Thank U

After the massive success of her breakthrough album Jagged Little Pill (1995) (which spawned the worldwide hits, "You Oughta Know", "Ironic", "Head over Feet", "Hand in My Pocket" and "You Learn"), Morissette was considered one of the biggest music stars in the world, and many fans anxiously awaited a follow-up album. During a trip to India, in 1997, Alanis wrote some songs, including "Thank U". In 1998, Morissette contributed the song "Uninvited" to the soundtrack of the 1998 film City of Angels.{{cite web|title=Rock On the Net: Alanis Morissette|url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/artists-m/alanismorissette_main.htm|work=Rock on the Net|access-date=March 27, 2014}}

In September of the same year, "Thank U" was released on radio and Alanis talked with MTV about the break between LPs and the first single: "Basically, I had never stopped in my whole life, hadn't taken a long breath, and I took a year and a half off and basically learned how to do that. When I did stop and I was silent and I breathed... I was just left with an immense amount of gratitude, and inspiration, and love, and bliss, and that's where the song came from, you know."

"Thank U" was written and produced by Alanis Morissette and Glen Ballard. "Thank U" is a rock song composed in the key of G mixolydian, the fifth mode of the C major scale. It is written in common time and moves at a moderate tempo of 91 beats per minute.{{Cite web|last1=Alanis|first1=Morissette|last2=Glen|first2=Ballard|last3=Alanis|first3=Morissette|date=August 7, 2001|title=Thank U|url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0037571|access-date=June 2, 2021|website=Musicnotes.com}} The song uses a simple chord progression alternating between a tonic C major chord, dominant G major chord, and the subdominant F major chord.Sheet music for "Thank U". Hal Leonard Corporation. 1998. The music is simple, mid-tempo rock, with the drum track being a loop of the oft-sampled break in Sly and the Family Stone's "Sing a Simple Song". A delicate electric piano intro underscores Morissette's vocals, which begin by asking, "How bout getting off these antibiotics?" The rest of the song continues with Morissette posing similar provocative questions -- "How bout remembering your divinity?"—and her thanking the circumstances—terror, disillusionment, and consequence, among others—that helped her achieve personal growth.{{cite web|last=Jonas|first=Liana|title=Alanis Morissette -Thank U: Allmusic|url=http://www.allmusic.com/song/thank-u-mt0000415140|work=Allmusic|access-date=March 28, 2014}}

The lyrics document Morissette's spiritual awakenings following her trip to India, as well as other physical and internal journeys. In "Thank U", Alanis expresses the heartfelt gratitude, inspiration, and compassion that she felt at the time she wrote it.{{cite web|title=Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie |url=http://members.aol.com/am69dana/sfijm.html |access-date=March 28, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050228175022/http://members.aol.com/am69dana/sfijm.html |archive-date=February 28, 2005 }} According to Jon Pareles of The New York Times, the song has "verses of self-help," such as, "How 'bout no longer being masochistic?, how 'bout remembering your divinity?, how 'bout unabashedly bawling your eyes out?."{{cite news|last=Pareles|first=Jon|title=Alanis Morissette Explores The Healing Power of Song|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/01/arts/alanis-morissette-explores-the-healing-power-of-song.html?src=pm&pagewanted=1|access-date=March 28, 2014|newspaper=The New York Times|date=November 1, 1998}} Liana Jones of Allmusic noticed that "There aren't many artists, let alone everyday people, who acknowledge and pay tribute to life's lessons."

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic picked the song as a highlight from the album, writing that "the textured production functions as a backdrop for Morissette's cryptically introspective lyrics."{{cite web|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|title=Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie - Alanis Morissette: Allmusic|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/supposed-former-infatuation-junkie-mw0000600813|access-date=March 29, 2014|website=AllMusic|date=November 3, 1998}} Liana Jones also of Allmusic wrote that the song's lyrics are "a real boon for contemporary rock music, which tends to be simplistic and hackneyed in its themes." Larry Flick of Billboard praised the singer's performance, acknowledging her "zen-like confidence", calling it "an instantly memorable single that will saturate radio airwaves at all possible formats within a split-second."{{cite book|title=Billboard - October 3, 1998 Issue|date = October 3, 1998|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FwoEAAAAMBAJ&q=alanis+morissette+thank+u+billboard&pg=PA24|page=24}} Daily Record noted that Morissette "returns to angst-ridden form"."Chart Slot". Daily Record. October 30, 1998. Retrieved December 3, 2020. Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly wrote that the song's structure "creates an immediate catchiness, underpinned and emphasized by Gary Novak's hypnotic drum pattern." Tucker also called 'Thank U,' "a terrific single, with its positive sentiments tucked inside a crystalline melody like a message in a bottle."{{cite magazine|last=Tucker|first=Ken|title=Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=November 2, 1998|url=http://www.ew.com/article/1998/11/02/supposed-former-infatuation-junkie|access-date=June 17, 2011|archive-date=October 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021145523/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,63772,00.html|url-status=live}} NME praised the "pleasant, lilting Liz Cocteau-on-a-broomstick style frame."{{cite magazine|title=Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie|url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/alanis-morissette/303|access-date=March 29, 2014|magazine=NME|date=September 27, 1998}} Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone wrote that the song "could've been a pretentious disaster, but instead it's a pretentious stroke of brilliance – she finds something shockingly smart to say about her spiritual crises, riding an indelible Eighties AOR synth hook and wailing like Robert Plant stealing 'Kashmir' back from Jimmy Page and 'Puffy'.{{cite magazine|last=Sheffield|first=Rob|title=Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=December 10, 1998|issue=801|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/111363/supposed_former_infatuation_junkie|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201014743/http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/111363/supposed_former_infatuation_junkie|archive-date=December 1, 2008|url-status=dead|access-date=June 17, 2011}} Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine called the "soft-rock synth hook" and "the bundle of Morissette's signature list-y lyrics," "anything but ordinary."{{cite journal|last=Cinquemani|first=Sal|title=Alanis Morissette: Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie|date=November 5, 2003|url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/alanis-morissette-supposed-former-infatuation-junkie/362|access-date=June 17, 2011}}

"Thank U" debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart at number 42.{{cite book|title=Billboard - October 3, 1998 Issue (Airplay Chart)|date = October 3, 1998|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FwoEAAAAMBAJ&q=alanis+morissette+thank+u&pg=PA24|page=34}} A week later, it debuted on the Modern Rock Tracks at number 19.{{cite book|title=Billboard - October 17, 1998 Issue|date = October 17, 1998|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JwoEAAAAMBAJ&q=alanis+morissette+thank+u&pg=PA96|page=24}} The same week, the song climbed to number 11 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart, On the issue of November 28, 1998, "Thank U" topped the Adult Top 40 Tracks chart.{{cite book|title=Billboard - November 28, 1998 Issue|via=Internet Archive|date=November 28, 1998|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_MAoEAAAAMBAJ|quote=alanis morissette thank u.|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_MAoEAAAAMBAJ/page/n23 24]|publisher=Nielsen Business Media}} On the Billboard Hot 100 chart, "Thank U" peaked at number 17, on the issue date December 5, 1998.{{cite book|title=Billboard - December 5, 1998 Issue|via=Internet Archive|date=December 5, 1998|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_LgoEAAAAMBAJ|quote=alanis morissette thank u.|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_LgoEAAAAMBAJ/page/n23 24]|publisher=Nielsen Business Media}} In Canada, "Thank U" topped the RPM Top Singles chart for three consecutive weeks (six weeks if counting the holiday period in which no charts were published), becoming her fifth number-one single there.

"Thank U" was also successful in the Oceania region. In Australia, it debuted at number 20 and peaked at number 15 on the ARIA Singles Chart, becoming the album's only single that charted there. In New Zealand, the song proved to be more successful, debuting at number six and peaking at number two, becoming Morissette's highest charting-single in New Zealand, until "Hands Clean" peaked at number one in 2002. In Austria, it peaked at number 10, becoming her last top-ten single, while in Norway, "Thank U" was her highest charting-single, peaking at number three. In the United Kingdom, the song was the highest charting-single of Morissette's career, peaking at number five in a week when the whole top five was made up of new entries. It is her second highest-selling single there, only behind "Ironic", which reached number 11.{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/alanis-morissettes-jagged-little-pill-hit-number-1-20-years-ago-this-week__14770/|title=Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill hit Number 1 20 years ago this week|last=Myers|first=Justin|date=May 5, 2016|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=November 26, 2018}}

"Thank U" was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 2000 Grammy Awards, but lost to Sarah McLachlan's "I Will Remember You". Morissette was nominated for a Juno Award for Songwriter of the Year (for writing the songs "So Pure", "Thank U" and "Unsent") at the 2000 edition. Additionally, the song entered About.com's "Top 10 Alanis Morissette Lyrics" list at number 3, with Bill Lamb picking the lyrics, "How about me not blaming you for everything/How about me enjoying the moment for once/How about how good it feels to finally forgive you/How about grieving it all one at a time" as the best.{{cite web|last=Lamb|first=Bill|title=Top 10 Alanis Morissette Lyrics|url=http://top40.about.com/od/alanismorissette/tp/alanislyrics.htm|work=About.com|access-date=March 29, 2014|archive-date=April 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150406055906/http://top40.about.com/od/alanismorissette/tp/alanislyrics.htm|url-status=dead}}

ReDigi website also listed the "Top 10 Alanis Morissette Songs", picking "Thank U" as her third best song, writing that, "Most of the attention might have been focused on its revealing video, but the angst-ridden melancholy of 'Thank You' works just as well without images of Alanis wandering the streets in her birthday suit."{{cite web|title=Re Digi Blog - Top 10 Alanis Morissette Songs|url=http://music-news.redigi.com/top-10-alanis-morissette-songs/|work=ReDigi|access-date=March 29, 2014|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330061226/http://music-news.redigi.com/top-10-alanis-morissette-songs/|archive-date=March 30, 2014}}

File:Thank U music video.jpg

The music video for the song was directed by French director Stéphane Sednaoui (who previously directed "Ironic" for Morissette) and premiered on October 12, 1998, on MTV's Total Request Live.{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1432300/alanis-debuts-new-video-tour-kicks-off.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107103954/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1432300/alanis-debuts-new-video-tour-kicks-off.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 7, 2012|title=Alanis Debuts New Video As Tour Kicks Off|date=October 13, 1998|work=MTV.com|access-date=June 17, 2011}} It features Morissette walking around and being embraced by strangers in a variety of public locations, such as in the street, at a supermarket, and on a subway car.{{cite web|title=Alanis Morissette in "Thank You" from Naked Stars in Music Videos|url=http://www.eonline.com/photos/9791/naked-stars-in-music-videos/312131|access-date=March 29, 2014|website=E! Online}} Throughout the video, Morissette is completely nude with her long hair shrouding her breasts and her pubic region blurred out.{{cite web|title=Back to article: Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Robbie Williams: Singers naked in videos|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/i503522-8/singers-strip-off-for-music-videos-alanis-morissette-thank-you.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721193123/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/i503522-8/singers-strip-off-for-music-videos-alanis-morissette-thank-you.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 21, 2015|access-date=March 29, 2014|website=Digital Spy}} Slight modifications to the video were made before broadcasting by MTV in India and certain other Asian countries. Subsequent replays, however, aired the video in its original format. In May 2001, the video was voted number 66 on VH1's 100 Greatest Videos.

While being asked why she chose to be nude in the video, Morissette said, "Actually, the idea for that video hit me in my shower – I was thinking about the song and its simplicity and its baring itself, and I just thought, 'Wouldn't it be great if I could just walk around New York City or grocery stores in just a symbolism of being naked everywhere I went?'. Less about overt sexuality and more about the symbolism of being really raw and naked and intimate in all these environments where you'd seemingly need protection, like in a subway and those kinds of places. So that hit me in the shower and then we executed it." It was filmed in Downtown Los Angeles, under a closed set.{{cite web|last=Hamersly|first=Michael|title=What you oughta know before seeing Alanis Morissette|url=https://www.popmatters.com/article/what-you-oughta-know-before-seeing-alanis-morissette/|access-date=March 29, 2014|website=PopMatters|date=October 27, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330233600/https://www.popmatters.com/article/what-you-oughta-know-before-seeing-alanis-morissette/|archive-date=March 30, 2014}}

Several notable artists have covered the song. Among the most recognized covers are:

• In 2014, Steven Wilson, an English progressive rock musician, included his version of the song on his compilation Cover Version. His band Blackfield has also regularly performed the song on tour.
• Tori Amos has covered the song multiple times during her concert tours, notably in 2014 on her Unrepentant Geraldines Tour.

Other artists who have covered "Thank U" include Aurora, Cynthiana, The Axemen, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Celia Rose Gooding, Chris Mann (singer), Thom Cooper. Overall, the song has been covered by at least 15 different artists.https://mostlymusiccovers.com/2025/03/25/top-10-tuesday-alanis-morissette/

In addition to covers, the song has been parodied by comedians such as Jimmy Fallon on Saturday Night Live, Mo Collins on MadTV, Jennifer Saunders on French & Saunders, and "Weird Al" Yankovic during his 1999 tour.https://www.whosampled.com/Alanis-Morissette/Thank-U/

Canadian maxi-single and international CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Thank U|others=Alanis Morissette|year=1998|type=Canadian maxi-single liner notes|publisher=Maverick Records, Reprise Records|id=CD 44572}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Thank U|others=Alanis Morissette|year=1998|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=Maverick Records, Reprise Records|id=WO458CD, 9362 44572 2}}

1. "Thank U" (album version) – 4:18
2. "Pollyanna Flower" – 4:05
3. "Uninvited" (demo) – 3:02

UK 7-inch jukebox single{{cite AV media notes|title=Thank U|others=Alanis Morissette|year=1998|type=UK 7-inch jukebox single vinyl disc|publisher=Maverick Records|id=W0458LC}}

:A. "Thank U" (album version)

:B. "Uninvited" (demo)

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{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for "Thank U"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1998|certyear=1998|access-date=January 15, 2019}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Norway|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1998|certyear=1999|access-date=January 15, 2019|nosales=true}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|award=Silver|artist=Alanis Morissette|title=Thank U|relyear=1998|certyear=2013|id=12506-3693-1|salesamount=275,000|salesref={{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/alanis-morissettes-jagged-little-pill-at-25-from-slow-burner-to-trailblazer__14770/|title=Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill at 25: From slow-burner to trailblazer |last=Copsey|first=Rob|date=March 2, 2020|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=March 2, 2020}}|access-date=November 4, 2020}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

• "Thank U" was covered by English progressive rock musician Steven Wilson (who jokingly changed the line "How about them transparent dangling carrots" to "How about changing a line 'cause it don't make sense").{{cite web|title=Steven Wilson's Cover Version cover of Alanis Morissette's Thank U|url=http://www.whosampled.com/cover/62484/Steven-Wilson-Cover-Version-Alanis-Morissette-Thank-U/|work=Who Sampled|access-date=March 29, 2014}} Blackfield, one of Wilson's bands, has regularly played the song on tour.{{cite web|title=Blackfield — Thank You (Traducida) alanis morissette cover| date=March 10, 2011 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTLdT_W6cjU|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/hTLdT_W6cjU|archive-date=December 21, 2021|url-status=live|via=YouTube|access-date=March 29, 2014}}{{cbignore}}
• On an episode of Saturday Night Live, Jimmy Fallon appeared on the "Weekend Update" segment in which he sang various parody songs about Halloween. One such song was a parody of "Thank U", in which he thanks all of the candy that he had received Trick-or-Treating.{{cite web|title=SNL Halloween song Weekend Update| date=May 8, 2011 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sAE_6grDSU|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/5sAE_6grDSU|archive-date=December 21, 2021|url-status=live|via=YouTube|access-date=March 29, 2014}}{{cbignore}}
• On MadTV, there was a parody, "Wash Me", starring Mo Collins which takes place in a laundromat.{{cite web|title=Mad TV — Alanis Morissette — Wash Me|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODhYlyJUiaI|via=YouTube|access-date=March 29, 2014}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}}
• On French & Saunders, Jennifer Saunders parodied Morissette with a song called "Bless U", a tribute to thesauri, dictionaries, spell check and other word referencing methods. The clip showed Saunders as a singer called Aimless Morris Minor, dressed in a flesh-coloured body-suit to make it appear as if she were naked. At the end of the sketch, Dawn French stuck the pubic hair of the suit onto Saunders's face. This clip was shown as a sketch on French and Saunders 1999 Bank Holiday Special.{{cite web|title=French and Saunders — Alanis Morissette| date=August 21, 2007 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX1AH9581CA|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/HX1AH9581CA|archive-date=December 21, 2021|url-status=live|via=YouTube|access-date=March 29, 2014}}{{cbignore}}
• "Weird Al" Yankovic debuted an unreleased spoof of "Thank U" titled "Fast Food" on his 1999 Running with Scissors tour.{{cite web|title=Fast Food — 'Weird Al' Yankovic| date=May 18, 2010 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3uJhdNHcIA|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/U3uJhdNHcIA|archive-date=December 21, 2021|url-status=live|via=YouTube|access-date=February 15, 2016}}{{cbignore}}
• Tori Amos covered the song on several occasions during her concert tours, most notably in 2014, during her Unrepentant Geraldines Tour.Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/62DMqb0uiVo Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20211021145952/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62DMqb0uiVo Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62DMqb0uiVo| title = Tori Amos "Thank U" (Alanis Morissette)/ "Tear in Your Hand" at Ruth Eckerd Hall | date = August 26, 2014 | via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}

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{{Alanis Morissette songs}}

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Category:1990s ballads

Category:1998 singles

Category:1998 songs

Category:Alanis Morissette songs

Category:Maverick Records singles

Category:Music videos directed by Stéphane Sednaoui

Category:Pop ballads

Category:Reprise Records singles

Category:Rock ballads

Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles

Category:Song recordings produced by Glen Ballard

Category:Songs about India

Category:Songs written by Alanis Morissette

Category:Songs written by Glen Ballard

Category:Trip hop songs