# Boy did I have those lyrics wrong! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 10, 2010, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771 "2010-08-10T00:13:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771/41 "2010-08-11T05:04:37Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > My favorite mondegreen moment ever was when “Pour Some Sugar On Me” came on a jukebox at our favorite college watering hole. There were a good 10 of us at a table, drinking heavily, and we all started singing along. And then the song got to the chorus, where my friend Kay sang “Pour some sugar on me…in the neighborhood!” at the top of her lungs. > > 9 people at the table turned and stared at her and then busted out laughing. My friend Lisa, who has been a Leppard fan forever, got the chorus of “Let’s Get Rocked” screwed up: Correct: “Heaven knows I’m sick and tired of dancing with this broom…” Hers: “Heaven knows I’m sick and tired of dancing with these blues…” ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771/42 "2010-08-11T05:45:51Z")
From Brown Eyed Girl - Hey there amigo. Actual lyrics are - Hey, where did we go? From Hungry Like The Wolf - Mousie’s alive. My juice is like wine. Actual lyrics - My mouth is alive with juices like wine. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771/43 "2010-08-11T10:26:26Z")
Big ol’ Jedi liar, carry me sofa away. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771/44 "2010-08-11T11:49:21Z")
From “Groovin’” by the Rascals: Correct - “Life would be ecstasy, you and me endlessly” Me - “Life would be ecstasy, you and me and Leslie” Who the hell is Leslie, and why does he/she need to tag along? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771/45 "2010-08-11T11:59:57Z")
> [@Labdad](#): > > From “Groovin’” by the Rascals: > Correct - “Life would be ecstasy, you and me endlessly” > Me - “Life would be ecstasy, you and me and Leslie” > > Who the hell is Leslie, and why does he/she need to tag along? 😕 Sibling of that Bruce guy who pops up just as unexpectedly in ELO’s “Don’t Bring Me Down”? ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771/46 "2010-08-11T12:03:33Z")
Remember Stevie Wonder’s song, “Boogie On Reggae Woman”? I always thought it was “Boogie On Red Gay Woman”. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771/47 "2010-08-11T12:06:16Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > I caught my 4 year old daughter doing the dancing and hand moves to Beyonce’s “single ladies” song singing, > > “if you like a teddy bear put a ring on it!..oh,oh, oh, oh etc” > > cute…wrong…but cute. A friend’s young daughter heard: “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” as: “Don’t It Make My Brownies Smooth” mmm ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771/48 "2010-08-11T13:51:36Z")
> [@Labdad](#): > > From “Groovin’” by the Rascals: > Correct - “Life would be ecstasy, you and me endlessly” > Me - “Life would be ecstasy, you and me and Leslie” > > Who the hell is Leslie, and why does he/she need to tag along? 😕 I always assumed it was their kid. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771/49 "2010-08-11T14:22:29Z")
When I was a kid riding in the car with my mom, she suddenly asked, "Just what the heck does that mean, “She’s got a chicken giraffe?” What she heard was on the radio: Beatles “She’s got a ticket to ride…” ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771/50 "2010-08-11T15:26:34Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > > [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > > > I caught my 4 year old daughter doing the dancing and hand moves to Beyonce’s “single ladies” song singing, > > > > “if you like a teddy bear put a ring on it!..oh,oh, oh, oh etc” > > > > cute…wrong…but cute. > > A friend’s young daughter heard: > > “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” > > as: > > “Don’t It Make My Brownies Smooth” > mmm hah! both examples just go to show, we hear what we want to hear. There could well be a psychometric test based on this very subject. If not I’m going to invent it. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771/51 "2010-08-11T15:41:49Z")
When I was about 7, “Man in Motion” from _St. Elmo’s Fire_ was a big hit, and I thought it was one of the greatest songs ever. However, I thought the song was called “Magic Motion,” and I thought the line was “all I need is this pair of wings” instead of “pair of wheels.” It almost broke my heart to find out that I had the lyrics to my favorite song wrong. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771/52 "2010-08-11T16:11:13Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > **Big ol’ Jedi liar** , carry me sofa away. Funny! Everyone knows the real line is: _Big Ol’ Jed had a light on_ ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771/53 "2010-08-11T16:24:03Z")
> [@Labdad](#): > > Who the hell is Leslie, and why does he/she need to tag along? 😕 Clearly, Eddie was angling for a 3-way. > [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > _Big Ol’ Jed had a light on_ Get it right, man. It’s BINGO Jed. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771/54 "2010-08-11T16:49:29Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > Until I heard someone sing a folksy version in a restaurant once, I had no idea about a huge chunk of the lyrics in Creedence’s “Down On The Corner”. I couldn’t pick out ANY of the lyrics from > > _Willy And The Poor Boys are playing > Bring a nickel, tap your feet_ > > I didn’t imagine any alternate lyrics to that. It just sounded like gibberish. MAYBE he was saying something like “Where the Pope boys are plain; crane your neck, happy feet” and maybe not. > But the word I completely got wrong sounded like > > _You don’t need a **pinhead** > Just to hang around_ > > No way Fogerty was saying “penny”. I don’t think I’ve ever understood an entire line of anything John Fogarty has ever sung. His bizarre inerpretation of a Southern accent distorts everything he sings beyond all recognition to me. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771/55 "2010-08-11T17:15:26Z")
Andy Gibb’s “I just want to be your everything,” came out as “I just want to be American.” I mean he was not an American, right? It made perfect sense to me at fourteen that he wanted to become a citizen to impress the girl in the song. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771/56 "2010-08-11T17:34:53Z")
> [@Sparky812](#): > > Speaking of Gabriel, how about Games Without Frontiers, people thought it was “She’s so popular” (jeux sans frontieres) my self included until I bought the LP. What’s weird about that one is that plain-spoken “jeux sans frontieres” sounds nothing like “she’s so popular”. What the heck was Ms. Bush doing? I wonder if native French speakers hear than song and wonder what she’s singing at the beginning? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771/57 "2010-08-11T17:39:22Z")
> [@Batsinma\_Belfry](#): > > From Brown Eyed Girl - Hey there amigo. :o I’ve mentioned this before, but the one that gave me the greatest grief was when I was singing _Edge of Seventeen_… It’s not a “one-winged dove”, it’s a “white-winged dove”. Or so I was informed by my wife after she was able to control her laughter. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771/58 "2010-08-11T17:58:19Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > Andy Gibb’s “I just want to be your everything,” came out as “I just want to be American.” I mean he was not an American, right? It made perfect sense to me at fourteen that he wanted to become a citizen to impress the girl in the song. Similar to **Icerigger** ’s misheard lyric, I thought that Mike & the Mechanics’ “All I Need is a Miracle” was “All I Need is America.” ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771/59 "2010-08-11T18:30:23Z")
I just thought of another one that I held for 30 years until I got my I-pod a couple years ago. The song Dance with Me by Orleans. "Dance with me I want to be your partner can’t you see…etc. There is the line “Starry Eyes and love is all around you” I always thought is was Starry Skies and love is all around you…etc. I actually felt bad because the lyrics reminded me of romantic star filled skies and the painting Starry Night. Combining the mystery of the cosmos with the wonder of dance and romance. I really read too much into songs. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771/60 "2010-08-17T05:15:47Z")
They shouldn’t call it “misheard lyrics,” they should call it “badly enunciated lyrics”. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boy-did-i-have-those-lyrics-wrong/549771.md?page=4)