"Hands Clean" | ||||
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Single by Alanis Morissette | ||||
from the album Under Rug Swept | ||||
B-side | "Sister Blister" | |||
Released | 8 January 2002 | |||
Recorded | 2001 | |||
Length |
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Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | Alanis Morissette | |||
Producer(s) | Alanis Morissette | |||
Alanis Morissette singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Hands Clean" on YouTube |
"Hands Clean" is a song recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, for her fifth studio album, Under Rug Swept (2002). It was written, composed, and produced by Morissette and released as the album's lead single in January 2002. It features a shuffling, largely acoustic-rock framework. Lyrically, "Hands Clean" caused controversy, since it is reportedly the singer's recollection of a forbidden sexual relationship she shared with a much older man when she was approximately 14 years of age.
The song received generally positive reviews from music critics, some of whom immediately chose the track as an album standout compared to some of her previous material. "Hands Clean" did well on the music charts, reaching number 23 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the Billboard Adult Top 40. It topped the charts in New Zealand and Canada, where it became her sixth and most recent number-one single. An accompanying music video was released in 2002 for the single.
After Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie – the 1998 follow-up to her 1995 breakthrough Jagged Little Pill – Morissette joined MTV for an unplugged album, released in 1999. [1] Subsequently, she neither wrote nor composed for a few months, before developing a new album, through 2000 and 2001. [2] During that period, she acknowledged she had learned, "That men in positions of power were not to be entirely trusted with my body and soul just because they were older than me." [3]
According to Jennifer Vineyeard of MTV News, the new album's topic was "love, sex, cruelty – with the added vantage of years spent growing up and getting over the man who vexed her so." [4] Morissette wrote, composed, and produced Under Rug Swept by herself, claiming to have been inspired by events in her life, such as a break-up with her boyfriend and her contract renegotiation with Maverick. [2] "I started writing alone," she said, "and within the first week I'd written seven songs. So it was all really fast and accelerated, and I think 'Hands Clean' was maybe the tenth song that I wrote and I just wrote it with a guitar in a room." [4]
Of the 27 songs written for the album, [5] "Hands Clean" was picked to be the first single and was released on 8 January 2002. [6] Before its official release, the song debuted on German radio on 24 December 2001. [7]
"Hands Clean," written, composed, and produced entirely by Alanis Morissette, features a shuffling, largely acoustic-rock framework [8] and a "pure-pop" hook. [5] It is written in the key of G major, with a moderate tempo of 96 beats per minute. The introduction follows the chord progression of C–D–G/B–C that repeats throughout the song except for the bridge that is Em-C-G-D two times. [9] Morissette's vocal range spans from the low-note of G3 to the high-note of B4. The narrative voice of the song alternates; the verses are written from the presumed viewpoint of the other person in a relationship, an older man talking to a younger lover ("If it weren't for your maturity none of this would have happened/If you weren't so wise beyond your years I would've been able to control myself" [...] "I know you depend on me like a young thing would to a guardian/I know you sexualize me like a young thing would and I think I like it"), whereas the chorus and bridge represent her own feelings ("We'll fast forward to a few years later/And no one knows except the both of us/And I have honoured your request for silence/And you've washed your hands clean of this"). [8] [10]
Lyrically, "Hands Clean" explores a past relationship and how its effects linger. [8] Jon Pareles of Rolling Stone went further, writing that the song is about "an apparently matter-of-fact reminiscence of underage sex with a music-business mentor, an affair 'under rug swept.'" [10] However, he commented that the song holds not a hint of Lolita guilt, forbidden passion, or resentment compared to her furious take on the same situation in "Right Through You" on Jagged Little Pill. [10] Website Jam! Music dug deeper, writing that it "tells the story of her attempts to come to grips with an intergenerational affair that started when she was as young as 14," [11] a statement also made by other critics. [12] In an interview for Q Magazine , Morissette confessed, "The grudge I hold is against myself for having been quiet for so long [...] I've covered his ass for so many years. So now it's almost like ... I wanted to liberate myself from not beating myself up any longer. It's almost irrespective of his involvement now; it's more about me and my relationship with my own past." [11]
In a track-by-track commentary on her album, Morissette further commented about the track:
My intention in writing this song was to get to a place where I could be as truthful and as honest as I possibly could be about certain relationships in my past. It's definitely not with the intention of seeking any sort of revenge for the person who is at the heart of the song that I'm singing about, but it was in my silencing myself to protect somebody else that I was ultimately completely abandoning myself. And any time I speak untruths in my life, and often-times I feel by not speaking the truth, by being silent, there's an element of an untruth in that. Withholding the truth sometimes can feel just as horrible as a lie to me. So as I get older, I think I want more and more to introduce the bliss of speaking transparently and truthfully and as honestly as I possibly can, knowing that the truth in this case is my truth only. [13]
While choosing the song as a highlight from Under Rug Swept, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic compared its lyrics to her earlier hit "You Oughta Know," also noting that "this would all seem calculated, an attempt to regain her chart status, if Morissette wasn't so unabashedly earnest, seemingly unembarrassed by her confessions." [14] Stephen Thompson from The A.V. Club praised the track for being "a breezy new single" and "infectious enough to surpass the direst moment of 'Under Rug Swept.'" [15] David Browne of Entertainment Weekly wrote that the song "could even be seen as a sequel to 'You Oughta Know,'" [16] while Nikki Tranter of Popmatters compared the lyrical content on the song to her previous songs "Plastic" and "Jealous," from her first album, Alanis. [17] Larry Flick of Billboard Magazine noted that the track show[s] Morissette proudly wearing her affection for concise, pure-pop hooks," [5] while Mark Blake of Q called it "one of the album's peaks." [18] Kitty Empire of NME wrote a mixed review to the track, although calling it "a tolerable enough tune, mind, for those who think their chocolate craving says something poignant about their inner selves." [19]
"Hands Clean" was a commercial success in many territories, reaching the top 10 in over six countries while also reaching the top-twenty in seven others. In the United States, the song debuted at number 65 on the week of 2 February 2002, becoming that week's "Hot Shot Debut", [20] and moved up to number 49 the following week. [21] The song cracked the top 40 in its third week, climbing to number 39, [22] and peaked five weeks later at number 23 due to an increase in radio play. [23] [24] On other Billboard component charts, the song managed to reach number 19 on the Mainstream Top 40 and number three on the Adult Top 40. [25] [26] In Canada, "Hands Clean" became her sixth number-one single. [27] In the United Kingdom, the song managed to debut at number twelve, becoming her most successful single since "Thank U" (1998) as well as her latest top-twenty single on the UK charts. [28]
In Australia, "Hands Clean" debuted and peaked at number nine, on 8 February 2002. It became her highest-charting single there since "Ironic" in 1996 and her last to reach the top 10. [29] It received a gold certification from the Australian Recording Industry Association for shipping over 35,000 units. [30] In New Zealand, the song experienced more success, debuting at number 48 but peaking at number one ten weeks later. It became Morissette's most successful single and first number-one hit. [31] The song also experienced commercial success in several European countries, including Italy, where it reached number three, [32] Norway, peaking at number seven, [33] and Switzerland, reaching number five. [34]
Francis Lawrence directed the music video for "Hands Clean." [35] It was televised and broadcast in January 2002 for the single's worldwide release. [6]
The video begins with Alanis sitting in a sushi bar when she spies a man (played by Chris Sarandon) [35] as he enters. She has a flashback to a time when she spurned his unwanted advances, and it had an effect on her. We see Alanis's memories played out on a television screen, and the process begins, recorded for public viewing and re-viewing. We see her writing about the relationship, guitar in hand, creating a song which she then records and takes to a record producer (played by Ian Gomez), [35] who presses it as a CD. She is soon posing for the CD sleeve photograph and shooting a video, which is played all over the world, just as the CD is being flown across oceans, in order to be put on display at hip record stores, where it is snapped up by many eager hands, including a girl in a beanie (played by Masiela Lusha). [36] [37] The singer is seen performing the song on the radio (radio DJ is played by Dean Haglund). At the video's conclusion, set a year after its beginning, Morissette again sees her former suitor enter the same sushi bar. Through her song, and the process of it becoming a hit and then a memory, she has come to terms with her past relationship. On seeing this person who had a profound effect on her this second time, she is able to move on: before departing the restaurant, she picks up a napkin and wipes her hands clean.
Canadian CD single [38]
UK and European CD1 [39]
UK and European CD2, Australian CD1 [40] [41]
| Australian CD2, European maxi-single [42] [29]
|
Credits are lifted from the Canadian CD single liner notes. [38]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [30] | Gold | 35,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref(s). |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States | 8 January 2002 | Radio | Maverick | [6] |
Australia | 28 January 2002 | CD |
| [72] |
United Kingdom | 18 February 2002 |
| Maverick | [73] [74] |
Alanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian and American singer, songwriter and musician known for her emotive mezzo-soprano voice and confessional songwriting. She began her music career in Canada in the early 1990s with two dance-pop albums. In 1995, she released the alternative rock album Jagged Little Pill, which sold more than 33 million copies globally and propelled her to become a cultural phenomenon. Morissette won the 1996 Grammy Award for Album of the Year among other accolades, and the album was adapted into a 2018 rock musical. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has Jagged Little Pill on their 200 Definitive Albums list, and it appeared on various editions of Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" guide. Its lead single, "You Oughta Know", was also included on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list.
Jagged Little Pill is the third studio album by Canadian-American singer Alanis Morissette, released on June 13, 1995, by Maverick and her first album to be released worldwide. It marked a significant stylistic departure from dance-pop sound of Morissette's first two albums, Alanis (1991) and Now Is the Time (1992). To underscore this transformation and establish herself on the international stage, Morissette adopted her full name professionally, moving beyond her previous single-name moniker "Alanis". This deliberate change in both musical direction and personal branding signaled a new chapter in her career, setting the stage for her breakthrough international debut. Morissette began work on the album after moving from her hometown Ottawa to Los Angeles, where she met producer Glen Ballard. Morissette and Ballard had an instant connection and began co-writing and experimenting with sounds. The experimentation resulted in an alternative rock album that takes influence from post-grunge and pop rock, and features guitars, keyboards, drum machines, and harmonica. The lyrics touch upon themes of aggression and unsuccessful relationships, while Ballard introduced a pop sensibility to Morissette's angst. The title of the album is taken from a line in the first verse of the song "You Learn".
So-Called Chaos is the sixth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released on May 18, 2004, through Maverick Records. It was preceded by the single "Everything" on April 13, which went on to become Morissette's lowest peaking song on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 76. The album was met with mixed reviews from critics upon release, with some calling it her most accessible record since Jagged Little Pill (1995) while others criticized the project's confusing messages and felt the singer had lost what made her a cultural icon of the '90s.
"Ironic" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released in February 1996 by Maverick and Warner Bros. as the third single from her third studio album, Jagged Little Pill (1995). It was written by Morissette and Glen Ballard, and was produced by him. The lyrics present several situations that are described as "ironic"; this has led to debate as to whether any of these match the accepted meaning of irony.
"Uninvited" is a song by Canadian recording artist and songwriter Alanis Morissette, released as a single from the soundtrack of City of Angels in February 1998, becoming Morissette's first new recording since her international debut album, Jagged Little Pill (1995). Morissette wrote the song and co-produced it with Rob Cavallo. "Uninvited" is driven by four piano notes and builds to an instrumental climax, and haunting atmosphere accompanied by cryptic lyrics.
Under Rug Swept is the fifth studio album and third internationally released album by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette. Released by Maverick Records in the United States on February 26, 2002, and in the United Kingdom a day earlier, it was the first album Morissette had written and produced all on her own. It debuted at number one on charts in 12 countries, including the United States and Canada, and produced the singles "Hands Clean" and "Precious Illusions". Sales, however, did not match those of Morissette's previous two studio albums.
"You Oughta Know" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released as the lead single from her third studio album, Jagged Little Pill (1995), on July 6, 1995. After releasing two studio albums, Morissette left MCA Records Canada and was introduced to manager Scott Welch. Morissette began working on new music after moving from her hometown of Ottawa to Toronto, but made little progress. In Los Angeles, she met producer Glen Ballard, with whom she wrote songs including "You Oughta Know".
"Head over Feet" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, taken from her third studio album Jagged Little Pill (1995). Written by Alanis and Glen Ballard, and produced by Ballard, it was released as the album's fifth single in July 1996 and presented a softer sound than the previous singles from the album. "Head over Feet" talks about being best friends and lovers with someone at the same time, with Alanis thanking them for their manners, love and devotion.
"You Learn" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette from her third studio album, Jagged Little Pill (1995). It was written by Morissette and Glen Ballard, the album's producer. Maverick and Warner Bros. Records released the song as the album's fourth single. The lyrics state that valuable lessons are learned from poor decisions. The album title is taken from this song's line "Swallow it down ".
"Thank U" is a song by Canadian-American recording artist and songwriter Alanis Morissette from her fourth studio album, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (1998). The song was written by Alanis Morissette and Glen Ballard, who produced her previous album, Jagged Little Pill (1995). Morissette wrote the song after she came back from a trip to India. Maverick and Reprise Records released the song as a single on October 12, 1998.
"Hand in My Pocket" is a song by Canadian recording artist and songwriter Alanis Morissette from her third studio album, Jagged Little Pill (1995). The song was written by Morissette and Glen Ballard and was released as the second single from the album on October 16, 1995 by Maverick and Reprise, five months after the album release. The song received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who applauded Morissette's songwriting.
"Unsent" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette from her fourth studio album, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (1998). The lyrics were written by Morissette, who also composed the music with Glen Ballard. It was released as the album's third single on March 18, 1999. It was one of the few Junkie tracks on which she played her harmonica. Morissette directed the music video for the song. Without a chorus or hook, "Unsent" has an unconventional song structure. The lyrics consist of letters addressed to Morissette's former boyfriends and friends. The single became a moderate hit, reaching number nine in Canada, number 28 in New Zealand, and number 58 in the United States.
"So Pure" is a song written and produced by Alanis Morissette and Glen Ballard for Morissette's fourth album, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (1998). It was released in Japan as the album's second single on March 10, 1999, and as the third single worldwide in June 1999. One line in the song, "supposed former infatuation junkie", inspired its album's title. A special "radio friendly remix" was featured on US promotional singles and was only commercially released on the Australian domestic single.
"Precious Illusions" is a song written, performed, and produced by Canadian singer Alanis Morissette for her fifth studio album, Under Rug Swept (2002). It released as the album's second and final international single on May 20, 2002. Its lyrics describe a conflict between idealism and realism, and its protagonist refers to her childhood fancies as "precious illusions" that she has distanced herself from with a feeling that reminds her of "parting with an imaginary friend".
The discography of Canadian-American singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette comprises 10 studio albums, three live albums, six compilation albums, two extended plays, 46 singles, 12 promotional singles, six video albums, and 41 music videos. She has sold more than 85 million albums worldwide.
"Flinch" is a song recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette for her fifth studio album, Under Rug Swept (2002). The song, written, arranged and produced by Morissette herself, is inspired by an old flame she previously dated when she was younger. Lyrically, "Flinch" is about feeling ashamed and embarrassed after seeing an ex-boyfriend, and how much he still affects her, with the protagonist claiming that she will eventually grow up and will not even flinch at his name.
"21 Things I Want in a Lover" is a song recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette for her fifth studio album, Under Rug Swept (2002). "21 Things I Want in a Lover" was all written, arranged and produced by Morissette. It is an alternative rock song, featuring guitarist Dean DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots. Lyrically, the song talks about all the 21 qualities that Morissette would like the most to find in a lover.
"Surrendering" is a song written by Alanis Morissette, and produced by her for her fifth album, Under Rug Swept (2002).
"So Unsexy" is a song written by Alanis Morissette, and produced by her for her fifth album, Under Rug Swept (2002). It was released in Brazil as the seventh and final single in November 2003.
"Everything" is a song written and recorded by Canadian singer Alanis Morissette. It was released on March 22, 2004, as the first single from her sixth studio album, So-Called Chaos (2004), on which it appears as the closing track. The song reached number three on the Canadian Singles Chart and number six in Italy and Spain. Although it reached only number 76 on the US Billboard Hot 100, it peaked atop the Triple-A chart and climbed to number four on the Adult Top 40. "Everything" also reached the top 20 in Australia, Austria, Norway, and Scotland.
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