Utopia (Alanis Morissette song)
Encyclopedia
"Utopia" is a Pop Rock
song written by Alanis Morissette
, and produced by her for her sixth album, Under Rug Swept
(2002).
reservation. According to her, "There's a thread of continuity, subject matter-wise, that permeates not only every trip I take, but every interaction I have"; she said she though the "sense of community the Navajo people
really focus on" was similar to the sense of community she felt when touring in the Middle East
."
Morissette said that from the second she wrote it, she knew it would be the final song on the album. "When I think of the album", she said, "I think about the questions and the conflicts and then the responses and the rebuttals and there's sort of this crazy little walk through this dynamic, this relationship. And at the end, it has the feminine and the masculine elements, whether that's taken literally or figuratively. For me, it's like they're sitting together in the same car and are finally driving down the same road in the same direction and there's a meeting of both worlds."
Originally, the song's final pre-chorus was to repeat the lyrics from the first pre-chorus. Morissette said however, that after 9/11, she felt inspired to write another pre-chorus. Given the context of that it was written, that verse stands strongly as arguably the most moving part of the song.
cited "Utopia" as one of the songs on the album that displayed "a soulful introspection and spiritual awareness" appropriate for a "post-9/11 universe".
Rolling Stone
described the song as "a wistful, waltzing vision of a perfectly understanding world ... in which Morissette becomes an airy Celtic choir"; it said it "sounds like an eternal group-therapy session".
"Utopia" was released as a radio-only promotional single in the United States
(where it was the third single from the album) in 2003; no music video
was released.
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
song written by Alanis Morissette
Alanis Morissette
Alanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actress. She has won 16 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and also shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination...
, and produced by her for her sixth album, Under Rug Swept
Under Rug Swept
Under Rug Swept is the fifth album by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette. Released by Maverick Records in the United States on February 26, 2002 and in the United Kingdom a day earlier , it was the first album Morissette had written and produced on her own...
(2002).
Background and theme
The song was partly inspired by Morissette's experiences during her trips across the world between the recording sessions for Under Rug Swept, and in particular her stay at a NavajoNavajo Nation
The Navajo Nation is a semi-autonomous Native American-governed territory covering , occupying all of northeastern Arizona, the southeastern portion of Utah, and northwestern New Mexico...
reservation. According to her, "There's a thread of continuity, subject matter-wise, that permeates not only every trip I take, but every interaction I have"; she said she though the "sense of community the Navajo people
Navajo people
The Navajo of the Southwestern United States are the largest single federally recognized tribe of the United States of America. The Navajo Nation has 300,048 enrolled tribal members. The Navajo Nation constitutes an independent governmental body which manages the Navajo Indian reservation in the...
really focus on" was similar to the sense of community she felt when touring in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
."
Morissette said that from the second she wrote it, she knew it would be the final song on the album. "When I think of the album", she said, "I think about the questions and the conflicts and then the responses and the rebuttals and there's sort of this crazy little walk through this dynamic, this relationship. And at the end, it has the feminine and the masculine elements, whether that's taken literally or figuratively. For me, it's like they're sitting together in the same car and are finally driving down the same road in the same direction and there's a meeting of both worlds."
Originally, the song's final pre-chorus was to repeat the lyrics from the first pre-chorus. Morissette said however, that after 9/11, she felt inspired to write another pre-chorus. Given the context of that it was written, that verse stands strongly as arguably the most moving part of the song.
Release
In late September 2001, in response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Morissette previewed "Utopia" on her website. She said she wanted the song to comfort the people who were grieving; according to her, it "sheds light on the willingness to understand" and "the passionate desire to stand up and show a self-care and self-respect." The RecordThe Record (Waterloo Region)
The Waterloo Region Record is the daily newspaper covering Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada, including the cities of Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge, as well as the surrounding area...
cited "Utopia" as one of the songs on the album that displayed "a soulful introspection and spiritual awareness" appropriate for a "post-9/11 universe".
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
described the song as "a wistful, waltzing vision of a perfectly understanding world ... in which Morissette becomes an airy Celtic choir"; it said it "sounds like an eternal group-therapy session".
"Utopia" was released as a radio-only promotional single in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(where it was the third single from the album) in 2003; no music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was released.