Once in a great while an album comes along that truly defines an era, one that proves impossible to ignore yet equally impossible to resist. A pop-culture phenomenon that defies convention and unites an entire generation. A zeitgeist, if you will. Such was the case in the mid-1990s when Alanis Morissette released her angry-pop masterpiece, Jagged Little Pill.
I distinctly remember when the album exploded onto the scene. It was my freshman year at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Like all who leave the comforts of home for their first year of college, I floundered to find my footing as a fledgling adult and solo human being. Who am I? What is my purpose in life? What do I want to be when I grow up? Who are all these strange people? Unsure of myself, I spent the first half of freshman year focused almost entirely on my studies. Sure, I socialized some and established a few friendships early on, but drinking and parties weren't really my thing. They never had been. Instead, I put my nose to the proverbial grindstone, did my homework diligently, and spent much of my free time keeping up with my Top 40, a security blanket of sorts. That's not to say, however, I was a total recluse. It just took time for me to come out of my shell. As fall progressed, I started to attend more of the programs and office hours held by my Resident Advisors. These events fostered connections with my fellow hall mates, many of whom also preferred hanging out, watching movies, listening to music, playing games, sharing meals, and hiking around campus to binge drinking and house parties. As a result, a core group of close-knit friendships gradually blossomed and grew in the weeks leading up to winter break. In fact, the shared intensity of our first-year experiences in that specific time and in that specific place meant that I could not wait to return to campus after break. I needed to reunite with my new friends, the people who knew and understood me better than I thought anyone had before. I was officially done living under my shell. So what does Jagged Little Pill have to do with all of this? My newfound college friends and I bonded over many things. We introduced one another to new games and television shows. We took turns hosting movie nights. We checked out each others' Christmas decorations. We ordered and shared pizza late at night. We left messages for each other on white boards fastened to our room doors. We devised secret phrases to help one another avoid awkward situations. And we all listened to Jagged Little Pill. Repeatedly. It seemed you couldn't walk by one of our rooms or have someone's car pass by without hearing Morissette's lilt emanating from within. The tunes were catchy and lyrical. Some were angry power anthems, some confessional ballads, and some poppy love songs. They were introspective and non-conventional. But as freshmen initially feeling lost in a sea of unfamiliar faces and experiences, I think the album's emotional rawness may have been what we connected with most as we found our way through the year together.
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I am a self-proclaimed pop culture geek and list enthusiast who is celebrating the big four-zero by counting down the most important, influential, and favorite music, movies, television shows, books, and video games of my life so far. Categories
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