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)
Forgiven
Alanis Morissette Lyrics
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We make up for so much time a little too late
I never forgot it, confusing as it was
No fun with no guilt feelings
The sinners, the saviors, the lover-less priests
I'll see you next Sunday
We all had our reasons to be there
We all needed something to cling to
So we did
I sang Alleluia in the choir
I confessed my darkest deeds to an envious man
My brothers they never went blind for what they did
But I may as well have
In the name of the Father, the skeptic and the Son
I had one more stupid question
We all had our reasons to be there
We all had a thing or two to learn
We all needed something to cling to
So we did
What I learned I rejected, but I believe again
I will suffer the consequence of this inquisition
If I jump in this fountain, will I be forgiven?
We all had our reasons to be there
We all had a thing or two to learn
We all needed something to cling to
So we did
We all had delusions in our head
We all had our minds made up for us
We had to believe in something
So we did
We all had our reasons to be there
We all had a thing to learn
We all needed something to cling to
So we did
So we did, ooh, I, I, I
So we did
In Alanis Morissette's song Forgiven, she explores the complexity of religious guilt and the struggle to hold onto faith despite doubts and questions. The lyrics begin with a reference to the idea that Catholic girls tend to procrastinate in making amends for their sins, and the singer acknowledges that she is no exception to this rule. She admits that her experience with religion has been unclear and confusing, but insists that she has held onto her faith without feeling guilty for doing so. The chorus suggests that the singer and the other attendees of the church have all had their own reasons for being there, whether it be to learn something, to cling to something, or to simply find something to believe in.
The second verse of the song highlights the idea that even within the church, there are still flaws and imperfections. The singer admits to confessing her darkest deeds to an envious man, indicating that even the religious authority figures are not immune to the flaws of human nature. Despite this, the singer never loses her faith and clings to the possibility of forgiveness. In the final verse, the singer reflects on the fact that she rejected the lessons that she learned during her time in the church, but has since found a reason to believe again. She questions whether or not she will be forgiven for doubting and persistently searches for a way to reconcile her faith with the contradictions and doubts she experiences.
Overall, Morissette's lyrics express the challenges of maintaining faith in an institution that is undoubtedly flawed and expresses the difficulties of dealing with religious guilt, doubt, and forgiveness. The song is a reflection on the experience of many individuals who are disillusioned with organized religion but still grapple with the desire to hold onto faith.
Line by Line Meaning
You know how us Catholic girls can be
As a Catholic girl, there is a certain expectation of ideals and morals that we must adhere to.
We make up for so much time a little too late
We may have strayed from our religious values in the past, but we are now trying to make up for it.
I never forgot it, confusing as it was
Despite the confusion that surrounds my religious upbringing, it has always stayed with me.
No fun with no guilt feelings
The strict moral code of Catholicism can make it difficult to enjoy life without feeling guilty.
The sinners, the saviors, the lover-less priests
Within the Catholic community, there are those who have sinned, those who have saved, and those who have given up love for the church.
I'll see you next Sunday
Despite the difficulties I may face with my faith and the community, I will continue to attend mass each Sunday.
We all had our reasons to be there
Everyone in the church has their own motivations for attending mass.
We all had a thing or two to learn
There is always room for growth and learning in our faith.
We all needed something to cling to
The church provides a sense of stability and support for its members.
So we did
Despite the hardships, we remained faithful and continued to cling to our beliefs.
I sang Alleluia in the choir
As a devout member of the church, I actively participated in the choir during mass.
I confessed my darkest deeds to an envious man
In the Catholic faith, confession is an important aspect of redemption where we admit our wrongdoings to a priest.
My brothers they never went blind for what they did
My male siblings were not scrutinized as much as I was for their behavior.
But I may as well have
I felt judged more harshly for my actions than my brothers did.
In the name of the Father, the skeptic and the Son
In the religious tradition, we acknowledge the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Son as part of the Holy Trinity.
I had one more stupid question
Even though I am a devout Catholic, I still struggle with some aspects of my faith and have questions.
What I learned I rejected, but I believe again
I may have questioned my faith and rejected certain teachings, but I have come back to it with a newfound belief.
I will suffer the consequence of this inquisition
I may face criticism and scrutiny for my commitment to my faith, but I accept the consequences of my beliefs.
If I jump in this fountain, will I be forgiven?
I am questioning if I will receive redemption for my past sins if I make a grand gesture, such as jumping in a fountain.
We all had delusions in our head
As humans, we can have misunderstandings and illusions about our faith.
We all had our minds made up for us
Our beliefs may be influenced by our upbringing and community teachings.
We had to believe in something
Believing in something larger than ourselves is a part of human nature.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Glen Ballard, Alanis Nadine Morissette
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind