You Oughta Know
| "You Oughta Know" | |||||||||||
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| Single by Alanis Morissette | |||||||||||
| from the album Jagged Little Pill | |||||||||||
| Released | July 7, 1995 | ||||||||||
| Format | CD single, cassette single, 12" | ||||||||||
| Recorded | 1994 | ||||||||||
| Genre | Alternative rock, post-grunge | ||||||||||
| Length | 4:09 | ||||||||||
| Label | Maverick, Reprise | ||||||||||
| Writer(s) | Alanis Morissette, Glen Ballard | ||||||||||
| Producer | Glen Ballard | ||||||||||
| Alanis Morissette singles chronology | |||||||||||
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"You Oughta Know" is a song originally performed by Canadian recording artist and songwriter Alanis Morissette, for her third studio album Jagged Little Pill. The song was written by Morissette along with Glen Ballard, who also produced it. The song was chosen to be released as the lead single from the album by Maverick Records on July 7, 1995. It was her first song in her change from bubblegum pop to the alternative rock sound she was later known for.
"You Oughta Know" was highlighted as an album track, and it received generally positive reviews from critics. As a debut single, the song did moderately well on the music charts. The song peaked at number four in Australia and number twenty in Canada, while reaching the top forty in countries like Sweden, New Zealand, Belgium and the United Kingdom. Due to this success, the song won two Grammy Awards: Best Rock Song and Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. It was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Song of the Year.
Flea and Dave Navarro of the Red Hot Chili Peppers played bass and guitar on the track, respectively.
Contents |
Composition [edit]
"Flea and I did that song together in the studio. It was already written with different instrumentation and we were asked to kind of re-write the music... A lot like a re-mix. The structure of the song was in place but there were no guide tracks, we just had the vocal to work from. It was just a good time and we basically jammed until we found something we were both happy with. Alanis was happy too."
According to an ABC News article, "Alanis Morissette revealed that her angst-ridden hit 'You Oughta Know' was about her relationship with Dave Coulier". In an August 2008 interview to the Calgary Sun, Coulier admitted to being the ex-boyfriend portrayed in the song.[2] In 1997 the Boston Herald reported that Coulier "admitted the lines are very close to home. Especially the one about 'an older version of me' and bugging him [Coulier] 'in the middle of dinner.'"[3]
However, in October 2008, Morissette reiterated her refusal to identify the subject, commenting to a CanWest News Service journalist,
"Well, I've never talked about who my songs were about and I won't, because when I write them they're written for the sake of personal expression. So with all due respect to whoever may see themselves in my songs, and it happens all the time, I never really comment on it because I write these songs for myself, not other people."[4]
Other celebrities have been rumored to be the lover in the song, including: Bob Saget, Coulier's co-star on Full House;[3] Mike Peluso, hockey player for the New Jersey Devils and previously for the Ottawa Senators in 1992–93;[3] Matt LeBlanc, the actor who appeared in the video for Morissette's single "Walk Away" in 1991;,[3] and Leslie Howe, a musician and the producer of Morissette's first two albums in the early 1990s.[3]
Chart performance [edit]
"You Oughta Know" received moderate success worldwide. The song peaked at number twenty in Morissette's native Canada and number four in Australia. The song reached number twenty-five in New Zealand, albeit continuously leaving and re-entering the charts, due to the varied success of Jagged Little Pill at different periods of time. The song peaked at number thirty-eight in Sweden, number seventeen in the Netherlands and number twenty-two in the United Kingdom. It also peaked at the top spot on the United States Alternative charts, becoming Morissette's first number one single.[citation needed]
Unusually, the song was only a modest hit in Morissette's native Canada, peaking only at number twenty in RPM. Music journalists ascribed the song's underperformance to a resistance from Canadian radio programmers and audiences, because the song represented such a dramatic shift from Morissette's established image as a dance-pop teen star. It was the only single from the album to underperform in Canada relative to other markets.
Music video [edit]
The music video was directed by Nick Egan. It features Morissette running or walking through a desert and, in some scenes, sitting on a chair outside. During each chorus, the video does not show musicians Flea and Navarro performing along with Morrissette, who is singing with a microphone.
Cover versions and samples [edit]
Alternative-punk band Thousand Mona Lisas covered the song and included it as a hidden track on their 1995 album, New Disease. Also, Off the Beat released an a cappella cover in 1997.[citation needed]
Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine covered the song in a comedic lounge music style on their 2005 album Aperitif for Destruction'.[citation needed]
Britney Spears performed the song during her 2009 The Circus Starring: Britney Spears tour.[5][6] Mike Bruno of Entertainment Weekly wrote, "[...] she rocked it. What better way to silence the critics than to step up to the mic, say to hell with it all, and spew some of that bile. Hot, confident Britney, live vocals, a dash of rebellion…".[6] After a number of Jonathan Coulton's fans compared Morissette's cover of "My Humps" to his cover of "Baby Got Back", he covered "You Oughta Know" himself.[7]
In the seventh season of Australian Idol, airing in 2009, contestant Lauren Streete sang a shortened version of the song, with none of the lyrics changed for censorship.[citation needed]
Scala and The Kolacny Brothers covered this song as a girls choir with piano accompaniment on their 2009 release, It All Leads To This.[citation needed]
The song was sampled by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles during her 2009 I Am... Tour,[8] as well as at the 2010 Grammys[9] and the Glastonbury Festival 2011.[10]
In the season nine finale of Fox Network's American Idol, which aired on May 26, 2010, Alanis Morissette sang a duet of "You Oughta Know" with finalist Crystal Bowersox. Bowersox sang the line regarding oral sex, originally "Will she go down on you in a theater", but was re-written presumably to make it "family friendly" as "Will she go down with you to the theater."[citation needed]
In 2010, Corey TuT recorded a Trent Reznor-inspired version for Cover Me.[11]
The Killing Moon performed an alternative version for the cover compilation album Punk Goes 90's.[citation needed]
Narsha of the South Korean Pop girl group Brown Eyed Girls performed the song on the 2010 MBC Gayo Daejun (2010 MBC Music Festival).[citation needed]
Haley Reinhart, Season 10 American Idol contestant, sang this as the Judges' Choice Song during Top 3 Week.[citation needed]
Georgia Murray and her band performed a cover of "You Oughta Know" on episode two of CBC's Cover Me Canada.[12]
The Glee Project season two had to perform the song in episode 5.
The 2013 episode of How I Met Your Mother, "P.S. I Love You" featured fictional 1990s Canadian pop star "Robin Sparkles" singing a song parodying "You Oughta Know" in musical style. Dave Coulier even made a cameo, commenting on the subject of the song, saying "It wasn't me. Why does everyone always think it's me!?"
Legacy [edit]
The single has been listed in different polls for their greatest tracks ever lists. "You Oughta Know" was ranked at number twelve on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90's in December 2007.[13] Allmusic noted the track as a highlight of the album.
In 1996, the single was nominated for three Grammy Awards, winning the awards for Best Rock Song and Best Female Rock Vocal Performance but losing the Grammy Award for Song of the Year to Seal's song "Kiss from a Rose".[citation needed]
The song is also a playable track in the music video game Rock Band 2.
Track listing [edit]
- CD Single
- "You Oughta Know"
- "You Oughta Know" (The Jimmy the Saint Blend)
- "Perfect" (Acoustic)
- "You Oughta Know / Your House (a capella) [In some editions]
Charts [edit]
| Chart (1995–96) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[14] | 4 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[15] | 39 |
| Canada (RPM)[16] | 20 |
| Canadian Alternative 30 (RPM)[17] | 21 |
| Netherlands (Mega Single Top 100)[18] | 17 |
| New Zealand (RIANZ)[19] | 25 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[20] | 38 |
| UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[21] | 22 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[22] | 6 |
| US Pop Songs (Billboard)[23] | 7 |
| US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[24] | 1 |
Notes [edit]
- ^ Navarro, Dave (April 26, 2010). "Sunday 10". 6767. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
- ^ McCormick, Eugene. "Coulier Comes Clean: He Admits to Being the Muse Behind Alanis Morissette’s 'You Ought to Know'". The Cleveland leader. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e "You Oughta Know". Urban Legends Reference Pages. January 10, 2000. Retrieved December 16, 2006.
- ^ Saxberg, Lynn. "Alanis Morissette reveals secret self in songs". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
- ^ Montgomery, James (February 1, 2010). "'You Oughta Know': The Story Behind Beyonce's Grammy Cover". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved 2011-12-24.
- ^ a b "Britney Spears covers Alanis Morissette: 'You Oughta Know,' it ain't half bad". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. September 6, 2009. Retrieved 2011-12-24.
- ^ Coulton, Jonathan. "You Oughta Know". Retrieved February 8, 2012.
- ^ Ganz, Caryn (June 22, 2009). "Beyonce Brings Hits, Jay-Z to "I Am..." Tour opener in New York". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Retrieved 2011-03-29.
- ^ Rodriguez, Jayson (January 31, 2010). "Beyonce Covers Alanis Morissette At Grammys". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved 2010-12-12.
- ^ "Beyonce covers Kings Of Leon and Prince at Glastonbury". NME (IPC Media (Time Warner)). June 27, 2011. Retrieved 2011-09-05.
- ^ Padgett, Ray. "Corey TuT Brings a Little Trent Reznor to Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know"". Cover Commissions. Cover Me. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
- ^ "Watch Episode Two Performances Now!". Cover Me Canada. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
- ^ "Top 100 Songs of the ’90s". VH1 Blog. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
- ^ "Australian-charts.com – Alanis Morissette – You Oughta Know". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Hung Medien.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Alanis Morissette – You Oughta Know" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch.
- ^ "Top Singles – Volume 62, No. 3, August 21, 1995". RPM. RPM Music Publications Ltd. Retrieved 2011-06-14.
- ^ "Rock/Alternative - Volume 61, No. 27, August 7, 1995". RPM. Retrieved 2011-03-07.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Alanis Morissette – You Oughta Know" (in Dutch). Mega Single Top 100. Hung Medien / hitparade.ch.
- ^ "Charts.org.nz – Alanis Morissette – You Oughta Know". Top 40 Singles. Hung Medien.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Alanis Morissette – You Oughta Know". Singles Top 60. Hung Medien.
- ^ "5, 1995/ Archive Chart" UK Singles Chart. Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Alanis Morissette Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot 100 for Alanis Morissette. Prometheus Global Media.
- ^ "Alanis Morissette Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Pop Songs for Alanis Morissette. Prometheus Global Media.
- ^ "Alanis Morissette Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Alternative Songs for Alanis Morissette. Prometheus Global Media.
External links [edit]
| Preceded by "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" by U2 |
Billboard Modern Rock Tracks number-one single July 22, 1995 – August 19, 1995 |
Succeeded by "J.A.R. (Jason Andrew Relva)" by Green Day |
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