Alanis Morissette

Songwriter: Alanis Morissette

Producer: Alanis Morissette

[Verse 1]
What's it been? Over a decade?
It still smarts like it was four minutes ago
We only influenced each other totally
We only bruised each other even more so

[Refrain 1]
What are you, my blood? You touch me like you are my blood
What are you, my dad? You affect me like you are my dad

[Chorus]
How long can a girl be shackled to you?
And how long before my dignity is reclaimed?
And how long can a girl stay haunted by you?
Soon I'll grow up and I won't even flinch at your name
Soon I'll grow up and I won't even flinch at your name

[Verse 2]
Where have you been? I heard you moved to my city
My brother saw you somewhere downtown
I'd be paralyzed if I ran into you
My tongue would seize up if we were to meet again

[Refrain 2]
What are you, my God? You touch me like you are my God
What are you, my twin? You affect me like you are my twin

[Chorus]
How long can a girl be tortured by you?
And how long before my dignity is reclaimed?
And how long can a girl be haunted by you?
Soon I'll grow up and I won't even flinch at your name
Soon I'll grow up and I won't even flinch at your name

[Verse 3]
So here I am, one room away from where I know you're standing
A well-intentioned man told me you just walked in
This man knows not of how this information has affected me
But he knows the color of the car I just drove away in

[Refrain 3]
What are you, my kin? You touch me like you are my kin
What are you, my air? You affect me like you are my air

[Chorus]
How long can a girl be tortured by you?
And how long before my dignity is reclaimed?
And how long can a girl be haunted by you?
Soon I'll grow up and I won't even flinch at your name
Soon I'll grow up and I won't even flinch at your name

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

Under Rug Swept

From the album

Under Rug Swept (2002)

Alanis Morissette popular songs

FlinchAlanis Morissette

Alanis Morissette

Under Rug Swept