Alanis Morissette reveals truth of why people were 'terrified' of 'You Oughta Know'

Some people have an ear for music, but Alanis Morissette has the heart.

The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter opened up about the story behind her breakthrough hit, "You Oughta Know," in an interview on the "Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso" podcast, released on June 14.

The emotional rock anthem, which details the fallout from a tumultuous breakup, served as the lead single off Morissette's 1995 album "Jagged Little Pill." The track peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned Morissette a pair of Grammy Awards for best rock song and best female rock vocal performance.

But according to Morissette, the song was not an easy sell to her team at the time.

"It wasn't a popular choice," Morissette, 52, told host Sam Fragoso. "Nobody wanted 'You Oughta Know' first. They were terrified of that song. And I remember [thinking] at the time that I would much rather come out being maybe misinterpreted, maybe reduced – maybe there's some triggering going on – but we're starting on a note that is intense."

The combined success of "You Oughta Know" and "Jagged Little Pill" launched Morissette to international stardom in the mid '90s. The singer's confessional writing style also made her something of a poster child for female angst, with Rolling Stone dubbing her the "angry white female" for a cover story.

"I will take angry as the first note in the music," Morissette said of her early image. "I was very clear that if we put a song like 'Ironic' or 'Hand in My Pocket' out first that it might be too much for people to see this appeasement, joy, love [and] idealization and then follow it up with, 'Oh and by the way, of course, she's also angry.' Because the male gaze at the time couldn't hold that."

She added: "Every woman I knew was pissed because they were paying attention. How do you not get pissed? You're inside a patriarchal 'Truman Show' woman-hating dome, and then you say to the feminine, 'Have fun in there.'"

Since its release, "You Oughta Know" has inspired younger generations of female artists with its frank lyricism and emotional honesty. The song has been covered by several artists, including pop stars Britney Spears and Beyoncé. Over the years, Morissette has performed the '90s classic live with Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato and Pink.

"I can't help but be honest [in songwriting] because it's the unconscious speaking," Morissette said. "If I were in presentationalism while writing, these songs wouldn't be what they are."