I know that this thread title is rather ambiguous, but its the only thing I could come up with. What I mean is, when you take a song and just look at its lyrics it seems to be a happy uplifting song, but when the artist actually performs the song it comes off as very melancholy. Really any kind of opposite reactions.

Here's my equation: ___(insert emotional vibe from lyrics) + ___(insert emotional vibe from performance of song) = most ironic song.

Mine is "A Perfect Day" by Lou Reed. The chorus sounds so mournful, and while I admit some of the lyrics would clue you into the song have a rather somber vibe, it is still the most ironic song I have found.

"Today" by The Smashing Pumpkins

Billy Corgan actually wrote it when he was ready to kill himself and the lyrics actually point towards this, and the sarcastic line "Today is the greatest day..." is almost always misinterpreted.

Green Day - Time of Your Life

Depeche Mode's "Somebody"

Jon

Bella by Sidi Bou Said, it's rather happy sounding and all about how she gets off on killing. A little sample of the lyrics...

The knife feels good against my palm,
Gives me the power that I desire.
That I will push... into your flesh,
And rip your guts... like you deserve.

Slice them up! Now I feel better.
All this bloodlust makes me wetter.
Execute them to the letter.....

Then they go into a really happy sounding pop type chorus, it really is quite an interesting song.

~Scheherazade

Actually, I find Depeche Mode's "Clean" to be their most ironic song. Especially considering that Dave was well on his way down a very dark and almost fatal path at the point of recording that track...

-matt

The most ironic song I can think of is from The Beavis and Butthead Experience.

Nirvana had one of the last (the last?) songs they released as a band on it.

It was called "I Hate Myself and Want to Die."

I don't know why I didn't think of that song. While I'm thinking of that (masterpiece) album, the lines from "Hummer" where he says, "I looooove you," sound incredibly painful.

Another one that just came to mind is "Three Peaches" by Neutral Milk Hotel. He manages to stretch "I'm so glad you're not dead," into this 30 second croan of pure despair.

Ironic by Alanis Morissette.

Bittersweet melody, by the Verve.

'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, this life
Try to make ends meet
Try to find some money then you die

Especially ironic because it was their biggest single but 100% of the money they made went to the Stones.

why's that

They took a sample of some music off an instrumental Stone's album without their permission. So the Stones said that all the money from the single went to them, and that the song could never be used on a greatest hits collection.

Actually all the stuff she talks about in that song is unfortunate, not ironic.

One of the most ironic songs is Papa Roach's "between angels and insects".

Lyrics:

There's no money
There's no possessions
Only obsessions
I dont need that s**t
Take my money
Take my obsession

-----

Ironic because they insist on plastering themselves all over MTV.

I'll second that.

Today by Smashing Pumpkins is my all-time favorite song (I'm not suicidal, I just dig the music)

Which makes it ironic: a song that's called "Ironic" that is not actually ironic.

We have a winner!!!!!

What an idiot. She could have at least picked up a dictionary before basing an entire song on a word she doesn't know the definition of.

"Girlfriend in a Coma" by Morrissey is pretty amusing. The lyrics are tragic, but the melody is so upbeat and fun.

"Girlfriend in a coma I know, I know...
It's serious...."

Thank god I'm not the only one bothered by this.

Not really ironic par se, but only Autuers' frontmen Luke Haines can create a pop song that has the line"

"If you can't change the world, kill yourself"

Morbid, eh?