Alanis Morissette – You Learn

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  General Comment:This is about learning to live with the lacerating heartache that slowly emerges after you have thrown caution to the winds, let someone know that you are hopelessly in love with them, and then had to swallow that “jagged little pill.” At first, you may even think it feels good, swimming in your stomach; the ecstasy of your affection has deluded you into imagining it to be so powerful that you can handle even the eventuality of its not being powerfully requited. But you have yet to digest this pill. As the smoke clears and the dust settles, you realize you have in fact bitten off far more than you can chew emotionally. If you had not stuck your foot in your mouth, maybe you wouldn’t be feeling like your heart has been trampled underfoot. As it is, you’re stuck with this anguished longing and heartache, together with the sure knowledge that it is NOT reciprocated. Eventually, you’re going to have to melt it down, even though right now you can’t imagine how. Maybe you’ll just have to wear it out, the way a young child wears out a toy she is currently obsessed with. Meanwhile, your lack of caution has left you completely exposed to reality’s cold winds and the harsh sunlight. The fire-truck lights are flashing, the sirens blaring, and now it’s obvious to everyone that your emotional house is on fire. Who knows whether even they can douse the blaze, before the house burns down? Well, you live, you learn…

  Flag zhizhumaoon December 28, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:what does it mean with swallow it down like a jagged little pill ? I thought it meant when u go on medication but what do you think?

  Flag bandeleroon May 12, 2012   Link

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    A jagged little pill symbolizes all the heartache, regret, pain, etc. Basically, all the stuff in life that make us want to shake our heads either at ourselves or others.
    
    Alanis is saying, "Don't be afraid of the jagged little pill, embrace it! It's going to hurt on the way down but it's the medication we need to develop that fearlessness necessary to overcome all the challenges life offers us." Or at least, that's what I think she's saying.

    Flag charmedone89on October 29, 2012  
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  General Comment:I think there might be more to this song than the message in the chorus, that every experience is good to have and makes you the person you are and everything...
  
  Look at that last pre-chorus:
  "Wear it out (the way a three-year-old would do)
  Melt it down (you're gonna have to eventually, anyway)
  The fire trucks are coming up around the bend"
  
  Something's definitely burning here, but I'm not sure what.
  

  Flagged hadaron October 02, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:uncenshorship.
  what could be more eduactional...

  Flag strawletteon July 26, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:Its about not beable to hold in and hold back or bottle up, and speaking ones true thoughts freely, without wanting to have to think how the other person might take it. Then realizing later what one did to thereselfs, or subashed, how the could of looked and what they shouldnt have said when they look threw the others perspective. But the brightside is they learn more about the other person this way, by how they respond, they find out.
  she may fuck up everything for herself not always playing the game that shes suppose to. But her self hated feels strangly content and saticfyed by this. fear of bliss right?

  Flag strawletteon July 26, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:the lyrics in this song are great. and its true, theres no better education than life's experiences. even all the bad times are worth it for the lesson you learn from it and hopefully makes u a wiser person

  Flag OTHfanon January 07, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:This song is cool in my book. Alanis was one of the few decent female pop rock artists. Shit is class

  Flag Lateralus518on September 29, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:theres something about this song that gets me. Its sends a really positive message out, to try things and dont be afraid to fail. Keep things in perspective, this is your life, you need to live it.
  
  Everytime I hear "wait til the dust setttttttleeeess", gets me everytime.

  Flag pavelkooon January 31, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:Try anything and learn from it!! This song makes me so happy!

  Flag Quickstepon February 24, 2006   Link

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  General Comment:Try anything and learn from it!! This song makes me so happy!

  Flag Quickstepon February 24, 2006   Link

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