You Learn

This is about learning to live with the lacerating heartache that slowly emerges after you have thrown caution to the winds, let someone know that you are hopelessly in love with them, and then had to swallow that “jagged little pill.” At first, you may even think it feels good, swimming in your stomach; the ecstasy of your affection has deluded you into imagining it to be so powerful that you can handle even the eventuality of its not being powerfully requited. But you have yet to digest this pill. As the smoke clears and the dust settles, you realize you have in fact bitten off far more than you can chew emotionally. If you had not stuck your foot in your mouth, maybe you wouldn’t be feeling like your heart has been trampled underfoot. As it is, you’re stuck with this anguished longing and heartache, together with the sure knowledge that it is NOT reciprocated. Eventually, you’re going to have to melt it down, even though right now you can’t imagine how. Maybe you’ll just have to wear it out, the way a young child wears out a toy she is currently obsessed with. Meanwhile, your lack of caution has left you completely exposed to reality’s cold winds and the harsh sunlight. The fire-truck lights are flashing, the sirens blaring, and now it’s obvious to everyone that your emotional house is on fire. Who knows whether even they can douse the blaze, before the house burns down? Well, you live, you learn…

I think there might be more to this song than the message in the chorus, that every experience is good to have and makes you the person you are and everything...

Look at that last pre-chorus: "Wear it out (the way a three-year-old would do) Melt it down (you're gonna have to eventually, anyway) The fire trucks are coming up around the bend"

Something's definitely burning here, but I'm not sure what.

It reminds me of someone who has always been the one to hurt the other person, then it happens to them and you have to swallow this jagged little pill. Serious wake up call.

This is song is so universal to everyone. Many people forget that through any type of experience you become wiser and a strong person no matter how grim or discouraging it may have been for the person.

It's a good song to listen to when you feel a situation that you're in has beoome too much for you to cope with.

I can't believe people are still wondering what a"JAGGED LITTLE PILL" is,while yes a metafor for life,in the street anti-anxiety pills are called this,it's a dual meaning song about lifes little lessons and about how much anxiety she had after being jilted by a love.

I love this song, I love how she stretches out her "Iiiiiiii" in the first part of the song.

It s right tho', you learn through experiences, may they be good or bad. So it's true whether you grieve or you laugh, you'll live. And you do learn!

I love this song, it sends such a great message! You only live once, so make the most of it... Don't sit around, good experiences or bad, use them all to make the most of your life and be a better person.

Great song, great video.( I like the way she kisses that guy so unexpectedly.)

Alanis actually wrote this song about school, and how her teachers use to beat her senselessly with a large ruler, perhaps it had to do with her love of self nudity

im surprised theres not more posts 4 this 1. this is my favorite song ever. alanis is soooo talented