Morissette assumed creative control and producing duties for her subsequent studio albums, including Under Rug Swept (2002), So-Called Chaos (2004), Flavors of Entanglement (2008), and Havoc and Bright Lights (2012). Her ninth album, Such Pretty Forks in the Road, was released in 2020. Morissette has sold more than 75 million records worldwide and has been dubbed the "Queen of Alt-Rock Angst" by Rolling Stone.
Read the full article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alanis_Morissette
Studio albums
Alanis (1991)
Now Is the Time (1992)
Jagged Little Pill (1995)
Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (1998)
Under Rug Swept (2002)
So-Called Chaos (2004)
Flavors of Entanglement (2008)
Havoc and Bright Lights (2012)
Such Pretty Forks in the Road (2020)
All I Really Want
Alanis Morissette Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My sweater is on backwards and inside out
And you say, how appropriate
I don't like to dissect everything today
I don't mean to pick you apart you see
But I can't help it
And there I go jumping before the gunshot has gone off
Slap me with a splintered ruler
And it would knock me to the floor if I wasn't there already
If only I could hunt the hunter
And all I really want is some patience
A way to calm the angry voice
And all I really want is deliverance, ah
Do I wear you out?
You must wonder why I'm relentless and all strung out
I'm consumed by the chill of solitary
I'm like Estella
I like to reel it in and then spit it out
I'm frustrated by your apathy
And I am frightened by the corrupted ways of this land
If only I could meet the maker
And I am fascinated by the spiritual man
I am humbled by his humble nature, yeah
And what I wouldn't give to find a soul mate?
Someone else to catch this drift
And what I wouldn't give to meet a kindred? Ah
Enough about me, let's talk about you for a minute
Enough about you, let's talk about life for a while
The conflicts, the craziness and the sound of pretenses is falling
All around, all around
Why are you so petrified of silence?
Here can you handle this?
Did you think about your bills, you ex, your deadlines
Or when you think you're going to die?
Or did you long for the next distraction?
And all I need now is intellectual intercourse
A soul to dig the hole much deeper
And I have no concept of time other than it is flying
If only I could kill the killer
And all I really want is some peace man
A place to find a common ground
And all I really want is a wavelength, ah
And all I really want is some comfort
A way to get my hands untied
And all I really want is some justice, ah
It's all I really want, some patience
A way to calm me down
And all I really want is deliverance
A place to find a common ground
The lyrics of "All I Really Want" by Alanis Morissette express the singer's search for peace, understanding, and a sense of belonging in a world that can feel overwhelming and confusing. She questions her own behavior and acknowledges her flaws, yet she also demands more from others, expressing frustration with their lack of empathy and engagement. The line "do I stress you out?" sets the tone for the whole song, as Morissette seems to be pushing a bit too hard, both on herself and those around her.
She describes feeling like her clothes are on backwards, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for feeling out of place or out of step with society. She longs for patience and a way to calm her "angry voice," which suggests that she has a lot of inner turmoil and anger that she's struggling to control. The line "if only I could meet the maker" implies a belief in a higher power or some sort of divine intervention, as a way to make sense of the world and find answers to her questions.
Morissette's lyrics also touch on themes of loneliness and the desire for connection. She longs for a soul mate and a kindred spirit who can understand and appreciate her complexity. She questions why people are so afraid of silence and introspection, and suggests that distraction can be a tempting but ultimately unsatisfying way to avoid confronting difficult emotions. Ultimately, she seeks justice and a sense of common ground with others, and hopes that her intellectual curiosity and spiritual yearnings will lead her to a deeper understanding of the world and her place in it.
Line by Line Meaning
Do I stress you out?
I'm feeling anxious and I'm worried my behavior is bothering you.
My sweater is on backwards and inside out / And you say, how appropriate
I'm not concerned with my appearance today and you seem to find it fitting.
I don't like to dissect everything today
I don't want to overanalyze things right now.
I don't mean to pick you apart you see / But I can't help it
I don't intend to criticize or scrutinize you, but it's difficult for me to control my thoughts.
And there I go jumping before the gunshot has gone off
I'm jumping to conclusions before knowing all the facts.
Slap me with a splintered ruler / And it would knock me to the floor if I wasn't there already
I'm already feeling defeated and broken, so I'm easily hurt.
If only I could hunt the hunter
I wish I could take control of my situation instead of feeling helpless.
And all I really want is some patience / A way to calm the angry voice / And all I really want is deliverance, ah
I desire some serenity to soothe my inner turmoil and to find a way out of my predicament.
Do I wear you out?
I'm concerned that my behavior is taxing on you as well.
You must wonder why I'm relentless and all strung out
You may be curious as to why I'm so persistent and stressed out.
I'm consumed by the chill of solitary
I feel isolated and lonely, and it's weighing on me.
I'm like Estella / I like to reel it in and then spit it out
I'm like the character Estella from Great Expectations - I enjoy pulling people in only to push them away later.
I'm frustrated by your apathy
Your lack of interest or concern is aggravating to me.
And I am frightened by the corrupted ways of this land / If only I could meet the maker
I'm scared by the immoral and unethical behavior of some and I wish I could speak to a higher power about it.
And I am fascinated by the spiritual man / I am humbled by his humble nature, yeah
I'm intrigued by individuals who are in touch with spirituality and their humility impresses me.
And what I wouldn't give to find a soul mate? / Someone else to catch this drift / And what I wouldn't give to meet a kindred? Ah
I crave someone who understands me and shares my experiences and feelings.
Enough about me, let's talk about you for a minute / Enough about you, let's talk about life for a while
Let's shift the focus of the conversation to you and the bigger picture.
The conflicts, the craziness and the sound of pretenses is falling / All around, all around
There's chaos and phoniness all around us and it's overwhelming.
Why are you so petrified of silence?
I'm curious why you're afraid of being still and quiet.
Here can you handle this?
I'm passing something off to you to see if you can take it on.
Did you think about your bills, you ex, your deadlines / Or when you think you're going to die?
Have you considered the financial, romantic, and time constraints in your life or your own mortality?
Or did you long for the next distraction?
Do you seek out distractions to avoid facing reality?
And all I need now is intellectual intercourse / A soul to dig the hole much deeper / And I have no concept of time other than it is flying / If only I could kill the killer
I crave meaningful discussions to dig deeper into life's mysteries and I feel time is quickly passing me by. I wish I could conquer my troubles like one would slay their adversaries.
And all I really want is some peace man / A place to find a common ground / And all I really want is a wavelength, ah / And all I really want is some comfort / A way to get my hands untied / And all I really want is some justice, ah
All I desire is some harmony, a place of understanding, some connection between us. I also seek comfort, a way to relieve the burdens that weigh me down, and justice to combat the unfairness around me.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Glen Ballard, Alanis Nadine Morissette
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind