Well Alanis’ Jagged Little Pill must have came out circa 1995. I’m sure she won a few Juno Awards for it back in the day. It has this soft-hard-soft-hard vibe that was also played upon by such bands as Nirvana.
An old man turned 98.
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.
And isn’t it ironic, don’t you think?
— A.M. Ironic
Not to go all grammar/usage Nazi on ya here Alanis, but I really don’t think any of that is slightly ironic. It’s hella unfortunate but not in the least bit ironic!! Usage Canuck, usage!!
There’s a fine fine line between sarcasm, irony, usage, & satire. Yes, sarcasm might be my love language but it’s not an honest way to communicate about things that really matter. In fact it’s a way to sidestep crucial conversations to try to avoid conflict in a cutting biting way. It’s passive-aggressive. I’m really really good at it, or so I’m told. It’s nothing I’m proud of and can be very hurtful to the ones you love… and this one does go out to the ones I love. — R.E.M.
So a black fly in your Chardonnay is just a whiny little 1st world problem Alanis!!! Flick the fly out and drink up pup!! It’s unfortunate, but not ironic.
I’ve been told Alanis’ error is actually a usage issue not a grammar issue.
The issue of usage: For example: ‘Grammar’ refers to the syntax, inflections, and structure of a language, whereas complaints about the misuse of the word ‘irony’ would fall into the category of ‘usage’.
Let’s re-write this lyrics shall we Alanis and throw in a healthy black dose of irony in there shall we?!
An old man turned 98.
He had Alzheimer’s, thought he was Benjamin Button, celebrated his 4th birthday… and still freaking died!!!
It’s a black fly doing the backstroke in your Rose and turns out he beat Michael Phelps who was smoking a Jay in that same glass of sweetened up ungodly watering down of red wine!!!!
It’s a death row pardon two minutes too late and then the electric chair shorted out and the convict busted the glass accosted the warden pushed him into the electric chair that in turn fixed the short and the warden freaking died!!!
And isn’t it ironic, don’t you think?
Yes, Alanis, that’s freaking ironic as shit in a very warped twisted way… but still freaking funny.
So elevate irony and use it over and over and over again to make some point albeit political, societal, or interpersonal and bam…. the highest art form—Satire!
Satire and the music of Alanis. Good thingz!!!!
ZandMe's 999 Good Things 