That I Would Be Good
"That I Would Be Good" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette that was first included on her fourth studio album, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (1998). An acoustic live version of the song was recorded during a session for MTV Unplugged on September 18, 1999. The live version was released as a single in Europe in 1999 and in Canada on February 8, 2000. The lyrics relate Morissette's intimate feelings about being judged, insecurity and self-doubt, expressing in theme and variation the desire to be sufficient in the face of changing external circumstances. The song received mostly positive reviews from music critics, who praised the flute solo by Morissette and its sweetness. Commercially, the single charted on the US Billboard Adult Top 40 and the Netherlands' Single Top 100. Background and writing "That I Would Be Good" was one of the songs included on Alanis Morissette's fourth studio album, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (1998). Eventually, the album spawned four singles, with "Thank U" being the most successful single. Later, Alanis wrote the song "Still" for the soundtrack album of the 1999 film, Dogma. On September 18, 1999, Alanis recorded an MTV Unplugged special, singing songs from her previous albums, Jagged Little Pill (1995) and Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (1998), as well as previously unreleased tracks. The constant electrical buzz that can be heard throughout the track came unintentionally from Ballard recording too close to an amplifier. He re-recorded the guitar section to correct it, but Morissette immediately noticed the change - "What happened to the original?" - Ballard told her the buzz was bothering him, but she said, "No way. We've lost the magic, and you've gotta put it back." "That I Would Be Good" was chosen to be the lead single of the album, being released in December 1999. The CD single features the MTV Unplugged version of "That I Would Be Good" and live versions of "Would Not Come", "I Was Hoping" (from Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie) and "Forgiven" (from Jagged Little Pill). Composition "That I Would Be Good" was written by Morissette and Glen Ballard; both wrote Morissette's biggest hits, "You Oughta Know", "Ironic", "You Learn", "Head over Feet", and "Thank U". Produced by Morissette herself, the song is a "muted" and "crawling" ballad, with a flute solo coda, where Alanis plays her own flute. Written in the key of A major, it has a moderate tempo of 84 beats per minute, while Morissette's vocals span from the low-note of B3 to the high-note of A6. Lyrically, "That I Would Be Good" claims a self-confidence independent of fluctuations in emotional state or physical appearance. It is filled with wonder over whether one still feels whole in the face of any number of life's ills: losing youth, bankruptcy, insanity, the absence of a chosen lover. According to Morissette on VH1 Storytellers and the documentary Sensitive the Untold Story (2015), the song was written during a time when there were many people in her house and she retreated