In the mid-1990s, Alanis Morissette took over the world with the release of her third studio album ‘Jagged Little Pill’. One of the most celebrated tracks on the album is the passionate “You Oughta Know”. Morissette wrote the song – just like all other songs on the album – together with songwriter and producer Glen Ballard. But what’s the meaning behind “You Oughta Know”? In this article, we will dive into the meaning behind Morissette’s classic.
The Meaning Behind the Lyrics
“You Oughta Know” is a song about the intense emotions of anger, hurt, and betrayal following a breakup, expressed in a message to an ex-lover. While the song is often referred to as a revenge anthem, Morissette disclosed that the song is primarily about dealing with a broken heart through anger.
“Everybody called it the perfect revenge song, but that’s not what it was,” Morissette told Entertainment Weekly. “It’s a devastated song, and in order to pull out of that despondency, being angry is lovely. I think the movement of anger can pull us out of things.”
Breakdown
“You Oughta Know” begins calmly. Morissette sarcastically wishes her ex-lover lots of luck and happiness in his new relationship. However, as the song intensifies, Morissette starts drawing comparisons between herself and her ex’s new partner – Does she do the things I did? Will she give you what I couldn’t give you?
In the pre-chorus, the intensity of the song increases. Morissette states she apparently wasn’t good enough for her ex, and that the promises he made were broken (You’d hold me until you die/but you’re still alive). Although the lyrics are delivered effortlessly, Morissette initially struggled to express herself angrily. “I thought, this is exactly how I feel, but I don’t want to hurt anybody. [Glen Ballard – co-writer and producer of the song] just said, ‘You have to do this.”
As the song burst into its chorus, the built-up tension of the verse and pre-chorus breaks free. It also becomes evident that “You Oughta Know” is not primarily about revenge, but rather about someone who has been deeply hurt and left shattered. “And you know this too”, Morissette tells her ex.
Although the song is delivered with anger, the root of the song lies in vulnerability. “When I hear that song, I hear the anger as a protection around the searing vulnerability,” Morissette told Spotify. “I was mortified and devastated. It was a lot easier for me to be angry and feel the power from that anger versus the broken, horrified woman on the floor.”
Who Is the Song About?
The song’s clear message to an ex-lover quickly sparked rumors about the song’s addressee. Over time, several men stepped forward claiming they were the subject of the song, which Morissette found difficult to comprehend. “You know you don’t sound like the greatest guy in the world, right?”, she remarked.
Read more: The Meaning Behind “Ironic” by Alanis Morissette
The most prominent rumor is that “You Oughta Know” is about actor Dave Coulier. The two had a relationship shortly before Morissette released Jagged Little Pill. Coulier has stated that he believes the song is about him (although he later contradicted this), but Morissette has always chosen to remain silent about the song’s addressee.
The Success of You Oughta Know
“You Oughta Know” was eventually released as the lead single of Morissette’s third studio album Jagged Little Pill. The song gained traction on KROQ-FM rock radio because of its enraging ambience and explicit lyrics, which were unusual for a woman in the 1990s. For that very same reason, the song was also subjected to (ridiculous) debate.
Not that it made any impact, because “You Oughta Know” and Jagged Little Pill became huge successes. The album eventually became one of the best-selling albums of all time, with over 33 million copies sold worldwide.
When asked about the enduring impact of “You Oughta Know”, Morissette replied: “That song was just me being afraid, sad, devastated, raging out of my Zen seat. So basically, when I perform it, I feel like it gives people permission to be devastated, and to feel that entirely.”
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