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| artist = [[Alanis Morissette]]
| artist = [[Alanis Morissette]]
| album = [[Jagged Little Pill]]
| album = [[Jagged Little Pill]]
| B-side = {{unbulleted list|"Perfect" (acoustic version)|"Wake Up"}}
| B-side =
* "Perfect" (acoustic version)
* "Wake Up"
| released = {{start date|1995|7|6}}
| released = {{start date|1995|7|6}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://alanis-m.com/discography/jagged-little-pill/|title=Jagged Little Pill|website=alanis-m.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211112180328/https://alanis-m.com/discography/jagged-little-pill/|archive-date=November 12, 2021|access-date=November 12, 2021}}</ref>
| recorded = June 1994–February 1995<ref name="archive.org">{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/Entertainment_Weekly_October_9_2015|title=Entertainment Weekly October 9, 2015|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>
| recorded = June 1994{{snd}}February 1995<ref name="archive.org">{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/Entertainment_Weekly_October_9_2015|title=Entertainment Weekly October 9, 2015|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>
| studio =
| studio =
| venue =
| venue =
| genre = {{hlist|[[Alternative rock]]|[[post-grunge]]}}
| genre =
* [[Alternative rock]]
* [[post-grunge]]<ref>https://www.allmusic.com/song/you-oughta-know-mt0006438065</ref>
| length = 4:09
| length = 4:09
| label = {{hlist|[[Maverick Records|Maverick]]|[[Reprise Records|Reprise]]}}
| label =
* [[Maverick Records|Maverick]]
* [[Reprise Records|Reprise]]
| writer = {{hlist|Alanis Morissette|[[Glen Ballard]]}}
| writer =
* Alanis Morissette
* [[Glen Ballard]]
| producer = Glen Ballard
| producer = Glen Ballard
| prev_title = [[(Change Is) Never a Waste of Time]]
| prev_title = (Change Is) Never a Waste of Time
| prev_year = 1993
| prev_year = 1993
| next_title = [[Hand in My Pocket]]
| next_title = [[You Learn]]
| next_year = 1995
| next_year = 1995
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|NPcyTyilmYY|"You Oughta Know"}}}}
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|NPcyTyilmYY|"You Oughta Know"}}}}
}}
}}
"'''You Oughta Know'''" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter [[Alanis Morissette]], released as the [[lead single]] from her third studio album, ''[[Jagged Little Pill]]'' (1995), on July 6, 1995. After releasing two studio albums, Morissette left [[MCA Records|MCA Records Canada]] and was introduced to manager Scott Welch. Morissette began working on new music after moving from her hometown of [[Ottawa]] to [[Toronto]], but made little progress. In Los Angeles, she met producer [[Glen Ballard]], with whom she wrote songs including "You Oughta Know".
"'''You Oughta Know'''" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter [[Alanis Morissette]], released as the [[lead single]] from her third studio album, ''[[Jagged Little Pill]]'' (1995), on July 6, 1995. After releasing two studio albums, Morissette left [[MCA Records|MCA Records Canada]] and was introduced to manager Scott Welch. Morissette began working on new music after moving from her hometown of [[Ottawa]] to [[Toronto]], but made little progress. In [[Los Angeles]], she met producer [[Glen Ballard]], with whom she wrote songs including "You Oughta Know".


"You Oughta Know" signaled Morissette's departure from [[bubblegum pop]] to [[alternative rock]], and features guitarist [[Dave Navarro]], and bassist [[Flea (musician)|Flea]] of [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]]. Drummer [[Taylor Hawkins]] played in her touring band before joining [[Foo Fighters]] but does not contribute to the track. It outperformed the label's expectations and received positive reviews. After the influential Los Angeles [[modern rock]] radio station [[KROQ-FM]] began playing it, the single reached the top ten in Canada, Australia and the United States. It was a multiformat hit in several US genre charts, and made the top 40 in Belgium, Iceland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
"You Oughta Know" signaled Morissette's departure from [[bubblegum pop]] to [[alternative rock]], and features guitarist [[Dave Navarro]] and bassist [[Flea (musician)|Flea]] of [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]]. Drummer [[Taylor Hawkins]] played in her touring band before joining [[Foo Fighters]] but does not contribute to the track. It outperformed the label's expectations and received positive reviews. After the influential Los Angeles [[modern rock]] radio station [[KROQ-FM]] began playing it, the single reached the top ten in Canada, Australia and the United States. It was a multiformat hit in several US genre charts, and made the top 40 in Belgium, Iceland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden and the United Kingdom.


A music video was directed by [[Nick Egan]]. The single was added in the [[set list]] for Morissette's 1995 world tour; since then, it has been included in her albums ''[[Alanis Unplugged|MTV Unplugged]]'' (1999), ''[[Feast on Scraps]]'' (2002), and ''The Collection'', as well as 1997 Grammys and the ''[[MTV Unplugged]]'' compilation albums. It has received numerous accolades; in 1996, the single was nominated for three [[Grammy Award]]s, winning the awards for [[Grammy Award for Best Rock Song|Best Rock Song]] and [[Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance|Best Female Rock Vocal Performance]]. In 2021, the song was listed at #103 in the [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-all-time-30065/alanis-morissette-you-oughta-know-30464/ | title=Alanis Morissette, 'You Oughta Know' }}</ref>
A music video was directed by [[Nick Egan]]. The single was added in the [[set list]] for Morissette's 1995 world tour; since then, it has been included in her albums ''[[Alanis Unplugged|MTV Unplugged]]'' (1999), ''[[Feast on Scraps]]'' (2002), and ''The Collection'', as well as 1997 Grammys and the ''[[MTV Unplugged]]'' compilation albums. It has received numerous accolades; in 1996, the single was nominated for three [[Grammy Award]]s, winning the awards for [[Grammy Award for Best Rock Song|Best Rock Song]] and [[Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance|Best Female Rock Vocal Performance]]. In 2021, the song was listed at #103 in the [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-all-time-30065/alanis-morissette-you-oughta-know-30464/ | title=Alanis Morissette, 'You Oughta Know' }}</ref> Despite much speculation concerning whom the song is about, Morissette has never disclosed the person's identity and has never indicated an intention to do so.


==Background==
==Background==
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In early 1995, LA producer [[Jimmy Boyle (record producer)|Jimmy Boyle]] recruited guitarist [[Dave Navarro]] and bassist [[Flea (musician)|Flea]] of the [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]] to play on the track.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Neal|first1=Chris|title=Behind the Classics: Alanis Morissette|url=http://www.mmusicmag.com/features/V2-02/Alanis-Morissette-M-Mar-Apr-2011.pdf|website=Music and Musicians Magazine|access-date=December 2, 2016}}</ref> According to Navarro, "There were no guide tracks, we just had the vocal to work from.... and we basically jammed until we found something we were both happy with. Alanis was happy too."<ref name="Navarro">{{Cite web|url=http://6767.com/2010/04/16/sunday-10-26/#comments|title=Sunday 10|last=Navarro|first=Dave|date=April 26, 2010|access-date=December 24, 2011|publisher=6767}}</ref> Flea said, "When I first heard the track, it had a different bassist and guitarist on it; I listened to the bassline and thought, 'That's some weak shit!' It was no flash and no smash! But the vocal was strong, so I just tried to play something good."<ref>{{Cite web|title=12 fun facts about Alanis Morissette's 'Jagged Little Pill'|url=https://ew.com/article/2015/06/08/jagged-little-pill-fun-facts/|access-date=October 10, 2020|website=EW.com|language=EN}}</ref>
In early 1995, LA producer [[Jimmy Boyle (record producer)|Jimmy Boyle]] recruited guitarist [[Dave Navarro]] and bassist [[Flea (musician)|Flea]] of the [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]] to play on the track.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Neal|first1=Chris|title=Behind the Classics: Alanis Morissette|url=http://www.mmusicmag.com/features/V2-02/Alanis-Morissette-M-Mar-Apr-2011.pdf|website=Music and Musicians Magazine|access-date=December 2, 2016}}</ref> According to Navarro, "There were no guide tracks, we just had the vocal to work from.... and we basically jammed until we found something we were both happy with. Alanis was happy too."<ref name="Navarro">{{Cite web|url=http://6767.com/2010/04/16/sunday-10-26/#comments|title=Sunday 10|last=Navarro|first=Dave|date=April 26, 2010|access-date=December 24, 2011|publisher=6767}}</ref> Flea said, "When I first heard the track, it had a different bassist and guitarist on it; I listened to the bassline and thought, 'That's some weak shit!' It was no flash and no smash! But the vocal was strong, so I just tried to play something good."<ref>{{Cite web|title=12 fun facts about Alanis Morissette's 'Jagged Little Pill'|url=https://ew.com/article/2015/06/08/jagged-little-pill-fun-facts/|access-date=October 10, 2020|website=EW.com|language=EN}}</ref>


Two mixes of the song appear on ''Jagged Little Pill''. Track 2 was mixed by Chris Fogel, and is the most widely known version of the song. Track 13 is the "Jimmy the Saint Blend" and was mixed by Jimmy Boyle and it was only used in the original music video from 1995, replaced in 2020 by the Chris Fogel mix.
Two mixes of the song appear on ''Jagged Little Pill''. Track 2 was mixed by Chris Fogel, and is the most widely known version of the song. Track 13 is the "Jimmy the Saint Blend" and was mixed by Jimmy Boyle and it was only used in the original music video from 1995, replaced in 2020 by the Chris Fogel mix.
{{Clear}}
{{Clear}}


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| pos = right
| pos = right
}}
}}
Nonetheless, in comments made on different occasions, actor-comedian [[Dave Coulier]] has alternatively admitted to<ref>{{cite web|last=McCormick|first=Eugene|title=Coulier Comes Clean: He Admits to Being the Muse Behind Alanis Morissette's 'You Ought to Know'|url=http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/6447|publisher=The Cleveland leader|access-date=February 8, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqs5KGCBpBQ|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/qqs5KGCBpBQ|archive-date=December 12, 2021|url-status=live|title=Dave Coulier on Alanis Morissette – Where Are They Now – Oprah Winfrey Network|last=OWN|date=June 8, 2014|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6gwkA_Qxkk |title=When Dave Coulier Heard the "You Oughta Know" Hook |date=July 15, 2022 |access-date=July 15, 2022 |last1=Coulier |first1=Dave |last2=Roberts |first2=Sam|last3=Norton |first3=Jim |work=SiriusXM via YouTube.com}}</ref> and denied<ref>{{cite web |url= https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2014/06/dave-coulier-now-denies-alanis-morissettes-you-oughta-know-is-about-him/ |title=Dave Coulier Now Denies Alanis Morissette's 'You Oughta Know' Is About Him|first= Luchina|last=Fisher|work=abcnews.go.com |date= June 6, 2014|access-date=June 6, 2014}}</ref> being the subject of the song. In 1997, the ''[[Boston Herald]]'' reported that Coulier "admitted the lines are very close to home. Especially the one about 'an older version of me' and bugging him [Coulier] 'in the middle of dinner.'"<ref name="Snopes">[http://www.snopes.com/music/songs/oughta.htm "You Oughta Know"]. [[Urban Legends Reference Pages]]. January 10, 2000. Retrieved December 16, 2006.</ref> Coulier's former television co-star [[Bob Saget]] said in one interview that he was present when Morissette made that call during dinner.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/dave-coulier-full-house-costars-joke-about-his-ex-alanis-morissettes-song-you-oughta-know-2014311 |title=Dave Coulier, Full House Costars, Joke About Alanis Morissette Song|first= Stephanie|last= Webber|work=usmagazine.com |date= January 31, 2014|access-date=June 6, 2014|quote= "I was at his house and he said, 'Alanis just hung up on me and said sorry for calling you during dinner,'" Saget recalled. "I was at his house when she said that to him."}}</ref> In the 2021 documentary ''[[Jagged (film)|Jagged]]'', Morissette denied the song is about Coulier.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rife |first=Katie |date=September 15, 2021 |title=Why has Alanis Morissette denounced this documentary about her life? |url=https://www.avclub.com/why-has-alanis-morissette-denounced-this-documentary-ab-1847680838 |website=AV Club}}</ref>
Nonetheless, in comments made on different occasions, actor-comedian [[Dave Coulier]] has alternatively admitted to<ref>{{cite web|last=McCormick|first=Eugene|title=Coulier Comes Clean: He Admits to Being the Muse Behind Alanis Morissette's 'You Ought to Know'|url=http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/6447|publisher=The Cleveland leader|access-date=February 8, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqs5KGCBpBQ|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/qqs5KGCBpBQ|archive-date=December 12, 2021|url-status=live|title=Dave Coulier on Alanis Morissette – Where Are They Now – Oprah Winfrey Network|last=OWN|date=June 8, 2014|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6gwkA_Qxkk |title=When Dave Coulier Heard the "You Oughta Know" Hook |date=July 15, 2022 |access-date=July 15, 2022 |last1=Coulier |first1=Dave |last2=Roberts |first2=Sam|last3=Norton |first3=Jim |work=SiriusXM via YouTube.com}}</ref> and denied<ref>{{cite web |url= https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2014/06/dave-coulier-now-denies-alanis-morissettes-you-oughta-know-is-about-him/ |title=Dave Coulier Now Denies Alanis Morissette's 'You Oughta Know' Is About Him|first= Luchina|last=Fisher|work=abcnews.go.com |date= June 6, 2014|access-date=June 6, 2014}}</ref> being the subject of the song. In 1997, the ''[[Boston Herald]]'' reported that Coulier "admitted the lines are very close to home. Especially the one about 'an older version of me' and bugging him [Coulier] 'in the middle of dinner.'"<ref name="Snopes">[http://www.snopes.com/music/songs/oughta.htm "You Oughta Know"]. [[Urban Legends Reference Pages]]. January 10, 2000. Retrieved December 16, 2006.</ref> Coulier's former television co-star [[Bob Saget]] said in one interview that he was present when Morissette made that call during dinner.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/dave-coulier-full-house-costars-joke-about-his-ex-alanis-morissettes-song-you-oughta-know-2014311 |title=Dave Coulier, Full House Costars, Joke About Alanis Morissette Song|first= Stephanie|last= Webber|work=usmagazine.com |date= January 31, 2014|access-date=June 6, 2014|quote= "I was at his house and he said, 'Alanis just hung up on me and said sorry for calling you during dinner,'" Saget recalled. "I was at his house when she said that to him."}}</ref> In the 2021 documentary ''[[Jagged (film)|Jagged]]'', Morissette denied the song is about Coulier.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rife |first=Katie |date=September 15, 2021 |title=Why has Alanis Morissette denounced this documentary about her life? |url=https://www.avclub.com/why-has-alanis-morissette-denounced-this-documentary-ab-1847680838 |website=AV Club}}</ref>


Other celebrities have been rumoured to be the lover in the song, including: [[Mike David Peluso|Mike Peluso]], hockey player for the [[New Jersey Devils]];<ref name="Snopes"/> [[Matt LeBlanc]], the actor who appeared in the video for Morissette's single "[[Walk Away (Alanis Morissette song)|Walk Away]]" in 1991;<ref name="Snopes"/> and [[Leslie Howe]], a musician and the producer of Morissette's first two albums in the early 1990s.<ref name="Snopes"/>
Other celebrities have been rumoured to be the lover in the song, including: [[Mike David Peluso|Mike Peluso]], hockey player for the [[New Jersey Devils]];<ref name="Snopes"/> [[Matt LeBlanc]], the actor who appeared in the video for Morissette's single "[[Walk Away (Alanis Morissette song)|Walk Away]]" in 1991;<ref name="Snopes"/> and [[Leslie Howe]], a musician and the producer of Morissette's first two albums in the early 1990s.<ref name="Snopes"/>
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The song instantly garnered attention for its scathing, explicit lyrics.<ref name=PeopleintheNews/>
The song instantly garnered attention for its scathing, explicit lyrics.<ref name=PeopleintheNews/>


Upon release "You Oughta Know" was met with positive reviews from critics. [[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]] of [[AllMusic]] praised the song's "vengeful" lyrics and stated that the song propelled the album's success and encouraged the public to embrace the "women in rock" movement.<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web |url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/jagged-little-pill-r218199/review |title=Jagged Little Pill – Alanis Morissette &#124; AllMusic |first=Stephen Thomas |last=Erlewine |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |year=2011 |access-date=December 26, 2011 |author-link= Stephen Thomas Erlewine}}</ref> Steve Baltin from ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]'' wrote that here, the singer "comes out of the box with the same scintillating sensuality that marked [[Sophie B. Hawkins]] coming out song, "[[Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover]]". When the 20-year old Morissette sings, “Are you thinking of me when you fuck her”, ears can't help but stand up at attention. The brilliantly emotive song is sung with just the right blend of anger and passion."<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Steve|last=Baltin|title=Pop Albums|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/90s/1995/CB-1995-06-24.pdf|magazine=[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]|date=June 24, 1995|page=9|accessdate=November 7, 2022}}</ref> [[David Browne (journalist)|David Browne]] of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' also praised the single's lyrical content, calling them "spiteful and seething" continuing to state that Morissette was able to turn "jealous bile into something worth hearing."<ref name="EW">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,298223,00.html |title=Jagged Little Pill |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=August 4, 1995 |access-date=February 1, 2011 |last=Browne |first=David |author-link=David Browne (journalist)}}</ref> Chuck Campbell from ''[[Knoxville News Sentinel]]'' felt it "promises to be one of the year's most memorable songs", remarking that it "belongs to Morissette, who builds to a rage-filled chorus". He added, "Her stunned reaction to being unceremoniously dumped may belie her age (21), but jilted souls of all ages can connect with the bitterness."<ref>Campbell, Chuck (July 28, 1995). "Morissette's 'Pill' Is Easy To Swallow". ''[[Knoxville News Sentinel]]''.</ref> A reviewer from ''[[Music & Media]]'' commented, "Jeez, this woman is really cross. Her man has walked away with 'another', and she can't hide that jealousy, which is stirred by a mean beat and an aggressively rocking wah guitar."<ref>{{cite magazine|first= |last= |title= New Releases: Singles |magazine= [[Music & Media]] |date= August 26, 1995 |page= 7 |accessdate= May 19, 2021 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-08-26.pdf}}</ref> British magazine ''[[Music Week]]'' gave it three out of five, adding, "The Canadian songstress shows startling maturity for her years, and this debut single from her album ''Jagged Little Pill'' is made all the stronger by guests [[Flea (musician)|Flea]] and [[Dave Navarro]] of the [[Red Hot Chili Peppers|Chili Peppers]]."<ref>{{cite magazine|first= |last= |title= Reviews: Singles |magazine= [[Music Week]] |date= June 24, 1995 |page= 29 |accessdate= May 9, 2021 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-06-24.pdf}}</ref> David Sinclair from ''[[The Times]]'' wrote, "The arrangement bustles along, thanks to the rugged bass and guitar-playing (...), gradually building to a knockout punch of a chorus. But the song's tremendous thrust derives primarily from Morissette herself as she nails down a rapid succession of home truths with vengeful enthusiasm."<ref>Sinclair, David (June 15, 1995). "Pop Single; Recordings". ''[[The Times]]''.</ref>
Upon release "You Oughta Know" was met with positive reviews from critics. [[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]] of [[AllMusic]] praised the song's "vengeful" lyrics and stated that the song propelled the album's success and encouraged the public to embrace the "women in rock" movement.<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web |url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/jagged-little-pill-r218199/review |title=Jagged Little Pill – Alanis Morissette &#124; AllMusic |first=Stephen Thomas |last=Erlewine |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |year=2011 |access-date=December 26, 2011 |author-link= Stephen Thomas Erlewine}}</ref> Steve Baltin from ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]'' wrote that here, the singer "comes out of the box with the same scintillating sensuality that marked [[Sophie B. Hawkins]]' coming out song, "[[Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover]]". When the 20-year old Morissette sings, 'Are you thinking of me when you fuck her', ears can't help but stand up at attention. The brilliantly emotive song is sung with just the right blend of anger and passion."<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Steve|last=Baltin|title=Pop Albums|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/90s/1995/CB-1995-06-24.pdf|magazine=[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]|date=June 24, 1995|page=9|accessdate=November 7, 2022}}</ref> [[David Browne (journalist)|David Browne]] of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' also praised the single's lyrical content, calling them "spiteful and seething" continuing to state that Morissette was able to turn "jealous bile into something worth hearing."<ref name="EW">{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/1995/08/04/jagged-little-pill/ |title=Jagged Little Pill |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=August 4, 1995 |access-date=February 1, 2011 |last=Browne |first=David |author-link=David Browne (journalist) |archive-date=October 22, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111022210726/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,298223,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Chuck Campbell from ''[[Knoxville News Sentinel]]'' felt it "promises to be one of the year's most memorable songs", remarking that it "belongs to Morissette, who builds to a rage-filled chorus". He added, "Her stunned reaction to being unceremoniously dumped may belie her age (21), but jilted souls of all ages can connect with the bitterness."<ref>Campbell, Chuck (July 28, 1995). "Morissette's 'Pill' Is Easy To Swallow". ''[[Knoxville News Sentinel]]''.</ref> A reviewer from ''[[Music & Media]]'' commented, "Jeez, this woman is really cross. Her man has walked away with 'another', and she can't hide that jealousy, which is stirred by a mean beat and an aggressively rocking wah guitar."<ref>{{cite magazine|first= |last= |title= New Releases: Singles |magazine= [[Music & Media]] |date= August 26, 1995 |page= 7 |accessdate= May 19, 2021 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-08-26.pdf}}</ref> British magazine ''[[Music Week]]'' gave it three out of five, adding, "The Canadian songstress shows startling maturity for her years, and this debut single from her album ''Jagged Little Pill'' is made all the stronger by guests [[Flea (musician)|Flea]] and [[Dave Navarro]] of the [[Red Hot Chili Peppers|Chili Peppers]]."<ref>{{cite magazine|first= |last= |title= Reviews: Singles |magazine= [[Music Week]] |date= June 24, 1995 |page= 29 |accessdate= May 9, 2021 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-06-24.pdf}}</ref> David Sinclair from ''[[The Times]]'' wrote, "The arrangement bustles along, thanks to the rugged bass and guitar-playing (...), gradually building to a knockout punch of a chorus. But the song's tremendous thrust derives primarily from Morissette herself as she nails down a rapid succession of home truths with vengeful enthusiasm."<ref>Sinclair, David (June 15, 1995). "Pop Single; Recordings". ''[[The Times]]''.</ref>


==Commercial performance==
==Commercial performance==
[[File:AlanisMorissettepraha.jpg|upright|thumb|Morissette held the record for longest run by a woman atop the ''Billboard'' Alternative Songs chart, which was later surpassed by [[Lorde]]'s "[[Royals (Lorde song)|Royals]]" in 2013.]]
[[File:AlanisMorissettepraha.jpg|upright|thumb|Morissette held the record for longest run by a woman atop the ''Billboard'' Modern Rock Tracks chart, which was later surpassed by [[Lorde]]'s "[[Royals (Lorde song)|Royals]]" in 2013, after the chart had been renamed to Alternative Songs.]]
The song was only a modest hit in Morissette's native Canada at first, initially reaching number 20 on the ''RPM'' Top Singles chart and number 21 on the ''RPM'' Rock/Alternative chart concurrently with its peak chart performance in the United States. It then began to decline on the charts before experiencing a resurgence later in the fall of 1996 due to the release of a "live" version that Morissette performed at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles earlier that year in February, which was issued as the "B"-side of "You Learn". The latter reached a peak chart position of number six during the week of October 16, 1996, one week after the album's second single "[[Hand in My Pocket]]" debuted on the chart. Music journalists have attributed the song's uneven chart performance to resistance from Canadian radio programmers,<ref name=everywherebuthere>"Alanis a hit everywhere except on hometown radio". ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]'', August 19, 1995.</ref> because the aggressive, hard rock nature of the song marked a dramatic shift from Morissette's established image as a teen dance-pop star.<ref name=everywherebuthere /> Even in Morissette's own hometown of [[Ottawa]], most radio stations resisted the song, with [[contemporary hit radio]] stations deeming it too rock-oriented for their formats and rock stations deeming it too dance-pop.<ref name=everywherebuthere /> It was the only single from the album not to hit number one or two on the Canadian pop charts. Despite the song's initially poor chart performance, however, the video reached number one on [[MuchMusic]] and number three on [[MusiquePlus]] in the summer,<ref name=everywherebuthere /> and overall album sales of ''Jagged Little Pill'' were comparable to those in the United States even while the single's performance was faltering.<ref name=everywherebuthere />
The song was only a modest hit in Morissette's native Canada at first, initially reaching number 20 on the ''RPM'' 100 Hit Tracks chart and number 21 on the ''RPM'' Alternative 30 chart. However, it would eventually reach a number-six peak in the artist's home country, thanks to a resurgence of popularity in the United States later in the fall of 1996 resulting from the release of a "live" version that Morissette had performed at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles earlier that year. This version was issued as part of the commercial single release for her follow-up single "[[You Learn]]"; the latter track was credited as the official "A"-side of the double-sided release during its entire chart run, which peaked at number six. Music journalists have attributed the uneven chart performance of "You Oughta Know" to resistance from Canadian radio programmers,<ref name=everywherebuthere>"Alanis a hit everywhere except on hometown radio". ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]'', August 19, 1995.</ref> because the aggressive, hard rock nature of the song marked a dramatic shift from Morissette's established image as a teen dance-pop star.<ref name=everywherebuthere /> Even in Morissette's own hometown of [[Ottawa]], most radio stations resisted the song, with [[contemporary hit radio]] stations deeming it too rock-oriented for their formats and rock stations deeming it too dance-pop.<ref name=everywherebuthere /> It was the only single from the album not to hit number one or two on the Canadian pop charts. Despite the song's initially poor chart performance, however, the video reached number one on [[MuchMusic]] and number three on [[MusiquePlus]] in the summer,<ref name=everywherebuthere /> and overall album sales of ''Jagged Little Pill'' were comparable to those in the United States even while the single's performance was faltering.<ref name=everywherebuthere />


"You Oughta Know" received moderate to major success worldwide. In New Zealand, the song was released twice: once as a solo single, then as a [[A-side and B-side#Double A-side|double A-side]] with "[[Ironic (song)|Ironic]]" in 1996. The solo release saw the song peak at number 25 and stay in the top 50 for 25 nonconsecutive weeks, while the re-release with "Ironic" allowed the song to reach number three. It was certified gold by [[Recorded Music NZ]] (RMNZ), for shipments of 15,000 copies.<ref name=ironic>{{cite web|url=http://nztop40.co.nz/chart/singles?chart=3716|title=19 May 1996|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|access-date=April 10, 2018}}</ref>
"You Oughta Know" received moderate to major success worldwide. In New Zealand, the song was released twice: once as a solo single, then as a [[A-side and B-side#Double A-side|double A-side]] with "[[Ironic (song)|Ironic]]" in 1996. The solo release saw the song peak at number 25 and stay in the top 50 for 25 nonconsecutive weeks, while the re-release with "Ironic" allowed the song to reach number three. It was certified gold by [[Recorded Music NZ]] (RMNZ), for shipments of 15,000 copies.<ref name=ironic>{{cite web|url=http://nztop40.co.nz/chart/singles?chart=3716|title=19 May 1996|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|access-date=April 10, 2018}}</ref>
Most notably, the song was a top ten hit in three different genre charts in the United States, peaking at number three on the [[active rock]] charts, seven on the [[contemporary hit radio]] charts and number one for five weeks on the ''Billboard'' Alternative Songs chart, retaining the record for longest run by a woman atop that chart until it was surpassed by [[Lorde]]'s "[[Royals (Lorde song)|Royals]]" in 2013.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Trust |first=Gary |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/5695480/lorde-links-longest-alternative-songs-reign-by-a-woman-with-royals |title=Lorde Links Longest Alternative Songs Reign By A Woman With 'Royals' |magazine=Billboard |date= September 16, 2013| access-date= September 19, 2013}}</ref> In addition, the song was a top ten hit in Australia, and reached the top 40 in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Sweden.
Most notably, the song was a top ten hit in three different genre charts in the United States, peaking at number three on the [[active rock]] charts, seven on the [[contemporary hit radio]] charts and number one for five weeks on the ''Billboard'' Alternative Songs chart, retaining the record for longest run by a woman atop that chart until it was surpassed by [[Lorde]]'s "[[Royals (Lorde song)|Royals]]" in 2013.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Trust |first=Gary |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/5695480/lorde-links-longest-alternative-songs-reign-by-a-woman-with-royals |title=Lorde Links Longest Alternative Songs Reign By A Woman With 'Royals' |magazine=Billboard |date= September 16, 2013| access-date= September 19, 2013}}</ref> In addition, the song was a top ten hit in Australia, and reached the top 40 in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Sweden.


The song saw some success in the United Kingdom, debuting at number seventy six on the week ending of July 25, 1995; over the course of the next few weeks "You Oughta Know" rose to fifty three, forty and finally peaked at twenty two. The song held its peak position for a second week before falling to number thirty, the song continued to drop on the charts and after eight weeks it fell off the charts completely.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/6845/alanis-morissette/|title=Alanis Morissette – full Official Chart History – Official Charts Company|website=www.officialcharts.com}}</ref>
The song saw some success in the United Kingdom, debuting at number 76 on the week ending of July 25, 1995; over the course of the next few weeks "You Oughta Know" rose to numbers 53, 40, and finally 22. The song held its peak position for a second week before falling to number 30, then continued to drop on the charts, and after eight weeks, it fell off the charts completely.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/6845/alanis-morissette/|title=Alanis Morissette – full Official Chart History – Official Charts Company|website=www.officialcharts.com}}</ref>


==Music video==
==Music video==
Directed by [[Nick Egan]] and produced by Mark Fetterman, the accompanying [[music video]] for the track was filmed in the [[Mojave Desert]]. In the video, Morissette aggressively runs around the desert landscape and sings into a microphone on a mock-up stage with her then band-members performing – including [[Taylor Hawkins]]. Throughout the video, Morissette switches from a short black dress to a white tank-top and coat, to a blue silk shirt in the climax – all signifying her change in image.
Directed by [[Nick Egan]] and produced by Mark Fetterman, the accompanying [[music video]] for the track was filmed in [[Death Valley]]. In the video, Morissette aggressively runs around the desert landscape and sings into a microphone on a mock-up stage with her then band-members performing – including [[Taylor Hawkins]]. Throughout the video, Morissette switches from a short black dress to a white shirt, jeans and coat, to a blue silk shirt in the climax – all signifying her change in image.


==Promotion==
==Promotion==
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==Impact and legacy==
==Impact and legacy==
"You Oughta Know" was ranked at number 12 on [[VH1]]'s "100 Greatest Songs of the 90's" in December 2007.<ref>{{cite web|title=Top 100 Songs of the '90s|url=http://blog.vh1.com/2007-12-13/top-100-songs-of-the-90s/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071220195514/http://blog.vh1.com/2007-12-13/top-100-songs-of-the-90s/|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 20, 2007|publisher=VH1 Blog|access-date=February 8, 2012}}</ref> In [[Grammy Awards of 1996|1996]], the single was nominated for three [[Grammy Award]]s, winning the awards for [[Grammy Award for Best Rock Song|Best Rock Song]] and [[Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance|Best Female Rock Vocal Performance]] but losing the [[Grammy Award for Song of the Year]] to [[Seal (singer)|Seal]]'s song "[[Kiss from a Rose]]". Additionally, the song entered ''[[About.com]]'''s "Top 10 Alanis Morissette Lyrics" list at number three, with Bill Lamb picking the lyrics, "And every time you speak her name, Does she know how you told me, You'd hold me until you died, Till<!-- this, not ’til, is correct — see https://www.grammarly.com/blog/until-till-til/ --> you died, but you're still alive" as the best.<ref name=aboutcom>{{cite web|last=Lamb|first=Bill|title=Top 10 Alanis Morissette Lyrics|url=http://top40.about.com/od/alanismorissette/tp/alanislyrics.htm|work=[[About.com]]|access-date=March 29, 2014|archive-date=April 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150406055906/http://top40.about.com/od/alanismorissette/tp/alanislyrics.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
"You Oughta Know" was ranked at number twelve on [[VH1]]'s 100 Greatest Songs of the 90's in December 2007.<ref>{{cite web|title=Top 100 Songs of the '90s|url=http://blog.vh1.com/2007-12-13/top-100-songs-of-the-90s/|publisher=VH1 Blog|access-date=February 8, 2012}}</ref>

In [[Grammy Awards of 1996|1996]], the single was nominated for three [[Grammy Award]]s, winning the awards for [[Grammy Award for Best Rock Song|Best Rock Song]] and [[Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance|Best Female Rock Vocal Performance]] but losing the [[Grammy Award for Song of the Year]] to [[Seal (singer)|Seal]]'s song "[[Kiss from a Rose]]".
Before inviting Morissette onstage to sing “You Oughta Know” with her at a August 2015 concert, [[Taylor Swift]] said, “[Morissette] inspired a generation of confessional female singer-songwriters who all of the sudden felt like you could actually say these raw feelings that you had. You could actually sing about your real life. You could put detail to it. You could get really, really mad if you wanted to. And I think that it is fair to say that so many of the female singer-songwriters of my generation, including myself, would not write the way we do without her and her music.”<ref>Swift, Taylor. Concert. 24 August 2015, Staples Center, Los Angeles.</ref>
Additionally, the song entered ''[[About.com]]'''s "Top 10 Alanis Morissette Lyrics" list at number 3, with Bill Lamb picking the lyrics, "And every time you speak her name, Does she know how you told me, You'd hold me until you died, Till<!-- this, not ’til, is correct — see https://www.grammarly.com/blog/until-till-til/ --> you died, but you're still alive" as the best.<ref name=aboutcom>{{cite web|last=Lamb|first=Bill|title=Top 10 Alanis Morissette Lyrics|url=http://top40.about.com/od/alanismorissette/tp/alanislyrics.htm|work=[[About.com]]|access-date=March 29, 2014}}</ref>

A re-arranged version of the song also appeared in ''[[Jagged Little Pill (musical)|Jagged Little Pill]],'' a 2020 [[jukebox musical]] based around music by Morissette. Composer [[Tom Kitt (musician)|Tom Kitt]] noted that it was particularly difficult to adapt "You Oughta Know", questioning how they could "take something that already is a ball of fire and truth and emotion" and still have it "stake its own claim in the musical".<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Portwood |first=Jerry |date=January 24, 2020 |title='You Oughta Know': How Lauren Patten Helped Save Alanis Morissette's Song From Itself |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/jagged-little-pill-musical-alanis-morisette-songs-you-oughta-know-lauren-patten-942325/ |access-date=December 10, 2023 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref>


==Cover versions==
==Cover versions==
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Since the song's initial release, it has been covered by numerous artists. American musician and parodist [["Weird Al" Yankovic]] utilized a portion of this song for ''The Alternative Polka'', which appeared on his album ''[[Bad Hair Day]]'', released the year after the song was released. [[Richard Cheese|Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine]] covered the song in a comedic [[lounge music]] style on their 2005 album ''[[Aperitif for Destruction]]''.
Since the song's initial release, it has been covered by numerous artists. American musician and parodist [["Weird Al" Yankovic]] utilized a portion of this song for "The Alternative Polka", which appeared on his album ''[[Bad Hair Day]]'', released the year after the song was released. [[Richard Cheese|Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine]] covered the song in a comedic [[lounge music]] style on their 2005 album ''[[Aperitif for Destruction]]''.


[[Britney Spears]] performed the song during her 2009 [[The Circus Starring Britney Spears]] tour.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1630912/oughta-know-story-behind-beyonces-grammy-cover.jhtml|title='You Oughta Know': The Story Behind Beyonce's Grammy Cover|publisher=MTV News. MTV Networks|first=James|last=Montgomery|date=February 1, 2010|access-date=December 24, 2011}}</ref><ref name="britbrit">{{cite magazine|url=http://music-mix.ew.com/2009/09/06/britney-spears-covers-alanis-morissette/|title=Britney Spears covers Alanis Morissette: 'You Oughta Know,' it ain't half bad|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|publisher=Time Inc|date=September 6, 2009|access-date=December 24, 2011}}</ref> Mike Bruno of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' wrote, "she rocked it. What better way to silence the critics than to step up to the mic, say to hell with it all, and spew some of that bile. Hot, confident Britney, live vocals, a dash of rebellion…"<ref name="britbrit" /> After a number of [[Jonathan Coulton]]'s fans compared Morissette's cover of "[[My Humps]]" to his cover of "[[Baby Got Back]]", he covered "You Oughta Know" himself.<ref>{{cite web|last=Coulton|first=Jonathan|title=You Oughta Know|url=http://www.jonathancoulton.com/2007/04/19/you-oughta-know|access-date=February 8, 2012}}</ref>
[[Britney Spears]] performed the song during her 2009 [[The Circus Starring Britney Spears]] tour.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1630912/oughta-know-story-behind-beyonces-grammy-cover.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110602082825/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1630912/oughta-know-story-behind-beyonces-grammy-cover.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 2, 2011|title='You Oughta Know': The Story Behind Beyonce's Grammy Cover|publisher=MTV News. MTV Networks|first=James|last=Montgomery|date=February 1, 2010|access-date=December 24, 2011}}</ref><ref name="britbrit">{{cite magazine|url=http://music-mix.ew.com/2009/09/06/britney-spears-covers-alanis-morissette/|title=Britney Spears covers Alanis Morissette: 'You Oughta Know,' it ain't half bad|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|publisher=Time Inc|date=September 6, 2009|access-date=December 24, 2011}}</ref> Mike Bruno of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' wrote, "she rocked it. What better way to silence the critics than to step up to the mic, say to hell with it all, and spew some of that bile. Hot, confident Britney, live vocals, a dash of rebellion…"<ref name="britbrit" /> After a number of [[Jonathan Coulton]]'s fans compared Morissette's cover of "[[My Humps]]" to his cover of "[[Baby Got Back]]", he covered "You Oughta Know" himself.<ref>{{cite web|last=Coulton|first=Jonathan|title=You Oughta Know|url=http://www.jonathancoulton.com/2007/04/19/you-oughta-know|access-date=February 8, 2012}}</ref>


The song was sampled by American R&B singer [[Beyoncé]] during her 2009 [[I Am... (Beyoncé tour)|I Am... World Tour]],<ref name="rolltour">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/beyonce-brings-hits-jay-z-to-i-am-tour-opener-in-new-york-20090622|title=Beyonce Brings Hits, Jay-Z to "I Am..." Tour opener in New York|access-date=March 29, 2011|date=June 22, 2009|first=Caryn|last=Ganz|magazine=Rolling Stone|publisher=Wenner Media}}</ref> her [[I Am... Yours: An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas|I Am… Yours]] residency in Las Vegas, as well as at the [[2010 Grammys]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1630887/20100131/knowles_beyonce.jhtml |title=Beyonce Covers Alanis Morissette At Grammys |first=Jayson |last=Rodriguez |publisher=[[MTV News]]. [[MTV Networks]]|date=January 31, 2010 |access-date=December 12, 2010}}</ref> and the [[Glastonbury Festival 2011]].<ref name="glastonbury2011">{{cite news|url=http://www.nme.com/news/nme/57589|title=Beyonce covers Kings Of Leon and Prince at Glastonbury|work=NME |publisher=IPC Media (Time Warner)|date=June 27, 2011|access-date=September 5, 2011}}</ref>
The song was sampled by American R&B singer [[Beyoncé]] during her 2009 [[I Am... (Beyoncé tour)|I Am... World Tour]],<ref name="rolltour">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/beyonce-brings-hits-jay-z-to-i-am-tour-opener-in-new-york-20090622|title=Beyonce Brings Hits, Jay-Z to "I Am..." Tour opener in New York|access-date=March 29, 2011|date=June 22, 2009|first=Caryn|last=Ganz|magazine=Rolling Stone|publisher=Wenner Media}}</ref> her [[I Am... Yours: An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas|I Am… Yours]] residency in Las Vegas, as well as at the [[2010 Grammys]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1630887/20100131/knowles_beyonce.jhtml |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120630003204/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1630887/20100131/knowles_beyonce.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 30, 2012 |title=Beyonce Covers Alanis Morissette At Grammys |first=Jayson |last=Rodriguez |publisher=[[MTV News]]. [[MTV Networks]]|date=January 31, 2010 |access-date=December 12, 2010}}</ref> and the [[Glastonbury Festival 2011]].<ref name="glastonbury2011">{{cite news|url=http://www.nme.com/news/nme/57589|title=Beyonce covers Kings Of Leon and Prince at Glastonbury|work=NME |publisher=IPC Media (Time Warner)|date=June 27, 2011|access-date=September 5, 2011}}</ref>


In August 2015, [[Taylor Swift]] invited Morissette on stage in Los Angeles to sing the song with her.<ref name="Show with Taylor Swift">{{cite news|last=Anderson|first=L.V.|title=Watch Taylor Swift Rock Out to "You Oughta Know" on Stage With Alanis Morissette|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/08/25/taylor_swift_and_alanis_morissette_sing_you_oughta_know_on_1989_tour_in.html|newspaper=[[Slate (website)|Slate]]|date=August 25, 2015|access-date=October 3, 2015}}</ref> Many of Swift's fans at the concert, who had been born since the song's release, expressed bewilderment as to her identity. In ''[[Slate (website)|Slate]]'', [[Amanda Marcotte]] suggested it was better they didn't, criticizing the song in the process. "I am happy for these teenagers who don't know who Alanis Morissette is. I envy you, teens," she wrote. "[W]eirdly enough, 'You Oughta Know' was held up in 1995 as some kind of feminist anthem of empowerment, an angry yalp of rebellion from ladies who had enough," she recalled. While she found nothing wrong with that idea in principle, she compared Morissette's perspective in the song to men who lash out at women who they believe have put them in the "[[friend zone]]." "It's still a song about refusing to take no for an answer. This is a '[[affirmative consent|yes means yes]]' world. There's no reason for the teens of this world to know anything about Alanis Morissette."<ref name="Slate Marcotte piece">{{cite news|last=Marcotte|first=Amanda|author-link=Amanda Marcotte|title=Teens Don't Oughta Know|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2015/08/26/taylor_swift_fans_don_t_know_who_alanis_morissette_is_that_s_for_the_best.html|newspaper=Slate|date=August 26, 2015|access-date=October 3, 2015}}</ref>
In August 2015, when [[Taylor Swift]] invited Morissette on stage in Los Angeles to sing the song with her,<ref name="Show with Taylor Swift">{{cite news|last=Anderson|first=L.V.|title=Watch Taylor Swift Rock Out to "You Oughta Know" on Stage With Alanis Morissette|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/08/25/taylor_swift_and_alanis_morissette_sing_you_oughta_know_on_1989_tour_in.html|newspaper=[[Slate (website)|Slate]]|date=August 25, 2015|access-date=October 3, 2015}}</ref> many of Swift's fans at the concert, who had been born after the song's release, expressed bewilderment as to her identity. In ''[[Slate (website)|Slate]]'', [[Amanda Marcotte]] suggested it was better they didn't, criticizing the song in the process. "I am happy for these teenagers who don't know who Alanis Morissette is. I envy you, teens," she wrote. "[W]eirdly enough, 'You Oughta Know' was held up in 1995 as some kind of feminist anthem of empowerment, an angry yalp of rebellion from ladies who had enough," she recalled. While she found nothing wrong with that idea in principle, she compared Morissette's perspective in the song to men who lash out at women who they believe have put them in the "[[friend zone]]." "It's still a song about refusing to take no for an answer. This is a '[[affirmative consent|yes means yes]]' world. There's no reason for the teens of this world to know anything about Alanis Morissette."<ref name="Slate Marcotte piece">{{cite news|last=Marcotte|first=Amanda|author-link=Amanda Marcotte|title=Teens Don't Oughta Know|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2015/08/26/taylor_swift_fans_don_t_know_who_alanis_morissette_is_that_s_for_the_best.html|newspaper=Slate|date=August 26, 2015|access-date=October 3, 2015}}</ref>


On November 22, 2015, [[Demi Lovato]] and Morissette teamed up to perform "You Oughta Know" at the [[American Music Awards of 2015|2015 American Music Awards]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/events/amas/6770320/alanis-morissette-demi-lovato-you-oughta-know-american-music-awards-2015-amas|title=Alanis Morissette & Demi Lovato Perform 'You Oughta Know' at the 2015 American Music Awards|last=Warner|first=Denise|access-date=December 8, 2015|date=November 22, 2015|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> The performance was met with critical acclaim and turned out to be "one of the most talked-about moments" of the 2015 edition of the awards show.<ref name="AMA">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/events/amas/6770480/alanis-morissette-ama-duet-demi-lovato-interview|title=Alanis Morissette on AMA Duet With 'Huge-Voiced Goddess' Demi Lovato & New 'Sisterhood' of Artists|last=Atkinson|first=Katie|access-date=December 8, 2015|date=November 23, 2015|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/alanis-morissette-demi-lovato-slay-you-oughta-know-at-amas-2015-w158307|title=Alanis Morissette, Demi Lovato Slay Duet of "You Oughta Know" at AMAs 2015: Watch the Killer Performance Now!|last=McRady|first=Rachel|work=[[Us Weekly]]|access-date=December 8, 2015|date=November 23, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://time.com/4124190/demi-lovato-alanis-morissette-you-oughta-know-amas/|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|date=November 23, 2015|access-date=December 8, 2015|last=McCluskey|first=Megan|title=Watch Demi Lovato and Alanis Morissette Slay 'You Oughta Know' at the AMAs}}</ref>
On November 22, 2015, [[Demi Lovato]] and Morissette teamed up to perform "You Oughta Know" at the [[American Music Awards of 2015|2015 American Music Awards]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/events/amas/6770320/alanis-morissette-demi-lovato-you-oughta-know-american-music-awards-2015-amas|title=Alanis Morissette & Demi Lovato Perform 'You Oughta Know' at the 2015 American Music Awards|last=Warner|first=Denise|access-date=December 8, 2015|date=November 22, 2015|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> The performance was met with critical acclaim and turned out to be "one of the most talked-about moments" of the 2015 edition of the awards show.<ref name="AMA">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/events/amas/6770480/alanis-morissette-ama-duet-demi-lovato-interview|title=Alanis Morissette on AMA Duet With 'Huge-Voiced Goddess' Demi Lovato & New 'Sisterhood' of Artists|last=Atkinson|first=Katie|access-date=December 8, 2015|date=November 23, 2015|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/alanis-morissette-demi-lovato-slay-you-oughta-know-at-amas-2015-w158307|title=Alanis Morissette, Demi Lovato Slay Duet of "You Oughta Know" at AMAs 2015: Watch the Killer Performance Now!|last=McRady|first=Rachel|work=[[Us Weekly]]|access-date=December 8, 2015|date=November 23, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://time.com/4124190/demi-lovato-alanis-morissette-you-oughta-know-amas/|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|date=November 23, 2015|access-date=December 8, 2015|last=McCluskey|first=Megan|title=Watch Demi Lovato and Alanis Morissette Slay 'You Oughta Know' at the AMAs}}</ref>


Released March 25, 2022, [[Bridgerton#Season 2 (2022)|Season 2 Episode 5]] of the Netflix drama [[Bridgerton]] included a classical strings rendition of "You Oughta Know", appropriately placed in a break-up scene shortly after male romantic interest Anthony had indeed "bugged her in the middle of dinner".<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Fuentes |first=Tamara |date=April 8, 2022 |title=Here's a Handy Guide to Every Single Cover You Hear in 'Bridgerton' Season 2 |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/tv/a39677387/bridgerton-season-2-soundtrack-covers/ |access-date=May 26, 2022 |website=Cosmopolitan |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=You Oughta Know - Duomo [Bridgerton Season 2 (Covers from the Netflix Series)] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YUA2MjBR6g |language=en |access-date=May 26, 2022}}</ref> The version in the episode is instrumental, but Netflix also "got a Alanis to sing along with the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPK82Kwa9N4 special cover]"<ref name=":0" />
Released March 25, 2022, [[Bridgerton#Season 2 (2022)|Season 2 Episode 5]] of the Netflix drama [[Bridgerton]] included a classical strings rendition of "You Oughta Know", appropriately placed in a break-up scene shortly after male romantic interest Anthony had indeed "bugged her in the middle of dinner".<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Fuentes |first=Tamara |date=April 8, 2022 |title=Here's a Handy Guide to Every Single Cover You Hear in 'Bridgerton' Season 2 |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/tv/a39677387/bridgerton-season-2-soundtrack-covers/ |access-date=May 26, 2022 |website=Cosmopolitan |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=You Oughta Know - Duomo [Bridgerton Season 2 (Covers from the Netflix Series)] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YUA2MjBR6g |language=en |access-date=May 26, 2022}}</ref> The version in the episode is instrumental, but Netflix also "got a Alanis to sing along with the special cover".<ref name=":0" />


==Track listing==
==Track listing==
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{{single chart|Sweden|38|artist=Alanis Morissette|song=You Oughta Know|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Sweden|38|artist=Alanis Morissette|song=You Oughta Know|rowheader=true}}
|-
|-
{{single chart|UK|22|artist=Alanis Morissette|song=You Oughta Know|date=19950805|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|UK|22|artist=Alanis Morissette|song=You Oughta Know|date=19950819|rowheader=true|access-date=December 14, 2023}}
|-
{{single chart|Billboardhot100|6|artist=Alanis Morissette|rowheader=true|access-date=August 22, 2023|note=with "You Learn"}}
|-
|-
{{single chart|Billboardalternativesongs|1|artist=Alanis Morissette|access-date=April 2, 2019|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Billboardalternativesongs|1|artist=Alanis Morissette|access-date=April 2, 2019|rowheader=true}}
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|-
|-
{{single chart|Billboardpopsongs|7|artist=Alanis Morissette|access-date=April 2, 2019|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Billboardpopsongs|7|artist=Alanis Morissette|access-date=April 2, 2019|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{single chart|Billboardradiosongs|13|artist=Alanis Morissette|rowheader=true|access-date=February 14, 2024|note=1995 radio release}}
|-
|-
!scope="row"|US [[Cash Box Top 100 Pop Singles|''Cash Box'' Top 100]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/90s_files/19960803.html|title=Cash Box Top 100: August 3. 1996|website=cashboxmagazine.com|access-date=March 21, 2021}}</ref>
!scope="row"|US [[Cash Box Top 100 Pop Singles|''Cash Box'' Top 100]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/90s_files/19960803.html|title=Cash Box Top 100: August 3. 1996|website=cashboxmagazine.com|access-date=March 21, 2021}}</ref>
Line 188: Line 202:
|align="center"|20
|align="center"|20
|-
|-
!scope="row"|Canada Top Singles (''RPM'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.2840&URLjpg=https%3a%2f%2f1.800.gay%3a443%2fhttp%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.2840.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.2840|title=RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1995|magazine=[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]|publisher=[[Library and Archives Canada]]|access-date=July 23, 2018}}</ref>
!scope="row"|Canada Top Singles (''RPM'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.2840&URLjpg=https%3a%2f%2f1.800.gay%3a443%2fhttp%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.2840.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.2840|title=RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1995|magazine=[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]|via=[[Library and Archives Canada]]|access-date=July 23, 2018}}</ref>
|align="center"|45
|align="center"|45
|-
|-
!scope="row"|US Radio Songs (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1995/BB-1995-12-23.pdf#page=88|title=The Year in Music: Hot 100 Singles Airplay|magazine=Billboard|volume=107|issue=51|page=Y-32|date=December 23, 1995|access-date=June 6, 2022}}</ref>
!scope="row"|US Hot 100 Airplay (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1995/BB-1995-12-23.pdf#page=88|title=The Year in Music: Hot 100 Singles Airplay|magazine=Billboard|volume=107|issue=51|page=Y-32|date=December 23, 1995|access-date=June 6, 2022}}</ref>
|align="center"|38
|align="center"|38
|}
|}
Line 210: Line 224:
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Alanis Morissette|title=You Oughta Know|award=Gold|relyear=1995|certyear=2022|type=single|salesamount=296,000|salesref=<ref name="sales">{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/alanis-morissettes-jagged-little-pill-at-25-from-slow-burner-to-trailblazer__14770/|title=Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill at 25: From slow-burner to trailblazer |last=Copsey|first=Rob|date=March 2, 2020|publisher=[[Official Charts Company]]|access-date=March 2, 2020}}</ref>|access-date=June 20, 2022|id=14291-351-1}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Alanis Morissette|title=You Oughta Know|award=Gold|relyear=1995|certyear=2022|type=single|salesamount=296,000|salesref=<ref name="sales">{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/alanis-morissettes-jagged-little-pill-at-25-from-slow-burner-to-trailblazer__14770/|title=Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill at 25: From slow-burner to trailblazer |last=Copsey|first=Rob|date=March 2, 2020|publisher=[[Official Charts Company]]|access-date=March 2, 2020}}</ref>|access-date=June 20, 2022|id=14291-351-1}}
{{Certification Table Bottom}}
{{Certification Table Bottom}}

==Release history==
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+Release dates and formats for "You Oughta Know"
!scope="col"|Region
!scope="col"|Date
!scope="col"|Format(s)
!scope="col"|Label(s)
!scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
!scope="row"|Various
|July 6, 1996
|{{n/a}}
|rowspan="2"|{{hlist|[[Maverick Records|Maverick]]|[[Reprise Records|Reprise]]}}
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://alanis-m.com/discography/jagged-little-pill/|title=Jagged Little Pill|website=alanis-m.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211112180328/https://alanis-m.com/discography/jagged-little-pill/|archive-date=November 12, 2021|access-date=November 12, 2021}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row"|United Kingdom
|July 8, 1996
|{{hlist|CD|cassette}}
|<ref>{{cite magazine|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=[[Music Week]]|page=27|date=July 8, 1995}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row"|Japan
|July 25, 1996
|CD
|{{hlist|Maverick|Reprise|[[Warner Music Japan|WEA Japan]]}}
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/35424/products/305997/2/|title=ユー・オウタ・ノウ {{!}} アラニス・モリセット|trans-title=You Oughta Know {{!}} Alanis Morissette|publisher=[[Oricon]]|language=ja|access-date=December 14, 2023}}</ref>
|}


==See also==
==See also==
Line 219: Line 260:
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


{{Jagged Little Pill}}
{{Alanis Morissette songs}}
{{Alanis Morissette songs}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:Maverick Records singles]]
[[Category:Maverick Records singles]]
[[Category:Reprise Records singles]]
[[Category:Reprise Records singles]]
[[Category:Breakup songs]]

Revision as of 18:17, 19 July 2024

"You Oughta Know"
Single by Alanis Morissette
from the album Jagged Little Pill
B-side
  • "Perfect" (acoustic version)
  • "Wake Up"
ReleasedJuly 6, 1995 (1995-07-06)
RecordedJune 1994 – February 1995[1]
Genre
Length4:09
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Glen Ballard
Alanis Morissette singles chronology
"(Change Is) Never a Waste of Time"
(1993)
"You Oughta Know"
(1995)
"You Learn"
(1995)
Music video
"You Oughta Know" on YouTube

"You Oughta Know" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released as the lead single from her third studio album, Jagged Little Pill (1995), on July 6, 1995. After releasing two studio albums, Morissette left MCA Records Canada and was introduced to manager Scott Welch. Morissette began working on new music after moving from her hometown of Ottawa to Toronto, but made little progress. In Los Angeles, she met producer Glen Ballard, with whom she wrote songs including "You Oughta Know".

"You Oughta Know" signaled Morissette's departure from bubblegum pop to alternative rock, and features guitarist Dave Navarro and bassist Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers. Drummer Taylor Hawkins played in her touring band before joining Foo Fighters but does not contribute to the track. It outperformed the label's expectations and received positive reviews. After the influential Los Angeles modern rock radio station KROQ-FM began playing it, the single reached the top ten in Canada, Australia and the United States. It was a multiformat hit in several US genre charts, and made the top 40 in Belgium, Iceland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

A music video was directed by Nick Egan. The single was added in the set list for Morissette's 1995 world tour; since then, it has been included in her albums MTV Unplugged (1999), Feast on Scraps (2002), and The Collection, as well as 1997 Grammys and the MTV Unplugged compilation albums. It has received numerous accolades; in 1996, the single was nominated for three Grammy Awards, winning the awards for Best Rock Song and Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. In 2021, the song was listed at #103 in the Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[3] Despite much speculation concerning whom the song is about, Morissette has never disclosed the person's identity and has never indicated an intention to do so.

Background

In 1991, MCA Records Canada released Morissette's debut studio album Alanis, which went platinum in Canada.[4] This was followed by her second album, Now Is the Time, but it was a commercial failure, selling only a little more than half the copies of her first album.[5][6] With her two-album deal with MCA Records Canada complete, Morissette was left without a major label contract. In 1993, Morissette's publisher Leeds Levy at MCA Music Publishing introduced her to manager Scott Welch.[7] Welch told HitQuarters he was impressed by her "spectacular voice", her character and her lyrics. At the time she was still living with her parents. Together they decided it would be best for her career to move to Toronto and start writing with other people.[7]

After graduating from high school, Morissette moved from Ottawa to Toronto.[5] Her publisher funded part of her development and when she met producer and songwriter Glen Ballard, he believed in her talent enough to let her use his studio.[5][7] The two wrote and recorded Morissette's first internationally released album, Jagged Little Pill, and by the spring of 1995, she had signed a deal with Maverick Records. According to Welch, every label they had approached had passed on Morissette apart from Maverick.[7]

Recording and mix

Ballard met Morissette on March 8, 1994, after his publishing company matched them up.[1] According to Ballard, the connection was "instant", and within 30 minutes of meeting each other, they had begun experimenting with different sounds in Ballard's home studio in San Fernando Valley, California.[8] Ballard also declared to Rolling Stone, "I just connected with her as a person, and, almost parenthetically, it was like 'Wow, you're 19?' She was so intelligent and ready to take a chance on doing something that might have no commercial application. Although there was some question about what she wanted to do musically, she knew what she didn't want to do, which was anything that wasn't authentic and from her heart."[9]

"You Oughta Know" was co-written by Morissette and Ballard. Morissette stated that she wrote the song from her "subconscious": "I wasn't aware of what was coming out of me. I'd go into the booth when the ink wasn't even dry and sing. I'd listen the next day and not really remember it."[10] The demo was recorded on November 28, 1994, and additional vocals were recorded on November 30. Initial rhythm recording began with Los Angeles engineer Chris Fogel on December 1, 1994. Matt Laug played drums and Lance Morrison played bass. On December 5, Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers recorded Hammond organ. Additional guitars were recorded on December 9.

In early 1995, LA producer Jimmy Boyle recruited guitarist Dave Navarro and bassist Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers to play on the track.[11] According to Navarro, "There were no guide tracks, we just had the vocal to work from.... and we basically jammed until we found something we were both happy with. Alanis was happy too."[12] Flea said, "When I first heard the track, it had a different bassist and guitarist on it; I listened to the bassline and thought, 'That's some weak shit!' It was no flash and no smash! But the vocal was strong, so I just tried to play something good."[13]

Two mixes of the song appear on Jagged Little Pill. Track 2 was mixed by Chris Fogel, and is the most widely known version of the song. Track 13 is the "Jimmy the Saint Blend" and was mixed by Jimmy Boyle and it was only used in the original music video from 1995, replaced in 2020 by the Chris Fogel mix.

Lyrical interpretation

Morissette has never publicly identified anyone as the ex-boyfriend portrayed in the song. In 2008, she said,

Well, I've never talked about who my songs were about and I won't, because when I write them they're written for the sake of personal expression. So with all due respect to whoever may see themselves in my songs, and it happens all the time, I never really comment on it because I write these songs for myself, not other people.[14]

Nonetheless, in comments made on different occasions, actor-comedian Dave Coulier has alternatively admitted to[15][16][17] and denied[18] being the subject of the song. In 1997, the Boston Herald reported that Coulier "admitted the lines are very close to home. Especially the one about 'an older version of me' and bugging him [Coulier] 'in the middle of dinner.'"[19] Coulier's former television co-star Bob Saget said in one interview that he was present when Morissette made that call during dinner.[20] In the 2021 documentary Jagged, Morissette denied the song is about Coulier.[21]

Other celebrities have been rumoured to be the lover in the song, including: Mike Peluso, hockey player for the New Jersey Devils;[19] Matt LeBlanc, the actor who appeared in the video for Morissette's single "Walk Away" in 1991;[19] and Leslie Howe, a musician and the producer of Morissette's first two albums in the early 1990s.[19]

Release and reception

Maverick Records released Jagged Little Pill internationally in 1995. The album was expected only to sell enough for Morissette to make a follow-up, but the situation changed quickly when KROQ-FM, an influential Los Angeles modern rock radio station, began playing "You Oughta Know", which was released as the album's first single.[22] The song instantly garnered attention for its scathing, explicit lyrics.[5]

Upon release "You Oughta Know" was met with positive reviews from critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic praised the song's "vengeful" lyrics and stated that the song propelled the album's success and encouraged the public to embrace the "women in rock" movement.[23] Steve Baltin from Cash Box wrote that here, the singer "comes out of the box with the same scintillating sensuality that marked Sophie B. Hawkins' coming out song, "Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover". When the 20-year old Morissette sings, 'Are you thinking of me when you fuck her', ears can't help but stand up at attention. The brilliantly emotive song is sung with just the right blend of anger and passion."[24] David Browne of Entertainment Weekly also praised the single's lyrical content, calling them "spiteful and seething" continuing to state that Morissette was able to turn "jealous bile into something worth hearing."[25] Chuck Campbell from Knoxville News Sentinel felt it "promises to be one of the year's most memorable songs", remarking that it "belongs to Morissette, who builds to a rage-filled chorus". He added, "Her stunned reaction to being unceremoniously dumped may belie her age (21), but jilted souls of all ages can connect with the bitterness."[26] A reviewer from Music & Media commented, "Jeez, this woman is really cross. Her man has walked away with 'another', and she can't hide that jealousy, which is stirred by a mean beat and an aggressively rocking wah guitar."[27] British magazine Music Week gave it three out of five, adding, "The Canadian songstress shows startling maturity for her years, and this debut single from her album Jagged Little Pill is made all the stronger by guests Flea and Dave Navarro of the Chili Peppers."[28] David Sinclair from The Times wrote, "The arrangement bustles along, thanks to the rugged bass and guitar-playing (...), gradually building to a knockout punch of a chorus. But the song's tremendous thrust derives primarily from Morissette herself as she nails down a rapid succession of home truths with vengeful enthusiasm."[29]

Commercial performance

Morissette held the record for longest run by a woman atop the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, which was later surpassed by Lorde's "Royals" in 2013, after the chart had been renamed to Alternative Songs.

The song was only a modest hit in Morissette's native Canada at first, initially reaching number 20 on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart and number 21 on the RPM Alternative 30 chart. However, it would eventually reach a number-six peak in the artist's home country, thanks to a resurgence of popularity in the United States later in the fall of 1996 resulting from the release of a "live" version that Morissette had performed at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles earlier that year. This version was issued as part of the commercial single release for her follow-up single "You Learn"; the latter track was credited as the official "A"-side of the double-sided release during its entire chart run, which peaked at number six. Music journalists have attributed the uneven chart performance of "You Oughta Know" to resistance from Canadian radio programmers,[30] because the aggressive, hard rock nature of the song marked a dramatic shift from Morissette's established image as a teen dance-pop star.[30] Even in Morissette's own hometown of Ottawa, most radio stations resisted the song, with contemporary hit radio stations deeming it too rock-oriented for their formats and rock stations deeming it too dance-pop.[30] It was the only single from the album not to hit number one or two on the Canadian pop charts. Despite the song's initially poor chart performance, however, the video reached number one on MuchMusic and number three on MusiquePlus in the summer,[30] and overall album sales of Jagged Little Pill were comparable to those in the United States even while the single's performance was faltering.[30]

"You Oughta Know" received moderate to major success worldwide. In New Zealand, the song was released twice: once as a solo single, then as a double A-side with "Ironic" in 1996. The solo release saw the song peak at number 25 and stay in the top 50 for 25 nonconsecutive weeks, while the re-release with "Ironic" allowed the song to reach number three. It was certified gold by Recorded Music NZ (RMNZ), for shipments of 15,000 copies.[31] Most notably, the song was a top ten hit in three different genre charts in the United States, peaking at number three on the active rock charts, seven on the contemporary hit radio charts and number one for five weeks on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart, retaining the record for longest run by a woman atop that chart until it was surpassed by Lorde's "Royals" in 2013.[32] In addition, the song was a top ten hit in Australia, and reached the top 40 in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Sweden.

The song saw some success in the United Kingdom, debuting at number 76 on the week ending of July 25, 1995; over the course of the next few weeks "You Oughta Know" rose to numbers 53, 40, and finally 22. The song held its peak position for a second week before falling to number 30, then continued to drop on the charts, and after eight weeks, it fell off the charts completely.[33]

Music video

Directed by Nick Egan and produced by Mark Fetterman, the accompanying music video for the track was filmed in Death Valley. In the video, Morissette aggressively runs around the desert landscape and sings into a microphone on a mock-up stage with her then band-members performing – including Taylor Hawkins. Throughout the video, Morissette switches from a short black dress to a white shirt, jeans and coat, to a blue silk shirt in the climax – all signifying her change in image.

Promotion

The single was added in the set list for Morissette's concert tour, Jagged Little Pill World Tour (1995).[34] The song was added to the tour's video album Jagged Little Pill Live (1997).[34] Since then, the song has been included in her albums MTV Unplugged (1999),[35] Feast on Scraps (2002),[36] and The Collection,[37] as well as 1997 Grammys and the MTV Unplugged compilation albums.[38][39]

Impact and legacy

"You Oughta Know" was ranked at number 12 on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the 90's" in December 2007.[40] In 1996, the single was nominated for three Grammy Awards, winning the awards for Best Rock Song and Best Female Rock Vocal Performance but losing the Grammy Award for Song of the Year to Seal's song "Kiss from a Rose". Additionally, the song entered About.com's "Top 10 Alanis Morissette Lyrics" list at number three, with Bill Lamb picking the lyrics, "And every time you speak her name, Does she know how you told me, You'd hold me until you died, Till you died, but you're still alive" as the best.[41]

Before inviting Morissette onstage to sing “You Oughta Know” with her at a August 2015 concert, Taylor Swift said, “[Morissette] inspired a generation of confessional female singer-songwriters who all of the sudden felt like you could actually say these raw feelings that you had. You could actually sing about your real life. You could put detail to it. You could get really, really mad if you wanted to. And I think that it is fair to say that so many of the female singer-songwriters of my generation, including myself, would not write the way we do without her and her music.”[42]

A re-arranged version of the song also appeared in Jagged Little Pill, a 2020 jukebox musical based around music by Morissette. Composer Tom Kitt noted that it was particularly difficult to adapt "You Oughta Know", questioning how they could "take something that already is a ball of fire and truth and emotion" and still have it "stake its own claim in the musical".[43]

Cover versions

"You Oughta Know" has been covered by several artists, such as Britney Spears (left) and Beyoncé (right).

Since the song's initial release, it has been covered by numerous artists. American musician and parodist "Weird Al" Yankovic utilized a portion of this song for "The Alternative Polka", which appeared on his album Bad Hair Day, released the year after the song was released. Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine covered the song in a comedic lounge music style on their 2005 album Aperitif for Destruction.

Britney Spears performed the song during her 2009 The Circus Starring Britney Spears tour.[44][45] Mike Bruno of Entertainment Weekly wrote, "she rocked it. What better way to silence the critics than to step up to the mic, say to hell with it all, and spew some of that bile. Hot, confident Britney, live vocals, a dash of rebellion…"[45] After a number of Jonathan Coulton's fans compared Morissette's cover of "My Humps" to his cover of "Baby Got Back", he covered "You Oughta Know" himself.[46]

The song was sampled by American R&B singer Beyoncé during her 2009 I Am... World Tour,[47] her I Am… Yours residency in Las Vegas, as well as at the 2010 Grammys[48] and the Glastonbury Festival 2011.[49]

In August 2015, when Taylor Swift invited Morissette on stage in Los Angeles to sing the song with her,[50] many of Swift's fans at the concert, who had been born after the song's release, expressed bewilderment as to her identity. In Slate, Amanda Marcotte suggested it was better they didn't, criticizing the song in the process. "I am happy for these teenagers who don't know who Alanis Morissette is. I envy you, teens," she wrote. "[W]eirdly enough, 'You Oughta Know' was held up in 1995 as some kind of feminist anthem of empowerment, an angry yalp of rebellion from ladies who had enough," she recalled. While she found nothing wrong with that idea in principle, she compared Morissette's perspective in the song to men who lash out at women who they believe have put them in the "friend zone." "It's still a song about refusing to take no for an answer. This is a 'yes means yes' world. There's no reason for the teens of this world to know anything about Alanis Morissette."[51]

On November 22, 2015, Demi Lovato and Morissette teamed up to perform "You Oughta Know" at the 2015 American Music Awards.[52] The performance was met with critical acclaim and turned out to be "one of the most talked-about moments" of the 2015 edition of the awards show.[53][54][55]

Released March 25, 2022, Season 2 Episode 5 of the Netflix drama Bridgerton included a classical strings rendition of "You Oughta Know", appropriately placed in a break-up scene shortly after male romantic interest Anthony had indeed "bugged her in the middle of dinner".[56][57] The version in the episode is instrumental, but Netflix also "got a Alanis to sing along with the special cover".[56]

Track listing

  • CD single
  1. "You Oughta Know"
  2. "You Oughta Know" (The Jimmy the Saint Blend)
  3. "Perfect" (acoustic)
  4. "Wake Up"

Personnel

The following people contributed to "You Oughta Know":[58]

Musicians

Engineering

  • Chris Fogel – recording and mix
  • Chris Bellman – mastering
  • Jimmy Boyle – additional recording and mix

Charts

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "You Oughta Know"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[81] Platinum 70,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[82] Gold 5,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[84] Gold 296,000[83]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "You Oughta Know"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Various July 6, 1996 [85]
United Kingdom July 8, 1996
  • CD
  • cassette
[86]
Japan July 25, 1996 CD
[87]

See also

References

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