In the song “Mr Brightside” by the Killers, there are the following lyrics:
Now they’re going to bed
And my stomach is sick
And it’s all in my head
But she’s touching his—chest
There are several other songs which use the same idea - having the rhyme scheme make you think one word is going to be used and then substituting another one. Is there a term for this?
Crappy!
No, I kid. These lyrics don’t move me one way or the other.
In answer to your question, I can’t think of any term more technical than “misdirection.”
I don’t thik there is a term for it, but it not really a new thing:
"I have a sad story to tell you
It may hurt your feelings a bit
Last night when I walked into my bathroom
I stepped in a big pile of
Shaving cream, be nice and clean
Shave everyday and you`ll always look keen"
I might call it misdirection. I don’t know if there’s a term that specifically applies to misdirection through rhyme, though.
It seems to take the idea from many schoolyard rhymes. They have been discussed here before. I don’t recall a specfic name distinguishing Misdirecting Rhymes fom other kinds, though I can think of one or two possibilities.
Mary had a steamboat…