Precious Illusions
Encyclopedia
"Precious Illusions" is a song written and produced by Alanis Morissette
, and recorded for her sixth album Under Rug Swept
(2002). It released as the album's second single
in mid-2002 (see 2002 in music
); CD1 was released on August 5 and CD2 followed on October 29.
Its lyrics describe a conflict between idealism
and realism, and its protagonist refers to her childhood fancies
as "precious illusions" that she has distanced herself from with a feeling that reminds her of "parting with an imaginary friend
". Nonetheless, she demonstrates that she has retained a rose-tinted sense of romantic
optimism
into adulthood, when she expresses a yearning hope for marriage ("this ring") and a husband ("you knight in shining armor"). Morissette said of "Precious Illusions", "As I evolve and as I grow older, a lot of the things I thought to be truths when I was younger just really aren't, and that's disillusioning. And there is a grief and a loss of sorts that happens when I segue from one awareness to another. And that's what I was singing about on that song."
"Precious Illusions" didn't receive as much radio airplay in the U.S. as "Hands Clean
", the first single from Under Rug Swept. It peaked within the top twenty on Billboard's Adult Top 40 chart, but garnered little Top 40 radio play compared to "Hands Clean" and failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100
. It reached number four in Canada
and the top ten in Chile
.
was directed by Francis Lawrence
, who helmed the "Hands Clean" video. It was filmed in late May 2002 and uses a split-screen
effect.
CD2
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 recorded 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). It released as the album's second single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in mid-2002 (see 2002 in music
2002 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2002.-Events:*February 3 – U2 perform during the halftime show for Super Bowl XXXVI...
); CD1 was released on August 5 and CD2 followed on October 29.
Its lyrics describe a conflict between idealism
Idealism
In philosophy, idealism is the family of views which assert that reality, or reality as we can know it, is fundamentally mental, mentally constructed, or otherwise immaterial. Epistemologically, idealism manifests as a skepticism about the possibility of knowing any mind-independent thing...
and realism, and its protagonist refers to her childhood fancies
Magical thinking
Magical thinking is causal reasoning that looks for correlation between acts or utterances and certain events. In religion, folk religion, and superstition, the correlation posited is between religious ritual, such as prayer, sacrifice, or the observance of a taboo, and an expected benefit or...
as "precious illusions" that she has distanced herself from with a feeling that reminds her of "parting with an imaginary friend
Imaginary friend
Imaginary friends and imaginary companions are a psychological and social phenomenon where a friendship or other interpersonal relationship takes place in the imagination rather than external physical reality. Imaginary friends are fictional characters created for improvisational role-playing. They...
". Nonetheless, she demonstrates that she has retained a rose-tinted sense of romantic
Romantic love
Romance is the pleasurable feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love.In the context of romantic love relationships, romance usually implies an expression of one's love, or one's deep emotional desires to connect with another person....
optimism
Optimism
The Oxford English Dictionary defines optimism as having "hopefulness and confidence about the future or successful outcome of something; a tendency to take a favourable or hopeful view." The word is originally derived from the Latin optimum, meaning "best." Being optimistic, in the typical sense...
into adulthood, when she expresses a yearning hope for marriage ("this ring") and a husband ("you knight in shining armor"). Morissette said of "Precious Illusions", "As I evolve and as I grow older, a lot of the things I thought to be truths when I was younger just really aren't, and that's disillusioning. And there is a grief and a loss of sorts that happens when I segue from one awareness to another. And that's what I was singing about on that song."
"Precious Illusions" didn't receive as much radio airplay in the U.S. as "Hands Clean
Hands Clean
"Hands Clean" is a song by Canadian recording artist and songwriter Alanis Morissette for her fifth studio album Under Rug Swept . It was released as the lead single of the album. The song was written and produced by Morissette herself...
", the first single from Under Rug Swept. It peaked within the top twenty on Billboard's Adult Top 40 chart, but garnered little Top 40 radio play compared to "Hands Clean" and failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. It reached number four in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the top ten in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
.
Music video
The single's videoMusic 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 directed by Francis Lawrence
Francis Lawrence
Francis Lawrence is an American music video and film director.-Life and career:Lawrence was born in Vienna, Austria. His father is a physicist who taught at California State University, Northridge and his mother is V.P. Technology at a PR agency. He moved to Los Angeles at the age of three...
, who helmed the "Hands Clean" video. It was filmed in late May 2002 and uses a split-screen
Split screen (film)
In film and video production, split screen is the visible division of the screen, traditionally in half, but also in several simultaneous images, rupturing the illusion that the screen's frame is a seamless view of reality, similar to that of the human eye...
effect.
Track listings
CD1- "Precious Illusions"
- "Hands Clean" (acoustic)
- "Sorry 2 Myself"
CD2
- "Precious Illusions"
- "Offer"
- "Bent 4 U"