Precious Illusions

"Precious Illusions"
Single by Alanis Morissette
from the album Under Rug Swept
Released	August 5, 2002 (CD1) October 29, 2002 (CD2)
Format	CD single
Genre	Pop rock
Length	3:50 (radio edit) 4:11 (album version)
Label	Maverick
Writer(s)	Alanis Morissette
Producer	Alanis Morissette
Alanis Morissette singles chronology
"Hands Clean" (2002) "Precious Illusions" (2002) "Flinch" (2002)

"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 and final international 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."^[1]

"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 20 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.

Music video

The single's video was directed by Francis Lawrence, who helmed the "Hands Clean" video. It was filmed in late May 2002 and uses a split-screen effect.^[1]

Track listings

CD1

1. "Precious Illusions"
2. "Hands Clean" (acoustic)
3. "Sorry 2 Myself"

CD2

1. "Precious Illusions"
2. "Offer"
3. "Bent 4 U"

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} Weiss, Neil. "Alanis Morissette Shoots 'Illusions' Video". Yahoo! Music. June 11, 2002. Retrieved August 18, 2006.

References

• "Alanis Morissette - Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Retrieved August 18, 2006.
• "Alanis Morissette - Precious Illusions". top40-charts.com. Retrieved August 18, 2006.

v t e Alanis Morissette Discography Awards and nominations Studio albums Alanis Now Is the Time Jagged Little Pill Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie Under Rug Swept So-Called Chaos Flavors of Entanglement Live albums MTV Unplugged Compilation albums Feast on Scraps iTunes Originals Jagged Little Pill Acoustic The Collection Other releases Space Cakes The Singles Box Alanis Morissette: Original Album Series Video albums Jagged Little Pill, Live Live in the Navajo Nation Feast on Scraps Concert tours Jagged Little Pill Tour Club Tour Junkie/Junkie Australian Tour Under Rug Swept Tour Feast on Scraps Tour So-Called Chaos Tour Flavors of Entanglement Tour Flavors of Entanglement South American Tour film Fuck Dogma Radio Free Albemuth As Cool As I Am Notable acting roles Poppy (Nip/Tuck) Dr. Audra Kitson (Weeds) Related articles Wade Morissette Maverick Records Ryan Reynolds Glen Ballard Book:Alanis Morissette

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