"Guardian" is a song by Canadian-American recording artist Alanis Morissette, released as the lead single from her eighth studio album, Havoc and Bright Lights (2012).

The music video was released on July 27, 2012, and it shows Morissette singing on a Berlin rooftop equipped with a set of angel wings and eventually brightens the children and parents she is watching over.

Morissette has promoted the track with live performances, including Dancing with the Stars, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and The View.

After finishing promotion for Flavors of Entanglement and leaving Maverick Records, Morissette got married and gave birth to a son in 2010.

She didn't give information about writing an album, however she was seen leaving Sunset Sound Recorders in Los Angeles (meanwhile the company listed her as a 2011 client[3]).

The greatest offering and aspiration within any relationship, for me, is the willingness to combine protection, commitment, vulnerability, tenacity, tenderness, constancy, empathy, mutuality, intentionality, innocence, presence, courage, freedom-offering and beautiful humanity at the same time.

The song is a direct celebration of motherhood and it speaks of angels and keepers, wardens and warriors, mixing imagery of care and protection.

"[8] Robbie Daw of Idolator praised the song, writing: "It’s a bright guitar-pop jam that shines with instant Morissette familiarity while still managing to sound fresh.

"[11] Kyle Anderson from Entertainment Weekly's Music Mix wrote that the song "sticks to the loud-quiet-loud alt-rock dynamic, keeping up that trend, and happily also feeling like old-school Alanis.

"[13] Jonathan Keefe wrote for Slant Magazine that the song "boast lyrical hook that is as plainspoken and genuinely lovely as anything she's ever written.

"[14] Robert Copsey from Digital Spy wrote that the track is "a light and airy ode to the husband and son she's accumulated in the last four years and told with a Cheshire Cat-like grin that's almost audible by the final chorus.

"[15] Jody Rosen from Rolling Stone gave the song 3 out of 5 stars, commenting: "Morissette's warble still has the power to peel shingles off rooftops.

In Brazil, the song debuted in the lower parts of the chart, but after accumulating airplay for three weeks, peaked at number 31, becoming another top 40 hit for Morissette in that country.

[4] "This video is a tip of the hat to Wim Wenders' Wings of Desire - it is the 25th anniversary of the film having been released," Morissette told Spinner magazine.

During the chorus, with the video now in color, we see a 'normal' Morissette situated in a white abstract room, playing the guitar and singing amongst her new band members.

[11] X. Alexander of Idolator Blog expressed a mixed opinion, writing "Guardian carries on with the long-standing music video tradition of pop stars as emotive savior to the masses, though it’s a bit unclear just how much of a 'guardian' Alanis really is, since she mostly just stands there watching and singing as a kid is bullied and a girl deals with her fighting parents.

"[11] Morissette performed "Guardian" on March 21, 2012 (along with another new song, "Spiral") during "Guitar Center Sessions with host Nic Harcourt" on DirecTV.