White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane - most people think it’s called “Go Ask Alice.”
Contrary to public opinion, there is no song titled “Jesus Christ Superstar.” The title is simply “Superstar.”
Isn’t that one of those parentheticals as well? 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy?
Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the USA is often erroneously referred to by the first line of its chorus, “Proud To Be An American.”
Schubert’s “Ave Maria” is actually Ellens dritter Gesang. Bet you didn’t know that!
Nitpick: “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)”
Don’t forget John Cougar Mellencamp’s hit, “Ain’t That America.”
Led Zeppelin: D’yer Mak’er, not “You Don’t Have to Go.”
Led Zeppelin: Whatever people call it, not “Black Dog.”
They seemed to be especially fond of the WTF? song titles.
In this specific case, Pete Townsend, who wrote the song, decided to name it in honor of two people he’d met and admired, spiritual adviser Meher Baba and composer Terry Riley.
Or “Die-er Make-er,” as it was pronounced by listeners who didn’t get the joke…which in America, at least, was almost everybody.
Most people call the Eastern European dance song Dragostea Din Tei “The Numa Numa Song”, which I find mysterious. I don’t know the language, but they say the name a lot and it’s not hard to pronounce.
That’s how the label is printed on my copy of it. I seem to recall Robert Plant saying it was supposed to be like “Jamaica,” which…still doesn’t make sense. Enlighten me.
I would like to thank you for making me curious enough to go find out what “the joke” was. I’ll never mispronounce that title again.
He must’ve really been tying them on, since the popular misconception of that title is “Stand By Me (or not at all)”. And supposedly, The Clash went with “Train in Vain” just so it wouldn’t be confused with the earlier classic “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King.
I don’t know if it ranks as one of the most misunderstood titles, but Wilson Pickett’s “Land of 1000 Dances” is probably known by some as that “Na, Na-Na-Na-Na…” song.
Ancient joke:
My wife took a trip to the Caribbean.
Jamaica?
No, she went of her own accord!
[Unbridled merriment holds sway]
In Britain, a slurred “did you” could conceivably be spelled “d’yer”; in America that would never occur outside of Andy Capp cartoons.
That’s what I came in to mention. I think most people call it “What’s That Sound.”
Similar to “Danny’s Song,” what many people call “You Fill Up My Senses” is actually “Annie’s Song.” (John Denver, Og rest his soul!)
OK (I’ll take your word on the unbridled merriment part).
So that’s why…
Oh, oh oh oh oh, you don’t have to go…
And yet later, he sings:
Baby please…don’t go.
Hmm, ambivalence.
I actually know that song best as “You Came on My Pillow,” but that was before Monty Python caved in to their legal counsel.
Most people think “December, 1963” by the Four Seasons is called “Oh, What A Night.”
I worked at a Country station in 1972 when Loretta Lynn sang a Shel Silverstein song titled “Here in Topika.” But when the radio stations reported to the reps what was being requested Decca records did a turnaround in less than a month and retitled the single (and the album cut) “Ones On The Way.”
I’ve heard “Gimme Little Sign” (Brenton Wood) referred to as (spelling varies) “Gimme Some Kinda Sign”, which is what is actually said in-song.
Steve Miller’s “The Joker” is often referred to as “Space Cowboy” by enthusiastic drunks. He does have a song called “Space Cowboy” as well, but people mix them up.