# Alternative Song Lyrics **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 5, 2008, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-song-lyrics/458899 "2008-08-05T09:27:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-song-lyrics/458899/1 "2008-08-05T09:27:02Z")
This is a sort of odd concept to explain, so bear with me here: Songs have their “actual” lyrics, as sung by the artist, but it’s not uncommon for people to come up with “alternative” lyrics that can end up being just as well known. For example, many in Australia will be familiar with the humorous alternative chorus to the AC/DC classic, _It’s a Long Way To The Top_… the actual lyrics (for the Classic Rock impaired) are “It’s a long way to the top, if you want to rock & roll”. It is, of course, far more fun to replace this with “It’s a long way to the shop, if you want a sausage roll.” Similarly, AC/DCs hit _Dirty Deeds_ (“Dirty Deeds, and they’re done dirt cheap”) can be replaced with “Dirty Deeds, and they’re done with sheep” (especially if there are New Zealanders present 😉 ), whilst “Weird Al” Yankvoic has a lot to answer for as a result of recording _Another One Rides The Bus_ (taking the piss out of _Another One Bites The Dust_ by Queen) So, what I’m looking for here are other songs that have well-known “alternative” lyrics to the ones the artist usually sings… Anyone got any favourites they’d like to share? ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-song-lyrics/458899/2 "2008-08-05T09:54:35Z")
Just to head this off at the pass, I presume you’re not after mondegreens (where people mishear the lyrics), you’re after instances where someone has knowingly swapped the lyrics for something else… ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-song-lyrics/458899/3 "2008-08-05T10:04:04Z")
[QUOTE=Sierra Indigo] Just to head this off at the pass, I presume you’re not after mondegreens (where people mishear the lyrics), you’re after instances where someone has knowingly swapped the lyrics for something else… [/QUOTE] Yes, that’s right. Sorry, I probably should have been clearer in the OP… ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-song-lyrics/458899/4 "2008-08-05T14:05:23Z")
The original lyrics of the song **In-a-gadda-da-vida** were supposedly “in the garden of eden” but were so slurred and incomprehensible that the song was even titled in-a-gadda-da-vida. ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-song-lyrics/458899/5 "2008-08-05T14:56:28Z")
At pretty much any college bar, and at some wedding receptions, ‘Mony Mony’ is replaced with ‘fuckin horny’. That kinda thing? ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-song-lyrics/458899/6 "2008-08-06T03:08:40Z")
[QUOTE=brewha] At pretty much any college bar, and at some wedding receptions, ‘Mony Mony’ is replaced with ‘fuckin horny’. That kinda thing? [/QUOTE] Exactly that kinda thing- I hadn’t heard that one before, either… ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-song-lyrics/458899/7 "2008-08-06T03:13:15Z")
At Depeche Mode shows, it’s not uncommon for fans to sing “Reach out and touch DAVE!” during “Personal Jesus” instead of “Reach out and touch faith.” (Dave is the lead vocalist) ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-song-lyrics/458899/8 "2008-08-06T04:22:16Z")
Here’s one over a famous three-note instrumental line: "Sweeeet Caroliiiine… Fuck-ing sluuut!" Ah, good times at the piano bar. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-song-lyrics/458899/9 "2008-08-06T04:29:41Z")
“Winter Wonderland” has become “Walkin’ 'Round in Women’s Underwear,” which is now probably more famous than the original. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-song-lyrics/458899/10 "2008-08-06T05:11:35Z")
There’s the perennial Christmas favorite… Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg… The Batmobile lost a wheel and the Joker got away…