Special Sub-Topic: Ipod Shuffle 35: Alanis's "Jagged Little Pill" Click Here To Play: Ipod Shuffle 35: Alanis's "Jagged Little Pill"

Alanis Morissette's "Jagged Little Pill" became the biggest selling album of 1995 and one of the strongest international debuts by a woman artist. How many albums had Alanis released previously?

Two. "Jagged Little Pill" was Alanis's international debut. However, she released two albums in Canada before "Jagged Little Pill". These were "Alanis" from 1991 and "Now is the Time" from 1992. They are very different from anything Alanis has recorded since. They are similar to teen bubblegum pop of Debbie Gibbons, Tiffany, and early Britney Spears. "Jagged Little Pill" is one of only five albums that stayed in the Billboard Top Ten Album charts for over a year. The other albums are "Thriller" by Michael Jackson, "Falling Into You" by Céline Dion, "All the Right Reasons" by Nickelback, and "Fearless" by Taylor Swift.

What track on "Jagged Little Pill" features a chorus that is in a different key than the verses?

Head Over Feet. The verses of "Head Over Feet" are in the key of C Major. The choruses, however, are in D Major. "Head Over Feet" was her first top ten single in the United Kingdom.

What was the only song in the 2005 acoustic version of "Jagged Little Pill" that had a lyrical change from the original 1995 version?

Ironic. In "Ironic", Morissette changed the line from "meeting the man of my dreams and then meeting his beautiful wife" to "husband". The original version was nominated for a Grammy for Record of the Year but lost to Eric Clapton's "Change the World".

Alanis recorded only one take of what song from "Jagged Little Pill" during the recording sessions for the album?

Perfect. The first song that Alanis and Glen Ballard wrote for "Jagged Little Pill" that appeared on the final album was "Perfect", written and recorded in twenty minutes. The first song that they wrote together was an unreleased song called "The Bottom Line".

Which of the following songs is a known outtake from the "Jagged Little Pill" recording sessions?

No Avalon. There six known unreleased songs from the "JLP" sessions: "Keep the Radio On", "Bottom Line", "Beautiful Intent", "Aura", "No Avalon", "Superstar Wonderful Weirdos". There is also an alternate version of Ironic with a slight line change. "Capillarian Crest" is a live recording from 1998. "De-Lovely" appears on the DVD potion of the 2005 compilation "The Collection". "I Remain" is a soundtrack contribution by Alanis to the 2010 "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" Disney film.

"Jagged Little Pill" has no title cut. However, the phrase "jagged little pill" appears in the lyrics of what song from the album?

You Learn. The lyrics are "Swallow it down, what a jagged little pill/ It feels so good swimming in your stomach" and come from "You Learn". The single went to Number Six on the Billboard Top 100, and included a live version of "You Oughta Know" from the 1996 Grammys.

What was the most successful single from the album on the Billboard Top 100?

Ironic. The six singles from "Jagged Little Pill" all were very successful in various charts; however, only "Ironic" and "You Learn" charted on the US Billboard Top 100. "Ironic" went to Number Four and "You Learn" Number Six.

What show used "Hands in My Pocket" as its theme song on its unaired pilot episode?

Dawson's Creek. Alanis decided not to license her song to "Dawson's Creek" after the show was picked up by the networks. Only the unaired pilot used the song.

The 1995 EP "Space Cakes" features acoustic versions of "Jagged Little Pill" songs recoded at a radio show on June 9, 1995. What song was recorded for the show and broadcast but NOT included on the EP?

Hand in My Pocket. Alanis recorded acoustic versions of seven songs from "Jagged Little Pill". Alanis released "Space Cakes" as an EP as a Japan-only release in 1995. These songs recorded during this radio show were: "Head over Feet", "Right Through You", "Forgiven", "Perfect", "Not the Doctor" and "You Learn", in order in which they appear on the EP. Alanis also performed the unreleased "Hand In My Pocket", which was broadcast but mysteriously not included on the EP. The performance was recorded in the NOB Studios in Hilvdersum, the Netherlands.

How many Grammys did "Jagged Little Pill" win?

Four. "Jagged Little Pill" was nominated for six Grammys, winning four. She won "Best Female Rock Vocal Performance", "Best Rock Song", "Best Rock Album", and "Album of the Year". She was nominated, but did not win, "Best New Artist" and "Song of the Year".