ALANIS MORISSETTE

ALANIS MORISSETTE

SUPPOSED FORMER INFATUATION JUNKIE (1998)

  1. Front Row
  2. Baba
  3. Thank U
  4. Are You Still Mad
  5. Sympathetic Character
  6. That I Would Be Good
  7. The Couch
  8. Can't Not
  9. Ur
10. I Was Hoping
11. One
12. Would Not Come
13. Unsent
14. So Pure
15. Joining You
16. Heart Of The House
17. Your Congratulations

ALANIS MORISSETTE

SUPPOSED FORMER INFATUATION JUNKIE

1. FRONT ROW

I know he's blood but you can still turn him away
You don't owe him anything

Do you go to the dungeon?
To find out how to make pe-eace
With your days in the dungeon
Writing a letter to ya
Didn't make me feel anymore peaceful
Than how I felt when we weren't speaking
Because I didn't cop to what I did
I can't love you
'Cause were supposed to have professional boundaries
I'd like you to be schooled and in awe
As though you were kissed by God full on the lips

I'm in the front row
The front row
With popcorn
I get to see you
See you
Close up

Slid into the ditch
I have this overwhelming
Loss of ambition we said let's name
Thirty good reasons
Why we shouldn't be together
I started by saying things like
"You smoke" "You live in New Jersey"
You started saying things like "You belong to the world"
All of which could've been easily refuted

But the conversation was
Hypothetical I am totally short of breath
For you why can't you shut your stuff off?

I'm in the front row
The front row
With popcorn
I get to see you
See you
Close u-up

For a while I'm speaking
You know how much you hate to be interrupted
Maybe spend some time alone
Fill up your proverbial cup so
That it doesn't always have to be about you

I've been wanting your undivided attention
I like the fact that you're nothing like me
Are you not burdened by the lack of
Perspective people have of your charmed life
Seemingly

I'm in the front row
The front row
With popcorn
I get to see you
See you
Close up

Hey I'm not mad at you guardian
I'm mad at myself for spending so much time with you
And your Jekyll and Hydeness
I'm glad I figuratively slapped you on the wrist
You laughed a wicked laugh
And said "Come here let me clip your wings"

I know he's blood but you can still turn him away
You don't owe him anyhting

"Raise the roof" he yelled
"Yeah raise the roof" I yelled back

Unfortunately you needed a health scare to reprioritize

No thanks to the soap box
Having me rile
Against them won't make an ounce of difference

I'm in the front row
The front row
With popcorn
I get to see you
See you-ou
Close up.

2. BABA

I've seen them kneel with baited breath for the ritual
I've watched this experience raise them to pseudo higher levels
I've watched them leave their families in pursuit of your Nirvana
I've seen them coming to line up from Switzerland and America

How long will this take Baba?
How long have we been sleeping?
Do you see me hanging on to
Ev'ry word you say
How soon will I be holy?
How much will this cost guru?
How much longer 'til you completely absolve me

I've seen them give their drugs up in place of makeshift altars
I've heard them chanting "kali kali" frantically
I've heard them rotely repeat your teachings with elitism
I've seen them boasting robes and foreign sandalwood beads

How long will this take Baba?
How long have we been sleeping?
Do you see me hanging on to
Ev'ry word you say
How soon will I be holy?
How much will this cost guru?
How much longer 'til you
Completely absolve me

I've seen them overlooking God in their own essence
I've seen their upward glances in hopes of instant salvation
I've seen their righteousness mixed without Loving compassion
I've watched you smile as the students bow to kiss your feet

How long will this take Baba?
How long have we been sleeping?
Do you see me hanging on to
Ev'ry word you say
How soon will I be holy?
How much will this cost guru?
How much longer 'til you
Completely absolve me
Give me strength all knowing one
How long 'til enlightenment?
How much longer 'til you completely absolve me

Ave maria
Ave maria
Ave maria
Ave maria
Ave maria
Ave maria.

3. THANK U

How 'bout getting off o' 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 that I jumped off of it
Was the moment that 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.

4. ARE YOU STILL MAD

Are you still mad I kicked you, out of bed?
Are you still mad I gave you, ultimatums?
Are you still mad I compared you, to all
My forty year old male friends?
Are you still mad I shared our problems
With everybody?

Are you still mad I had an emotional, affair?
Are you still mad I tried ta', mold you into
Who I wanted you to be?
Are you still mad I didn't trust your intentions?

Of course you are
Of course you are
Of course you are
Of course you are
Of course you are
Of course you are

Are you still mad that I, flirted wildly?
Are you still mad I had a, tendency to mother you?
Are you still mad that I had one, foot out the door?
Are you still mad that we slept, together even after
We had ended it?

Of course you are
Of course you are
Of course you are
Of course you are
Of course you are
Of course you are

Are you still mad I wore the pants most of the time?
Are you still mad that I seemed to focus
Only on your potential?
Are you still mad that I threw in the, the towel?
And are ya
Are you still mad that I gave up long before you did?

Of course you are
Of course you are
Of course you are
Of course you are
Of course you are
Of course you are.

5. SYMPATHETIC CHARACTER

I was afraid you'd hit me if I'd spoken up
I was afraid of your physical strength
I was afraid you'd hit me below the belt
I was afraid of your sucker punch
I was afraid of your reducing me
I was afraid of your alcohol breath
I was afraid of your complete disregard for me
I was afraid of your temper
I was afraid of handles being flown off of
I was afraid of holes being punched into walls
I was afraid of your testosterone

I have as much rage as you have
I have as much pain as you do
I've lived as much hell as you have
And I've kept mine bubbling under for you

You were my best friend
You were my lover
You were my mentor
You were my brother
You were my partner
You were my teacher
You were my very own sympathetic character

I was afraid of verbal daggers
I was afraid of the calm before the storm
I was afraid for my own bones
I was afraid of your seduction
I was afraid of your coersion
I was afraid of your rejection
I was afraid of your intimidation
I was afraid of your punishment
I was afraid of your icy silences
I was afraid of your volume
I was afraid of your manipulation
I was afraid of explosions

I have as much rage as you have
I have as much pain as you do
I've lived as much hell as you have
And I've kept mine bubbling under for you

You were my best friend
You were my lover
You were my mentor
You were my brother
You were my partner
You were my teacher
You were my very own sympathetic character

You were my best friend
You were my lover
You were my mentor
You were my brother
You were my partner
You were my teacher
You were my very own sympathetic character
You were my keeper
You were my anchor
You were my family
You were my saviour
And therein lay the issue
And therein lay the problem
And therein lay the issue
And therein lay the problem.

6. THAT I WOULD BE GOOD

That I would be good even if I did nothing
That I would be good even if I got the thumbs down
That I would be good if I got and stayed sick
That I would be good even if I gained ten pounds

That I would be fine even if I went bankrupt
That I would be good if I lost my hair and my youth
That I would be great if I was no longer queen
That I would be grand if I was not all knowing

That I would be loved even when I numb myself
That I would be good even when I am overwhelmed
That I would be loved even when I was fuming
That I would be good even if I was clingy

That I would be good even if I lost sanity
That I would be good
Whether with or without you.

7. THE COUCH

You hadn't seen your father in such a long time
He died in the arms of his lover how dare he
You mother never left the house
She never married anyone else you took it upon yourself to console her

You reminded her so much of your father
So you were banished and you wonder why you're so hypersensitive
And why you can't trust anyone but us
But then how can I begin to forgive her so many years under bridges with dirty water
She was foolish and selfish and cowardly if you ask me

I don't know where to begin in all of my 50 odd years
I have been silently suffering and adapting perpetuating and enduring
Who are you younger generation to tell me that I have unresolved problems
Not many examples of fruits of this type of excruciating labour

How can you just throw words around like grieve and heal and mourn
I feel fine we may not have been born as awake as you were
It was much harder in those days we had paper routes uphill both ways
We went from school to a job to a wife to instant parenthood

I walked into his office I felt so self-conscious on the couch
He was sitting down across from me he was writing down his hypothesis I don't know
I've got a loving supportive wife who doesn't know how involved she should get
You say his interjecting was him just calling me on my shit?

Just the other day my sweet daughter I was driving past 203
I walked up the stairs in my mind's eye
I remember how they would creak loudly
She was only responsive with a drink he was only responsive by photo
I was only trying to be the best big brother I could

I've walked sometimes confused sometimes ready to crack open wide
Sometimes indignant sometimes raw
Can you imagine I pay him 75 dollars an hour sometimes
It feels like highway robbery
And sometimes it's peanuts
I wish it could last a couple more hours

So here we are both are battling similar demons (not coincidentally)
You see in getting beyond knowing it solely intellectually
You're not relinquishing your majestry
You are wise, you are warm, you are courageous, you are big
And I love you more now than I ever have in my whole life.

8. CAN'T NOT

I'd be lying if I said I was completely unscathed
I might be proving you right with my silence or my retaliation
Would I be letting you win in my nonreaction, yeah?
How would I explain?
And how would I explain this to my children if I had them?

Because I can't not
Because I can't not
Because I can't afford to be misread one more time

Would I be whining if I said I needed a hug?
Would you feel slighted if I said your love's not enough?
And how can I complain?
And how can I complain when I'm the one who reaches for it?

Because I can't not
Because I can't not
Because I cannot walk without my crutche
Because I can't not
Because I can't not
Because I can't help wonder why you ask me

To all the unheard wisdom in the schoolyard:
You think you're the right ones
You think you're the charmed ones, I'm sure
And how can you go on with such conviction?
And who do you think you, are why do you question me?

Because we can't not
Because we can't not
Because we can't help laugh at underestimations
Because we can't not
Because we can't not
Because we can't afford to be misled one more time
Because we can't not
Because we can't not
Because we cannot help without your willingness

Ah oh oh oh la da dye la da dye la da dye ay ay oh
la da da ah ah la da da da yeah yeah yeah

Why do you affect me?
Why do you affect me still?
Why do you hinder me?
Why do you hinder me still?
Why do you unnerve me?
Why do you unnerve me still?
Why do you trigger me?
Why do you trigger me still?

9. UR

Burn the books
They've got too many
Names and psychoses
All this incriminating evidence
Would surely haunt me
If someone broke into my house

Suits in the living room
Do you realise guys
I was born in 1974
We've got someone here to
Explain your publishing
You know how much you love to be
In front of audiences

Hopeful
You are
Schoolbound
You are
Naive
You are
Driven
You are

Take a trip to New York
And your guardian and your fake identification
When they say "Is there something
Anything you'd like to know
Young lady?" you say "Yes I'd like to know
What kind of people I'll be dealing with"

Precocious
You are
Headstrong
You are
Terrified
You are
Ahead of your time
You are

Don't mind our staring
But we're surprised your not in
In a far-gone asylum we're surprised you didn't
Crack up Lord knows that we would've
We would have liked to have been there
But you keep pushing us away

Resilient
You are
Big time
You are
Ruthless
You are
Precious
You are.

10. I WAS HOPING

As we were talking outside it was cold
And we were shivering yet warmed by the subject matter
My wife is in the next room we've been having troubles you know
Please don't tell her or anyone but I need to talk to somebody
You said "Wouldn't it be a shame if I knew how great I was
Five minutes before I died, I'd be filled with such regret
Before I took my last breath" and I said
"You're willing to tell me this now and you're not going to die any time soon"
And I said I haven't been eating chicken or meat or anything and you said yes
But you've been wearing leather
And laughed and said we're at the top of the food chain
And yes you're still a fine woman and I cringed

I was hoping, I was hoping we could heal each other
I was hoping, I was hoping we could be raw together

We left the restaurant where the head waiter (in his 60's) said
"Good-bye sir thank you for your business sir
You're succesful and established sir
And we like the frequency with which you dine here sir
And your money"
And when I walked by they said "Thank you too dear"
I was all pigtails and cords
And there was a day when I would've said something like
"Hey dude I could buy and sell this place so kiss it"
I too once thought I was owed something

I was hoping, I was hoping we could challenge each other
I was hoping, I was hoping we could crack each other up

I too thought that when proved wrong I lost somehow
And I too once life was cruel
It's a cycle really you think I'm withdrawing and guilt tripping you
I think you're insensitive and I don't feel heard
And I said do you believe we are
Fundamentally judgmental?
Fundamentally evil?
And you said yes
I said I don't believe in revenge
In right or wrong or bad you said
"Well what about the man that I saw handcuffed
In the emergency room bleeding after beating his kid
And she threw a show at his head
And I think what he did was wrong
And I would've had a hard time feeling compassion for him"
I had to watch my tone for fear of having you feel judged

I was hoping, I was hoping we could dance together
I was hoping, I was hoping we could be creamy together.

11. ONE

I am the biggest hypocrite
Been undeniably jealous
I have been loud and pretentious
I have been utterly threatened
I've gotten candy for my self-interest
The sexy treadmill capitalist
Heaven forbid I be criticised
Heaven forbid I be ignored

I have abused my power forgive me
You mean we actually are all one
One, one, one, one, one, one, one

I've been out of reach and separatist
Heaven forbid average whatever average means
I have compensated for my days of powerlessness

I have abused my so-called power, forgive me
You mean we actually are all one
One, one, one, one, one, one, one

Did you just call her amazing?
Surely we both can't be amazing!
And give up my hard earned status
As fabulous freak of nature?

I have abused my power, forgive me
You mean we actually are all one
One one ba da da da da one one wa ha ha ha one oone one
One one one one one one one
Always looked good on paper
Sounded good in theory
Always looked good on paper
Sounded good in theory.

12. WOULD NOT COME

If I make a lot of tinsel then people will want to
If I am hardened no fear of further abandonment
If I am famous then maybe I'll feel good in this skin
If I am cultured my words will somehow garner respect

I would throw a party still it would not come
I would bije run swim and still it would not come
I'd go travelling and still it would not come
I would starve myself and still it would not come

If I'm masculine, I will be taken more seriously
If I take a break it would make me irresponsible
If I'm elusive I will surely be sought after often
If I need assistance then I must be incapable

I'd be filthy rich and still it would not come
I would seduce them and still it would not come
I would drink vodka and still it would not come
I'd have an orgasm still it wouldn't come

If I accumulate knowledge, I'll be inpenetrable
If I am aloof no one will know when they strike a nerve
If I keep my mouth shut the boat will not have to be rocked
If I am vulnerable I will be trampled upon

I would go shopping and still it would not come
I'd leave the country and still it would not come
I would scream and rebel and still it would not come
I would stuff my face and still it would not come
I'd be productive and still it would not come
I'd be celebrated and still it would not come
I'd be the hero and still it would not come
I'd renunciate and still it would not come.

13. UNSENT

Dear Matthew:
I like you a lot

I realize you're in a relationship with someone right now and I respect that
I would like you to know that if you're ever single in the future
And you want to come visit me in California
I would be open to spending time with you
Ad finding out how old you were when you wrote your first song

Dear Jonathan:
I liked you too much
I used to be attracted to boys who would lie to me
And think solely about themselves
And you were plenty self-destructive for my taste at the time
I used to say the more tragic the better
The truth is whenever I think of the early 90's
Your face comes up with a vengeance like it was yesterday

Dear Terrance:
I love you muchly
You've been nothing but open hearted and emotionally available
And supportive and nurturing and consummately there for me
I kept drawing you in and pushing you away
I remember how beautiful it was to fall asleep on your couch
And cry in front of you for the first time
You were the best platform from which to jump beyond myself
What was wrong with me

Dear Marcus:
You rocked my world
You had a charismatic way about you with the women
And you got me seriously thinking about spirituality
And you wouldn't let me get away with kicking my own ass
But I could never really feel relaxed and looked out for around you though
And that stopped us from going any furter than we did
And it's kinda too bad because we could've had much more fun

Dear Lou:
We learned so much
I realise we won't be able to talk for some time
And I understand that as I do you the long distance thing was the hardest
And we did as well as we could
We were together during a very tumultuous time in our lives
I will always have your back and be curious about you
About your career, your whereabouts.

14. SO PURE

You from New York
You are so relevant
You reduce me to cosmic tears

Luminous more so than
Most anyone
Unapologetically alive
Knot in my stomach and
Lump in my throat

I love you when you dance
When you free-style in trance
So pure, such an expression

Love you when you dance
When you free-style in trance
So pure, such an expression

Supposed former infatuation junkie
I sink three pointers and you wax poetically

I love you when you dance
When you free-style in trance
So pure such an expression

Love you when you dance
When you free-style in trance
So pure such an expression

Let's grease the wheel over tea
Let's discuss things in confidence
Let's be outspoken
Let's be ridiculous
Let's solve the world's problems

I love you when you dance
When you free-style in trance
So pure, such an expression

I love you when you dance
When you free-style in trance
So pure, such an expression

So pure.

15. JOINING YOU

Dear Dar, your mom, my friend, left a message on my machine she was frantic
Saying you were talking crazy that you wanted to do away with yourself
I guess she thought I'd be a perfect resort
Because we've had this inexplicable connection since our youth
And yes, they're in shock, they are panicked you and your chronic them and their drama
You this embarassment us in the middle of this delusion

If we were our bodies
If we were our future
If we were our defenses I'd be joining you
If we were our culture
If we were our leaders
If we were our denials I'd be joining you

I remember vividly a day years ago
We were camping you knew more than you thought you should know
You said "I don't want ever to be brainwashed"
And you were mindboggling, you were intense
You were uncomfortable in your own skin
You were thirsty but mostly you were beautiful

If we were our nametags
If we were our rejections
If we were outcomes I'd be joining you
If we were our indignities
If we were our successes
If we were our emotions I'd be joining you

You and I were like 4 year olds
We want to know why and how come about everything
We want to reveal ourselves at will and speak our minds
And never talk small and be intuitive
And question mightily and find God my tortured beacon
We need to find like-minded companions

If we were our condemnations
If we were our projections
If we were our paranoias I'd be joining you
If we were our incomes
If we were our obsessions
If we were our afflictions I'd be joining you
We need reflection
We need a really good memory
Feel free to call me a little more often.

16. HEART OF THE HOUSE

You are the original template
You are the original exemplary
How seen were you actually?
How revered were you honestly at the time?
Why pleased with your low maintenance?
You loved us more than we could've loved you back
Where was your ally, your partner in feminine crime?

Oh mother, who's your buddy?
Oh mother, who's got your back?
The heart of the house
The heart of the house
All hail the goddess!

You were "Good ol'"
You were "Count on 'er 'til four am"
You saw me run from the house
In the snow melodramatically

Oh mother, who's your sister?
Oh mother, who's your friend?
The heart of the house
The heart of the house
All hail the goddess!

We left the men and we went for a walk in the gatineaus
And talked like women, like women to women would
Women to women would "Where did you get that from?
Must've been your father your dad"
I got it from you I got it from you
Do you see yourself in my gypsy garage sale ways?
In my fits of laughter?
In my tinkerbell tendencies?
In my lack of colour cooordination?

17. YOUR CONGRATULATIONS

I wouldn't have compromised as much
So much of myself for fear of having you hating me
I would've sung so loudly
It would've cracked myself
I became self-conscious
Of anything exuberant
I wouldn't have sold myself short
I wouldn't have kept my eyes glued to the ground
If I had've known my invisibility
Would not have made a difference
I would've run around screaming proudly
At the top of my voice

I wouldn't have said it was in fact luck
I'm talking idealism here
I would not have been so self deprecating
I wouldn't have cowered
For fear of having my eyes scratched out!
I wouldn't have cut my comfort off
I wouldn't have feigned needlessness
I would not have discredited
Every one of their compliments
It was your approval I wanted
Your congratulation.

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