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The
Most Mumbled Songs of all Time!
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About Misunderstood Song
Lyrics
The official word for them is "mondegreen", named
by Sylvia Wright, who wrote a column about them in the 1950s,
when she told of her own misunderstood Scottish folk song,
"The Bonny Earl Of Morray." She heard the correct
lyric, "Oh, they have slain the Earl O' Morray and laid
him on the green" as "Oh, they have slain the Earl
O' Morray and Lady Mondegreen."
We have purposely left every Bob Dylan song off this list.
He is truly the god of mumbled lyrics, and no other singer/songwriter
could hold a candle to his wind. Some other notable mumblers
include Macy Gray, early Bruce Springsteen and, of course,
Michael Stipe from R.E.M. If you have any to add, please e-mail
them to us! |
| What
They Sounded Like: |
What
They Really Said: |
"I'm not talkin'
'bout a live-in" OR
"I'm not talkin 'bout millennium" OR
"I'm not talkin' 'bout beliddian" OR
"I'm not talkin' 'bout a givin' in"
England Dan and John Ford Coley- I'd
Really Love To See You Tonight |
"I'm not talking
'bout moving in"
We're not sure what the extra syllable
is though! |
When I was in the first
grade, our class put on a show where we sang
Michael Jackson's "Heal the World." Well, this song
never made sense to
me because I thought he was singing, "Kill the World."
After the show a
number of my classmates mocked me for singing "Kill"
instead of "Heal." I
had no choice but to deny it and accuse them of the same.
-Zach
P.S. As a youngster I also had trouble with "Barbara
Ann." |
She comes back to tell
me she's gone,
As if I didn't know that
As if I didn't know my own bed,
As if I'd never noticed,
The way she brushed her hair and farted
Paul Simon - Graceland |
She comes back to tell
me she's gone,
As if I didn't know that
As if I didn't know my own bed,
As if I'd never noticed,
The way she brushed her hair from forehead
Thanks Darren S! |
"Bald Headed Woman"
Bee Gees - More Than A Woman |
"More Than a Woman"
Thanks Argfam! |
"So take your records,
take your freedom
Take your Breath Mints I don't eat 'em
And take your cat and leave my sweater"
Keith Urban - You'll Think of Me |
"So take your records,
take your freedom
Take your memories I don't need'em
And take your cap and leave my sweater"
Thanks Kate! |
On the Dutch version
of Idols a girl sang Killing me Softly with his song,
by Roberta Flack (already on your list, version by Lauryn
Hill)
Instead of singing "Strummin' my pain with his fingers",
she sang "Strong in my pants with his fingers".
Just so you know.
- Tim and Eline from Holland |
"Don't make me
yodel"
Sybil - Don't Make Me Over |
"Don't Make Me
Over"
Thanks Carmen! |
"Come to me with
broken arms..."
Journey - Open Arms |
"Come to me with
open arms..."
Thanks Cherise! |
I'm sure we can all
admit to singing the wrong lyrics to songs, but hearing someone
else do it is always funny. This is a cute story:
The song was WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE by Cliff Richard
I was sitting at my desk and heard one of the guys in the
office humming/singing the song. He passed by my desk and
I hear him singing, "Disco Bunny, how we don't talk anymore).
I looked up at him and there he was serious as anything singing
these words. I started to laugh and asked him what song he
was singing. He said, "You know, that song DISCO BUNNY".
Every time I hear it on a radio station I always get a laugh
reminiscing.
- Debbie Randazzo |
|
"I'll never leave your pizza burning"
Rolling Stones - Beast of Burden
|
"I'll Never Be
Your Beast of Burden"
Thanks Michelle C! |
"It just takes
some time, little bit
of in the middle of the rhyme"
Jimmy Eats World - In The Middle |
"It just takes
some time, little girl
You're in the middle of the ride"
Thanks Nick! |
"Strummin' my brain
with his fingers...."
Lauryn Hill - Killing Me Softly |
"Strummin' my pain
with his fingers"
Thanks GreenMtGrandma! |
Elton
John - Bennie and the Jets
In fifth grade, we thought this was the best song on the radio....we
couldn't believe they'd play a song about such a risque subject!
I now know the line is: "She's got electric boots, a
mohair suit, you know I read it in a magazine...." We
heard: "She's got electric boobs, and no hair, too....."
I still laugh today, every time I hear that song.
Thanks, JCarroll! |
"Slow talking
Walter, the fire-engine guy"
Deep Purple - Smoke on the Water |
"Smoke on the
Water, Fire in the Sky"
Thanks, DOrr42Bsure! |
Looking
Out My Back Door- Creedence Clearwater Revival
Real Lyrics: Take a ride on the flying spoon.
My Lyrics: Take a ride on the lion's womb. (To doo doo)
I never worried about the fact that my version made no sense
because, well, the original doesn't make much more sense!
Anyway, I figured anyone doing those kind of drugs might not
be bothered by going back to the feline!
I figure that John Fogerty has to give Dylan a run for his
money on mumbled lyrics. I still am not sure of all the lyrics
for Traveling Band.
I really like your web site. I was interested that there is
actually a word for this phenom. I will pass this on to my
high school students. Perhaps we can get a contest going for
the best misunderstood lyrics.
Thanks, Lynn G |
Granted I know this
was on your list, but it must be told. During a car ride home
from work, our local station was having a contest by playing
the a line of a song and you had to guess the very next line
in order to win. This particular days song was "Deep
Purple's - Smoke on the water." And the DJ announced
the first lyric line "but some stupid with a flare gun
burned the place to the ground..." The very first caller
came on and proceeded to spout out the next line "Small
cousin Walter! An fire this guy!" Needless to say, the
DJ, his sidekick, the guy behind the glass and a few people
in the cars next to me were laughing hysterically! That definately
made my day. He didn't win the contest, but he did receive
some free tickets to something for his entertaining answer,
which he seriously thought the line was.
Thanks, Mika V |
"the cross-eyed
bear that you gave to me"
Alanis Morrisette - You Outta Know |
"of the cross I
bear, that you gave
to me"
Thanks, clee13! |
"I put my cat in
the kettle what will I do? There's a little boy stuck with
Daniel Boon"
Harry Chapin - Cat's In The Cradle |
"And the cat's
in the cradle,
and the silver spoon, Little Boy Blue, and the Man in the
Moon"
Thanks, Mister Atom! |
"You are my type,
but I could be the one you ignore, if you just let me go"
Foundations - Build Me Up Buttercup |
"To you, I'm a
toy but I could be the boy you adore, If you'd just let me
know"
Thanks, XoJerseyGirl! |
You know, it isn't nice to make
fun of people who misunderstand lyrics. It is now recognized
as a disease. It's called 'Lyricosis'. My sister had. She
always thought the Beatles were singing "She's got a
chicken to ride and she don't care." And remember 'Justin,
the Wind' by Kansas? One of the most severe cases I know
of occurred in the mid 90's when, as a deejay at an oldies
radio station, I got a phone request from a kid who couldn't
have been more than twelve. He wanted to hear the "D**khead
Song". I asked him to sing a little bit of it for me.
So the kid sings, "Might as well face it I'm a D**khead
in Love" to the tune of Robert Palmer's "Addicted
to Love".
-Steve Gregory |
| What It Sounded Like: |
What They Really Said... |
"Do the Funky
Lady"
Aerosmith - Dude (Looks Like A Lady) |
"Dude Looks Like
a Lady "
Thanks, monotonetrout! |
We have a listener
who thinks the opening of Help Me
Rhonda by The Beach Boys contains this lyric: "Well
since she put me down, there's been owls spewing in my bed"
The actual line was: "Well since
she put me down I’ve been out doin’ in my head"
...We also have a listener who requests "Secret Asian
Man" by Johnny Rivers instead of "Secret Agent Man".
Go figure.
- Mike Ray (Eagle
106.9 KEGK-FM) |
"I'm looking for
a partner, someone who gets things fixed
Ask yourself this question: Do you want to be a b*tch?"
Pet Shop Boys - Opportunities (Let's
Make Lots of Money) |
"I'm looking for
a partner, someone who gets things fixed
Ask yourself this question: Do you want to be rich?"
Thanks, Gina R! |
"It's like a bad
movie, she's looking groovy..."
Bowling For Soup - Girl all the Bad
Guys Want |
"It's like a bad
movie, she's looking through me"
Thanks, TayBrian1! |
Hey, I just wanted
to say that I mishear more song lyrics than the average person...I
don't know whether I should take pride in that or not. One
of my most infamous ones was when I was about five, I really
liked the Beach Boys song that they'd play on the oldies station
that at the time I thought was called "Bop A Ram."
Though I enjoyed it, I always wondered why it was such a strange
topic to sing about...punching a male sheep is a pretty big
feat, what with its horns. It wasn't until I was 10 or 11
that I finally found out that the song's real title was "Barbara
Ann!"
More recently, over the past couple of years I've become a
huge, huge fan of The Cars after hearing "Just What I
Needed" on the classic rock radio station. They have
a song on their debut album called "I'm In Touch With
Your World," and Ric Ocasek slurs the second verse of
that song so much that it's almost impenetrable. The official
lyrics are:
I've been lying on your feathers
You keep talking 'bout the weather
I'm a psilocybin pony
You're a flick fandango phony
But I always thought it was:
I'm an island, only better
You keep talking 'bout the weather
I'm a suicidal poet
You're a big fat macaroni
Mainly it's because I didn't know how to pronounce "psilocybin"
at the time, and it really does sound like "suicidal"
when he sings it. I still sing it my way, merely because
I prefer it.
Let's hope your ears are less muddled than mine.
Cat
|
"take your pants
off and make it happen"
Irene Cara - Flashdance (What A Feeling) |
"take your passion
and make it happen"
Thanks, solarchariot! |
"when we only
had Black children, when we argued for some White"
Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
- If You Don't Know Me By Now |
"...when we only
act like children, when we argue, fuss, and fight"
Thanks, Keesha! |
The Song: Guantanamera
I was only a kid when I heard this one and I just assumed
it was in English. I heard:
"Once on a meadow, I dream of once
one a meadow..."
The real lyrics:
Guantanamera Guajira Guantanamera Guantanamera
Guajira Guantanamera...
- Thanks SW! |
"Little darling,
I feel the acid's slowly melting /
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear"
Beatles - Here Comes the Sun |
"Little darling,
I feel the ice is slowly melting /
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear"
Thanks, Livedo! |
Hey, I've got a couple
of my own lyric faux pas for you. When I was a kid I used
to watch Green Acres on TV and always thought that Eva Gabor
sang in the show's theme song: "I just
adore a pancause view" instead of "I just adore a penthouse
view." Listen to it, that's still what it sounds like
to me even though I know better now! I also always thought
that Manfred Mann sang in their song "Blinded
By The Light": "Wrapped up like
a douche, another roamer in the night," instead of: "Revved
up like a deuce, another runner in the night." I still
sing it the wrong way just for laughs! ;o) I thought you might
like to know my misheard lyrics.
Thanks Rod! |
"Jose can you
see"
Francis Scott Key - Star Spangled
Banner |
"Oh say can you
see"
Thanks, Tracy! |
"workin' on a
knife wound"
Bob Seger - Night Moves |
"Workin' on the
night moves"
Thanks, Tracey's Brother! |
"Secret Asian
Man"
Johnny Rivers - Secret Agent Man |
"Secret Agent
Man"
Thanks, JPorterF! |
"bring your nickels,
tap your feet"
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Down
on the Corner |
"Bringing this
world happy feet"
Thanks, Pisigmaa! |
"Red Room, Busted"
B-52s - Love Shack |
"Tin Roof , Rusted!"
Thanks, Holmark211! |
"I'm blue I'm
beat up and died" OR
"I'm blue I like to beat other guys"
Eiffel 65 - Blue |
"I'm blue da ba
dee da ba die..."
Thanks, VanGuireBlue & jenni715! |
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Very cool website! I have to add my 2 cents:
Years ago, the wife of one of my best friends heard the
song "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" by
the Beatles on the radio. She started singing along (halfheartedly,
I might add) and when she got to the verse which actually
goes "..the girl with kaleidoscope
eyes", it actually came out of her mouth as
"...the girl with colitis goes
by"! When quizzed about why she thought the
Beatles were singing about a young lady with colon problems,
she said she assumed it had something to do with all the
pot they were smoking! Really!
-Phil
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"I blow bubbles when you are
not near" OR
"I wear goggles when you are not near"
Macy Gray
- I Try |
"My world crumbles when you're
not here"
Thanks, DOTTMAN! |
" I smell sex and candle lit
hair"
Marcy Playground- Sex and Candy |
"I smell sex and
candy, yeah."
Thanks, Nerline & Brent! |
"Bakin' carrot biscuits."
Bachman Turner Overdrive - Taking
Care of Business |
"Taking care of business"
Thanks, SSlaut! |
"I get knocked out..."
Chumbawumba - Tubthumping |
"I get knocked down..." |
"There's a bathroom on the
right"
Creedence Clearwater Revival- Bad
Moon Rising |
"There's a bad
moon on the rise" |
"I'm trying to catch my bike
again"
Linkin Park - Breaking The Habit |
"I'm trying to
catch my breath agian"
Thanks, Elvikin! |
"When I needed sunshine on my brain"
Monkees - I'm A Believer |
"When I needed sunshine I
got rain" |
"God bless America, land that I love
Stand beside her, and guide her
Through the night with the light from a bulb"
Kate Smith- God Bless America |
"God bless America, land that
I love
Stand beside her, and guide her
Through the night with the light from above" |
"Give me the Beach Boys and
free my soul"... "Give me the beat boys and free
my soul" - my son's (7 yrs old) lyrics "give me
the meatballs and eat my bowl"
Dobie Gray - Drift Away |
"Give me the beat
boys and free my soul"
Thanks, Diane! |
"She seems to have an invisble torture"
Genesis- "Invisible Touch" |
"She seems to have the invisble
touch" |
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"Rock-a-bye baby, in the tree top.
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock.
When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall.
And down will come baby, cradle and all"
Children's Lullaby
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Those ARE the right words. If a
child heard and understood these lyrics, would he or she even
be able to sleep? |
"I got my first real sex dream""
Bryan Adams - Summer of 69
|
"I got my first real six string"
Thanks, Sebastian! |
"Wrapped up like
a douche/Another boner in the night"
Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Blinded
By the Light
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"Revved up like
deuce/Another runner in the night." |
"She swam by me
she got a cramp.
He ran by me got my Sudan."
Grease Soundtrack- Summer Nights |
"She swam by me
she got a cramp.
He ran by me got my suit damp." |
"Free your Lady
Marmalade"
LaBelle (or Christina & co.)
- Lady Marmalade |
"Creole Lady Marmalade"
Thanks, Stacey! |
"Gunnin' down the
old man with a transistor radio"
Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl |
"Goin' down the
old mine with a transistor radio" |
"99 dead baboons,
sitting in my living room"
Nena - 99 Red Balloons |
"99 red balloons
floating in the summer sky"
Thanks, Mr Moohead! |
"It never rains
in California... Matadors..."
Albert Hammond - It Never Rains In
Southern California |
"It never rains
in California... Man it pours..." "
Thanks, SurfCityDJ! |
"We're In America,
man ."
Grand Funk - We're An American Band
|
"We're An American
Band "
Thanks, HankM123! |
"Everybody needs
. . .a flashlight."
Rod Stewart - Passion |
"Everybody needs
. . . passion "
Thanks, CynFoll! |
"Hold me closer
Tony Danza"
Elton John- Tiny Dancer |
"Hold me closer
tiny dancer "
Thanks, Dennis! |
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"I need some more groceries"
Whitesnake - "Still of the
Night"
|
"I need to be
closer"
Thanks, BGadbury! |
"It would take an
eternity to make us. Even the songs from a star couldn't break
us."
Whitney Houston -"Your love
is my love" |
"It would take
an eternity to break us. Even the chains of Amistad couldn't
hold us"
Thanks, TFBanker! |
"And the ice in
his hair, sees the world spinning round"
Beatles -"Fool On The Hill" |
"And the eyes
in his head, sees the world spinning round"
Thanks, unohoo! |
