Released 24 February 1998 Label Maverick | Format Radio single Writer(s) Alanis Morissette | |
Genre Alternative rock
symphonic rock Producer(s) Alanis Morissette, Rob Cavallo | ||
"Uninvited" is a song by Canadian-American recording artist and songwriter Alanis Morissette, released as a single from the soundtrack of City of Angels in March 1998, becoming Morissette's first new recording since her international debut album. After the release of her breakthrough album Jagged Little Pill (1995) Morissette was considered one of the biggest music stars, and many fans anxiously awaited a follow-up album. Morissette wrote the song, whilst the production was handled by Morissette herself and Rob Cavallo. "Uninvited" is driven by four piano notes and builds to an instrumental climax, and haunting atmosphere accompanied by cryptic lyrics.
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Background and release
After the massive success of her breakthrough album Jagged Little Pill (1995) (which spawned the worldwide hits, "You Oughta Know", "Ironic", "Head over Feet" and "You Learn"), Morissette was considered one of the biggest music stars in the world, and many fans anxiously awaited a follow-up album. "Uninvited", was released to U.S. radio in March and was still receiving substantial radio airplay by the following August. An internet and radio leak of "Uninvited" in early March forced Warner Bros. to release the entire soundtrack to radio before it became available in stores. According to a publicity manager for Warner Music Canada, the measure was "an inconvenience" taken to stop radio stations from playing low-quality versions of the song downloaded from the internet.
Following the song's leak, The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) took down several websites featuring the song “Uninvited.” The song was due for release until March 31, but was leaked to radio on March 6. “Newsbytes,” a computer industry news service, reported that fast-working fans in L.A., hearing the song on KROQ, taped the track and uploaded it onto their websites. Several sites were involved, according to “Newsbytes,” including ones based in Los Angeles, London and Mexico City. The unauthorized material was removed, and in several cases, the whole site was shut down. The action was part of a campaign by the RIAA to stop unauthorized reproductions of recordings on the Internet.
Composition
"Uninvited" is a moody song that contains an "indelible melody and haunting atmosphere" accompanied by cryptic lyrics.
Reception
"Uninvited" was nominated for three 1999 Grammy Awards: "Best Female Rock Vocal Performance", "Best Rock Song" and "Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television", winning the former two categories, and it also won an ASCAP Film and Television Music Award for "Most Performed Songs from Motion Pictures". It received a Golden Globe nomination for "Best Original Song - Motion Picture". Additionally, the song entered About.com's "Top 10 Alanis Morissette Lyrics" list at number 10, with Bill Lamb picking the lyrics, Like anyone would be, I am flattered by your fascination with me, Like any hot blooded woman, I have simply wanted an object to crave" as the best. Although never officially released as a single to retail outlets, it became a hit for Morissette. "Uninvited" was Morissette's fourth number-one single on the U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream chart and it reached the top five on the Adult Top 40 and the top 40 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. "Uninvited" was a commercial success selling 7 million copies worldwide.
History
"Uninvited" was not included on that album, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, but a demo version was included on the Australian release and the UK CD single for "Thank U". Morissette's compilation album Alanis Morissette: The Collection (2005) was her first album to include the song in its original studio format; she had performed an acoustic version of the song during her 1999 MTV Unplugged appearance, which was released on the album Alanis Unplugged. An acoustic revision of the song "Uninvited" was released on 27 August 2002 from the Music in High Places DVD "Alanis Morissette - Live in the Navajo Nation".
Cover versions
Music video
No music video accompanied the single's release, but three videos of performances of "Uninvited" were released: the first one in her performance at the 1999 Grammy Awards, another on the Morissette CD/DVD release Feast on Scraps (2002), and another on the 2005 extended cut of VH1 Storytellers: Alanis Morissette. This performance of "Uninvited" was not included in the original Storytellers broadcast in 1999.
Freemasons version
This version experienced success across the United Kingdom and Europe dance scene. The single became the dance group's highest charting single to date in the UK, peaking at #8. So far the song made its greatest impact in Belgium and the Netherlands, where it became a top 5 hit, peaking at respectively number 2 in the Ultratop Top 50 and 4 in the Dutch Top 40.