Dear Alanis: Everything is gonna be okay

Dave Hogan/Getty Images

Everyone's favorite '90s alterna-girl, Alanis Morissette, sunk into a deep funk over the past few years. "I took a break over the past two and half year. I was tending to my personal life," she reveals. "A personal unraveling of significant relationships in my life." Perhaps a reason for hitting "rock bottom" was her break-up with actor Ryan Reynolds, who she was engaged to (that news about Scarlett had to suck).

Like any true artist, she battled through her demons by, what else? Writing songs. Anyone familiar with Alanis knows the girl does not bite her tongue or mince words. Her new album, Flavors of Entanglement, drops June 10.

But, let's momentarily step back in time to 1995. Jagged Little Pill is probably one of the most recognizable and important releases of the '90s. It catapulted her to stardom. Alanis became a more articulate, intelligent alternative to Courtney Love. I can't imagine any young woman back then who didn't own this album and could sing along to every song. It was like therapy. Angry therapy.

If only Alanis could have taken her own advice in her time of darkness! I remember using Jagged Little Pill as my little answer book to every problem I was having. I can only imagine what Alanis felt when she heard about Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynold's engagement. Dagger --> Heart. So I patched together her lyrics from Jagged Little Pill, of what she would have written to Ryan upon hearing this news:

Dear Ryan,

I want you to know, that I'm happy for you. I wish nothing but the best for you both. Cause the love that you gave that we made wasn't able to make it enough for you to be open wide. (Does she know how you told me you'd hold me until you died?) What I wouldn't give to find a soulmate. We all had a thing or two to learn. And all I really want is some patience. A way to calm the angry voice. What it all comes down to is that everything's gonna be quite alright 'cause I've got one hand in my pocket. I've never felt this healthy before. I am aware now. What I learned I rejected but I believe again. Isn't it ironic... don't you think? You live you learn.

Love,
Alanis

[People]

From the Community…

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Posted by Bbee Tue May 13, 2008 7:53am PDT

I lover her .... and I too used to sing that song way out loud to my many different people in my life!
I will go out and get her new album ... thank you for the tip off!

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Posted by StudHorse Tue May 13, 2008 8:05am PDT

I've always thought Alanis is the bomb. I know that sounds kind of 90's but I think she's as hot as any woman on the music scene today, bar none.

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Posted by fools_and_sages Tue May 13, 2008 11:24am PDT

I always thought Alanis was kinda weird looking but I loved Jagged Little Pill. "You Oughtta Know" is possibly the best break-up rage song ever recorded. It runs circles around the the best break-up rage song of this day and age, Carrie Underwood's "Maybe He'll Think Next Time Before He Cheats."
Though, come to think of it, perhaps the two songs represent an evolution of how women have come to handle break-ups due to cheating. Alanis gave us the female beak-up rage song in the form of a passive aggressive rant about the wench he took up with who isn't as good as you are while listing the reasons you're better off without the lout anyways. Carrie Underwood has taken it to a new level with proactive quasi-psychotic property destruction to get back at him for taking up with the wench who isn't as good as you are while listing the reasons you're better off without the lout anyways.
So maybe women have gone from being pissed and hurt and merely screaming about it to being pissed and hurt and willing to kick ass over it. Let's hear it for empowerment. . .

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Posted by vmelissa03 Tue May 13, 2008 3:59pm PDT

She's great ,everybody has their downfalls .

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Posted by Wiary Tue May 13, 2008 9:16pm PDT

She is the best! I do have say, though, I would take a crack at Ryan Reynolds for a night, given the chance! HE IS YUM!

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Posted by Yani Tue May 13, 2008 11:23pm PDT

Alanis will bounce back, she's a big girl. Besides we all know how celebrity relationships are, here today gone tomorrow and nothing is ever set in stone as far as Hollywood is concerned. It's like they go into relationships with the thought that it isn't going to work so why bother working on it. The cheating thing people have to get over that one. When you become a celebrity all kinds of people are going to be throwing themselves at you whether hot on not. We're all humans and temptation is always a step away it just depends on how committed you are to your other half or not. On the other hand if you know you have a cheater, cause lets face it cheating has nothing to do with how much you love your spouse it just happens for most people that cheat. Celebrity relationships are just that, Celebrity.
Alanis, we don't(as in your fans) know what really happened between you and Ryan but hey, there is still hope that you'll find your soulmate.

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Posted by alanis191@sbcglobal.net Wed May 14, 2008 2:52am PDT

Alanis is so awesome, it is hard to imagine a guy awesome enough to deserve her exists.

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Posted by joan n Wed May 14, 2008 10:48am PDT

I have always been a huge fan of Alanis, and always be a fan. Her music got me through a very difficult time in the late 90's, and "You oughtta Know" the live version from the grammy's will always be the best break-up song. In my book Ryan"A-hole" Reynolds doesn't deserve to be with her. He is probably too immature to be in a grown-up relationship.

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Posted by Saranya M Thu May 15, 2008 8:41am PDT

What possessed her to go out with him in the first place?!

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