About this episode
This week on the Surely You Can’t Be Serious podcast, Jason and Dee continue their 90s album trilogy by exploring the quiet, unconventional, and deeply heartfelt debut that turned a young Alaskan singer-songwriter into a global sensation—Jewel’s Pieces of You. The guys dig into Jewel’s extraordinary backstory: her nomadic childhood in the Alaskan wilderness, the hardships that shaped her voice and worldview, and her determination to bring stripped-down, folk-driven storytelling to a pop landscape dominated by grunge and polished radio hits. Jason and Dee break down how Pieces of You was created—from the raw, minimalist production to the live-recorded tracks that captured the honesty of her coffeehouse performances. They uncover the stories behind every song, from the emotional punch of “You Were Meant for Me,” to the aching vulnerability of “Foolish Games,” to the social commentary woven throughout the album’s lesser-known tracks. And they trace the album’s slow but unstoppable rise as it connected with listeners one heart at a time, ultimately becoming one of the defining singer-songwriter albums of the decade. This is week two of a three-week showdown. Jason and Dee kicked things off with Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill, and next week they’ll wrap up the trilogy with No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom. Once all three albums are on the table, how will the guys rank these 90s icons in terms of songwriting, impact, longevity, and cultural footprint? Tune in to find out—because the ultimate 90s showdown is heating up.