Misheard Lyrics

Discussion in 'Music' started by Tom Locke, Aug 28, 2015.

  1. Tom Locke

    Tom Locke Veteran Member
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    I'm sure everyone has their own favourite misheard lyric. Here's a few that I like:

    I can see Deirdre now Lorraine has gone.

    (Johnny Nash - I Can See Clearly Now)

    Sparing his life for his pork sausages.

    (Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody (“Spare him his life from this monstrosity”))

    Then I saw her face - now I'm gonna leave her.

    (The Monkees - I'm a Believer)

    Me ears are alight.

    (Desmond Dekker - The Israelites)

    Sue Lawley.

    (The Police - So Lonely*)

    * This probably doesn't make much sense to US readers. Sue Lawley is a well-known BBC newsreader and broadcaster in the UK.

    Of course, there's the famous Jimi Hendrix one, which I'm sure everyone has heard:

    'Scuse me while I kiss this guy.
     
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  2. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    When my daughter, Robin was a little girl, one of the favorite things we did was to sing songs while we were out horseback riding.
    One of the songs we sang was the song " Lucille", by Kenny Rogers.
    As we rode along singing happily, I happened to notice that Robin was singing one phrase just a little different. She was singing "four hundred children, and a crop in the field" rather than "four hungry children" (just in case you are not familiar with this song).

    To this day, we still laugh about this and usually sing her version of the song.

     
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  3. Tom Locke

    Tom Locke Veteran Member
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    I certainly remember this song and I have to confess that this household contrived its own version of the chorus, but I had better not give it here...suffice to say it involved "four hungry children" who just did something "in the fields."

    Being part of a folk band and of a somewhat sardonic nature, I've always enjoyed playing about with lyrics. I love old blues songs, but can't resist toying with lyrics. Hence, Blind Lemon Jefferson was subjected to a bit of alteration, in the song Won't You See My Grave's Kept Clean.

    Have you ever heard a coffin sound?
    Have you ever heard a coffin sound?
    Have you ever heard a coffin sound?
    Then you know somebody's got a cough.

    I didn't know whether to be flattered or annoyed when the band Half Man Half Biscuit used this precise line in their song Won't You See My Bike's Kept Clean?

    Flattery won the day. They are far better than our band.
     
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  4. Carlota Clemens

    Carlota Clemens Veteran Member
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    Just right now I don't remember the lyrics of some misheard songs, but I remember to have sung them the wrong way, LOL

    One of them I barely could cite as wrongly heard is Roberta Flack's "Killing me Softly" with is "sword" rather than "word," I don't think that killing with a sword is going to be so softly, hahaha

     
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  5. Tom Locke

    Tom Locke Veteran Member
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    Credence Clearwater Revival's Bad Moon Rising seems to be a good source of misunderstanding. I've heard all sorts of interpretations:

    There's a baboon on the right.
    There's a bathroom on the right.
    There's a bedroom on the right.

    Another Police song, Message in a Bottle, gets a mention for the mishearing of the line, "A year has passed since I wrote my note," for the splendid and rueful, "A year has passed since I broke my nose."
     
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  6. Jennifer Graves

    Jennifer Graves Veteran Member
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    Bobby Mcgee
    "One day up in ceiling in soho..."
     
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  7. Lois Winters

    Lois Winters Veteran Member
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    I doubt that is too difficult to mishear lyrics in today's songs as most are either shouted with pounding music behind or mumbled so badly, even the most practiced ear can miss the words.
     
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  8. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
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    "Hold me closer Tony Danza." (Tiny Dancer)
     
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  9. Thomas Stearn

    Thomas Stearn Veteran Member
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    "The girl with colitis walks by." (The girl with kaleidoscope eyes.)
    Beatles, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
     
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  10. Von Jones

    Von Jones Supreme Member
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    I can see clearly now the day is done.

    I had the lyrics to this song so messed up :oops:
     
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  11. Bobby Cole

    Bobby Cole Supreme Member
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    Bells on bobbed tail ring ?
    Bells on bob tail ring ?
    Bells on Bob’s tail ring ?

    Believe it or not, I contacted the lyric master, Google, and all three are used on different sites.
     
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  12. Patsy Faye

    Patsy Faye Supreme Member
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    I would hear - I can see clearly now Lorraine has gone ……….. :p
     
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  13. Al Amoling

    Al Amoling Veteran Member
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    It's not a song but I misheard this for years
    Screen Shot 2020-05-19 at 7.36.31 AM.png
     
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  14. Hal Pollner

    Hal Pollner Veteran Member
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    Chickery Chick, Cha La, Cha La
    Checkala Romey
    In a Bananika, Bollika Wollika can't you see?
    Chickery Chick is me!

    (This is of the same vintage as Mairzy Doats)
    Hal
     
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  15. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
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    "Like a virgin, for the 31st time." ... Madonna
     
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