"Jagged Little Pill" remains, to this day, my “unskippable album.” Even though the album was released in 1995 and got heavy MTV rotations (yes, MTV during the 90’s played MUSIC), I didn’t get into Alanis Morissette until I was in high school. And I love her so much…her music..her lyrics… just everything. I mean she was a rocker with so much to say.
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I bought the album sometime during my freshman year of high school, and it was everything I was feeling. Prior to starting high school, my dad suddenly passed away and left us heartbroken and fractured. Seven years before that, my older brother passed away when he was only 15. I am also a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, so you can imagine all the pain and loss I was experiencing at such a young age.
I couldn’t relate to the love heartaches and heartbreaks of Alanis Morissette, but I could relate to her anger like in the songs “You Oughta Know,” “Perfect,” and “Right Through You.” Anger at someone who left, who said they would never leave. Anger at putting trust in people, who only destroyed it. Anger at putting trust in a system that is supposed to protect you, but it fails.
But despite all this anger, the songs “Hand in My Pocket,” “You Learn,” and “Head Over Feet” made me feel hope that life will be ok again, and there are worthy people out there. Everything is a learning experience and there’s nothing wrong with trying again. “Ironic” still makes me laugh to this day, both lyrically and remembering the music video. I implore you to watch the music video, just for silliness really. “Head Over Feet” is my go-to love song since I fall for someone who never understands why I love them. I love them for all that they are. I couldn’t help it.
The first track on the album, “All I Really Want,” is one of my favorite songs, probably my favorite song ever. The lyrics are clever, like “I have no concept of time other than it is flying…” and her writing inspired me to write my own stories and poems.
“Jagged Little Pill” has saved and inspired me in more ways than one. It’s not only my teenage album that I used to listen on repeat, but it has grown with me in my adult years, and remains one of my favorite albums of all time.
