"Alice" (CD single) (by Avril Lavigne, Soundtrack)

The story goes that Avril Lavigne wanted to be a part of the soundtrack to Disney's Alice and Wonderland so much that she wrote this song at the first sign of interest from the film's director, Tim Burton. It not only made it onto the album, After Alice, but it also leads off as its first single. If that wasn't inspiration enough to go after your goals, the message of the song should do it. Following the character of Alice, the song teaches listeners not to be bummed by a bad situation, even if that situation is falling down a rabbit hole into a Tim Burton CG fantasy world.

Leading off with some funky audio effects that musically duplicate Alice's trip into Wonderland, this single unabashedly interprets Alice's emotional journey to self-awareness. It's fun, fresh, and a little feisty, and perfectly complements the tone of the irreverent film. Lavigne channels this modern fairy tale heroine and makes the character her own. Sometimes such a by-the-book nod to a film can seem hokey, but with this over-the-top flick, the single fits the wild fantasy ride.