In the song “Funny the Way It Is”, Dave Matthews utilizes comparative irony, first person point of view, and vivid imagery to display how “funny the way” things turn out in life. Dave Matthews shows people examples of the common yet complex way things can turn out in life through his music.
Dave Matthews uses vivid imagery throughout his song to give the listener an easier way to relate and imagine the things he viewed while writing. “Lying in the park on a beautiful day/Sunshine in the grass, and the children play” gives a perspective of the setting that is surrounding them at this point in time. It is a warm and relaxing day for many of the people in this specific area and “You hear the laughter while the children play”. Matthews also tries to express imagery while keeping this peaceful mood by making you imagine “mountains and oceans and winters and rivers and stars” because they are all relaxing things to have a vision of. Dave Matthews wants you to an aspect of the emotions he was feeling while writing this song and says “Standing on a bridge, watch the water passing under me” to present the tranquil views he had envisioned.
Matthews utilizes comparative irony in several places throughout his song to make people witness the irony that they may come across in life every day without even realizing. Throughout the song he keeps a very peaceful view but obscurely hides the wrong and ironic things that are appearing. “On a soldier’s last breath his baby’s being born” is an ironic example because as this soldier is losing his life, a new life is being brought into the world. Although a soldier’s life is ending a new life is beginning because of dying soldier. Matthews compares an ending by death to a new beginning to life through a soldier’s child being born. As Dave said it was “a beautiful day” yet he was witnessing “Siren’s passing, fire engine red” which is ironic because on such a beautiful day you would expect everyone to be happy and peaceful but “Someone’s house is burning down on a day like this”. Considering it is such a wonderful day for you, you do not expect someone else to be having a dreadful day and it is ironic how those types of things happen in everyday life. As you are enjoying a day like this “You hear the laughter while the children play war”. The irony of that line is that children are laughing and enjoying themselves while playing war yet war is a serious and horrible thing to have to experience. As Matthews continues singing his song he presents irony while saying “Somebody’s broken heart becomes your favorite song” meaning while someone’s heart is breaking a song about it is being produces. As this song is heard by people it becomes their favorite song but to make this song it took a broken heart to occur. This song that someone really enjoys and makes them happy came from someone else’s sadness. It is “Funny the Way” the things you come across everyday can turn out to be so ironic.
Although both irony and imagery were utilized throughout this Dave Matthews song, he also uses first person point of view. “Standing on a bridge, watch the water passing under me” is an example of this because it gives us a different perspective as to what he is feeling rather than ourselves. He is standing on a bridge watching the water himself which gives us an aspect of what he is seeing. He was “Lying in the park on a beautiful day” wondering if there is “someone up there looking down on me?”. This is an example of first person point of view because he wonders if someone is watching down on him while he is alone and he sings it as if he were talking to himself. Throughout the duration of this song Matthews questions things about himself and that revolve around him.
The Dave Matthews Band use their music to create a perspective of how “Funny the Way” things often turn out to be. He used comparative irony, first person point of view, and vivid imagery to create a new aspect of the way people look at things throughout the day. Comparing ironic objects and presenting the vivid images he was imagining helped to convey how ironic things really can turn out at the end of the day.
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