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Misheard Lyrics

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gbaughma

gbaughma

IS-IT--Management
Staff member
Nov 21, 2003
4,772
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You know, as I listen to music (especially since I sing better than a lot of "professional" artists, who run their words together, or don't end their words), my brain tends to "fill in" parts of the song that my ears aren't quite getting.

Case in point. "You shook me all night long" by AC/DC. For years, and up until JUST RECENTLY, I though he was saying "She had the satin sighs, telling me no lies"... and in fact, I was *singing* the song that way... .and only recently when an AC/DC Tribute Band called Hayseed Dixie came out, did I realize the words were "She had the sightless eyes, tellin' me no lies...."

To compound things, I sang it the wrong way live several times, including at a county fair concert where I was a guest singer. <LOL>

Any other examples of "misheard lyrics" from folks? One that I can think off (that I didn't mishear, but it's funny) was "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morisette, where folks were hearing "It's not fair... to deny me.. of the cross-eyed bear that you gave to me" (cross I bear) hehe



Just my 2¢

"In order to start solving a problem, one must first identify its owner." --Me
--Greg
 
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Creedence Clearwater Revival (during my day) were famous for delivering lyrics that we listeners just couldn't make out (whether it was Creedence's impairment or the listeners' is still up for debate).

Amongst the confusions were:

(Credence)
What we heard: "There's a bathroom on the right"
What they sang: "There's a bad moom on the the rise"

What we heard: "Humped alot of dames down in New Orleans"
What they sang: "Pumped a lot of pain down in New Orleans"

(AC/DC)
What we heard: "Dirty deeds thunder chief"
What they sang: "Dirty deeds done dirt cheap"

(Lynyrd Skynyrd)
What we heard: "Sweet home Mama, Mama"
What they sang: "Sweet home Alabama"

(Men at Work)
What we heard: "Midsummer's Day"
What they sang: "It's a Mistake"

(Manfred Mann's Earth Band) -- (These guys must have been absolutely wasted anytime they ever composed words or sang them for any song!)

What we heard: "Blinded by the light...<then nothing else in the entire song made any sense at all>"

What they sang: "Blinded by the light...<rest of lyrics here>"

(Santana)
What we heard: <Spanish barrio slang...never knowing what it meant>
What they sang: <Spanish barrio slang...only boys from the 'hood knew what it meant>

So, needless to say, unless it's Country/Western, I can't understand any of the words (and don't pay any attention), I just hum the tune (which can get you in trouble if the lyrics are dirty.)


[santa]Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I can provide you with low-cost, remote Database Administration services: see our website and contact me via www.dasages.com]
 
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Desmond Dekker:
Oh! Ah! The Israelites

always sounded like
Oh! Ah! Me ears are alight

Paints a lovely picture though [smile]

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jrbarnett: Yeah... if you want to hear what *others* have misheard. I was hoping for some "here's what happened to ME" stories... .hehe



Just my 2¢

"In order to start solving a problem, one must first identify its owner." --Me
--Greg
 
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My other half always though R Dean Taylor's 'Indiana Wants Me' was 'In The Animal Sea'.

All I ask of you
Is make my wildest dreams come true
 
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Another one that I misinterpreted for a long time was "Rodeo" by Garth Brooks:

"It's boots and chaps and cowboy hats, it's spurs and latigo"

I always thought he was saying "...spurs and let it go"



Just my 2¢

"In order to start solving a problem, one must first identify its owner." --Me
--Greg
 
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Personal Jesus" by Depeche Commode

My dad says "Reach out, touch base"

The correct lyric is "Reach out, touch faith"

He makes me laugh everytime...

----------

Steve Budzynski


"So, pass another round around for the kids. Who have nothing left to lose and for those souls old and sold out by the soles of my shoes"
 
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Well, this doesn't relate to misheard/misunderstood lyrics but you may find it amusing.

Whenever I hear "Livin' On A Prayer" (Bon Jovi) I can easily visualize the 7 dwarfs singing the "Oh-O, Livin' on a prayer" refrain in the strained falsetto harmony favored by 80's style rockers.

By the time they get to the key change (even higher falsetto) towards the end of the song, the visual of the 7 dwarfs playing their instruments & guitar players sharing a mike has me laughing outloud.

Sorry if this ruins the song for you, my daughter found it amusing the first time but now she wishes I never mentioned it.
 
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I had a dimwit girlfriend once (that dirty, cheatin' s___) that thought that the oft-misunderstood Eddie Vedder was saying "Stomp the wombat" when he really was saying "Don't go on me." in the song 'Go'. I almost peed my pants when I caught her singing it this way. "Stomp the wombat, stomp the wombat!"

The kid that lived down the street from me growing up was a lyric murderer the one that sticks in my mind is one he was picked on for years. The lyric is from Bob Seeger's 'Shakedown' and goes like this:
"Shakedown
Breakdown
Takedown
Everybody wants into the crowded line
Breakdown
Takedown
You're busted"

he said something like this:
"Snaketown
Breakdown
Takedown
Everybody runnin' car number nine
Breakdown
Takedown
You're busted"

--Gooser
 
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These are called "Mondegreens". There has been one or two threads dedicated to them in the past, but I can't find them at the moment.

Santa,
I agree that Manfred Mann must have been pretty out of it when recording "Blinded by the light", but the lyrics (and the original recording) are by Bruce Springsteen. I learned what the words actually were when I heard Bruce sing it.

That has the be the only song where hearing Bruce Springsteen sing it makes the lyrics easier to discern!

[tt]_____
[blue]-John[/blue][/tt]
[tab][red]The plural of anecdote is not data[/red]

Help us help you. Please read FAQ181-2886 before posting.
 
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II try" Macy Gray


I know she really sang
"My world crumbles when you are not near"
but I always hear
"I wear googles when you are not here"

Fee

The question should be [red]Is it worth trying to do?[/red] not [blue] Can it be done?[/blue]
 
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My mother always used to say how stupid she thought the song "Aquarius" (or "Age of Aquarius") was because it contained the phrase "when Jupiter collides with Mars". I tried to explain to her it was "when Jupiter aligns with Mars" but she didn't want to be corrected.

Tracy Dryden

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons,
For you are crunchy, and good with mustard. [dragon]
 
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Wrapped up like a Deuce (Douche?).

I thought Garth was saying Atlanta Gold (belt buckle)?

Bo

Kentucky phone support-
"Mash the Kentrol key and hit scape."
 
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Greg, I'm supprised you manage to get any AC/DC lyrics without checking for original writen proof.

for an idea of this being demonstrated....check out Jim Breuer - Comedy Store Special for his AC/DC section....

Dio (Ronnie J Dio) sounds like AC/DC after articulation lessons.

Hope this Helps.

Neil J Cotton
njc Information Systems
Systems Consultant
 
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Slightly OT - but dealing with how difficult it can be to understand lyrics...

My senior year in HS we were setting up for a dance after school was out on Friday and someone had turned the radio on. Well one of the teachers walks in right as the lyrics "Welcome to the P**n shop" come on. To this day I'm still not sure whether the two middle letters contained 'wa' or 'ro' (unscatter the words yourself). The teacher gave the radio a very long stare and then moved on.

It may be that sometimes mumbling is a good thing...
 
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Do you mean,
"Welcome to the Pawn Shop"
vs
"Welcome to the Porn Shop"
?

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