The Singer
Alanis Morissette is a Canadian alternative rock singer with a powerful voice that has been internationally famous since the 90s. She became a strong feminist icon with her music and lyrics, especially with the song You Oughta Know and the album, where it belongs.
The Album
Jagged Little Pill, is Morissette’s third studio album. It was released on June 13th, 1995. The album reached a big commercial international success, featuring hit tracks like Ironic and Hand In My Pocket. A lot of these songs had videos rotating heavily on MTV and on the radio.
I got this iconic album when it came up and loved it, but I was 13 at that time, too young to realize the lyrics´ real meaning, especially in You Oughta Know. I just liked the song and how angry and raw she sounded.
Band Members
- Alanis Morissette – vocals
- Glen Ballard – programming
- Dave Navarro – guitar
- Flea – bass
- Benmont Tench – organ
- Matt Laug – drums
The musicians on this album were top-notch 90s musicians, and that combined with Alanis’s writing and voice created these amazing songs.
The Song
Alanis Morissette’s You Oughta Know is the ultimate broke-up song. She is super tough, and you feel her anger in her voice while she sings it. It is about being cheated and replaced, quickly, by another woman. She has never revealed the real identity of this ex-boyfriend, but legend says it was about the actor Dave Coulier (Uncle Joey from Full House).
Every woman could relate to this song, so it rapidly became a feminist anthem. The lyrics are explicit, angry, obsessive, unapologetically, and emotionally intense. The song got attention, because women, especially before those days, didn’t use to talk about those topics so openly. Setting the stage for female artists to express themselves freely ever since.
One of my favorite parts of the lyrics is:
“And every time you speak her nameDoes she know how you told meYou’d hold me until you died‘Til you died, but you’re still alive”.
And of course, she sings this part, and the whole song, with so much rage and passion. I love it. Iconic artist, iconic song, and iconic album.
* On the video appears Taylor Hawkins, as the drummer.
Lyrics
You Oughta Know:
I wish nothing but the best for you both
An older version of me
Is she perverted like me?
Would she go down on you in a theatre?
Does she speak eloquently?
And would she have your baby?
I’m sure she’d make a really excellent mother.
‘Cause the love that you gave that we made
Wasn’t able to make it enough for you to be open wide, no
And every time you speak her name
Does she know how you told me
You’d hold me until you died?
‘Til you died, but you’re still alive.
And I’m here, to remind you
Of the mess you left when you went away
It’s not fair, to deny me
Of the cross I bear that you gave to me
You, you, you oughta know
You seem very well, things look peaceful
I’m not quite as well, I thought you should know
Did you forget about me, Mr. Duplicity?
I hate to bug you in the middle of dinner
It was a slap in the face how quickly I was replaced
And are you thinking of me when you fuck her?
‘Cause the love that you gave that we made
Wasn’t able to make it enough for you to be open wide, no
And every time you speak her name
Does she know how you told me
You’d hold me until you died?
‘Til you died, but you’re still alive.
And I’m here, to remind you
Of the mess you left when you went away
It’s not fair, to deny me
Of the cross I bear that you gave to me
You, you, you oughta know
‘Cause the joke that you laid in the bed that was me
And I’m not gonna fade, as soon as you close your eyes
And you know it
And every time I scratch my nails down someone else’s back
I hope you feel it
Well, can you feel it?
Well, I’m here, to remind you
Of the mess you left when you went away
It’s not fair, to deny me
Of the cross I bear that you gave to me
You, you, you oughta know
Why I’m here, to remind you
Of the mess you left when you went away
It’s not fair, to deny me
Of the cross I bear that you gave to me
You, you, you oughta know