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)
UR
Alanis Morissette Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
all this incriminating evidence would surely haunt me
if someone broke into my house
suits in the living room
do you realize guys I was born in 1974
we´ve got someone here to explain your publishing
we know how much you love to be in front of audiences
hopeful you are
naive you are
driven you are
take a trip to new york with your guardian
and your fake identification
when they said is there something anything
you´d like to know young lady?
you said yes i´d like to know what kind of people
i´ll be dealing with
precocious you are
headstrong you are
terrified you are
ahead of your time you are
don´t mind our staring but
we´re surprised you´re not in a far-gone asylum
we´re surprised you didn´t crack up
lord knows that we would´ve
we would´ve liked to have been there
but you keep pushing us away
resilient you are
big time you are
ruthless you are
precious you are
The lyrics to Alanis Morissette's song "UR" are a commentary on the pressure that artists face to conform to societal expectations and maintain a public image, often at the expense of their own mental and emotional well-being. The opening line "burn the books they've got too many names and psychoses" suggests a desire to erase the evidence of past struggles and vulnerabilities. The mention of suits in the living room implies that the artist is dealing with people in positions of power, who are interested in controlling her image and brand. The line "hopeful you are, schoolbound you are, naive you are, driven you are" highlights the complex mix of emotions and motivations that artists experience as they navigate the music industry.
The lyrics also reference a trip to New York with a guardian and a fake identification, which could represent the artist's journey towards fame and success in the entertainment industry. The young lady's question about the kind of people she'll be dealing with is a reflection of the uncertainty and fear that often accompany the pursuit of creative endeavors. The repeated refrain of "precocious you are, headstrong you are, terrified you are, ahead of your time you are" underscores the contradictory feelings that artists experience as they try to balance their artistic vision with the demands of the industry.
The final lines of "UR" suggest that the artist has faced intense scrutiny and criticism from others, but that she has been able to persevere and stay true to herself. The descriptions of being "resilient," "big time," "ruthless," and "precious" highlight the complexity of the artist's character and the challenges she has faced on her journey to success.
Line by Line Meaning
burn the books they´ve got too many names and psychoses
The singer wants to get rid of books that contain too many complex ideas and psychological disorders that remind them of their own experiences.
all this incriminating evidence would surely haunt me, if someone broke into my house
The singer is afraid of their past experiences coming back to haunt them if someone were to uncover evidence of their secrets.
suits in the living room
There are people in the singer's house who are likely executives or businesspeople.
do you realize guys I was born in 1974
The artist is trying to assert their age and relevance to the current time, likely to gain respect and acknowledgement.
we´ve got someone here to explain your publishing
The suits have brought someone to explain the process of publishing to the artist, possibly because they are interested in releasing the artist's work.
we know how much you love to be in front of audiences
The suits have an understanding of the singer's personality and interests.
hopeful you are, schoolbound you are, naive you are, driven you are
The singer embodies these traits and is being judged for them by the suits.
take a trip to new york with your guardian and your fake identification
The suits suggest that the artist travel to New York with a guardian who can vouch for them, but also with fake identification that may not be legitimate.
when they said is there something anything you´d like to know young lady? you said yes i´d like to know what kind of people i´ll be dealing with
The artist is curious about the types of people they will have to interact with in their journey to becoming a successful artist.
precocious you are, headstrong you are, terrified you are, ahead of your time you are
The suits label the artist as having many positive and negative traits, some of which may cause them to struggle in the future.
don´t mind our staring but
The suits are acknowledging that they are staring at the singer, perhaps with interest or appraisal.
we´re surprised you´re not in a far-gone asylum
The suits are shocked that the artist has not been institutionalized or medicated for their mental state.
we´re surprised you didn´t crack up
The suits are surprised that the singer has not had a mental breakdown due to their experiences and personality.
lord knows that we would´ve
The suits imply that they could not have handled the singer's experiences and traits as well as the singer has.
we would´ve liked to have been there, but you keep pushing us away
The suits want to be more involved with the singer's life, but the singer is apprehensive about sharing everything with them.
resilient you are, big time you are, ruthless you are, precious you are
The suits recognize the artist's strength and potential, while also acknowledging their fearlessness and value as a person.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Alanis Morissette, Glen Ballard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind