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Alanis Morissette — King Of Pain
Album: MTV Unplugged
Avg rating:
4.8

Your rating:
Total ratings: 182









Released: 1999
Length: 4:02
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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There's a little black spot on the sun today
It's the same old thing as yesterday
There's a black hat caught in a high tree top
There's a flag pole rag and the wind won't stop

I have stood here before inside the pouring rain
With the world turning circles running 'round my brain
I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this reign
But it's my destiny to be the king of pain

There's a fossil that's trapped in a high cliff wall
There's a dead salmon frozen in a waterfall
There's a blue whale beached by the springtide's ebb
There's a butterfly trapped in a spider's web

I have stood here before inside the pouring rain
With the world turning circles running 'round my brain
I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this reign
But it's my destiny to be the king of pain

There's a king on a throne with his eyes torn out
There's a blind man looking for a shadow of doubt
There's a rich man sleeping on a golden bed
There's a skeleton choking on a crust of bread

There's a red fox torn by a huntsman's pack
That's my soul up there
There's a black winged gull with a broken back
That's my soul up there

There's a little black spot on the sun today
It's the same old thing as yesterday

I have stood here before inside the pouring rain
With the world turning circles running 'round my brain
I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this reign
But it's my destiny to be the queen of pain

Queen of pain
Queen of pain
Queen of pain
I'll always be Queen of pain
Comments (51)add comment
She does say she will always been the queen of pain. I suppose we now know how she will inflict it.
Posted 11 years ago by beinder    [ Reply ]
 masterhead wrote:
I can see the huge Alanis hate club here, but you know what they say..form Love to hate there is a thin line...so maybe all this hateful people were Alanis lovers once??
 
Afraid not.
Posted 11 years ago by lshinkawa    [ Reply ]
Love the Police and like Alanis a lot more than most folks here but..............................NAAAAAHHHHHHH
Posted 11 years ago by lemmoth    [ Reply ]
 Clarentine wrote:
One of the most interesting things about covers that don't quite work for me, like this one, is to try and understand why the same words, same tempo, sometimes same weird key signature, just don't do it for me.  In this case, IMO it's not just that it's an acoustic version, or that it's a female singer.  I suspect that, for me, the problem arises in that this version is only played for the melancholy effect of the lyrics, whereas the Police used those lyrics in contrast to a rather upbeat guitar and drum accompaniment.  The power in the song was not the lyrics but that contrast, and here, it's missing. 

 
Well-observed and said.
Posted 11 years ago by lshinkawa    [ Reply ]
 ckcotton wrote:
I shudder to think what Tori Amos would do to this....

 
{#Eek}
Posted 11 years ago by musickat    [ Reply ]
I shudder to think what Tori Amos would do to this....
Posted 11 years ago by ckcotton    [ Reply ]
Oh, good lord.  Please make this recording disappear from History.
 
Posted 11 years ago by gregormiz    [ Reply ]
I'm sure when I get to Hell, I'll hear this woman on the loudspeakers.
Posted 11 years ago by leafmold    [ Reply ]
 ScottFromWyoming wrote:
Not played since 2004... will be interesting to see if time has made people less cranky.

 
Nope! {#Biggrin}
Posted 11 years ago by cayenne    [ Reply ]
One of the most interesting things about covers that don't quite work for me, like this one, is to try and understand why the same words, same tempo, sometimes same weird key signature, just don't do it for me.  In this case, IMO it's not just that it's an acoustic version, or that it's a female singer.  I suspect that, for me, the problem arises in that this version is only played for the melancholy effect of the lyrics, whereas the Police used those lyrics in contrast to a rather upbeat guitar and drum accompaniment.  The power in the song was not the lyrics but that contrast, and here, it's missing. 
Posted 11 years ago by Clarentine    [ Reply ]
could be a lot worse. Could be Sinead O'Connor attempting to sing it 

thermion7 wrote:
Aw geez.
Ruined a Police song. Does she think since it has the word "pain" in it that she can whine and yodel over it and call it her own? Gawd she irritates me.
 


Posted 11 years ago by clwguy    [ Reply ]

All that I need to know is the song and the artist to know what happened here, fortunate not to have heard this hope I can maintain that record.{#Pray}


Posted 11 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
Not played since 2004... will be interesting to see if time has made people less cranky.
Posted 11 years ago by ScottFromWyoming    [ Reply ]
I am thoroughly enjoying this cover.
Posted 11 years ago by JuliaH    [ Reply ]
PattonFever wrote:
i don't think it has anything to do with being PC. i think what it is is that the original was sung by sting, a MALE singer , and alanis is a WOMAN but okay. call it what you want.
Yeah, but the song is KING of pain. Perhaps the most important line of the song. Of course, maybe Puffy's I'll Be Missing You is also an adequate rendition of the original, right?
Posted 20 years ago by amitishere    [ Reply ]
i didn't like the song the first time (police or sting?), and I don't like it any better now
Posted 20 years ago by wonderplum    [ Reply ]
I can see the huge Alanis hate club here, but you know what they say..form Love to hate there is a thin line...so maybe all this hateful people were Alanis lovers once??
Posted 20 years ago by masterhead    [ Reply ]
Aw geez. Ruined a Police song. Does she think since it has the word "pain" in it that she can whine and yodel over it and call it her own? Gawd she irritates me.
Posted 20 years ago by thermion7    [ Reply ]
This cover should be beaten senseless and left in a ditch to die a slow miserable lonely death. Because that's what it does to me every time it's played.
Posted 20 years ago by rgj13    [ Reply ]
That was painful
Posted 20 years ago by blythemeteor    [ Reply ]
CaptTofu wrote:
"Queen of Pain" ? Christ, do we have to PC/LiLithatise every damned thing in this world?
i don't think it has anything to do with being PC. i think what it is is that the original was sung by sting, a MALE singer , and alanis is a WOMAN but okay. call it what you want.
Posted 20 years ago by PattonFever    [ Reply ]
Dais wrote:
Not a fan. This is not a song I need to hear again. Ever.
Ditto, she's NOTHING to me.
Posted 20 years ago by lotus_65    [ Reply ]
No. She has not earned the right to perform this. Sorry. But the answer is no. <-X
Posted 20 years ago by psycho_therapist    [ Reply ]
<3
Posted 20 years ago by PattonFever    [ Reply ]
Not a fan. This is not a song I need to hear again. Ever.
Posted 20 years ago by Dais    [ Reply ]
ursus88 wrote:
Just not the same ... period. I generally like Alanis ... and I love the Police. This is a bit like oil and water ... it doesn't mix, but it's palatable.
I second that.
Posted 20 years ago by rgio    [ Reply ]
Eh? Why did she bother? I generally am motivated to rate/comment on the songs that catch my attention... which this one did. A resounding 2.
Posted 20 years ago by jadewahoo    [ Reply ]
oldslabsides wrote:
hmmmm...i generally like Alanis, but i generally don't like Stink, er, Sting.....tough call....she's one of the best songwriters around today, no need to do covers of mediocre tunes by pretentious hacks......
IF she actually wrote her own music and lyrics you might have a point. In this case, you don't.
Posted 20 years ago by FerretRob    [ Reply ]
Ugggh! You have got to be kidding. I loved the original Police version, but this just stinks!
Posted 20 years ago by mdlong    [ Reply ]
Just not the same ... period. I generally like Alanis ... and I love the Police. This is a bit like oil and water ... it doesn't mix, but it's palatable.
Posted 20 years ago by ursus88    [ Reply ]
Please, make it stop.
Posted 20 years ago by IHateParis    [ Reply ]
camden_hampden wrote:
Blasphemous.
I agree. She should stick to butchering her own material.
Posted 20 years ago by pergamenta    [ Reply ]
steeler wrote:
Can't at this point make the jump from Police version to hers. I prefer the former. But maybe will grow on me. Seems overproduced.
Well said!
Posted 20 years ago by Pyro    [ Reply ]
CaptTofu wrote:
"Queen of Pain" ?
Have to agree. There was a certain camp value to this remake from the beginning, then her title switch capped it.
Posted 20 years ago by redeyespy    [ Reply ]
hmmmm...i generally like Alanis, but i generally don't like Stink, er, Sting.....tough call....she's one of the best songwriters around today, no need to do covers of mediocre tunes by pretentious hacks......
Posted 20 years ago by Red_Dragon    [ Reply ]
Blasphemous.
Posted 20 years ago by camden_hampden    [ Reply ]
this is as sublime as it gets
Posted 20 years ago by jazzface78    [ Reply ]
Detlaps wrote:
Kind of laughable - in a weird way.
And weird - in kind of a laughable way. Can only assume that the applause is because it's over.
Posted 20 years ago by phineas    [ Reply ]
This was a GREAT song........ when the Police did it.
Posted 20 years ago by Mark1970    [ Reply ]
Can't at this point make the jump from Police version to hers. I prefer the former. But maybe will grow on me. Seems overproduced.
Posted 20 years ago by steeler    [ Reply ]
I try to be frugal with my "ones" and "tens"..... This is a well-spent 1!
Posted 20 years ago by phineas    [ Reply ]
Kind of laughable - in a weird way.
Posted 20 years ago by Detlaps    [ Reply ]
I have to say, I'm impressed by this cover of this song. Nice going Alanis CaptTofu wrote:
"Queen of Pain" ? Christ, do we have to PC/LiLithatise every damned thing in this world?
CaptTofu, forgive me for saying so, but this seems to be a sexist comment.
Posted 20 years ago by 999_99_999    [ Reply ]
CaptTofu wrote:
"Queen of Pain" ? Christ, do we have to PC/LiLithatise every damned thing in this world?
Actually only on the last verse, which I think is a nice compromise between the original text and the need to make it her own, as a woman who has her own experience to draw on.
Posted 20 years ago by philarktos    [ Reply ]
DownHomeGirl wrote:
i like it pretty well. nice cover of a great song. she makes it her own.
So do I actually. Just like Alanis in general, voice ain't perfect, but she uses the odd little catches quite eloquently here.
Posted 20 years ago by philarktos    [ Reply ]
"Queen of Pain" ? Christ, do we have to PC/LiLithatise every damned thing in this world?
Posted 20 years ago by CaptTofu    [ Reply ]
Posted 20 years ago by splendy    [ Reply ]
bigpomp wrote:
I'm torn. Great song. Lousy singer. How do I rate this?
Ditto. I'm weighting the lousy singer in my calculation, and giving it a 2.
Posted 20 years ago by rgj13    [ Reply ]
this song has a skip in it. might want to check that. i like it pretty well. nice cover of a great song. she makes it her own.
Posted 20 years ago by DownHomeGirl    [ Reply ]
I'm torn. Great song. Lousy singer. How do I rate this?
Posted 20 years ago by bigpomp    [ Reply ]
Hmmm. Not bad.
Posted 20 years ago by drH    [ Reply ]