Album Of The Week: Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette

When Jagged Little Pill came out in the mid-90s, it was known as the album that was loved by all generations of women. Mothers and daughters alike. Though Morissette was only 21 when the best-selling album was released, at 41, the singer still stood by every lyric she wrote when rerecording the album back in 2015. The songs on the alt rock album have stayed relatable. But despite the success of Jagged Little Pill, none of Morissette’s succeeding albums ever came near the impact this record had. What is it exactly about the album that stayed timeless?

Starting off the album with ‘All I Really Want’, Morissette unapologetically asks ‘Do I stress you out?’. Dropping us in the middle of an argument with a partner, the singer sings of her frustration that they refuse to confront uncomfortable subjects. She wants intellectual conversations with them and yearns for a someone likeminded who doesn’t sweep everything under the rug. With the overlapping of a higher pitched version of her singing, it feels like a channelling of every version of Alanis Morisette that has ever felt frustrated at her partner singing at once.

I love ‘You Oughta Know’. It is SUCH a good “f@ck you” to her ex-boyfriend. It’s raw, blunt, and petty. I love it. She doesn’t pretend to be over him or want to be the bigger person, she’s still hung up on him and hates him for it. She doesn’t care how it makes her look, she just wants him to know what he’s done to her. The song gets progressively angrier in the lyrics and in her voice. Even in the re-recorded version, it’s like the break-up is raw she sounds so genuine. Accompanied by Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ bass and scratchy electric guitar and a lot of built-up rage, some of her bluntest lyrics are elevated to another level of honest. “Every time I scratch my nails down someone else’s back I hope you feel it. Oh can you feel it?” or “Are you thinking of me when you f@ck her?”. Somehow the angst that she channels through the song makes her come out as the winner.

‘Hand In My Pocket’ has become one of Alanis Morisette’s most iconic songs. The harmonica heavy song feels like a hug to anyone who has no idea what they’re doing in life. Alanis Morisette’s lyricism may seem simple, but she manages to convey so much comfort through her songs- especially this one. ‘Hand in My Pocket’ like a friend telling you that everything is going to be alright and reassuring you that no one has everything figured out either. And the message is turned into a catchy sing along rock song with 90s snare drums and harmonicas. I think that’s why so many are drawn to her music. This album especially, is such comfort music, telling you everything will be okay and validating how you’re feeling, whilst also being able to sing along to dance it out.

‘You Learn’ sums up the whole album and gives the title meaning. “Swallow it down, what a jagged little pill” It’s all about the necessity and unavoidability of living and learning. She reassures us that every risk is worth taking because we’ll recover. Some lessons are difficult to take in (like swallowing a jagged little pill) but you’ll be better for it on the other side. She places laughter, grief, mistakes, love, heartbreak on the same level. They are all worth going through, for the lessons and silver linings they bring us. Again, Morissette’s vocals shine through as she turns a message into a great track. This sort of song is another example of how the singer comes across as a friend or older sister throughout the album. Passing down what she’s had to learn on her own and letting you know if she can do it, so can you.

Next comes ‘Head Over Heels’, a sweet song turned rock. The lyrics are cheesy, and if it weren’t for the fact that it was Alanis Morissette singing over 90s drum machines, electric guitars and her signature harmonica, I would dislike it. But it’s such a comfort song. Because of seeing her go through the heartbreak of ‘You Oughta Know’, and tough times in ‘You Learn’ you feel personally invested in her happiness in ‘Head Over Heels’. Her more sensitive side comes out in this song, staying vulnerable in her song writing.

Jagged Little Pill isn’t short of incredibly catchy songs. I didn’t even mention one of the most belted songs on karaoke nights- ‘Ironic’. But the lasting success of the album isn’t just due to this. The record is a compilation of relatable songs that continue to make people’s feelings feel validated. Whether that’s panic at not knowing what you’re doing with your life, anger at an ex that’s moved on, general frustration or other, Alanis Morissette is here to tell you we’ve all been there and made it through to the other side. When the album first came out, Morissette was the angsty singer everyone needed, and generations of women were instantly drawn to. She expressed what many couldn’t put into words and delivered raw statements on a backdrop of great 90s alternative rock. Her music has stayed successful because of lasting relevance of her subject matters but more importantly by the intimacy and honesty she shares through her songwriting. Imparting her learnt lessons like an old friend.

By Alice Charlton