# D'oh!  Misheard lyrics in an oft-heard song

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [June 20, 2007, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758 "2007-06-20T19:53:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/41 "2007-06-21T19:56:10Z")

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[QUOTE=DiosaBellissima]  
[\<snip\>Going down **on the old man**  
With a transistor radio  
\<snip\>  
[/QUOTE]

That’s what I thought it was, too (well, “Going down the Old Man with a transistor radio”), but it made perfect sense to me because I thought he meant the Oldman River, which is a river in Alberta, and I knew that Van Morrison had a Canadian connection with The Band. I thought it was a nice nod to some Canadian roots. Heh. 😃

**Monstre** , mis-hearing Stevie Nicks is no big feat. 🙂

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**Author:** ![dotchan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@dotchan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dotchan)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/42 "2007-06-21T22:33:38Z")

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What, no nominations for _Smells Like Teen Spirit_ yet? 😛

On a more personal note, back when my brother was on his _System of a Down_ kick, I had a lot of problems figuring out the lyrics, especially their _Legend of Zelda_ parody.

Little bro would never let me live down the fact that I misheard:

> [@](#):
>
> Link has saved the day (hooray!)  
> put Ganon in his grave

as

> [@](#):
>
> Link has saved the day (hooray!)  
> but Ganon lilies greatly

:o  
Yeah, I know, it doesn’t make any sense, but this is coming from the same band whose song _F_\*\* the System\* has that nigh-incomprehensible initial riff that’s supposed to mean something.

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**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/43 "2007-06-21T23:03:28Z")

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In Jingle Bells: One Horse Soapin’ Sleigh.

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**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/44 "2007-06-21T23:32:16Z")

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I was looking for a song for years and just couldn’t find it. I didn’t remember the band, but I knew the title. Years later I heard it again, typed a lyric into Google and found out why I could never find the song.

It’s not called “Lucky Tenderness.” It’s “Lucky _Denver Mint_”.

This happened again over the weekend. I heard one of Live’s earlier songs on the radio and realized I never knew the lyrics. So I looked them up. Yep, I’ve been getting it wrong for thirteen years now:

**What I Heard**  
Now we won’t see rain  
Now we won’t see starlight

**What They Said**  
Now we won’t be raped  
Now we won’t be scarred like that

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**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/45 "2007-06-22T00:27:52Z")

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I, for the longest time, thought it was “Hey, you, get off of my spouse” instead of “Hey, you, get off of my cloud.” Seriously - listen. It still sounds like it!

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**Author:** ![St.Urho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/46 "2007-06-22T01:06:51Z")

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[QUOTE=OneCentStamp]  
Rancid: _I had a dream I was a vigilante’s sidekick…_  
[/QUOTE]

I knew it wasn’t right, but I always heard this as: _I had a dream I was a fisherman’s sidekick…_

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/47 "2007-06-22T01:16:38Z")

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From Manfred Mann’s version of Springsteen’s **Blinded by the Light**.  
_heard_  
And little Early Birdy  
Gave my anus curly-whirly

_actual_  
And little Early-Pearly  
came by in his curly-wurly

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**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/48 "2007-06-22T01:20:46Z")

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[QUOTE=dotchan]  
On a more personal note, back when my brother was on his _System of a Down_ kick, I had a lot of problems figuring out the lyrics, especially their _Legend of Zelda_ parody.  
[/QUOTE]

You know, that Zelda song that gets passed around with the System of a Down label isn’t actually by System of a Down, but by The Rabbit Joint. [Cite](http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR00022/).

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**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/49 "2007-06-22T03:23:20Z")

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When my son was 4 he would sing along with the radio at the top of his lungs. The song, _I’m Your Venus_ was quite embarrassing…

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**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/50 "2007-06-22T03:32:08Z")

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Just yesterday at work, I was listening to the classic rock station at shift change. The girl replacing me is great, but young. The Foreigner song “Urgent” was playing. She asked me what they were saying before “Emergency.” I said, “Well, the song is called Urgent, right?” and she said "Ohhhhh! I thought they were saying “Virgin!”

Lots o laughs, from me and the customer in line. All night, I was singing “Virgin! Emergency!”

Joe

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**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/51 "2007-06-22T03:35:32Z")

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[QUOTE=Fiver]  
I can’t imagine why. It’s a sensible update, as opposed to the “Baker Street” change, which to me always seemed like an unnecessary inflation of the character’s vice.  
[/QUOTE]

[culture nerd hijack] Henley’s “The Boys of Summer,” to me, was a love song not just to a girl but to a whole era. It was 1984 and hippies were sliding gracelessly into yuppiedom. Henley encapsulated that aging and loss of idealism neatly with the image of a Deadhead sticker on a Cadillac, which was not only a nice line (especially coupled with the one after it), but something you literally saw in those days. On the other hand, I somehow doubt Kris Roe saw any Black Flag stickers on Caddies. [/hijack]

Plus, since I love Black Flag and detest the Ataris, it grates on me to hear the namedrop. 😛

Since I didn’t really like the original “Baker Street,” and I do like Foo Fighters, their cover version is safe from my wrath. 😃

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**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/52 "2007-06-22T03:36:19Z")

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[QUOTE=SnakesCatLady]  
The first time I heard Whitney Houston’s “I’m Every Woman” I thought she was singing “Climb Every Woman”.

Made me giggle.  
[/QUOTE]

Ha! My wife had the same mis-hear!

Joe

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**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:** [June 22, 2007, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/53 "2007-06-22T03:38:42Z")

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[QUOTE=Monstre]  
A girl I knew in college… I don’t know where she came up with this one, but it’s what she heard:

Stevie Nicks: “Just like a white-winged dove…”  
She heard: “Just like a park ranger…” (or, “Just like a park range-aahhhhh”)  
[/QUOTE]

I’m so thrilled the poor bird was OK when I learned the line was NOT

“Just like a one-winged dove…”

I was corrected on that… last year. :o

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**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/54 "2007-06-22T03:42:22Z")

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[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan]  
From Manfred Mann’s version of Springsteen’s **Blinded by the Light**.  
_heard_  
And little Early Birdy  
Gave my anus curly-whirly

_actual_  
And little Early-Pearly  
came by in his curly-wurly  
[/QUOTE]

I _assumed_ that it was something other than “anus,” but until this moment, I had no idea exactly what the lyric was. WTF is a “Curly-Wurly?” Some kind of car?

Joe

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**Author:** ![Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Full_Metal_Lotus)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/55 "2007-06-22T05:58:02Z")

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Oh Canada!  
Our homely Native Land…

FML

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**Author:** ![1point618](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/c57346/32.png) [@1point618](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1point618)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/56 "2007-06-22T09:45:16Z")

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[QUOTE=gigi]  
Is this a whoosh? :o I’m pretty sure she says “stupid”, at least on the radio.  
[/QUOTE]

Yeah, sorry, I thought the mini text would give it away. As I said though, it wasn’t nearly as funny this morning. Unfortunately, I have so many misunderstood lyrics that any of the real ones just aren’t funny any more 😉

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**Author:** ![Lunar\_Saltlick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/977dab/32.png) [@Lunar\_Saltlick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lunar_Saltlick)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/57 "2007-06-22T12:46:47Z")

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[QUOTE=JohnT]  
I’m so thrilled the poor bird was OK when I learned the line was NOT

“Just like a one-winged dove…”

I was corrected on that… last year. :o  
[/QUOTE]

You know, you could do a whole thread about misunderstood Stevie Nicks lyrics. I had “just like the wild ranger” going instead of “the white-winged dove” for quite a while.

\*Nah, heah y’gow agin  
y’wan yeh fraay-dum  
Wal, who’m ah t’kip ye down?  
ISony riii tha y’shuh  
Pla th’ way yuh’fee  
Bu liss’n kahf’ly-y t’th sou-oun  
Ah y’lo-li-ness  
Li a hahbee rou’ ye bay  
I th’ still niz ah th’mamaray ah whayaha-ah  
Ah whayalaw-oss  
Ah whayaHA-ah  
Ooo, ah whayalaw-oss

Thunnah, on’y, hap-enz whenniz rayn’n…\*

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**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:** [June 22, 2007, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/58 "2007-06-22T13:01:00Z")

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I was a big Elton John fan as a kid, but I never understood why _Someone Saved My Life Tonight_ had the following lyrics:

“Someone saved my life tonight - Sugar Bear.”

Of course it’s:

“Someone saved my life tonight - should’ve they?”

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**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/59 "2007-06-22T13:12:00Z")

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[QUOTE=wheresgeorge04]  
I _assumed_ that it was something other than “anus,” but until this moment, I had no idea exactly what the lyric was. WTF is a “Curly-Wurly?” Some kind of car?  
[/QUOTE]

And little Early Birdy  
Gave my anus curly-whirly

And the next line is “And asked me if I needed ride”. You’d think that’s a little late after having already treated the anus to a curly whirly.

[This thread](http://www.inthe00s.com/archive/misheard/1061777048.shtml) also features someone with the “Gave my anus curly-whirly” mishear and someone who says:

\<\<“early” – tells us it’s morning and that the end of the narrator’s evening has overlapped with the beginning of someone else’s day.

“Pearly” shortened slang for “flashing his/her pearly whites” or smiling. Implies that the guy is in a good mood – perky, chipper.

“came by in his curly whirly” – **I haven’t heard anyone use it since I was a kid, but “curly whirly” is/was slang for a curly hairstyle or a curly wig – I associate the term with old-lady hair and toupees in the style of a Brady Bunch fro.** “In” is commonly used to mean “wearing,” (“She raised eyebrows by attending the formal function in jeans and a sweatshirt”) so I’ve always assumed this meant that the guy was wearing his curly toupee… in contrast to the narrator who is too young to need a toupee and whose hair (and whole self) is likely unkempt after a long night out. That he’s wearing a toupee tells us that this character is male _and_ given that the characters in the song are carnies, we can safely assume it’s a very cheap toupee – a cheap curly toupee would probably seem even more ridiculous and annoying than usual to the narrator, at this particular moment in his time.

Note: I’m probably wrong. \>\>

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**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/60 "2007-06-22T13:13:25Z")

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[QUOTE=JohnT]  
“Someone saved my life tonight - should’ve they?”  
[/QUOTE]  
I always hear it as “someone shaved my wife tonight.”

Erm, of course I always knew that wasn’t right.

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