Name:______Date:______Period:______
Song Analysis: “Ironic” by Alanis Morissette
Directions: Evaluate at least FIVE events in this song for irony. Explain why the events you choose are not actually ironic. Remember irony is about expectations! Think about if each event is a situation that is unexpected.
Song lyrics divided into events / Is this event ironic? Why or why not?Verse 1
An old man turned ninety-eight
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 weddin' day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
And who would've thought, it figures
Verse 2
Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids goodbye
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
Don't you think?
Repeat Chorus
Bridge
Well life has a funny way of sneakin' up on you
When you think everything's okay and everything's goin' right, right
And life has a funny way nobody helpin' you out when
You think everyhing's gone wrong and everything blows up in your face
Verse 3
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 meetin' the man of my dreams
And then meetin' his beautiful wife, umm
Repeat Chorus
1. What type of irony is trying to be used in this song? Explain.
2. Why is the title of the song ironic?
“Actually Ironic” Lyrics by Patrick Cassels; Produced by College Humor
An old man turned 98
He won the lottery and died the next day (of a shock induced heart attack)
It's a black fly
In your Chardonnay (for to celebrate your apartment fumigation)
It's a death row pardon
Two minutes too late (As the governor was busy watching Dead Man Walking)
And isn't it ironic
Don't yathink
It's like rain (At a dehydration victim’s funeral)
It's a free ride (to your bankruptcy trial)
It's the good advice (to never listen to me)
And who woulda thought
It figures
Just to play it safe he was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids goodbye
He waited his whole damn life to take that flight
And as the plane crashed down he thought "Now I'll never make it to that fear of flying seminar"
And isn't it ironic
Don't yathink
It's like rain (flooding an umbrella factory)
It's a free ride (to an overpriced car dealership)
It's the good advice (from the guy who just got you fired)
And who woulda thought
It figures
A traffic jam
When you're already late (to receive an award for reducing automobile congestion)
A no smoking sign
On your cigarette break at (RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company)
It's like 10,000 spoons
When all you need is a knife (to rob a soup kitchen)
It's meeting the man of my dreams
And then meeting his beautiful wife (who's also my relationship therapist)
And isn't it ironic, don't ya think
A little too ironic
Yeah I really do think
It's like rain
On your wedding day (to the Egyptian sun-god Ra)
It's a free ride
When you've already paid (For a stolen car)
It's the good advice
Someone advised you not to take
And who woulda thought
It figures
I have funny way of defining rhetorical devices that I use in songs
Songs have a funny way of getting things wrong
“It’s Finally Ironic”by Eliza and Rachel Hurwitz
An old man turned 98
He won the lottery, and died the next day from a sever paper cut from his lottery ticket
It’s a black fly in your chardonnay that was specifically purchased to repel black flies
It’s a death row pardon that causes your demise, because you leave the jail and get hit by a bus
And that really is ironic
We fixed it for you, Alanis (you’re welcome)
It’s like rain on your wedding day, a day and place
You chose because it’s known not to rain
It’s a free ride, but you get mugged on the way
We’ve got good advice we’re forcing you to take
And who would’ve thought, it figures!
Mr. Play-it-safe was afraid to drive,
Instead he packed his suitcase and got ready to fly
He wasted his whole damn life being afraid of cars
But as the plane crashed down, he thought, well isn’t this nice?
And that really is ironic
We fixed it for you, Alanis (you’re welcome)
It’s like rain on your wedding day, a day and place
You chose because it’s known not to rain
It’s a free ride, but you get mugged on the way
We’ve got good advice we’re forcing you to take
And who would’ve thought, it figures!
We’ve got an editorial way of sneaking up on you
When you think your irony is okay and the examples in your song are right
We’ve got an editorial way of helping you out when your song
About irony is wrong and everyone says it to your face
A traffic jam causes you to leave early,
But you rush and get in a crash, which causes you to be late
A no-smoking sign you hung up when you quit,
Now you started again but can’t smoke ‘cause of the sign
It’s like ten thousand spoons you bought with your only knife
Now all you need is a knife, but you only have spoons!
It’s meeting the man of your dreams…
And meeting his beautiful wife at couple’s therapy
And that really is ironic, don’t you think?
Finally ironic, and yeah we really do think
It’s like rain on your wedding day, a day and place
You chose because it’s known not to rain
It’s a free ride, but you get mugged on the way
We’ve got good advice we’re forcing you to take
Our changes make it so your song makes sense
Who would’ve thought, it figures!
We’ve got an editorial way of sneaking up on you
We’ve got an editorial, editorial way of helping you out,
Helping you out.