How Alanis Morrisette ruined my weekend

It was supposed to be just another Saturday night out at the pub – me, the better half, my cousin and her hubby.  We found ourselves out in the backwaters of Bolton watching an old mate’s band.  The mate admirably twanged his way through several dodgy covers while the lead singer did her best to make our ears bleed, including a murderous performance of Alanis Morrisette’s Ironic.   

It was then my cousin turned to me and said (or rather mimed through the din), ‘Everyone says these lyrics aren’t actually ironic. If that’s so, what does ironic mean?’

 ‘Erm…’ I replied.