This past June marked the 30th anniversary of one of my favorite albums, “Jagged Little Pill” by Alanis Morrissette. I think fondly of sitting in the backseat of my parent’s car when “Ironic” would come on the radio. My dad would revel in how much he loved the song, while my mom tried to explain to me in layperson terms what “ironic” even meant, and how none of Morrissette’s examples were even examples of irony, just rather instances of bad luck.
What stands out to me about this album, beyond just the insanely talented lyricism that Morrissette wields, is its general impact that has surfaced in pop culture throughout the decades. It spoke to the angst of the 90s, and triggered a whole movement of record labels trying to capitalize that same gutsy and raw alternative essence. Especially through the likes of artists such as Natalie Imbruglia, Sheryl Crow, Fiona Apple, and Gwen Stefani in No Doubt.
In a more contemporary sense, both Jagged Little Pill and Alanis Morrissette’s music has inspired a new generation of musicians from Paramore’s Hayley Williams to Olivia Rodrigo. The latter actually credited Morrissette with changing her view on music, and inspiring many tracks on her album “Sour.” Each song on the album also resonates so much to the listeners as well. The turmoil that comes during the time when you are young and in love all while finding yourself is something that is truly so timeless.
The listener gets to experience all of the highs and lows with Morrissette, from the upbeat “Ironic,” detailing how love can just seem so unlucky and never at the right time or place. Contrasted with the more rageful “You Oughta Know,” rumored to be about Morrissette’s relationship with “Full House” star Dave Coulier. In which she lays out all of her insecurities on the table, and touches on the replaceability she felt seeing her ex with this new person.
To contrast that, “Right Through You” speaks to the suspicions a person has when starting up something with someone before the initial commitment to a relationship. Beyond just the trials and tribulations of love, many tracks also comment on figuring out your life and the journey it takes to find yourself, a universal experience for many in their youth. “Hand in My Pocket” pertains to the struggle of being broke and keeping your head up, reminding yourself “that everything’s gonna be fine, fine, fine.” What good is in front of you, rather than focusing on the bad.
My personal favorite track off the whole album is the reflective, “You Learn.” I always find myself turning back to this song. When a good friend of mine was beating herself up over a guy she had gotten with, I reminded her of this song. Through listening to it together, she was able to pick herself back up and remind herself that part of growth is just living and learning. “You cry, you learn. You lose, you learn,” became a mantra to us. These experiences don’t define us, but rather push us to become better people.
Alanis Morrissette spoke to generations of young people through “Jagged Little Pill.” Whether she realized that back in 1995 or not, the legacy of that album transcended time, and I believe will continue to resonate with the anger, anxiety, perils, and love of young people for decades to come.