decided on this album today as I was leaving Music and Arts center after getting my daughter reeds for her clarinet Hand in my Pocket came on. I enjoyed listening to it so I figured I need to spend time listening to something I wouldn’t mind exploring this deeper. Songs I know I have heard include Ironic, Hand in My Pocket, All I Really Want, and You Ought Know. Will I recognize others? Probably, I have a nasty habit of not knowing song names. If I ever listen to Led Zeppelin III for this I will have a story. Time to press play. 


All I really want

The album announces its arrival with a female grunge classic. I think this is a reflection upon herself. Her wants and needs in life and a partnership. I imagine this song is and was a cathartic release for her. I like the way this starts and am looking forward to the rest of the album.

You Oughta Know

The intro reminds me of Bjork, I don’t recall  hearing it before. The lyrics are pretty straight forward, she is singing about her ex and his new partner. 

Perfect

A softer sound. The song sounds happy but the lyrics are parents talking to their children and setting expectations of success in exchange for love, acceptance, and respect. The chords right before the bridge remind me of the style of The Cure. Wow, that's a powerful one. 

Hand in My Pocket

I heard this one just a few hours ago. A song of trying to define one’s self yet not fitting into any of the definitions. Reflection, hope, and calm. The lyrics seem to me to be almost an attempt at a Dylan style tune, harmonica included. 

Right Through You

A song about not getting respect from an ex and now confronting them because they didn’t give you the respect you deserved.

Forgiven

Much darker tone. Lyrics compare the treatment the narrator had growing up as a Catholic girl and her justification of her faith.

You Learn

A song about growth and advancement via the experience of life. 

Head Over Feet

I have heard this one before. I like the drum track. I wonder if she is the one playing the harmonica, this is the second song that reminds me of Dylan. Google search. She does play harmonica 

Mary Jane

A story about a woman realizing her worth. 

Ironic

An exploration in prose the literal meaning of irony. 

Not The Doctor

A song about expectations in a relationship. 

Wake Up

This is about standing up to someone that patronizes you. 


After the pill wore off

That was interesting. It sounded very 90’s. I think this was an album for Morissette that she had a lot of personal growth and the album felt very personal. I think she tried to write like Dylan. I also think I heard some of the same drum machines that I heard Sublime use.

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