# emPHAsis on the wrong syLABble in song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 15, 2016, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emphasis-on-the-wrong-sylabble-in-song/768622 "2016-10-15T18:22:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mixolydian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Mixolydian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mixolydian)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2016, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emphasis-on-the-wrong-sylabble-in-song/768622/1 "2016-10-15T18:22:27Z")
Yeah, I guess forced lyrics irk me… Here’s a prime example…in Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” … \*Women, they will come and they will go When the rain wa-SHES you clean you’ll know \* Took years to figure out what Stevie was singing because it’s such a square peg/round hole deal. Got any examples that drive you batty? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2016, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emphasis-on-the-wrong-sylabble-in-song/768622/2 "2016-10-15T18:24:23Z")
Obligatory om Leher [reference](http://www.guntheranderson.com/v/data/thefolks.htm): > [@](#): > > The tune doesn’t have to be clever > And it don’t matter if you put a couple extra syllables into a line > It sounds more ethnic if it ain’t good English > And it don’t even gotta rhyme - excuse me - rhyne ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2016, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emphasis-on-the-wrong-sylabble-in-song/768622/3 "2016-10-15T18:27:27Z")
_And I Love Her_, The Beatles. Paul squeezes out a … “She gives my everything And tender-LEEEEEEEEE” ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2016, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emphasis-on-the-wrong-sylabble-in-song/768622/4 "2016-10-15T19:33:47Z")
Two oldies that did it intentionally–not to force the lyric, but to make a point: 1. “Sensitivity” from the musical “Once Upon A Matress” SENsetivity senseTIVity I’m just LOADED with that In this one word is the ePITomy of the aristoCRAT 1. “Accentuate the Positive” You’ve got to AC-cent-uate the POS-itive EE-liminate the negative Latch on to the af-FIRM-ative Don’t mess with Mr. In-Between ---
**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:** [October 15, 2016, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emphasis-on-the-wrong-sylabble-in-song/768622/5 "2016-10-15T19:42:50Z")
How about [forcing a rhyme by stretching one syllable into two](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Way_You_Do_the_Things_You_Do)? ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2016, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emphasis-on-the-wrong-sylabble-in-song/768622/6 "2016-10-15T20:54:02Z")
In U2’s “All Because of You,” Bono sings of an “intellectual tortoise,” whatever that means. Not only does he emphasize the second syllable of “tortoise,” he pronounces it to rhyme with “voice” and “choice.” Tor-TOYCE. Ugh. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2016, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emphasis-on-the-wrong-sylabble-in-song/768622/7 "2016-10-15T21:01:28Z")
Doris Day’s “que say-RAH, say-RAH” is actually pronounced “SAY-rah, SAY-rah” in Spanish. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2016, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emphasis-on-the-wrong-sylabble-in-song/768622/8 "2016-10-15T21:29:12Z")
> [@Mixolydian](#): > > Yeah, I guess forced lyrics irk me… > > Here’s a prime example…in Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” > > … > \*Women, they will come and they will go > When the rain wa-SHES you clean you’ll know > \* Saw the thread title and came here to post the exact same example. Ninja’d by the OP! ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2016, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emphasis-on-the-wrong-sylabble-in-song/768622/9 "2016-10-15T21:45:49Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > In U2’s “All Because of You,” Bono sings of an “intellectual tortoise,” whatever that means. Not only does he emphasize the second syllable of “tortoise,” he pronounces it to rhyme with “voice” and “choice.” > Tor-TOYCE. Ugh. Some people pronounce tortoise like that, Bono is probably one of those people. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2016, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emphasis-on-the-wrong-sylabble-in-song/768622/10 "2016-10-15T21:58:44Z")
> [@whitetho](#): > > Doris Day’s “que say-RAH, say-RAH” is actually pronounced “SAY-rah, SAY-rah” in Spanish. No, it isn’t. _Será_ = “will be.” You’re probably thinking of Italian _sera_, which means “evening.” ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2016, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emphasis-on-the-wrong-sylabble-in-song/768622/11 "2016-10-15T21:59:20Z")
[Adam Ant’s “Desperate But Not Serious”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVWWtqa9-7M) is a trainwreck of mis-emphasized syllables and bizarre hyphenations to force the rhyme & meter: _“If I ask you diff-I-cult questions If I make IM- proper suggestions…”_ ---
**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:** [October 15, 2016, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emphasis-on-the-wrong-sylabble-in-song/768622/12 "2016-10-15T22:14:14Z")
> [@whitetho](#): > > Doris Day’s “que say-RAH, say-RAH” is actually pronounced “SAY-rah, SAY-rah” in Spanish. Except “que sera sera” isn’t Spanish … or any other language. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2016, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emphasis-on-the-wrong-sylabble-in-song/768622/13 "2016-10-15T22:36:13Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Except “que sera sera” isn’t Spanish … or any other language. To be precise, the full phrase in Spanish is “que sera, que sera”, which is pronounced “KAY SAY-rah, KAY SAY-rah”. An example of the correct usage appears in [“Lost In Emotion”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If8by9Df4wM) by Lisa Lisa [Velez] and Cult Jam. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2016, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emphasis-on-the-wrong-sylabble-in-song/768622/14 "2016-10-15T23:10:55Z")
Someone else mentioned this one a few months back: The Young Rascals - “Groovin’” “Life would be ecstasy, you and me _and Leslie_” (endlessly) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emphasis-on-the-wrong-sylabble-in-song/768622/15 "2016-10-16T00:27:29Z")
Not a song, but I was listening to a book on tape and the speaker was using an unusual emphasis. He was talking about the Himalaya Mountains. I’ve always heard it pronounced him-A-lay-A. But he was pronouncing it hi-MAL-a-ya (so it rhymed with regalia). Is this an acceptable alternative pronunciation? Or was this guy just off on his own? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emphasis-on-the-wrong-sylabble-in-song/768622/16 "2016-10-16T01:13:21Z")
In Donovan’s “Wear Your Love Like Heaven” he uses colorful language: > [@](#): > > Color sky, havana lake > Color sky, rose carmethene > Alizarin crimson He pronounces it alley-zar-in. (Maybe with four or five extra syllables.) I actually asked for it that way in a art supplies store. It’s uh-liz-er-in. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emphasis-on-the-wrong-sylabble-in-song/768622/17 "2016-10-16T01:26:42Z")
Ah, Donovan. Somehow he pronounces “Quite rightly” as “Quite right smidge”. Must be Welsh. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emphasis-on-the-wrong-sylabble-in-song/768622/18 "2016-10-16T01:46:27Z")
Donovan again! _Epistle to Dippy_. “Looking through crySTAL specTACLES” ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emphasis-on-the-wrong-sylabble-in-song/768622/19 "2016-10-16T02:47:09Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > _And I Love Her_, The Beatles. Paul squeezes out a … > > “She gives my everything > And tender-LEEEEEEEEE” isn’t this line just perfectly enunciated? Or is it me? Why the objection? ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emphasis-on-the-wrong-sylabble-in-song/768622/20 "2016-10-16T02:49:38Z")
> [@Mixolydian](#): > > Yeah, I guess forced lyrics irk me… > > Here’s a prime example…in Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” > > … > \*Women, they will come and they will go > When the rain wa-SHES you clean you’ll know > \* > > Took years to figure out what Stevie was singing because it’s such a square peg/round hole deal. > > Got any examples that drive you batty? I bet it would irk you a lot more if she sang “When the rain WASH-es you clean…” It sounds perfect to me the way it is. It actually sounds rock and roll that way. TEHO. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emphasis-on-the-wrong-sylabble-in-song/768622.md?page=2)