49 Quotes & Sayings By Alanis Morissette

Alanis Morissette is a Canadian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actress, author and activist. She began her career at a young age, writing songs and recording demo tapes with her father's help. In 1991 she released her eponymous studio album Alanis, which was certified platinum in Canada and the United States. The album peaked at number one on the US "Billboard" 200 chart and was later certified diamond by the RIAA Read more

Morissette's next two albums failed to match the commercial success of her debut, but she continued to write and record music for herself. In 1998 she re-emerged with Jagged Little Pill, an album that incorporated a more alternative rock sound influenced by 70s rock bands like Led Zeppelin and Queen; the album was certified diamond by the RIAA. Jagged Little Pill became Morissette's highest-selling album to date, eventually selling over 17 million copies worldwide.

1
A feeling is not bottomless. once felt all the way through, a great peace greets you there Alanis Morissette
2
When pain brings you down, don't be silly, don't close your eyes and cry, you just might be in the best position to see the sun shine. Alanis Morissette
3
I am what I am Are you what you are or What? Alanis Morissette
4
A brave action is often followed by grief. Do not let my resistance to grief stop the brave action. Alanis Morissette
5
I see the whole concept of Generation X implies that everyone has lost hope. Alanis Morissette
6
I did commit to myself that I would not jump back into being the workaholic that I can be before I gave myself an honest opportunity to create the marriage of my dreams and to create the beginning of the family of my dreams, and that took a hot second. Alanis Morissette
7
In my opinion, I think sarcasm and humor in a song, without turning it into a novelty song, is really charming. Alanis Morissette
8
Down the road, I'll probably have a kid or two or three. And there will probably be political events or spiritual things to comment on, and humor. Alanis Morissette
9
My son was five months old, and I built a makeshift studio in my living room so that I could do the attachment parenting approach and write the record at the same time. That was fortuitous, that we could build that in the house. Alanis Morissette
10
There was a period of time during the 'Jagged Little Pill' era where I don't think I laughed for about two years. It was a survival mode, you know. It was an intense, constant, chronic over-stimulation and invasion of energetic and physical literal space. Alanis Morissette
11
I have a profound empathy for people who are in the public eye, whether they manifest it themselves or whether it happened by accident - it doesn't matter to me. I think there's a great misunderstanding of what it is to be famous. Alanis Morissette
12
Part of being famous is offering up this blank screen upon which people can project everything, and it's a sacred act, putting yourself out there, in a way that lots of celebrities aren't steeled for; they're not prepared for the degree to which people define them. Alanis Morissette
13
I thought the more famous I became, the more friendships I would have, but the opposite was true. Alanis Morissette
14
Only traumatised people want to be famous. Alanis Morissette
15
What's that line from TS Eliot? To arrive at the place where you started, but to know it for the first time. I'm able to write about a breakup from a different place. Same brokenness. Same rock-bottom. But a little more informed, now I'm older. Thank God for growing up. Alanis Morissette
16
I've just always felt it's an incredibly empowering thing, particularly for young women, to capitalize on their coordination and their strength. It's a very empowering thing to feel strong in your body. Alanis Morissette
17
As a teen, I was both anorexic and bulimic. Alanis Morissette
18
Canada has a passive-aggressive culture, with a lot of sarcasm and righteousness. That went with my weird messianic complex. The ego is a fascinating monster. I was taught from a young age that I had to serve, so that turned into me thinking I had to save the planet. Alanis Morissette
19
We're taught to be ashamed of confusion, anger, fear and sadness, and to me they're of equal value to happiness, excitement and inspiration. Alanis Morissette
20
And if I had a preference, it would be to be able to not be in the studio until 4 in the morning. Alanis Morissette
21
Getting married and starting a family has been a lifelong goal and one that I have persevered through different paths up to it! Alanis Morissette
22
I think a common misperception about attuning and tending to a child's needs so constantly is that they don't grow in their independence, but I think that the opposite is true. Alanis Morissette
23
The spirituality that I experience sometimes touches on religion, in that I resonate with the thread of continuity that permeates through all religions. But in terms of it being a concretized, organized part of my life, it's not. Alanis Morissette
24
I still indulge in a glass of wine or chocolate - treats are mandatory. Without deviating from the day-to-day healthy diet once in a while, it wouldn't be sustainable for me, and that's what I wanted: an approach to eating to last my entire life. Alanis Morissette
25
For four to six months at a time, I would barely eat. I lived on a diet of Melba toast, carrots, and black coffee. Alanis Morissette
26
A good man often appears gauche simply because he does not take advantage of the myriad mean little chances of making himself look stylish. Preferring truth to form, he is not constantly at work upon the facade of his appearance. Alanis Morissette
27
Courage and willingness to just go for it, whether it is a conversation or a spontaneous trip or trying new things that are scary - it is a really attractive quality. Alanis Morissette
28
I didn't want to be one of those women who wake up at 63 years old and realize they've missed the window of opportunity for marriage and children. Alanis Morissette
29
I was so ready to become a mom. Actually, I was ready secondarily to become a mom. I was so ready to have the intimacy and commitment of marriage. Alanis Morissette
30
My message to anyone who's afraid that they can't write music when they're happy is 'Just trust the passion.' The passion can write a lot of things. Alanis Morissette
31
Do I appreciate the idea of jealousy, revenge and all these so-called dark qualities? Yes. Do I write these songs in order to engage in some public war with someone? No. Alanis Morissette
32
Beauty is now defined by your bones sticking out of your decolletage. For that to be the standard is really perilous for women. Alanis Morissette
33
We'll love you just the way you are if you're perfect. Alanis Morissette
34
I try to keep a low profile in general. Not with my art, but just as a person. Alanis Morissette
35
I'm quite obsessed with the idea of nailing the girl friendship. It's such an art, so delicate. Alanis Morissette
36
I could get away with not taking care of myself as a bachelorette but as a mom I can't. Alanis Morissette
37
Peace of mind for five minutes, that's what I crave. Alanis Morissette
38
Then I realized that secrecy is actually to the detriment of my own peace of mind and self, and that I could still sustain my belief in privacy and be authentic and transparent at the same time. It was a pretty revelatory moment, and there's been a liberating force that's come from it. Alanis Morissette
39
My greatest environments in which I can grow, or grow up, is in personal romantic relationships with a man. Alanis Morissette
40
It's not just the 'Grammys' that I've pulled out of. I also pulled out of the English awards as well. The reason that I wanted to pull out was because I believe very much that the music industry as a whole is mainly concerned with material success. Alanis Morissette
41
When I was younger, I was terrified to express anger because it would often kick-start a horrible reaction in the men in my life. So I bit my tongue. I was left to painstakingly deal with the aftermath of my avoidance later in life, in therapy or through the lyrics of my songs. Alanis Morissette
42
My own approach has always been to push intense emotions down and attempt to deal with them later. When I was younger, I was terrified to express anger because it would often kick-start a horrible reaction in the men in my life. Alanis Morissette
43
When someone says that I'm angry it's actually a compliment. I have not always been direct with my anger in my relationships, which is part of why I'd write about it in my songs because I had such fear around expressing anger as a woman. Alanis Morissette
44
It's a joke to think that anyone is one thing. We're all such complex creatures. But if I'm going to be a poster child for anything, anger's a gorgeous emotion. It gets a bad rap, but it can make great changes happen. Alanis Morissette
45
What influenced me was Tori Amos, who was unapologetic about expressing anger through music, and Sinead O'Connor. Those two in particular were really moving for me, and very inspiring, before I wrote 'Jagged Little Pill.' Alanis Morissette
46
Anger has been a really big deal for women: how can we express it without feeling that, as the physically weaker sex, we won't get killed. The alpha-woman was burned at the stake and had her head chopped off in days of old. Alanis Morissette
47
There's a continuity between what I care about in any form: I care about it in my music, in article-writing, in how I dress, in how I live, in my relationships, in how I navigate paparazzi, how I decorate my home. There's such a continuity between everything that I don't really care what form it shows up in. Alanis Morissette
48
I think it's child abuse to have someone in the public eye too young. Society basically values wealth and fame and power at the cost of well-being. In the case of a child, it's at the cost of someone's natural development. It's already hard enough to develop. Alanis Morissette