‘Hands Clean’ reflects Alanis relationship with an older man, who is as the first verse of the song states, involved with the music industry and has helped her with her success in it. (the male is not identified, some say its Ryan Adams)
At the time of the relationship, Alanis was very young, 15 years of age , the male partner was much older than her, 30 or so (age not definite.)
Hands Clean may confuse some, because it was written mostly in the perspective of the older man, not hers.
Verse one:
"If it weren't for your maturity none of this would have happened
If you weren't so wise beyond your years I would've been able to control myself"
-this section of the song is pretty self explanatory... If it wasn’t for Alanis being mature, more mature than her 15 years, if she wasn’t "wise" & thought and acted like most 15 year olds, he [the older man] wouldn’t have fell in love with her,
"[he] would've been able to control myself"…realizing she was young, immature etc.
"If it weren't for my attention you wouldn't have been successful and
If it weren't for me you would never have amounted to very much"
-self explanatory, the older man is giving credit to himself for alanis’ success, if it weren't him getting involved with her music, she would not have been "successful", wouldn’t have made it big and be where she is now. He is basically giving himself credit for everything.
“Ooh this could be messy
But you don't seem to mind”
Older man is saying the whole love affair with 15 year old alanis could become “messy” with law can getting involved with the age difference aspect, but reality is not essential right now, because love is blinding [us].
-again, don’t “go telling everybody” because this is a “crime” in modern day’s society, people are going to look at this love much differently than we do (“supposed”-dealing with the fact that, two people love each other… why should that be a crime...)
Chorus:
“We'll fast forward to a few years later
And no one knows except the both of us”
-few years later, their age difference wouldn’t seem too odd
”You're essentially an employee and I like you having to depend on me
You're kind of my protégé and one day you'll say you learned all you know from me
I know you depend on me like a young thing would to a guardian”
-shows that Alanis is an ‘employee’ or ‘protégé of the older man, obviously in the music industry, he likes Alanis having to need him.
“I know you sexualize me like a young thing would and I think I like it”
-“young thing” refers to Alanis, makes a point that he is the older partner in the relationship…he is happy she does this to him and he feels the same for her. “sexualize” may show that alanis and the older being may have had a sexual affair (hence, “overlook this crime”-for a crime to be committed there had to be a sexual accountance)
“what part of our history's reinvented and under rug swept?”
-what you THINK was right, and what may have happened, is different from the ACTUAL reality of it all
what part of your memory is selective and tends to forget?
-“your version of what happened soon replaces your actual memory” as one stated.
what with this distance it seems so obvious?
-shouldn’t the ACTUAL reality of this whole relationship and what you THINK happened express a difference somehow (again, the concept of love blinding you)
“Just make sure you don't tell on me especially to members of your family”
“We best keep this to ourselves and not tell any members of our inner posse”
-“me” referring to the older man. Assuring alanis not to tell her family… the law will get involved, realize that a crime was committed, etc,
***“I wish I could tell the world cuz you're such a pretty thing when you're done up properly”
“I” referring to the older man. “done up properly” states when she is looking her best, she looks “pretty” when she is slim and fit
**“I might want to marry you one day if you watch that weight and keep your firm body”
-the older man will consider her, if she “watches her weight” –lose a couple of pounds and keeps a ‘fit’ body.
***These two verses take a major role in alanis adolescence… it seems as if though the older man triggered her eating disorders…he would ‘consider’ her as a wife if she was skinn[ier], which lead to years of her bulimia and anorexia nervosa.
‘Hands Clean’ reflects Alanis relationship with an older man, who is as the first verse of the song states, involved with the music industry and has helped her with her success in it. (the male is not identified, some say its Ryan Adams) At the time of the relationship, Alanis was very young, 15 years of age , the male partner was much older than her, 30 or so (age not definite.) Hands Clean may confuse some, because it was written mostly in the perspective of the older man, not hers.
Verse one: "If it weren't for your maturity none of this would have happened If you weren't so wise beyond your years I would've been able to control myself" -this section of the song is pretty self explanatory... If it wasn’t for Alanis being mature, more mature than her 15 years, if she wasn’t "wise" & thought and acted like most 15 year olds, he [the older man] wouldn’t have fell in love with her, "[he] would've been able to control myself"…realizing she was young, immature etc.
"If it weren't for my attention you wouldn't have been successful and If it weren't for me you would never have amounted to very much" -self explanatory, the older man is giving credit to himself for alanis’ success, if it weren't him getting involved with her music, she would not have been "successful", wouldn’t have made it big and be where she is now. He is basically giving himself credit for everything.
“Ooh this could be messy But you don't seem to mind”
-again, don’t “go telling everybody” because this is a “crime” in modern day’s society, people are going to look at this love much differently than we do (“supposed”-dealing with the fact that, two people love each other… why should that be a crime...)
Chorus:
“We'll fast forward to a few years later And no one knows except the both of us” -few years later, their age difference wouldn’t seem too odd
”You're essentially an employee and I like you having to depend on me You're kind of my protégé and one day you'll say you learned all you know from me I know you depend on me like a young thing would to a guardian” -shows that Alanis is an ‘employee’ or ‘protégé of the older man, obviously in the music industry, he likes Alanis having to need him.
“I know you sexualize me like a young thing would and I think I like it” -“young thing” refers to Alanis, makes a point that he is the older partner in the relationship…he is happy she does this to him and he feels the same for her. “sexualize” may show that alanis and the older being may have had a sexual affair (hence, “overlook this crime”-for a crime to be committed there had to be a sexual accountance)
“what part of our history's reinvented and under rug swept?” -what you THINK was right, and what may have happened, is different from the ACTUAL reality of it all what part of your memory is selective and tends to forget? -“your version of what happened soon replaces your actual memory” as one stated. what with this distance it seems so obvious? -shouldn’t the ACTUAL reality of this whole relationship and what you THINK happened express a difference somehow (again, the concept of love blinding you)
“Just make sure you don't tell on me especially to members of your family” “We best keep this to ourselves and not tell any members of our inner posse” -“me” referring to the older man. Assuring alanis not to tell her family… the law will get involved, realize that a crime was committed, etc,
***“I wish I could tell the world cuz you're such a pretty thing when you're done up properly”
**“I might want to marry you one day if you watch that weight and keep your firm body” -the older man will consider her, if she “watches her weight” –lose a couple of pounds and keeps a ‘fit’ body. ***These two verses take a major role in alanis adolescence… it seems as if though the older man triggered her eating disorders…he would ‘consider’ her as a wife if she was skinn[ier], which lead to years of her bulimia and anorexia nervosa.
Ryan Adams is 5 months younger than Alanis. Maybe you mean the much suckier (yet much more famous) Bryan Adams.
Ryan Adams is 5 months younger than Alanis. Maybe you mean the much suckier (yet much more famous) Bryan Adams.