Katy Perry Said 1 of Her Songs Is Like Alanis Morissette’s ‘You Oughta Know’
Katy Perry‘s songs usually sound different from Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know.” Perry revealed Morissette was a huge influence on her and she compared one of her tracks to “You Oughta Know.” In addition, one of Perry’s former boyfriend’s gave the song flippant praise.
An Alanis Morissette album inspired Katy Perry to speak her truth
During a 2019 interview with Rolling Stone India, Perry discussed her taste in music. “I’m a lover of all genres and styles — it just has to be authentic and make you feel something strongly,” she said. “I’m not one to go with trends — I’d rather go the road less traveled musically to catch a different sonic wave.”
Perry revealed Morissette’s album Jagged Little Pill had a huge effect on her at a time when she was trying to write Christian rock songs. “At the time, Jagged Little Pill was the most honest, soul-baring, relatable female record that encompassed a medley of emotions,” Perry said. “She [Morissette] was a powerful female voice when there wasn’t a lot of that around, and as a young artist, that really inspired me to speak my truth as well.”
The song Katy Perry said is similar to ‘You Oughta Know’ might be about a rapper Perry dated
In Morisette’s song “You Oughta Know,” she sings about a man’s flaws. Perry did the same on her track “Circle the Drain.” During a 2010 interview with Billboard, Perry drew a connection between the two songs. “[‘Circle the Drain’ is] kind of like my ‘You Oughta Know’ Alanis Morissette moment,” she opined.
“Circle the Drain” is allegedly about Travie McCoy, a member of the hip-hop group Gym Class Heroes. During a 2010 interview with MTV News, McCoy discussed “Circle the Drain. “I heard she put out a song that’s about me, or about some old habits or whatever,” McCoy said. “[And] I look at it like this: I’m just stoked that she finally has a song with some substance on her record. Good job.“
How ‘You Oughta Know’ and ‘Circle the Drain’ performed on the charts in the United States
“You Oughta Know” became a big hit. It reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for 30 weeks. Besides “Ironic,” none of Morissette’s other singles performed as well on the chart. The songs’ parent album, Jagged Little Pill, was far more popular. It topped the Billboard 200 for 12 of its 127 weeks on the chart.
“Circle the Drain” became a more modest hit. It peaked at No. 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a single week. Perry released the track on the album Teenage Dream. The album topped the chart for one of its 280 weeks on the Billboard 200.
“Circle the Drain” stands out in Perry’s discography and Perry felt Morissette previously forged a similar path with “You Oughta Know.”
