So Unsexy By Alanis Morissette
CANADIAN MUSIC is blessed to have the iconic Alanis Morissette be such a big part of it. Born in Ottawa Ontario she has made her mark in the music industry by baring her soul through haunting and profound lyrics.
“Under Rug Swept,” released in 2002, is Alanis Morisette’s fifith album. Like most of her records her songs are a reflection of her journey through life. As she has shared in many interviews, the “crash and burn and the phoenix rising” are common themes in much of what she writes. Her creativity in threading together eloquent words that reflect her experience and insights is impressive.
The consensus among Alanis fans in rating the song “So Unsexy” is mostly positive, as is my review. “So Unsexy” is a pop rock song and was the seventh one to be released from her 2002 “Under Rug Swept” album. This is the first album Alanis has produced solo. Not only can she adapt her singing to rock, pop, and alternative music she’s also an exceptionally talented guitarist and pianist. …show more content…
“So Unsexy” explains how easily we can let little actions that are seemingly benign make us feel depressed and insecure.
The beginning of the song points to many of these small things and how they made her feel. “One small sideways glance and I feel so ungood” is one such line. She realizes that when she starts loving and believing in herself, life gets better. By the end of the song, the phoenix has risen. Once she stops giving her power away to others she is a stronger, more confident person who can handle what life throws her
way.
The chorus is full of paradoxical phrasing. She felt a certain way when in actual fact she was quite the opposite. For example when she says, “I can feel so unsexy for someone so beautiful” and “I can feel so boring for someone so interesting.”
So Unsexy is not sung in her powerful or haunting voice tones that many of her other songs are. Nor is it one of her signature harder rock songs. It has a softer sweet sounding melody that matches the ending message of the song. Throughout the first verse there is an underlying drumbeat that is reminiscent of a heartbeat. Once the second verse begins the bass guitar takes over. The blended sound of the bass guitars, drums and keyboard are memorable and make you want to sway to the music. In the live versions of this song the keyboard is more prominent.
A classic moniker in Alanis Morissette’s songs is the emphasis on syllables of certain words. For example, in So Unsexy when she sings, “so unloved” she pronounces it as “so unlove-ed” using three syllables instead of two. And it wouldn't be an Alanis song if there weren’t at least a couple of not so common words like “unsexy” and “ungood.”
The fact that so many people can relate to Alanis Morissette’s music is one of many reasons she is such a successful artist. Many people can picture their younger selves in the “crash and burn” parts of “So Unsexy” and their older selves in the “phoenix rising” part.
Of Alanis Morissette’s 24 awards, it’s not surprising that half of them are Canadian music’s Juno awards. She also won seven Grammys, three MTV Video Music Awards, and two American Music Awards. Alanis won the “Jack Richardson producer of the year award” for her songs “Hands Clean” and “So Unsexy.”
“So Unsexy” has an enjoyable and memorable beat as well as a hopeful and uplifting message. My final review is 5 out of 5 stars.
“Under Rug Swept,” released in 2002, is Alanis Morisette’s fifith album. Like most of her records her songs are a reflection of her journey through life. As she has shared in many interviews, the “crash and burn and the phoenix rising” are common themes in much of what she writes. Her creativity in threading together eloquent words that reflect her experience and insights is impressive.
The consensus among Alanis fans in rating the song “So Unsexy” is mostly positive, as is my review. “So Unsexy” is a pop rock song and was the seventh one to be released from her 2002 “Under Rug Swept” album. This is the first album Alanis has produced solo. Not only can she adapt her singing to rock, pop, and alternative music she’s also an exceptionally talented guitarist and pianist. …show more content…
“So Unsexy” explains how easily we can let little actions that are seemingly benign make us feel depressed and insecure.
The beginning of the song points to many of these small things and how they made her feel. “One small sideways glance and I feel so ungood” is one such line. She realizes that when she starts loving and believing in herself, life gets better. By the end of the song, the phoenix has risen. Once she stops giving her power away to others she is a stronger, more confident person who can handle what life throws her
way.
The chorus is full of paradoxical phrasing. She felt a certain way when in actual fact she was quite the opposite. For example when she says, “I can feel so unsexy for someone so beautiful” and “I can feel so boring for someone so interesting.”
So Unsexy is not sung in her powerful or haunting voice tones that many of her other songs are. Nor is it one of her signature harder rock songs. It has a softer sweet sounding melody that matches the ending message of the song. Throughout the first verse there is an underlying drumbeat that is reminiscent of a heartbeat. Once the second verse begins the bass guitar takes over. The blended sound of the bass guitars, drums and keyboard are memorable and make you want to sway to the music. In the live versions of this song the keyboard is more prominent.
A classic moniker in Alanis Morissette’s songs is the emphasis on syllables of certain words. For example, in So Unsexy when she sings, “so unloved” she pronounces it as “so unlove-ed” using three syllables instead of two. And it wouldn't be an Alanis song if there weren’t at least a couple of not so common words like “unsexy” and “ungood.”
The fact that so many people can relate to Alanis Morissette’s music is one of many reasons she is such a successful artist. Many people can picture their younger selves in the “crash and burn” parts of “So Unsexy” and their older selves in the “phoenix rising” part.
Of Alanis Morissette’s 24 awards, it’s not surprising that half of them are Canadian music’s Juno awards. She also won seven Grammys, three MTV Video Music Awards, and two American Music Awards. Alanis won the “Jack Richardson producer of the year award” for her songs “Hands Clean” and “So Unsexy.”
“So Unsexy” has an enjoyable and memorable beat as well as a hopeful and uplifting message. My final review is 5 out of 5 stars.