Perfect
Alanis Morrisette Lyrics


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Sometimes is never quite enough
If you're flawless, then you'll win my love
Don't forget to win first place
Don't forget to keep that smile on your face

Be a good boy
Try a little harder
You've got to measure up
And make me prouder

How long before you screw it up
How many times do I have to tell you to hurry up
With everything I do for you
The least you can do is keep quiet

Be a good girl
You've gotta try a little harder
That simply wasn't good enough
To make us proud

I'll live through you
I'll make you what I never was
If you're the best, then maybe so am I
Compared to him compared to her
I'm doing this for your own damn good
You'll make up for what I blew
What's the problem, why are you crying

Be a good boy
Push a little farther now
That wasn't fast enough
To make us happy




We'll love you just the way you are
If you're perfect

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Alanis Morisette's song "Perfect" is a reflection on unhealthy parent-child relationships. The song describes how the singer, presumably a parent, puts excessive pressure on their child to be perfect and successful. They try to live through their child and push them to achieve the ideal standards set by society. The lyrics "If you're flawless, then you'll win my love" indicate that the parent's love is conditional and only given if the child meets their expectations. The refrain "Be a good boy/girl, you've gotta try a little harder" reinforces the message that the child is not good enough and needs to constantly strive for perfection.


The line "You'll make up for what I blew" suggests that the parent might have failed to achieve their own goals and ambitions, and they are projecting their unfulfilled desires onto their child. The song highlights the damaging effects that these expectations can have on the child's mental and emotional health. The line "What's the problem, why are you crying" shows a lack of empathy and emotional validation towards the child's struggles.


Overall, the song "Perfect" paints a poignant picture of the pressure that parents can put on their children to achieve society's expectations, which can negatively impact the child-parent relationship and the child's self-esteem.


Line by Line Meaning

Sometimes is never quite enough
Occasionally doing something is not satisfactory.


If you're flawless, then you'll win my love
You must be perfect to be worthy of my love.


Don't forget to win first place
Always aim to come first, no matter what.


Don't forget to keep that smile on your face
Always maintain a happy facade, even if you're not happy inside.


Be a good boy
Act like a well-behaved child who follows orders.


Try a little harder
Put in more effort than you already have.


You've got to measure up
You must meet the required standard.


And make me prouder
Do things that will make me feel proud of you.


How long before you screw it up
It's only a matter of time before you make a mistake.


How many times do I have to tell you to hurry up
I have already told you multiple times to speed up.


With everything I do for you
I have done so much for you.


The least you can do is keep quiet
The only thing you can do to repay me is to stop talking.


Be a good girl
Act like a well-behaved girl who follows orders.


You've gotta try a little harder
You need to put in more effort to please me.


That simply wasn't good enough
What you did was not up to my standards.


To make us proud
You need to do things that will make us feel proud of you.


I'll live through you
I will achieve my goals through you.


I'll make you what I never was
I will shape you into the person that I have always wanted to be.


If you're the best, then maybe so am I
If you're perfect, then I can feel perfect too.


Compared to him compared to her
I am using others as a baseline to judge you.


I'm doing this for your own damn good
I am forcing you to do this because I believe it's best for you.


You'll make up for what I blew
You will compensate for the mistakes that I have made.


What's the problem, why are you crying
Why are you upset? I don't see what's wrong.


Push a little farther now
Keep going, you're not done yet.


That wasn't fast enough
You need to work faster than that.


To make us happy
Do things that will make us feel happy and satisfied.


We'll love you just the way you are
We will only love you if you are perfect and meet our expectations.


If you're perfect
Being perfect is the only way to be valued and loved.




Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: GLEN BALLARD, ALANIS NADINE MORISSETTE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@gmun2248

Heather Browning My mum has a sign hanging in her kitchen (that my dad bought her, ha ha- he checked first!) It says: "Sometimes I open my mouth and my mother comes out."
Verbatim.

I don't have kids, but sometimes I am still aware of certain things - those things we all say we'll never do/ say/ be (also my mum).

I'm in my 30s, I had a bad accident & surgeries & have been loving with my parents for a while again. I am lucky, 75% of the time we all get on well - & I really have no idea what I'd have done without their support.

BUT what freaks me out a bit is that things we used to joke about, about her parents, my grandparents, she actually has started to justify certain things as she gets older - "now I understand how your gran felt" about various things. :-O !!

It's an Oscar Wilde quote: "All women become like their mothers. That's their tragedy. No man does. That's his."

Hmmmm..... ;-)



@rodrigojair4087

Perfect 💕👌
Sometimes is never quite enough
If you're flawless, then you'll win my love
Don't forget to win first place
Don't forget to keep that smile on your face

Be a good boy
Try a little harder
You've got to measure up
Make me prouder

How long before you screw it up
How many times do I have to tell you to hurry up
With everything I do for you
The least you can do is keep quiet

Be a good girl
You've gotta try a little harder
That simply wasn't good enough
To make us proud

I'll live through you
I'll make you what I never was
If you're the best, then maybe so am I
Compared to him compared to her
I'm doing this for your own damn good
You'll make up for what I blew
What's the problem, why are you crying

Be a good boy
Push a little farther now
That wasn't fast enough
To make us happy
We'll love you just the way you are
If you're perfect.



@rusne.


Sometimes is never quite enough
If you're flawless, then you'll win my love
Don't forget to win first place
Don't forget to keep that smile on your face
Be a good boy
Try a little harder
You've got to measure up
Make me prouder
How long before you screw it up
How many times do I have to tell you to hurry up
With everything I do for you
The least you can do is keep quiet
Be a good girl
You've gotta try a little harder
That simply wasn't good enough
To make us proud
I'll live through you
I'll make you what I never was
If you're the best, then maybe so am I
Compared to him compared to her
I'm doing this for your own damn good
You'll make up for what I blew
What's the problem, why are you crying
Be a good boy
Push a little farther now
That wasn't fast enough
To make us happy
We'll love you just the way you are
If you're perfect



All comments from YouTube:

@eftipef2

written and recorded in 20 minutes... amazing

@disney_obsessed_girl8027

What? Really????

@bisonlakota

Um, no...................................😹😹😹😹😹😹😹😹😹😹😹😹😹

@iantuition

@Disney_Obsessed_Girl yep. Just about all of JLP was written and the vocals cut in a day each.

@MrAholloway85

@king iantuition. a day is a lot more than 20 minutes lol

@ronaldlippe9156

Big n Agile

@thebullwhisperer916

This song hits home for those raised by narcissist parents. I can't even sing this one without crying my eyes out. The pain still hurts.

@SuperDmva

Same. This song hits me at so many levels

@tynellesharratt463

💕

@biatoppan9696

Perfect!

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