# D'oh! Misheard lyrics in an oft-heard song **URL:** \ **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:** 5
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/81 "2007-07-18T14:41:17Z")
I will again add my favorite. My daughter singing along with Joe Cocker’s A Little Help From My Friends while watching Wonder Years: _Watch what you do With that stank attitude Will you stand up and walk out on me?_ I laughed and laughed. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/82 "2007-07-18T15:22:57Z")
[QUOTE=DudleyGarrett] To the OP’er – I also thought for the longest time it was “I’m not talking bout the linen…” [/QUOTE] They even refer to this common kiss-this-guy in “The Long Kiss Goodnight” when Samuel L. Jackson is singing along with the radio and Geena Davis derisively says “It’s not ‘the linen’, it’s ‘movin’ in’.” Or vice versa on the actors; it’s been a while. So we are not alone! “Stank attitude”! 😛 I will sing it that way from now on. ---
**Author:** ![Hamadryad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6de8d8/32.png) [@Hamadryad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamadryad)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/83 "2007-07-18T15:22:24Z")
[QUOTE=Biggirl] I will again add my favorite. My daughter singing along with Joe Cocker’s A Little Help From My Friends while watching Wonder Years: _Watch what you do With that stank attitude Will you stand up and walk out on me?_ I laughed and laughed. [/QUOTE] I’ll mention that because of a joke Biggirl made once, I listen to a Four Tops song and always hear: Ain’t no woman like a one-eyed goth… I was also someone who didn’t understand why he wasn’t “talkin’ 'bout the linen.” What the hell does linen have to do with anything? Maybe by “linen” he means “sheets” so he’s implying that he’s not trying to get her in bed? Why not just SAY so? …Oh. “movin’ in.” Yeah, ok, that makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/84 "2007-07-18T15:27:13Z")
Oh, and the same song has another one There’s a warm wind blowing the stars around vs. There’s a warm wind blowing; the stars are out Clearly those England Dan and John Ford Coley dudes were just too mellow to really enunciate. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/85 "2007-07-18T15:30:16Z")
[QUOTE=gigi] Oh, and the same song has another one There’s a warm wind blowing the stars around vs. There’s a warm wind blowing; the stars are out Clearly those England Dan and John Ford Coley dudes were just too mellow to really enunciate. [/QUOTE] I always thought it was “whirlwind blowin’ the stars around,” and it never occurred to me until just now that that makes no sense. But, in a world where Carly Simon really does sing about clouds in her coffee, it never occurs to me to question the sense of pop music lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/86 "2007-07-18T15:38:38Z")
Wait, those aren’t clowns in her coffee?? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Baine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Baine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baine)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/87 "2007-07-18T17:00:06Z")
She’s my little loose tooth, you don’t know what I got. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/88 "2007-07-18T17:15:13Z")
[QUOTE=Baine] She’s my little loose tooth, you don’t know what I got. [/QUOTE] In that vein, And she’ll have fun fun fun till her daddy takes the cheater away ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/89 "2007-07-18T17:23:12Z")
> [@](#): > > I also thought St. Mary was really fat. Because, you know, “Round yon virgin.” That’s not correct??? :eek: My best friend is phenomenal with these things. From Breakfast At Tiffany’s: _She said I think I remember the bill line As I recall we both got two counts on hygiene_ (She said I think I remember the film line As I recall I think we both kind of liked it.) She’s always coming up with stuff like this. I just don’t understand it. That interpretation is so completely devoid of sense it boggles the mind. I’m not terrible with these myself. MY biggest issue is not realizing double meanings in songs. Not long ago the the clever hidden meaning of ‘‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’’ suddenly burst into perfect clarity. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/90 "2007-07-18T18:25:33Z")
[QUOTE=olivesmarch4th] That’s not correct??? :eek: [/QUOTE] Phonetically, yes, but I think it’s " 'Round yon virgin". (=around) “Hark the Harold angels sing” I can’t help with. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/91 "2007-07-18T20:08:56Z")
[QUOTE=scabpicker] When Pearl Jam hit with “Alive” I honestly thought it was a beer commercial ( I usually just hear the lyrics in the chorus the first few times I hear a song ) - Ohhhhhhahhohhhh Ahhhh Ahhh Ahhhh Ahhh Amstel Light… \* It pretty much ruined them for me, since all their songs sound like a beer commercial to me now. [/QUOTE] Ah, that’s enter Sandman by Metallica, no. > [@](#): > > Amstel Light > Amstel Light > Take my hand > Off to never never land Actually: > [@](#): > > Exit light > Enter night > Take my hand > Off to never never land ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/92 "2007-07-18T20:17:09Z")
In Andy Gibb’s [Love is Thicker Than Water](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjf8BAtVUw0), it almost seems as though he’s saying “You are. . . the fish dreamer’s only dream” around 0:52. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/93 "2007-07-18T20:48:01Z")
[QUOTE=Leaffan] Ah, that’s enter Sandman by Metallica, no. [/quote] Hehe…anyone who’s sent “off to never never land” by Amstel Light is a total wuss. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/94 "2007-07-18T20:55:40Z")
From Grease,when ONJ sings “You’re The One That I Want” in the chorus, I thought she were saying just a bunch of nonsense syllables. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/95 "2007-07-18T22:42:30Z")
Steely Dan lyrics are notorious for spawning mondegreens. Song: _Hey Nineteen_ What I heard: “Marie can’t dance/ Marie can’t talk at all” Actual words (at least as given [here)](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/s/steely+dan/hey+nineteen_20130113.html) : “No we can’t dance together/ No we can’t talk at all” Song: _Peg_ What I heard: “You’re an open blueprint – whoo” What they wrote: “Done up in blueprint blue” Song: _Deacon Blues_ What I heard: This is the day/ Of the unseen romance Correct: This is the day/ Of the expanding man ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/96 "2007-07-18T23:54:47Z")
[QUOTE=Sternvogel] Steely Dan lyrics are notorious for spawning mondegreens. [/QUOTE] You left out “Show Business Kids” you know they’re hot sway jess? while the poor people sleeping with the shade on the light, the stars come out at night, they got the shepherdy vie, honey let me tell you! ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2007, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/97 "2007-07-19T01:27:47Z")
Okay I haven’t read all the way through this thread, but I can guarantee this one’s not there: This dude I worked with years ago fancied himself a music-ologist, and had lots of confidence in his lyrics knowledge. One day, Michael Jackson’s _Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’_ came on the radio, and he sang along. When he got to the end, specifically the _“Ma Ma Se, Ma Ma Sa, Ma Ma Coo Sa”_ part, we heard him singing, _“Mama says Mama saw my macho socks, Mama says Mama saw my macho socks!”_ We were like, “Dude! WHAT are you singing!?” and with much authority he explained that “macho socks” is slang for condoms and that _Somethin’_ got _Started_ because his mama found his condoms. No misheard lyric can top that one in my experience, but Foreigner’s “Hot bloody chicken of the sea” does come close. ---
**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:** [July 19, 2007, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/98 "2007-07-19T12:27:02Z")
I was a work shaw boner in the gulch for the people… The actual lyrics to _Albert Flasher_ are: I was a workshop owner in the gulch for the people… And I don’t know what that means any better than ‘work shaw boner’. ---
**Author:** ![burundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burundi)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2007, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/99 "2007-07-19T13:18:18Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by **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.\* For a long time, I thought it was “one-winged dove,” then I decided she must be singing, “Just like the one we love,” because “one-winged dove” didn’t make sense. I had no idea that it was “white-winged dove” until this thread! My best mis-hear is James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain.” When I was a kid, instead of _Suzanne, the plans they made put an end to you_ I thought it was _Suzanne PansyMae put an end to you_. I was convinced the song was about someone who had been murdered by a woman named Suzanne PansyMae. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2007, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758/100 "2007-07-19T13:27:13Z")
[QUOTE=Sternvogel] Song: _Peg_ [/QUOTE] Since I didn’t know the title, it was years before I realized they were singing “peeeeggg” and not “heeeyyyy”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doh-misheard-lyrics-in-an-oft-heard-song/408758.md?page=6)