Ironic by Alanis Morissette - guitar chords, guitar tabs and lyrics

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| |

	F#	B	F#	G#m
Verse 1: An	old	man	turned ninety-	eight

	F#	B	F#	G#m
He won the	lotte	ry and	died the next	day

	F#	B	F#	G#m
It's a	black	fly in	your chardon	nay

	F#	B	F#	G#m
It's a	death row	pardon two	minutes to	late

	F#	B	F#	G#m
And isn't it	ironic...	Don't you	think?

	F#	B	F#	G#m
Chorus: It's like ra	in	on your	wedding	day

	F#	B	F#	G#m
It's a free	rid	e when you've	already	paid

	F#	B	F#	G#m
It's the good	adv	ice that you	just didn't	take

	A	G#m	F#
And	who would have	thought... It fig	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	F#	G#m
		(Rhy Fi	g 1)

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

	F#	B	F#	G#m
And as the	plane	crashed down he thought, "well	isn't 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)

	F#	B	F#	G#m
A	traffic	jam when you are	already	late

	F#	B	F#	G#m
A no-	smoking	sign on your	cigarette	break

	F#	B	F#	G#m
It's like	ten thousand	spoons when all you	need is a	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)

	F#	B	F#	G#m
And isn't it i	ronic.	.. Don't you	think?

	F#	B	F#	G#m
A little	too ir	onic... And yeah I	really do	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.