Ironic Alanis Morissette
Ironic - Alanis Morissette
From the album, "Jagged Little Pill"
Words and music by Alanis Morissette
(Laboriously typed up by Mardi Gras(TNT))
Notes: If there are spacing errors... That's because I didn't type all this up on a PC or Mac! Requires a minimum of 2 guitars. Guitar 1 plays the intro rhythm where required and the sections where the chords are shown above the lyrics. Guitar 2 handles all the rhythm figures and adds the boost in the song by accompanying Guitar 1 with some of the chords in the chorus sections. Ideally, Guitar 1 should be acoustic and Guitar 2 should have a switch between a soft neck postion sound and distortion.
The chords in verse 1 are to be played really softly and smoothly, almost sweep picking the strings. In verse 3, Guitar 1 plays the chords shown, but this time adding a lot of palm muting between chord changes (listen to the track). Later on in verse 3, on the part where "And isn't it ironic... etc..." is sung, Guitar 1 arpeggiates the chords instead of just strumming the chords (again, listen to the track).
Tablature explanation:
2^4 Hammer on from 2 to 4
4^2 Pull off from 4 to 2
2/4 Slide up from 2 to 4
4\2 Slide down from 4 to 2
2'(4) Bend up a whole step from 2 to 4
(4)`2 Release bend a whole step from 4 to 2
2~~~ Vibrato on 2
2^^^ Heavy vibrato/Tremelo vibrato on 2
+2 Tap on 2
2- Release tap off 2
+2/4 Tap 2 and slide up to 4
+4\2 Tap 4 and slide down to 2
Suggested chords: F# 244322
[B] [224442]
[G#m] [466444]
Intro 1:
This is played during the bit where Alanis sings "hi hi hi, la la la, hi hi"
E| 7 7 7 7 7 7 9 9 9 | 9 9 9 7 7 7 7 7 7
B| O O O O O O O O O | O O O O O O O O O
G| 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 | 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
D| 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 | 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
A| |
E| |
Intro 2:
E| 7 6 |
B| 7 |
G| |
D| 9~~~ |
A| |
E| |
Verse 1: An [F#]old [B]man [F#]turned ninety-[G#m]eight
He won the [F#]lotte[B]ry and [F#]died the next [G#m]day
It's a [F#]black [B]fly in [F#]your chardon[G#m]nay
It's a [F#]death row [B]pardon two [F#]minutes to [G#m]late
And isn't it [F#]ironic...[B] Don't you [F#]think?[G#m]
Chorus: It's like ra[F#]in [B] on your [F#]wedding [G#m]day
It's a free [F#]rid[B]e when you've [F#]already [G#m]paid
It's the good [F#]adv[B]ice that you [F#]just didn't [G#m]take
And [A]who would have [G#m]thought... It fig[F#]ures?
Rhythm Fig 1:
E| |
B| 2^4 2 2 4 |
G| 4 1~~~ |
D| |
A| |
E| |
Rhythm Fig 2:
E| |
B| 2^4 2 2~~~~~~~~~~ |
G| 4 |
D| |
A| |
E| |
Rhythm Fig 3:
E| 2^4 2 2~~~~~~~~~~ |
B| 4 |
G| |
D| |
A| |
E| |
Rhythm Fig 4:
E| 9 7 |
B| 7/9 9\7 7~~~~~~~ |
G| |
D| |
A| |
E| |
[F#] [B] (Rhy Fi[F#]g 1) [G#m]
Verse 2: Mr. Play-It-Safe was afraid to fly
F# B F# G#m (Rhy Fig 2)
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids goodbye
F# B F# G#m (Rhy Fig 3) He waited his whole damn life just to take that flight
And as the [F#]plane [B]crashed down he thought, "[F#]well isn't [G#m]this nice?"
F# B F# G#m (Rhy Fig 4)
And isn't it ironic... Don't you think?
Chorus: (Repeat chorus as before)
Rhythm Fig 5:
E| 2^4 2 |
B| 2^4~~~~~~~~~~ |
G| |
D| |
A| |
E| |
Rhythm Fig 6:
E| 9 7~~~~~~~~~ |
B| 7/9 9\7 |
G| |
D| |
A| |
E| |
Bridge: (Play the intro 1 rhythm throughout this part)
Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
(Rhy Fig 5) When you think everything is okay and everything's going right
(Rhy Fig 6)
And life has a funny way of helping you out when you think
Everything's gone wrong and everything blows up in your face
(Intro 2 rhy)
Rhythm Fig 7:
E| | |
B| 7 | |
G| 6 8~~~~~~~~~~~ | 6 8 |
D| | 9~~~~~~~~`~~ |
A| | |
E| | |
Verse 3: (Play Rhy Fig 7 throughout)
A [F#]traffic [B]jam when you are [F#]already [G#m]late
A no-[F#]smoking [B]sign on your [F#]cigarette [G#m]break
It's like [F#]ten thousand [B]spoons when all you [F#]need is a [G#m]knife
(No instruments on these last two lines)
It's like meeting the man of my dreams
And then meeting his beautiful wife
(Bongo drums Fill-in)
And isn't it i[F#]ronic.[B].. Don't you [F#]think?[G#m]
A little [F#]too ir[B]onic... And yeah I[F#] really do[G#m] think...
Chorus: (Repeat chorus as before)
Coda: (Play the intro 1 rhythm throughout this part)
Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
Life has a funny, funny way of helping you out... Helping you out
(Cymbals and ending on guitars)
(I suggest you end on the intro 2 rhythm s-l-o-w-l-y)
That's about it for Ironic. There is only so much that can be explained in words. I suggest you just listen to the track. The song itself is fairly easy and sounds great when played with a band. I'm fairly sure that what I have tabbed out is accurate to the track on the album. There may be small errors here and there, so corrections are all welcome.
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