Alanis Morissette

Songwriter: Glen Ballard Alanis Morissette

Producer: Alanis Morissette

These are the thoughts that go through my head
In my backyard on a Sunday afternoon
When I have the house to myself
And I'm not expending all that energy
On fighting with my boyfriend

Is he the one that I will marry?
And why is it so hard to be objective about myself?
Why do I feel cellularly alone?
Am I supposed to live in this crazy city?
Can blindly continued fear-induced
Regurgitated life-denying tradition be overcome?

Where does the money go that I send to those in need?
If we have so much why do some people have nothing still?
Why do I feel frantic when I first wake up in the morning?
Why do you say you are spiritual yet you treat people like shit?

How can you say you're close to God
And yet you talk behind my back as though I am not a part of you?
Why do I say I'm fine when it's obvious I am not?
Why is it so hard to tell you what I want?
Why can't you just read my mind?

Why do I fear that the quieter that I am the less you will listen?
Why do I care whether you like me or not?
Why is it so hard for me to be angry?
Why is it such work to stay conscious and so easy to get stuck
And not the other way around?

Will I ever move back to Canada?
Can I be with a lover with whom I am a student and a master?
Why am I encouraged to shut my mouth
When it gets too close to home?
Why cannot I live in the moment?

Alanis Nadine Morissette was born on June 1, 1974, in Ottawa, Canada. At age 6, she began taking piano lessons, and by the time she was 9, she was writing her own songs.

When she was 11, Morissette joined the cast of a Nickelodeon children’s show called You Can’t Do That on Television, and saved up her earnings. In 1987, she used them to self-release her first track, “Fate Stay With Me.” The song caught the attention of record label MCA Canada; at age 14, Morissette signed a contract with the company. She released a self-titled album, Alanis, in 1991, which went platinum. Quickly following up the success of her first album, Morissette released Now Is The Time a year later, though it did not reach the same level of popularity.

In 1994 Morissette moved to Los Angeles teamed up with industry veteran Glen Ballard, and she began to approach songwriting more organically.

more tracks from the album

MTV Unplugged

From the album

MTV Unplugged (1999)

Alanis Morissette popular songs

These Are the Thoughts (MTV Unplugged)Alanis Morissette

Alanis Morissette

MTV Unplugged