# Misheard Song Lyrics (aka eggcorns or Mondegreens) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 29, 2018, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977 "2018-06-29T06:05:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2018, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977/61 "2018-07-07T14:38:59Z")
I thought I was mishearing Kyrie Eleison. I heard it right. I just didn’t think Kyrie Eleison had a meaning. It means Lord, Have Mercy. I was guessing that he was singing carry a raisin. I liked [this act](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZS2kaOkkKg) on Britain’s Got Talent. This guy’s whole act is based on deliberately misheard lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![Tread](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Tread](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tread)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2018, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977/62 "2018-07-07T23:27:33Z")
Sting-Spirits in the material world Actual – Are spirits in the material world I hear – I stare into my cheerios ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2018, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977/63 "2018-07-08T00:21:12Z")
“Tea, a drink with Jan and Fred…” ---
**Author:** ![Reepicheep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@Reepicheep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reepicheep)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2018, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977/64 "2018-07-08T00:38:41Z")
Hark, the hair-oiled angels sing Glory to the newborn King I had no idea what a herald was when I was 8 ---
**Author:** ![LLCoolL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/llcooll/32/3596_2.png) [@LLCoolL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LLCoolL)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2018, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977/65 "2018-07-08T11:22:26Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > … I was stunned to learn just minutes ago that Sting does not brag about his billiards prowess (“I’m a pool hall ace…”) in the Police song “Every Breath You Take”. I wondered how many others have similarly conflated these lyrics, and it turns out that just among Dopers the number is easily into the double digits. > > How many of you thought that was the lyric until I disabused you just now? … You’re trying to tell me he **didn’t** sing that?! _Googles the lyrics…_ Well, I’ll be damned. Thirty-five years I’ve misheard that. Thirty. Five. Years. In all fairness to me and the rest of Western Civilization … c’mon on! At **best** he is singing: “I’m a poor heart aches…” I’ve listened to it repeatedly with the “correct” lyrics staring me in the face, and I cannot hear “My poor heart aches.” Sheesh. Nope. The lyrics sheet is wrong. I am right. Writing Sting at this very moment to get his confirmation. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2018, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977/66 "2018-07-08T11:38:37Z")
Heard a sound check for Sting once. He slaughtered the lyrics as they checked levels. “Every yard you rake”, “Every cake you bake”, “Every hand you shake”… So, technically not misheard, but deliberately sung wrong. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977/67 "2018-07-09T06:42:15Z")
> [@LLCoolL](#): > > You’re trying to tell me he **didn’t** sing that?! > > _Googles the lyrics…_ > > Well, I’ll be damned. Thirty-five years I’ve misheard that. Thirty. Five. Years. Right? Same here. Since I was a kid, And it’s bracing to realize I can now actually report having something wrong for 35 years, longer than my wife’s been alive. Speaking of whom, I told her about my 35-year mishearing the other day and she basically did a spit take, bursting out laughing and protesting “That makes NO sense.” And she’s not wrong! IDK, LOL. Tangentially related: I have found that I notice lyrics a lot more since hitting my forties. Anyone else experience this? Old songs I have known forever come on, at least the melody and chorus, and I hear lyrics from the other verses I never noticed before. Like the funny/sad/romantic O. Henry vibe of the story related in the “Pina Colada Song”, for instance, which I never picked up on until I had heard it hundreds of times over 30+ years. And it’s not the repetition: now when I hear new songs from the likes of Father John Misty, I really focus on the lyrics right from the first listen. Anyone else relate to this? > [@campp](#): > > Heard a sound check for Sting once. He slaughtered the lyrics as they checked levels. > > “Every yard you rake”, “Every cake you bake”, “Every hand you shake”… > > So, technically not misheard, but deliberately sung wrong. Sure it wasn’t the end of “Love is the Seventh Wave”, sung correctly? [https://www.sting.com/discography/lyrics/lyric/song/181](https://www.sting.com/discography/lyrics/lyric/song/181) ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977/68 "2018-07-09T08:55:18Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > I heard what everyone else heard, of course, but then reading this message someone also pointed out that > > And little early-pearly > Came by in his curly-wurly > > sounds like > > little early birdy gave my anus curly whirly > > and wondered what act “curly whirly” could be. Now whenever I think of the song I can’t help but think of those alternate lyrics, and also wonder what the heck doing “curly whirly” could consist of. I think it was me who noted the “anus curly whirly” which is clearly a rimjob reference. And then little Hurly Burly offers the singer a ride! After licking his ass! Put a ring on that one, son! ---
**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:** [July 9, 2018, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977/69 "2018-07-09T11:00:24Z")
Money for Nothing What he sings: “stick it in the camera…” What I hear: “stick it in the caramel…” ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977/70 "2018-07-09T13:39:15Z")
I always thought the line in the Steely Dan song “Done up in blueprint blue” was a mishearing o my part. Nope, but the line makes no sense. On the other hand, I thought the song’s title was Babe. No, it’s Peg, but it sounds like Babe to me. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977/71 "2018-07-09T13:47:50Z")
[\*\* “Turn me on, dead man.”\*\*](https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/09/reverse-speech-revolution_n_5288920.html) Is there anything more famous than this? ---
**Author:** ![SykoSkotty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977/72 "2018-07-09T13:54:32Z")
“If you like being at Carlotta’s…and gettin’ caught in the rain…” “Smoke on the water…the fire engine guy…” ---
**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 9, 2018, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977/73 "2018-07-09T15:49:18Z")
“Don’t you know that you are a stupid star” ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977/74 "2018-07-09T17:19:02Z")
The famous menage a trois in “Groovin’”: “That would be ecstasy, you and me and Leslie.” Many years later I learned it was “endlessly.” Oh. But I started at a very young age. When I was in early grades we sang “My Country 'Tis of Thee” and while I’m sure I got many more lyrics wrong than just the one at the end, I thought it went, “sweet land of liberty, O-V-I-C.” Probably in anticipation of our new commie overlords. ---
**Author:** ![LLCoolL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/llcooll/32/3596_2.png) [@LLCoolL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LLCoolL)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2018, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977/75 "2018-07-16T07:25:49Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I always thought the line in the Steely Dan song “Done up in blueprint blue” was a mishearing o my part. Nope, but the line makes no sense. > > On the other hand, I thought the song’s title was Babe. No, it’s Peg, but it sounds like Babe to me. Before I learned the title of the song, I thought they were just singing, “Hey…” Which is closer to “Babe” than to “Peg”. So I’m with ya on that one. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2018, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977/76 "2018-07-16T13:57:29Z")
I knew the title was “Peg” but I still thought they were singing “Hey” until just now. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2018, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977/77 "2018-07-16T14:10:34Z")
Styx’s Come Sail Away, I thought the line was “I’m god, I’m the Captain, so climb aboard.” Sounds right to me, only the line is “On board I’m the Captain, so climb aboard.” Too redundant for my tastes.: And the line “We live happily forever so the story goes But somehow we missed out on that pot of gold” Should be We lived happily ever after the story’s told. But somehow we missed out on the pot of gold. ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2018, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977/78 "2018-07-17T18:59:50Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > “Just like the one-winged dove, sings a song sounds like she’s singing…” > > “I’m not talking about the linen. And I don’t want to change your life. But theres a warm wind blowin’ and now I’m getting old. And I’d really love to see you tonight” (a 2fer). > > “Someone saved my life tonight, should’ve they?” (It’s actually “Sugar bear”. My change is SO much better.) I had a hard time believing he was really singing “Sugar Bear.” Once I was convinced, I wondered if he was getting paid by Post. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2018, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977/79 "2018-07-17T21:51:22Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Right? Same here. Since I was a kid, And it’s bracing to realize I can now actually report having something wrong for 35 years, longer than my wife’s been alive. Speaking of whom, I told her about my 35-year mishearing the other day and she basically did a spit take, bursting out laughing and protesting “That makes NO sense.” And she’s not wrong! IDK, LOL. > > Tangentially related: I have found that I notice lyrics a lot more since hitting my forties. Anyone else experience this? Old songs I have known forever come on, at least the melody and chorus, and I hear lyrics from the other verses I never noticed before. Like the funny/sad/romantic O. Henry vibe of the story related in the “Pina Colada Song”, for instance, which I never picked up on until I had heard it hundreds of times over 30+ years. And it’s not the repetition: now when I hear new songs from the likes of Father John Misty, I really focus on the lyrics right from the first listen. Anyone else relate to this? > > Sure it wasn’t the end of “Love is the Seventh Wave”, sung correctly? [https://www.sting.com/discography/lyrics/lyric/song/181](https://www.sting.com/discography/lyrics/lyric/song/181) Sting loved to make up lyrics to Every Breath You Take. In this [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZavJLr5Otq4), Rick Beato plays the original tracks to it and there is a guide track with Sting singing (as I recall) , “All the blood you’ve spilled. Every one you’ve killed. Every grave you’ve filled …” ---
**Author:** ![CurrlyD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CurrlyD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurrlyD)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977/80 "2018-07-18T00:28:13Z")
When my daughter was little she heard lyrics of Pink Floyd’s “Brain Damage” as And if the cloud bursts, thunder in your rear You fart and no one seems to hear. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misheard-song-lyrics-aka-eggcorns-or-mondegreens/816977.md?page=5)