Hand in My Pocket
single
CoverHand in My Pocket single cover.jpg
ArtistAlanis Morissette
AlbumJagged Little Pill
B-side"Head over Feet" (live acoustic)
ReleasedOctober 16, 1995
Recorded1994–April 1995[1]
StudioWestlake, Signet Sound (Hollywood, California)[2]
Length3:41
Label
Writer
ProducerGlen Ballard
Prev year1995
Next year1996

"Hand in My Pocket" is a song by Canadian recording artist and songwriter Alanis Morissette from her third studio album, Jagged Little Pill (1995). The song was written by Morissette and Glen Ballard and was released as the album's second single (third in Japan[3]) on October 16, 1995, by Maverick and Reprise Records. The song received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who applauded Morissette's songwriting.

"Hand in My Pocket" also received substantial success through radio airplay in the US. The song became Morissette's second number-one hit on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The song also reached the top 10 in New Zealand and Canada, where it was her first number-one single. An accompanying music video, directed by Mark Kohr, was released for the single, featuring Morissette at a festival, driving her car in black and white form, which also received positive reviews.

Writing and composition

"Hand in My Pocket" was written by Morissette and Glen Ballard. Ballard met Morissette on March 8, 1994, after his publishing company matched them up. According to Ballard, the connection was "instant", and within 30 minutes of meeting each other they had begun experimenting with different sounds in Ballard's home studio in San Fernando Valley, California.[4] Ballard also declared to Rolling Stone that:

I just connected with her as a person, and, almost parenthetically, it was like 'Wow, you're 19?' She was so intelligent and ready to take a chance on doing something that might have no commercial application. Although there was some question about what she wanted to do musically, she knew what she didn't want to do, which was anything that wasn't authentic and from her heart.[5]

The song is a mainstream rock song. The chorus of "Hand in My Pocket" uses a poetry technique, "rhyme juxtaposition", as its primary lyrical structure, as exemplified by the off-set coupling of the first and second stanzas of each chorus. In the first chorus for example, "fine, fine, fine" is coupled with "a high five", when it should, according to traditional rhyming schemes, be instead set against the "a peace sign" which closes the third chorus, and which is in turn, coupled with a first line ending with the phrase, "a cigarette", which is a clear rhyme with the end of the second chorus: "out just yet". Morissette does not carry the scheme consistently throughout the song (there are, for instance, no rhymes for "hailing a taxicab" or "playing the piano").

Sheet music for "Hand in My Pocket" is in the key of G major in common time with a tempo of 92 beats per minute. Morissette's vocals span from G3 to C5 in the song.[6]

Critical reception

While reviewing Jagged Little Pill, AllMusic dubbed "Hand in My Pocket" an album highlight.[7] Steve Baltin from Cash Box described it as "enticing", noting that it includes "a well-placed harmonica solo from Morissette herself."[8] British magazine Music Week rated the song four out of five, adding, "The second single from the abrasive and rampantly successful Alanis sees her Marianne Faithfull-circa-Wydja Do It attitude coupled with pop metal guitar and loping bass for maximum effect."[9] Mark Sutherland from NME called it "a bite-the-hand assault on slackerdom".[10]

Chart performance

"Hand in My Pocket" peaked at number one in her native Canada, becoming Morissette's first number one single there. The song also peaked at number one on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart, at number four on the US Top 40/Mainstream chart, at number 15 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart, and at number eight on the Album Rock Tracks chart. The song was successful throughout North America although the single was not released as a CD Single. Therefore it was ineligible for the Billboard Hot 100.

Elsewhere, the song debuted at number 49 in Australia and peaked at number 13, staying there for two consecutive weeks. The song debuted at number 39 in New Zealand and peaked at number seven, the only country outside of North America where it reached the top 10. The song had moderate success in Europe, debuting at number 56 in Sweden and peaking at number 45 on the chart. It also peaked at number 39 in France, staying on the chart for five weeks, and number 86 in the Netherlands with five weeks on that chart.

"Hand in My Pocket" received moderate to major success worldwide. In New Zealand, the song peaked at number seven and was certified platinum by Recorded Music NZ (RMNZ), for shipments of 30,000 copies.[11] The song saw some success in the United Kingdom, debuting and peaking at number 26 on the week ending of October 28, 1995. Over the course of the next two weeks, "Hand in My Pocket" fell to number 37 then number 54, spending a total of three weeks on the chart.[12] In 2023, the song was certified gold by the BPI for sales of over 400,000 units in the UK.[13]

Promotion

The single was added in the set list for Morissette's concert tour, Jagged Little Pill World Tour (1995).[14] The song was added to the tour's video album Jagged Little Pill Live (1997).[14] Since then, the song has been included in her albums MTV Unplugged (1999),[15] Feast on Scraps (2002),[16] and The Collection,[17] as well as 1997 Grammys and the MTV Unplugged compilation albums.[18][19]

Music video

Directed by Mark Kohr and filmed in black-and-white[20] and slow motion, the song's video features Morissette among a homecoming parade. It was filmed in the Windsor Terrace neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. As well as censoring the song's profanity, the video features extra guitar 'licks' on the lead-up to the bridge.

Usage in media

"Hand in My Pocket" served as the theme song in the unaired pilot episode of the television show Dawson's Creek, but Morissette decided not to have it used as the theme after the show was picked up.[21][22] In 2015, the song was covered in an episode of season six of the American television series Glee, called "Jagged Little Tapestry", by actresses Naya Rivera and Heather Morris as part of a mashup with Carole King's "I Feel the Earth Move"—Rivera's character Santana sings the song as a prelude to her proposal to Morris's character Brittany.[23] "Hand in My Pocket" featured prominently in the final scene of the third season of Amazon's Transparent, when the character Shelly Pfefferman performs a cabaret version of the song aboard a cruise ship while her family looks on.[24] In 2017, the song was used in the American film Lady Bird.[25]

Track listings

  1. "Hand in My Pocket" – 3:37
  2. "Head over Feet" (live acoustic) – 4:07
  3. "Not the Doctor" (live acoustic) – 3:57
  1. "Hand in My Pocket" – 3:37
  2. "Right Through You" (live acoustic) – 3:03
  3. "Forgiven" (live acoustic) – 4:23
  • UK cassette single[29]
  1. "Hand in My Pocket" – 3:37
  2. "Head over Feet" (live acoustic) – 4:07
  • Japanese CD single[30]
  1. "Hand in My Pocket" (album version)
  2. "Not the Doctor" (live in Japan)

Personnel

Personnel taken from Jagged Little Pill liner notes.[31]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1995–1996)Peak
position
Europe (European Hit Radio)[32]33
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[33]16
UK Airplay (Music Week)[34]17
US Active Rock (Radio & Records)[35]7
US Adult Alternative (Radio & Records)[36]2
US Alternative (Radio & Records)[37]3
US CHR/Pop (Radio & Records)[38]6
US Hot AC (Radio & Records)[39]28
US Pop/Alternative (Radio & Records)[40]2
US Rock (Radio & Records)[41]5

Year-end charts

Chart (1995)Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[42]11
US Hot 100 Airplay (Billboard)[43]70
US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[44]16
US Alternative (Radio & Records)[45]14
US CHR/Pop (Radio & Records)[45]95
US Rock (Radio & Records)[45]67
Chart (1996)Position
Australia (ARIA)[46]92
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[47]44
New Zealand (RIANZ)[48]36
US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard)[49]98
US Top 40/Mainstream (Billboard)[50]39
US CHR/Pop (Radio & Records)[51]53

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.
United KingdomOctober 16, 1995CD · cassetteMaverick · Reprise[52]
United StatesOctober 17, 1995Contemporary hit radio[53]
AustraliaOctober 30, 1995CD · cassetteMaverick · WEA[54]
JapanJanuary 25, 1996CDMaverick · Reprise[55]

References

  1. ^ "Entertainment Weekly October 9, 2015"
  2. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morissette | AllMusic". Allmusic. Retrieved December 26, 2011.
  3. ^ "アラニス・モリセットの作品 | シングル" [Works by Alanis Morissette | Single] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
  4. ^ "Billboard Magazine – June 30, 2001". Billboard Magazine. June 30, 2001. Archived February 17, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
  5. ^ Wild, David (November 2, 1995). "Alanis Morissette: The Adventures of Miss Thing". Rolling Stone. Archived December 4, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
  6. ^ Ballard, Glen (February 15, 2010). "Alanis Morissette "Hand In My Pocket" Sheet Music in G Major (transposable) – Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. Archived March 1, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  7. ^ "Alanis Morissette Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Archived December 30, 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 29, 2011.
  8. ^ Baltin, Steve (June 24, 1995). "Pop Albums". Cash Box. p. 9. Archived October 20, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  9. ^ "Reviews: Singles". Music Week. August 19, 1995. p. 29. Archived May 11, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  10. ^ Sutherland, Mark (September 9, 1995). "Long Play". NME. p. 47. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  11. ^ nzcert
  12. ^ uk
  13. ^ ukcert
  14. ^ Phares, Heather. "Jagged Little Pill Live". AllMusic. Archived November 11, 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 27, 2011.
  15. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Alanis Unplugged". AllMusic. Archived September 10, 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 27, 2011.
  16. ^ "Feast on Scraps [DVD]". AllMusic. Archived November 11, 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 27, 2011.
  17. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Collection". AllMusic. Archived September 10, 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 27, 2011.
  18. ^ Ankeny, Jason. "1997 Grammy Nominees". AllMusic. Archived October 24, 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
  19. ^ Rob, Theakston. "Very Best of MTV Unplugged". AllMusic. Archived December 11, 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
  20. ^ "The 100 Greatest Music Videos of All Time". Slant Magazine. 2021-11-15. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  21. ^ "Featured Artist Of The Week – Alanis Morissette". Dawson's Creek Music Guide. Archived from the original on October 10, 2007. Retrieved August 23, 2006.
  22. ^ Kaplan, Ilana (January 20, 2018). "'Dawson's Creek' Turns 20: Insiders Share Stories Behind the Music, Plot Choices & More". Billboard. Archived April 22, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  23. ^ Fox, Jenna Tesse (January 17, 2015). "What You Missed On "Glee": Carole King and Alanis Morissette Get Mashed-Up While a McKinley Sets the Stage for a Transgender Character". Playbill. Archived December 23, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  24. ^ Bacle, Ariana (December 13, 2016). "Best of 2016 (Behind the Scenes): Transparent star Judith Light on Shelly's Alanis Morissette cover". Entertainment Weekly. Archived January 5, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  25. ^ Cook-Wilson, Winston (November 21, 2017). "Read Greta Gerwig's Letters to Justin Timberlake, Alanis Morissette, and Dave Matthews for Lady Bird Music Rights". Spin. Archived November 21, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  26. ^ Hand in My Pocket (UK CD1 liner notes). Maverick Records, Reprise Records. 1995. WO312CD1, 9362-43596-2.
  27. ^ Hand in My Pocket (Australian CD single liner notes). Maverick Records, WEA Records. 1995. 9362436042.
  28. ^ Hand in My Pocket (UK CD2 liner notes). Maverick Records, Reprise Records. 1995. WO312CD2, 9362-43621-2.
  29. ^ Hand in My Pocket (UK cassette single sleeve). Maverick Records, Reprise Records. 1995. WO312C, 5439-17757-4.
  30. ^ Hand in My Pocket (Japanese CD single liner notes). Maverick Records, Reprise Records, WEA Japan. 1996. WPCR-531.
  31. ^ Jagged Little Pill (CD liner notes). 1995.
  32. ^ "EHR Top 40". Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 48. December 2, 1995. p. 21. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
  33. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (2.12. '95 – 8.12. '95)" (in Icelandic). Dagblaðið Vísir. December 2, 1995. p. 58. Archived July 9, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  34. ^ "Top 50 Airplay Hits". Music Week. 1995-11-11. p. 17. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
  35. ^ "R&R The Back Page – National Airplay Overview – Active Rock". Radio & Records. No. 1121. November 17, 1995. p. 98. ISSN 0277-4860
  36. ^ "R&R The Back Page – National Airplay Overview – Adult Alternative". Radio & Records. No. 1116. October 13, 1995. p. 96. ISSN 0277-4860
  37. ^ "R&R The Back Page – National Airplay Overview – Alternative". Radio & Records. No. 1115. October 6, 1995. p. 106. ISSN 0277-4860
  38. ^ "R&R The Back Page – National Airplay Overview – CHR/Pop". Radio & Records. No. 1125. December 15, 1995. p. 82. ISSN 0277-4860
  39. ^ "Hot AC Top 30". Radio & Records. No. 1125. December 15, 1995. p. 60. ISSN 0277-4860
  40. ^ "Pop/Alternative Top 20". Radio & Records. No. 1116. October 13, 1995. p. 34. ISSN 0277-4860
  41. ^ "Rock Top 50". Radio & Records. No. 1121. November 17, 1995. p. 75. ISSN 0277-4860
  42. ^ "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1995". RPM. Archived February 26, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 18, 2019. – via Library and Archives Canada
  43. ^ "The Year in Music: Hot 100 Singles Airplay". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 51. December 23, 1995. p. Y-32. Archived June 28, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
  44. ^ "The Year in Music: Hot Modern Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 51. December 23, 1995. p. YE-77.
  45. ^ "Top 95 of 1995". Radio & Records. No. 1126. December 22, 1995. p. 33, 86, 93. ISSN 0277-4860
  46. ^ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles 1996". ARIA. Archived November 2, 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  47. ^ "RPM Year End Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Archived December 7, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 18, 2019. – via Library and Archives Canada.
  48. ^ "End of Year Charts 1996". Recorded Music NZ. Archived April 10, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  49. ^ "Best of '96: Mainstream Rock Tracks". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 4, no. 53. Los Angeles, California: BPI Communications. December 27, 1996. p. 23.
  50. ^ "Best of '96: Top 40/Mainstream Titles". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 4, no. 53. Los Angeles, California: BPI Communications. December 27, 1996. p. 30.
  51. ^ "96 of 1996 – CHR/Pop". Radio & Records. No. 1176. December 13, 1996. p. 28. ISSN 0277-4860
  52. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. October 14, 1995. p. 27. Archived September 30, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  53. ^ "Selected New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1116. October 13, 1995. p. 34. Archived September 28, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  54. ^ "New Releases – Product Available from : 30/10/95: Singles". The ARIA Report. No. 298. October 29, 1995. p. 21.
  55. ^ "ハンド・イン・マイ・ポケット | アラニス・モリセット" [Hand in My Pocket | Alanis Morissette] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived October 13, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  • [ "Alanis Morissette – Artist Chart History"]. Billboard. Retrieved August 23, 2006.
  • [ "Alanis Morissette – Billboard Singles"]. Allmusic. Retrieved August 23, 2006.