The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
How 'bout getting off of these antibiotics?
How 'bout stopping eating when I'm full up?
How 'bout them transparent dangling carrots?
How 'bout that ever elusive kudo?
Thank you India
Thank you terror
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you frailty
Thank you consequence
Thank you thank you silence
How 'bout me not blaming you for everything?
How 'bout me enjoying the moment for once?
How 'bout how good it feels to finally forgive you?
How 'bout grieving it all one at a time?
Thank you India
Thank you terror
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you frailty
Thank you consequence
Thank you thank you silence
The moment I let go of it was the moment
I got more than I could handle
The moment I jumped off of it
Was the moment I touched down
How 'bout no longer being masochistic?
How 'bout remembering your divinity?
How 'bout unabashedly bawling your eyes out?
How 'bout not equating death with stopping?
Thank you India
Thank you providence
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you nothingness
Thank you clarity
Thank you, thank you silence
Yeah, yeah
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
How 'bout stopping eating when I'm full up?
How 'bout them transparent dangling carrots?
How 'bout that ever elusive kudo?
Thank you India
Thank you terror
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you frailty
Thank you consequence
Thank you thank you silence
How 'bout me not blaming you for everything?
How 'bout me enjoying the moment for once?
How 'bout how good it feels to finally forgive you?
How 'bout grieving it all one at a time?
Thank you India
Thank you terror
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you frailty
Thank you consequence
Thank you thank you silence
The moment I let go of it was the moment
I got more than I could handle
The moment I jumped off of it
Was the moment I touched down
How 'bout no longer being masochistic?
How 'bout remembering your divinity?
How 'bout unabashedly bawling your eyes out?
How 'bout not equating death with stopping?
Thank you India
Thank you providence
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you nothingness
Thank you clarity
Thank you, thank you silence
Yeah, yeah
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Lyrics submitted by kevin, edited by mcallen100
Thank U Lyrics as written by Alanis Morissette Glen Ballard
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Great version of a great song,
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this song is Alanis' reflection after her visit to India. She realizes all these habits she has don't need to exist. It's a humbling song about growth and gratification.
@m99 Your interpretation is the one that makes the most sense m99. I think these same lyrics can apply to anyone though who shackled with a life or existence they feel is not entirely ideal, perhaps their is a lot about themselves that they wish they could find a away to change. That's the only way they'll ever feel free. The song is dark to some extent but I feel hopeful listening to it & we're dead if we no longer can feel hope. <br />
"How about getting off of these antibiotics" Stop worrying so much about your health, be healthy but not to the point you're making yourself sick. "How about stopping eating when I'm filled up" Stop comforting yourself with food, have control over your life. "How about them transparent dangling carrots" How about buying those diamond earrings you've wanted so bad but not brave enough to buy or wear? "How about that ever elusive kudo" Work on complimenting/praising yourself. (kudo means 'to praise')
"Thank you India Thank you terror Thank you disillusionment Thank you frailty Thank you consequence Thank you thank you silence" (thank you india for enlightening me... thank you terror for reminding me life could stop at any time, thank you dissilusionment for being there when i needed to pretend i wasnt unhappy, thank you frailty for reminding me i am strong, thank you consequence for making me think before i act/speak, thank you silence for letting me breathe and feel calm again.
"How about me not blaming you for everything" it takes two to tango. i am responsible for things too. "How about me enjoying the moment for once" i need to stop complaining, worrying every second and actually live. "How about how good it feels to finally forgive you" i will let go of my anger and hurt. "How about grieving it all one at a time" i'm going to take one day at a time.
"The moment I let go of it was The moment I got more than I could handle The moment I jumped off of it was The moment I touched down" letting go of negativity has helped me feel better.
"How about no longer being masochistic" let's stop being perverted. "How about remembering your divinity" and instead remember what God wants from us - to be good. "How about unabashedly bawling your eyes out" let's cry without being embarrassed of it. "How about not equating death with stopping" there is life after death.
@mizmiah I agreed with like 99.9% :) Insightful. Just a couple things I had a different view on. I thought of the dangling carrot as how we are always working for something, then when we get it, there is yet another thing to go after. It's like how materialism can never satisfy, it is transient, and it's not what can fill your soul, which is what we really are wanting, even if we don't know it consciously. And just wanted to say I don't think "masochistic" is always about sex. It's really about self destructive behavior and getting addicted to them. Oh, and I thought of "grieving it one at a time" meant that you don't have to drown in grief, you can face it a little at a time. Just my thoughts as I don't think there's a right or wrong on this, just different perspectives :)
"How bout them transparent dangling carrots?" is my favortite line. Her words do sound off when you first hear them but if you think about it, they make perfect sense. What do people attach to horses heads to keep them walking? Carrots dangling infront of their noises, as they move so do the carrots- they are after the carrot but it keeps them going. In life we have transparent dangling carrots- something always infront of us to keep us going. Something we tie ourselves to so we always have hope and never give up.
transparent dangling 'carats' - as in DIAMONDS - she's making a statement about how corrupt the diamond industry is.
I've never heard of anyone using a carrot to entice a horse to walk.
@raysug Steven Wilson covered this on his single "Cover Version" and changed that line to:<br /> "How 'bout changing a line 'cause it don't make sense?"
@raysug While it’s good to remember that song lyrics can be subjective, you are 1,000% correct about the meaning of the dangling carrots. The idea is to keep something rewarding just out of a person’s reach, so that they’re always moving toward the unobtainable, much as an old workhorse would keep plowing along, trying to reach a carrot just a foot or two in front of its face. \r\n\r\nThe idea of the dangling carrot being transparent, means that we can see through the manipulation, but we keep falling for the ruse.
@raysug While it’s good to remember that song lyrics can be subjective, you are 1,000% correct about the meaning of the dangling carrots. The idea is to keep something rewarding just out of a person’s reach, so that they’re always moving toward the unobtainable, much as an old workhorse would keep plowing along, trying to reach a carrot just a foot or two in front of its face. \r\n\r\nThe idea of the dangling carrot being transparent, means that we can see through the manipulation, but we keep falling for the ruse. \r\n\r\nAlso, in response to some of the other comments I’ve seen, diamonds are measured in ‘carats,’ not ‘carrots.’ \r\n\r\nAnd yes, I’m replying to comments that were made years ago; just a little bothered by some of the misconceptions.
I'd always interpreted that line the way @raysug and @amanda1135 do, as a reference to a carrot on a stick. I think that interpretation leads nicely into the next line about elusive kudos, which meant to me that you should stop worrying so much about what other people think and stop chasing after the approval of people who will never approve of you. <br /> <br /> But "transparent dangling carat" works also.
I agree with raysuq's insight into the transparent dangling carrot. I think, though, that she means it as something that we need to notice and eventually free ourselves from. I think that she's referring to the conditions of worth that our consumeristic society forces on us. We are constantly told in indirect ways that we are not good enough, but that earning and buying more will solve all our problems. Instead of helping us heal our false sense or inadequacy, our society accentuates that inadequacy and then tells us that consuming material goods is the answer. By swallowing this lie, we are enslaved into an endless carrot chase, and if we ever caught the carrot we'd see that it is no cure at all.
Alanis seems to have learned the India spiritual belief that the cure (self love and acceptance) is inside of you all along. The path to the cure is an inner one that requires self-control and patience. Instead of joining the carrot chase, simply sit still and do nothing, think nothing, and make peace with all the demons that have been chasing you.
@adamcohen81 Exactly right. This is a very Gen X song, coming to terms with the difference between the ways of the world as taught to us by our parents and the ways of the world as we encountered them. The dangling carrots weren't even invisible in our parents time, postwar USA was booming and one could make a great living at the same company for life. Loyalty was rewarded, pensions were real, and you could see the carrots driving you forward.<br /> <br /> Jump ahead a few years to Gen X, and this is how we were taught the world works. If we weren't succeeding, if we couldn't quite see those carrots, well, just keep at it. Your 'kudos' will come. You'll be able to eat your fill some day. And so on.<br /> <br /> With this song, Alanis is saying "thank you" to all those things that pointed out the lie of this view, and all the things that put into perspective what is really worth valuing. Terror, disillusionment, consequences, our own frailty, all these things we had to learn and accept on our own. At least the kids today know that material culture is a sham, but it took us a while to figure that out.
For me its about gratitude, and being thankful even for the experiences which arent pleasurable or positive, primarily because all experience has something to add to our evolution and spiritual development.
This song is just a love poem to life itself. Nothing more. And I fucking love that.
Well i think she is talking about her love life as well, simple because she talks about How about how good it feels to finally forgive you. My opinion is this, Different songs represent different things to different people, depending on what they are going through at the current time.
Interesting song...after going to India she saw how people were suffering and living teir lives in fear of violence and disease. She finally comes to the realization that her problems aren't so bad, and she should appreciate all her life, loves, and success have given her.
i love alanis
little "yeah yeah ahh ohhh ahhh ho oh ahhh ho ohhhhhh yeaahhhh yeahh"s that she always has in her songs. they all sound so..natural. they make the songs.My take on the kudos line is this: When you give someone kudos, it's like a compliment ("kudos to the chef"), it's some greek thing, so the ever-elusive kudos I guess would be the need to be appreciated, people don't recieve comliments enough. A great song, Alanis' voice is always so raw and powerful and these lyrics are so touching