Hands Clean
Alanis Morissette
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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 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 Ooh this could be messy But you don't seem to mind Ooh don't go telling everybody And overlook this supposed crime We'll fast forward to a few years later And no one knows except the both of us And I have honored your request for silence And you've washed your hands clean of this You're essentially an employee and I like you having to depend on me You're kind of my protege 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 I know you sexualize me like a young thing would and I think I like it Ooh this could be messy you don't seem to mind Ooh don't go telling everybody overlook this supposed crime We'll fast forward to a few years later And no one knows except the both of us And I have honored your request for silence And you've washed your hands clean of this What part of our history's reinvented and under rug swept? What part of your memory is selective and tends to forget? What with this distance it seems so obvious? 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 I wish I could tell the world 'cause 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 Ooh this could get messy Ooh you don't seem to mind Ooh don't go telling everybody and overlook this supposed crime We'll fast forward to a few years later And no one knows except the both of us And I have honored your request for silence And you've washed your hands clean of this Ooh this could get messy Ooh I don't seem to mind Ooh don't go telling everybody and overlook this supposed crime We'll fast forward to a few years later And no one knows except the both of us And I have honored your request for silence And you've washed your hands clean of this
The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com
Written by: Alanis Morissette
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Background Information"Hands Clean" is a single from Alanis Morissette's fifth studio album, "Under Rug Swept," which was released in 2002.
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Production DetailsMorissette produced and wrote the song by herself. This song is notable as it marked her debut as a producer.
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Chart Performance"Hands Clean" topped the charts in Canada and peaked at number 23 on the US Billboard Hot 100. In Europe, it was also successful, reaching the top twenty in most countries.
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Lyrical ContentLyrically, the song discusses a forbidden romantic relationship Morissette had with an older man when she was younger, presumably in her teens, which largely references a supposed relationship with much older record executive.
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Reception & Criticism"Hands Clean" received positive reviews from music critics. Yet it also sparked controversy due to its lyrics dealing with statutory rape.
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Music VideoThe song's music video, directed by Francis Lawrence, shows Morissette in different settings including a restaurant and a recording studio. Throughout the video, she is seen interacting with different men, symbolic of the relationships addressed in the song.
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Acoustic VersionAn acoustic version of "Hands Clean" appears on Morissette's 2005 album, "Jagged Little Pill Acoustic." The version gives a softer touch to the original, showcasing Morissette's vocal range.
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Live PerformancesAlong with commercial radio, Morissette took "Hands Clean" on the road. She has performed the song in almost all her concerts since the song's release, and it has become one of her signature songs.
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InspirationMorissette explained in interviews that "Hands Clean" was inspired by her own experiences as a young artist in the music industry.
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ImpactThe song has been seen as an anticipation of the #MeToo movement, as it talks about abuse of power within the music industry, even before the concept became a widespread social issue.
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Citation
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"Hands Clean Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/8529305/Alanis+Morissette/Hands+Clean>.
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