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I'd be lying if I said I was completely unscathed
I might be proving you right
With my silence or my retaliation
Would I be letting you win in my non reaction? Yeah
And how would I explain?
And how would I explain this to my children
If I had them?
Because I can't not
Because I can't not
Because I can't afford
To be misread one more time
Would I be whining if I said I needed a hug?
Would you feel slighted
If I said your love's not enough?
How can I complain?
And how can I complain
When I'm the one who reaches for it?
Because I can't not
Because I can't not
Because I cannot walk without my crutches
Because I can't not
Because I can't not
Because I can't help wonder why you ask me
To all the unheard wisdom in the schoolyard
You think you're the right ones
You think you're the charmed ones, I'm sure
And how can you go on with such conviction?
And who do you think you are
Or why do you question me?
Because we can't not
Because we can't not
Because we can't help
Laugh at our underestimations
Because we can't not
Because we can't not
Because we can't afford
To be misled one more time
Because we can't not
Because we can't not
Because we cannot help
Without your willingness
Why do you affect me? Why do you affect me still?
Why do you hinder me? Why do you hinder me still?
Why do you unnerve me? Why do you unnerve me still?
Why do you trigger me? Why do you trigger me still?
I might be proving you right
With my silence or my retaliation
Would I be letting you win in my non reaction? Yeah
And how would I explain?
And how would I explain this to my children
If I had them?
Because I can't not
Because I can't not
Because I can't afford
To be misread one more time
Would I be whining if I said I needed a hug?
Would you feel slighted
If I said your love's not enough?
How can I complain?
And how can I complain
When I'm the one who reaches for it?
Because I can't not
Because I can't not
Because I cannot walk without my crutches
Because I can't not
Because I can't not
Because I can't help wonder why you ask me
To all the unheard wisdom in the schoolyard
You think you're the right ones
You think you're the charmed ones, I'm sure
And how can you go on with such conviction?
And who do you think you are
Or why do you question me?
Because we can't not
Because we can't not
Because we can't help
Laugh at our underestimations
Because we can't not
Because we can't not
Because we can't afford
To be misled one more time
Because we can't not
Because we can't not
Because we cannot help
Without your willingness
Why do you affect me? Why do you affect me still?
Why do you hinder me? Why do you hinder me still?
Why do you unnerve me? Why do you unnerve me still?
Why do you trigger me? Why do you trigger me still?
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Al had a really nasty time of it in junior high and high school (yes; she went to public schools) where she ran into a lot of catty b**t from her classmates about being the Canadian Debbie Gibson. She's also taken a lot of guff from airheads in the media who accused her of being yet another "devised product" in her 1994-95 "reincarnation."
On another level (and this is not unusual; Alanis often writes at two or more levels of allegory), she's remonstrating with her own "critical inner parent" here. "why do you affect me? why do you affect me still? why do you hinder me? why do you hinder me still? why do you unnerve me? why do you unnerve me still? why do you trigger me? why do you trigger me still?" Straight out of any good psychodynamic psychology text.
(Does she =read= a lot? She's a =fiend= with a psychology book. Ask her.)