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Ben Rogerson

“I'm 90% grammar police…. and then 10% I really couldn't care less”: Alanis Morissette reveals what she thinks is “the real irony” of the fuss caused by the lyrics in her 1996 hit

Alanis Morissette Police
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 27: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Alanis Morrisette performs live on stage at The O2 Arena on July 27, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage for ABA).

For Alanis Morissette, 1996 single Ironic was a bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it gave her a massive hit, but on the other, she’s had to spend the past 30 years defending the song’s lyrics and explaining that, yes, she does actually know what irony is.

Speaking on a new episode of MGM+’s Words + Music, though, Morissette suggests that she’s no longer bothered about what people think. Looking back on the song’s release, she says: "People got really triggered by the malapropism, or whatever the word. I am a linguist. I'm obsessed with linguistics. I also love making up words, and I also don't care."

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