Precious Illusions

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title: "Precious Illusions" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["2002-singles", "alanis-morissette-songs", "maverick-records-singles", "music-videos-directed-by-francis-lawrence", "reprise-records-singles", "songs-written-by-alanis-morissette"] description: "2002 single by Alanis Morissette" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precious_Illusions" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 2002 single by Alanis Morissette ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox song"]

Field	Value
name	Precious Illusions
cover	Alanis Morissette - Precious Illusions.png
type	single
artist	Alanis Morissette
album	Under Rug Swept
B-side
released
length
label
writer	Alanis Morissette
producer	Alanis Morissette
prev_title	Hands Clean
prev_year	2002
next_title	Flinch
next_year	2002
misc
::

| name = Precious Illusions | cover = Alanis Morissette - Precious Illusions.png | alt = | type = single | artist = Alanis Morissette | album = Under Rug Swept | B-side = | released = | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = | length = | label = | writer = Alanis Morissette | producer = Alanis Morissette | prev_title = Hands Clean | prev_year = 2002 | next_title = Flinch | next_year = 2002 | misc = "Precious Illusions" is a song written, performed, and produced by Canadian singer Alanis Morissette for her fifth studio album, Under Rug Swept (2002). It released as the album's second and final international single on May 20, 2002. 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".

"Precious Illusions" did not receive as much radio airplay in the United States 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 US Billboard Hot 100. However, it reached number four in Canada and peaked within the top 10 in Hungary. The music video for the song is presented in split screen, offering a side-by-side comparison of the mythic and the real versions of a romantic relationship.

Recording and release

"Precious Illusions" was all written, arranged and produced by Alanis Morissette. According to herself, "I went to Toronto to write and I didn't know whether I'd be writing songs for the record alone or with someone. I had no idea, but I started writing alone, and within the first week I'd written seven songs. So it was all really fast and accelerated [...] I'd have my little space station worked out where it was like a keyboard, an acoustic, an electric, my journal and a microphone set up, and we'd record it all onto DAT." After the success of previous single, "Hands Clean", "Precious Illusions" was announced as Under Rug Swepts second single after news that she was shooting its music video. "Precious Illusions" was first released in Australia on May 20, 2002. In the United Kingdom, two CD singles and a cassette single were issued on August 5, 2002.

Composition and lyrics

"Precious Illusions" was written in the key of E major, with a moderate tempo of 92 beats per minute. Morissette's vocal range span from the low note of B4 to the high-note of C6. The song is "dressed up in toe-tapping rhythms, crunchy guitars and downright infectious melodies," as noted by Sal Cinquemani, editor of Slant Magazine. Larry Flick of Billboard Magazine added that the song has a "radio-ready arrangement rife with insinuating shuffle beats, U2-esque guitar licks, and a sticky, candy-sweet hook." The song "examines the pitfalls of relationships.

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"). Flick of Billboard also noted that "there's a pointed edge of cynicism in such lines as "You'll complete me, right?/And my life can finally begin'." He also noted that Morissette "turn that cynicism into a catalyst for letting go of the notion of perfect romance and growing toward positive declarations like 'I won't keep playing the victim."

In a track-by-track commentary about Under Rug Swept, Morissette further commented about the track:

Reception

Critical

Larry Flick of Billboard praised the song for "exemplif[ying] how the artist has actually matured significantly," also calling it a "sane self-empowerment". Flick also noted that Morissette "sells the song with a performance that is, by turns, introspective and chest-pounding." while Chris Heath of Dotmusic lauded the track for "confirm[ing] that, as a songwriter, Alanis is only getting better."

Commercial

"Precious Illusions" became a success in Canada, where it peaked at number four, and Hungary, reaching number nine. In Australia, the song debuted and peaked at number 41, on June 2, 2002. Although only reaching number 79 in Netherlands, the song managed to spend six weeks inside the charts. In the United Kingdom, "Precious Illusions" only reached number 59, becoming her second-lowest-charting single at the time. In the United States, the song failed to enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart but reached number 16 on the Adult Pop Songs chart.

Music video

The single's music 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. In the video for "Precious Illusions," Alanis Morissette is courted by a handsome prince (played by American actor Lucas Babin) who gives her a diamond and invites her to live happily ever after. However, while the left side of the screen follows the fairy-tale romance, the right side shows more a realistic view: in place of the prince, her suitor is a guy who asks her out by e-mail. As noted by Elysa Lee of CNN, "he does propose, but in a way that reminds us that love isn't all blossoms and butterflies." According to Morissette, "The right side is more me. I'm not anywhere near being in a position to ask or be asked, so it was charming and amusing."

Track listings

Canadian CD single

1. "Precious Illusions"
2. "Hands Clean" (acoustic version)

UK and European CD1

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

UK and European CD2

1. "Precious Illusions"
2. "Offer"
3. "Bent 4 U" European maxi-CD single
4. "Precious Illusions" – 4:12
5. "Hands Clean" (acoustic version) – 4:07
6. "Offer" – 4:05
7. "Bent 4 U" – 4:46

Charts

Weekly charts

::data[format=table title="Weekly chart performance for "Precious Illusions""] | Chart (2002) | Peak position | Canada (Nielsen SoundScan) | Canada CHR (Nielsen BDS) | Netherlands (Dutch Tipparade 40) | US CHR/Pop Indicator (Radio & Records) | US Hot AC (Radio & Records) | US Triple A (Radio & Records) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 4 | | | | | | | | | 7 | | | | | | | | | 8 | | | | | | | | | 48 | | | | | | | | | 17 | | | | | | | | | 19 | | | | | | | | ::

Year-end charts

::data[format=table title="Year-end chart performance for "Precious Illusions""]

Chart (2002)	Position	Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)	Canada Radio (Nielsen BDS)	US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)	US Hot AC (Radio & Records)
88
46
58
63
::

Release history

::data[format=table title="Release dates and formats for "Precious Illusions""]

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.	Australia	United States	United Kingdom
May 20, 2002	CD
May 28, 2002
June 3, 2002	Contemporary hit radio
August 5, 2002		Maverick
::

References

References

1. "Alanis Morissette: The Silence is Over". [[MTV News]].
2. (May 20, 2002). "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 20th May 2002". [[Australian Recording Industry Association.
3. (August 3, 2002). "New Releases – For Week Starting 5 August 2002: Singles".
4. (May 21, 2002). "Alanis Morissette "Precious Illusions" - Sheet Music".
5. (January 27, 2002). "Alanis Morissette: Under Rug Swept | Slant Magazine". [[Slant Magazine]].
6. (June 8, 2002). "Reviews & Previews: Singles". [[Nielsen Business Media, Inc.]].
7. In an interview for ''[[Yahoo! Music]]'', 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."Weiss, Neil. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070311193523/http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/12056669 "Alanis Morissette Shoots 'Illusions' Video"]. [[Yahoo! Music]]. June 11, 2002. Retrieved August 18, 2006.
8. "Alanis Morissette talks about songs from 'UNDER RUG SWEPT'". MSO.
9. (March 4, 2002). "dotmusic - reviews - albums - Alanis Morissette 'Under Rug Swept' (Maverick)". [[Dotmusic]].
10. (June 21, 2002). "CNN.com - Alanis Morissette: 'Precious Illusions'". [[CNN]].
11. (2002). "Precious Illusions". [[Maverick Records]], [[Reprise Records]].
12. (2002). "Precious Illusions". Maverick Records.
13. (2002). "Precious Illusions". Maverick Records.
14. "Alanis Morissette Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs)".
15. "Canadian Top 20 in 2002".
16. "Alanis Morissette - Precious Illusions".
17. (June 21, 2002). "R&R CHR/Pop Top 50 Indicator".
18. (August 9, 2002). "R&R The Back Pages – National Airplay Overview: August 9, 2002 – Hot AC".
19. (July 19, 2002). "R&R The Back Pages – National Airplay Overview: July 19, 2002 – Triple A".
20. (January 14, 2003). "Canada's Top 200 Singles of 2002". [[Jam!]].
21. "Top 100 top played radio tracks in Canada in 2002". Jam!.
22. (December 20, 2002). "Most-Played Adult Top 40 Songs of 2002".
23. (December 13, 2002). "Top 100 of 2002 – Hot AC".
24. (May 24, 2002). "Going for Adds".
25. (May 31, 2002). "Going for Adds".

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