Why Alanis Morissette Matters / Megan Volpert.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Volpert, Megan, 1981- Author.

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource (136 p.)

Place of Publication:

Austin : University of Texas Press, [2025]

Language Note:

In English.

Summary:

The first critical biography of iconic musician Alanis Morissette, creator of Jagged Little Pill. The 1990s hardly saw a bigger hit than Jagged Little Pill. Alanis Morissette’s defining album won Grammys, dominated the Billboard charts, and sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. It left a deep mark on the psyches of countless listeners. Three decades later, Megan Volpert checks in with Morissette, probing her rich and varied post-JLP career and bearing feminist witness to the existential anger that ties her recent work to enduring classics like “You Oughta Know,” “One Hand in My Pocket,” and “Ironic.” Why Alanis Morissette Matters builds a bridge from Jagged Little Pill to the fascinating life and subtle intellect of its creator, exploring how the artist’s philosophical interests and personal journey are reflected in each track. Morissette’s struggles with censorship, mental health challenges, and Catholicism; her queer allyship, spiritual skepticism, zealous fandom, and philanthropic passions—all are carefully observed by a critic whose own life was touched by Jagged Little Pill. In the album’s wake, Morissette has evolved as an artist and global citizen. With sensitivity and a profound love for the music, Volpert guides readers through the case for Morissette’s enduring cultural relevance and creative impact.

Contents:

Frontmatter

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

1 THE SILENCE THAT PETRIFIES

2 TO REMIND YOU

3 FOR YOUR OWN DAMN GOOD

4 CHICKEN SHIT

5 ALL THE INFORMATION

6 BELIEVE IN SOMETHING

7 WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS

8 BEST FRIEND WITH BENEFITS

9 LOSING WEIGHT AGAIN

10 YEAH, I REALLY DO THINK

11 IF THE WOUND IS NOT MINE

12 NO AMOUNT OF MY INSISTENCE

13 WITHOUT PERMISSION

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

WORKS CONSULTED

Notes:

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 20. Mar 2025)

ISBN:

9781477330883