My family was eating at our favorite wings place the other day when Alanis Morissette’s ‘Ironic’ jumped out of the dining room speakers like a hyena pouncing on its prey.
Except the hyena would have had a more soothing voice.
I decided then and there that I would feature a week of songs that I dislike.
I know a lot of people dislike ‘Ironic’ because its lyrics do not in fact depict irony. In fact the only thing ironic about ‘Ironic’ is that it isn’t actually about irony.
But I let that pass because the embarrassing truth is that I couldn’t have offered up the proper definition of irony for much of my life. In fact, it might have been the outcry over this song’s misuse of the term that clued me in.
No, I hate this song because of the horrible shrieking chorus, and because of the cutesy chit-chatty way Morissette sings the verses. It is just off-putting and assaulting from start to finish.
Can’t we just enjoy our wings in peace?
He won the lottery and died the next day
It’s a black fly in your Chardonnay
It’s a death row pardon two minutes too late
Isn’t it ironic, don’t you think
[Chorus]
It’s like rain on your wedding day
It’s a free ride when you’ve already paid
It’s the good advice that you just didn’t take
Who would’ve thought, it figures
Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids good-bye
He waited his whole damn life to take that flight
And as the plane crashed down he thought
“Well, isn’t this nice.”
And isn’t it ironic,l don’t you think
[Chorus]
Well, life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
When you think everything’s okay and everything’s going right
And life has a funny way of helping you out when
You think everything’s gone wrong and everything blows up
In your face
A traffic jam when you’re already late
A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break
It’s like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife
It’s meeting the man of my dreams
And then meeting his beautiful wife
And isn’t it ironic, don’t you think
A little too ironic, and yeah I really do think
[Chorus]
Well, life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
And life has a funny way of helping you out
Helping you out.
Meet Me In Montauk 
So amused by your choice to fthemes this week. Hard to believe you’ve gone this long without featuring such a week of songs YOU hate (though you certainly have featured more than enough songs that I hate 😉 I, on the other hand, have always had a soft spot for this song – probably because it did give this English teacher an easy and accessible entry point into teaching irony (and what it isn’t), certainly. But also because I do sort of like the conversational way she delivers the verses. Still, I wouldn’t want to be assaulted with it while eating chicken wings, so I can empathize with you there.
Very interesting theme Clay … methinks you may have opened a vein with this one. I could fill a years worth of entries quite easily … can anyone say “Umbrella” by Rhianna?
I am also looking forward to this theme week. Were you also inspired by the Worst Songs category in SongPop? What I find amusing about that category is that, as you go along generally agreeing that the selections are bad songs, every once in awhile, one comes up that you find yourself saying, “Hey, wait a minute! I like that song! That shouldn’t be labeled a worst song!” Now, isn’t that ironic 🙂
As for today’s song, I, like Amy, have mixed feelings about this one. When it was in heavy rotation on the radio, I really disliked it, mostly because of the lyrics, but also her voice and delivery. I have since, however, heard her do an acoustic version on coffee house and have heard other songs by her that I find more compelling, such that I have softened my impression about her generally and this song specificaaly.
As an aside, what is your favorite wings place? I love a good wing! 🙂
I saw that SongPop category after I started this blog entry, but I had the same reaction… at least a couple of the songs were pretty good in my book.
Wings Plus in Lake Worth is the spot. I don’t know if they have any other locations.
I appreciate your honesty about the definition of irony, Clay. What would this be then, what is meeting the man of your dreams and then being introduced to his beautiful wife, dissappointment? I too have enjoyed Alanis Morissette on Coffee House. I also like the narrative style of the song. Sorry your wing enjoyment was slightly diminished though. Fun category. 🙂
Exactly, Andrea. The song isn’t “Things that are ironic” it’s “Things that suck.”
Looking forward to this week of “hated songs” I probably hate more songs than I love; but it’s all a matter of personal taste of course. What then is the true meaning of irony??
Andrea, I think most of the events in this song would best be described as “bad luck.”
The dictionary defines irony as “the use of words to convey a meaning that is opposite of its literal meaning.”
So, looking at Morissette’s example, a man who is afraid to fly dying in a crash when he finally takes a flight isn’t ironic, but him saying “Well, isn’t that nice” as the plane goes down is.
That would be verbal irony. There is also dramatic and situational irony (the closest example in the song being the death row pardon which comes as the execution is being performed). My students used to call this the “that really sucks” song, as they felt Morissette was providing one example after another of things that just suck, regardless of whether they happened to suck in an ironic way.
Ha! I didn’t see this reply when I made mine. 🙂 Perfect. 🙂