Music Review: Alanis Morrissette "Hands Clean"
Alanis Morrissette
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Hands Clean
Album: Under Rug Swept
Year: 2002
Alanis Morrissette remembers the man who raped her in the loose "Hands Clean."
An introspective guitar opens the single, settting a comtemplative tone. In the first verse, she talks from the point of view of the man. After he raped her, he told her that it was her fault. She was like an adult to him, not a teenager. She should've acted her age and been a flighty girl. He takes credit for her achievements, saying that without his connections she would've been a nobody.
In the pre-chorus, she continues to speak from the rapist's point of view. He tells her that if she reports him, it could cause a lot of trouble. He asks to keep quiet and forget it. He belives he didn't actually commit a crime. It was just sex, nothing more.
In the chorus, she says it's been six years and she's hasn't said a word. However, he still won't take responsibility for it. As far as he's concerned, it never happened.
In the second verse, he told her the power he had over her excited him. Without him, she wouldn't know anything about the music industry. She needs him to help her with his career. If she has a question on how to deal with a producer, she has to ask him. Perhaps there's something in the music video she's not clear about. He is sure that she thinks of him as a distinguished, handsome man. It arouses him to have a young girl's attention.
The pre-chorus and chorus are sung again.
In the bridge, she asks him how he was able to twist the situation in his mind. He's blocked certain parts to make him feel less guilty. She says enough time has passed. However, he's had nothing to do with her. Which, to her friends and family, seems odd.
In the third verse, he instructs her not to call the police. If she tells her family, they will encourage her to report him. He also adds that he will keep it a secret, too. Not even his friends will know. He also adds for her not to tell her friends, either. However, he says he wants to shout it from the mountains that he was able to lay a teenager. He gives her a backhanded compliment, saying makeup is the reason for her prettiness. She has no natural beauty. He also says she would make the perfect trophy wife. However, she would have to remain thin as a toothpick and not age.
The pre-chorus is sung again.
The chorus is sung again.
The pre-chorus is sung again.
The chorus is sung again.
Morrissette rids herself of a major demon from the past. However, her confessional style has a exploitative element to it. A rape is a private issue. Telling the story involves reliving it and having to deal with the shame all over again. Telling friends and family when ready is a given. Divulging the story to the whole world in excruating details reeks of opportunism.
The single's honesty should be lauded, though. She effectively gets the point across that rape is about power, not gratification.He took of advantage of her. Knowing she was not in a position to say no, he could justify it anyway he wanted. He uses every positive quality against her and turns it into something she should be ashamed of -- her beauty, maturity, and talent. He takes everything away from her.
She also gets into the brain of a rapist, which makes the single disturbing.
And she has no reaction. There's no hatred or sorrow in her vocals. Her emotionless and serene delivery is anticlimatic. She's accepted that he will never apologize to her.
"Hands Clean" lacks the fire and rawness to make the impact it desires.
Album: Under Rug Swept
Year: 2002
Alanis Morrissette remembers the man who raped her in the loose "Hands Clean."
An introspective guitar opens the single, settting a comtemplative tone. In the first verse, she talks from the point of view of the man. After he raped her, he told her that it was her fault. She was like an adult to him, not a teenager. She should've acted her age and been a flighty girl. He takes credit for her achievements, saying that without his connections she would've been a nobody.
"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."
In the pre-chorus, she continues to speak from the rapist's point of view. He tells her that if she reports him, it could cause a lot of trouble. He asks to keep quiet and forget it. He belives he didn't actually commit a crime. It was just sex, nothing more.
"Oh this could be messy/But you don't seem to mind/Oh don't go telling everybody/And overlook this supposed crime."
In the chorus, she says it's been six years and she's hasn't said a word. However, he still won't take responsibility for it. As far as he's concerned, it never happened.
"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."
In the second verse, he told her the power he had over her excited him. Without him, she wouldn't know anything about the music industry. She needs him to help her with his career. If she has a question on how to deal with a producer, she has to ask him. Perhaps there's something in the music video she's not clear about. He is sure that she thinks of him as a distinguished, handsome man. It arouses him to have a young girl's attention.
"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."
The pre-chorus and chorus are sung again.
In the bridge, she asks him how he was able to twist the situation in his mind. He's blocked certain parts to make him feel less guilty. She says enough time has passed. However, he's had nothing to do with her. Which, to her friends and family, seems odd.
"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?"
In the third verse, he instructs her not to call the police. If she tells her family, they will encourage her to report him. He also adds that he will keep it a secret, too. Not even his friends will know. He also adds for her not to tell her friends, either. However, he says he wants to shout it from the mountains that he was able to lay a teenager. He gives her a backhanded compliment, saying makeup is the reason for her prettiness. She has no natural beauty. He also says she would make the perfect trophy wife. However, she would have to remain thin as a toothpick and not age.
"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."
The pre-chorus is sung again.
The chorus is sung again.
The pre-chorus is sung again.
The chorus is sung again.
Morrissette rids herself of a major demon from the past. However, her confessional style has a exploitative element to it. A rape is a private issue. Telling the story involves reliving it and having to deal with the shame all over again. Telling friends and family when ready is a given. Divulging the story to the whole world in excruating details reeks of opportunism.
The single's honesty should be lauded, though. She effectively gets the point across that rape is about power, not gratification.He took of advantage of her. Knowing she was not in a position to say no, he could justify it anyway he wanted. He uses every positive quality against her and turns it into something she should be ashamed of -- her beauty, maturity, and talent. He takes everything away from her.
She also gets into the brain of a rapist, which makes the single disturbing.
And she has no reaction. There's no hatred or sorrow in her vocals. Her emotionless and serene delivery is anticlimatic. She's accepted that he will never apologize to her.
"Hands Clean" lacks the fire and rawness to make the impact it desires.