Isn't It (Un)ironic?

Roughly three years ago, I critically examined a Christmas classic. Earlier this year, I followed that up with a takedown of a New Year’s Eve song. It’s only fitting that I complete the trifecta with a deconstruction of something I despise: “Ironic”, by Alanis Morissette. Keep in mind that I rarely despise songs, even trashy ones, so that should already be a red flag.

What’s “Ironic”? It’s a 1995 hit about situations Morissette deems “ironic”. In theory, this should be a no-brainer. Irony’s present everywhere in life, be it intentional or unintentional, so there’s plenty of material to work with. It helps that the tune’s also catchy, making it stand out. The only problem?

The lyrics.

Let’s start with a working definition. To quote Merriam-Webster, irony is:

“…[A] situation that is strange or funny because things happen in a way that seems to be the opposite of what you expected.”

This is their second definition, FYI. Regardless, irony implies a contradiction of intent. To use a famous example, Donald Dean Summerville, the 53rd mayor of Toronto, had a massive heart attack and died during a hockey tournament promoting The Heart and Stroke Foundation. The incident was tragic, but also ironic. (It’s also an extreme example.)

Irony is easy to write about: a person having a heart attack at a charity event for heart health? That’s ironic. An organization advocating for the ethical treatment of animals while secretly euthanizing dogs? Cruel, but also ironic. A politician claiming to rid politics of corruption, only to be revealed to be corrupt? Obnoxious, but ironic.

Unfortunately, Morissette’s song misses the boat. To be fair, not all her scenarios are bad candidates in theory: a man too cautious to fly dying in the first plane he boards? Maybe. A traffic jam when you’re already late for work? Again, maybe. These are decent setups, but they lack the extra punch.

And then the chorus ruins everything by using clichés as ironies. I mean, “rain on your wedding day” is obnoxious, and I know people who’ve experienced it, but is it “ironic”? Not really. It’s more unfortunate, and it’s a really bad example. Additionally, ignoring free advice is stupid and short-sighted.

This is the problem with Morissette’s song: her scenarios, while strange, don’t fit the criteria for irony. Some, like the plane and the traffic jam, come close, but they’re incomplete. Because irony needs both a setup and a payoff. Like a joke, the punchline has to work to really land.

I’m not the first person to criticize Morissette’s song. Aside from radio stations refusing to air it following 9/11, it’s been chastised for not understanding “irony” frequently. In particular, Stephen Thomas Erwine called that out in his review. So it’s like flogging a dead horse now, especially 26 years later. It’s not even fair, honestly.

However, there’s actually one irony here that does land, despite all evidence to the contrary. It’s the song’s title. “Ironic” could’ve been titled “Tragic” and still worked. It could’ve also been titled “Unfortunate”. It could’ve even been titled “Oh Crap Moments” and been on-the-nose, but…well, you get the picture.

Regardless, it was titled “Ironic”. And in having its name be “Ironic”, all while not containing irony, it qualifies by accident. That’s ironic. Which is shocking, frightening and really annoying for someone like myself, who majored in English in university. I should know, I’ve gotten the concept wrong many times!

So what now? I don’t know. The song’s been in the zeitgeist for decades, and it’s routinely played on Canadian airwaves. It also, like I said in the beginning, is really catchy. I may not like it, but I often find myself humming the chords from time to time. I guess it’s an ear-worm?

Yet it getting stuck in my head is a problem. “Baby It’s Cold Outside” has an infectious and upbeat charm that, outside of its lyrics, is fun to belt annually. “Imagine” has a hopeful message about world unity. “Ironic”, though? I’ve never gotten that, as much as I’ve tried. Ignoring its misuse of “ironic”, its lyrics aren’t even that inspired. This isn’t even a dig at Morissette, a woman who knew “My Humps” was parody-worthy.

Still, why is this the song she’s most remembered for? Why is this the one that routinely gets played? Why is it the one that made the billboards? And why is this, from her entire oeuvre, the most talked about? Why “Ironic”?

I have two theories. The cynical one is that Morissette isn’t that great a songwriter. Sure, her lyrics and tunes are “catchy”, but she lacks insight. “Ironic”, therefore, is easy to ridicule, a catchy ditty that’s fun to mock. But that’s underselling her, so I’m not convinced.

The optimistic one is that the song inspires hope. Sure, the lyrics are ridiculous. Yes, it doesn’t understand its own thesis statement. And true, it’s fun to mock. But it speaks to frustrations that occur in real life, ones we can all relate to. That’s more important than accuracy.

Does that mean I now like “Ironic”? No. The song’s awful! But I can respect it for what it’s attempting. It doesn’t work, but I admire its attempt. And that’s what counts.