Wrapped up like a douche … gave my anus curly-wurly … etc. You know what I’m talking about. I assert that this goes beyond misheard lyrics and that Manfred Mann deliberately ambiguously pronounced lyrics in order to cause controversy and/or make more money. Do you agree or disagree? Can you name more examples in this particular version of the song by Manfred Mann. Can you name other songs and/or artists in which the same thing happened? I nominate “Just like the one-winged dove.” Remember, I am asking about things that go beyond mere misheard lyrics. I am talking about artists that did it on purpose.
He’s definitely making an ‘sh’ sound with ‘deuce’, but I’m not convinced it’s for controversy. Not hearing “gave my anus curly-wurly.”
What’s the controversy behind “just like the one-winged dove”? That sounds like a run-of-the-mill misheard lyric to me.
I think it’s simply that Mann didn’t have any idea what Springsteen meant by “a deuce.”
^ He changed “cut loose like a deuce” to “revved up like a deuce” so I’m sure he knows what was meant.
In Blinded by the Light I think the lyric is supposed to be “Little Hurly Burly came by in his curly-wurly” but that is definitely not what Manfred Mann says.
I was confused for years by the Beastie Boys “So What’cha Want”. There’s a line right at the beginning of the song about “eating crazy cheese like you know I’m from Paris” but my ears always hear it as “a (n-word) from Paris”. I don’t think that one is intentional though, the Beastie Boys are not racists.
ELO is known to sometimes intentionally throw in the mondegreen “Bruce!” in live performances of “Don’t Bring Me Down”. Along the same lines CCR will sometimes let you know that “there’s a bathroom on the right”.
The line is “and little Early-Pearly came by in his curly-wurly.” Bruce sang the same line but with “her” instead of “his.”
I swear in “Secret Agent Man” in few of the verses, the “j” sound simply comes out as a “zh” sound, so it sounds like “Secret Asian Man.” First time 'round the chorus, I hear “Agent man” both times it is sung. After the second verse, when the second chorus comes around, I swear it’s “Asian man.” I don’t know if it’s on purpose, or just slurring, or maybe I’m just hearing things.
I agree with the Manfred Mann–I know officially the lyrics are “revved up like a deuce” but who in the hell butchers it to sound like “revved up like a douch.” Who turns “s” into “sh”? There’s no way he’s singing “deuce” there.
“Fuck the Casbah”.
I don’t know if it was intentional or not on the part of the Kingsmen, but the lyrics in their version of “Louie Louie” were sung so incomprehensibly that the song became infamous for supposedly having “smutty” lyrics. You had to play the 45 rpm single at 33 rpm to hear the dirty words. The FBI even investigated the song! It would probably be another forgotten song of the early 60s if not for that rumor.
Funny enough, there is an actual “fuck” in the song that I believe the drummer yells out when he drops a stick or something, and in all the investigating, the FBI missed it. Let me look this up.
OK, apparently he clacked his sticks together or something and yelled out “fuck.” here’s the part. It is hard to make out, though. I don’t have the book, but apparently this was admitted to by the drummer, Lynn Easton, in an interview with writer Dave Marsh. I did find the Google Books reference to it from the book:
Oh, yeah, you can definitely hear the drummer yell out something, but it’s pretty impossible to tell whether it’s “fuck” or not. I get the impression that a lot of alcohol was involved in that session.
Back in the 1970s, Three Dog Night had a hit called, “The Show Must Go On.” To me, the song suggests that the life of a performer is difficult but they have to get past that because an audience is waiting to be entertained. I didn’t know at the time was that Leo Sayer actually wrote it but here he is, performing it in a Pierrot outfit.
Wikipedia says:Three Dog Night’s version makes more sense to me. What’s Leo Saying? He won’t pretend to be ok with his situation? He’s going to refuse to take the stage? He’s going to demand better treatment? I don’t know. Full lyrics here: Leo Sayer – The Show Must Go On Lyrics | Genius Lyrics
OP refers to “wrapped up like a douche” and as the above illustrates Manfred Mann may have done a Three Dog Night. Listening today, I hear “wrapped up like a deuce.” If I listen more carefully I can get “revved” out of it. Did anybody buy a Manfred Mann album (and did it have lyrics in the liner notes)?
I’ve never listened to Springsteen’s version but Wikipedia says:
This is the first I’ve ever heard of this, and I must admit, I’m intrigued! 
Are there instructions on-line somewhere?
Did people forget, the lyrics are RIGHT ON THE BACK of the album?
Even in 1976, there never was a mystery to the lyrics. Even if you think the singer is (deliberately?) slurring or messing up the lyrics, the true ones are right on the back.
And I have always heard “deuce”. Just like it says.
I can parody with the best. I have rude versions of a lot of hits. But BBtL is what it is.
Now, I truly believe Hendrix was always singing “Excuse me while I kiss this guy.” That’s why he needs to be excused. He was a rebel. 
Excuse me while I kiss this guy. :dubious:
There’s a bathroom on the right.
Are the “true” lyrics what is printed on the album cover or what is actually recorded?
I just realized that many young people today might ask, “What is an album cover?”.
Yes, you are correct. There have been errors, typos, early versions of lyrics on albums covers. I think Floyd’s The Wall has the entire lyrics to a song that never made it on the album. Confused the heck out of me. Thought it might be a hidden track, like Train in Vain.
But “douche” vs “deuce” doesn’t even make sense. Do women rev up their douches? And do they run in the night?
Is “anus curly whirly” even a real thing?
None of those things make any sense whatsoever!
The song Magic by The Cars has different lyrics on the album sleeve.
The song has:
I see you under the midnight
All shackles and bows
The high shoes with the cleats a-clickin’
A temperamental glow
The album sleeve has:
I see you under the midnight
All shackles and bows
How far will you take it
Well no one knows