# Mistakes You Missed but Now Can't Stop Noticing **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 6, 2009, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mistakes-you-missed-but-now-cant-stop-noticing/505536 "2009-08-06T16:16:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mistakes-you-missed-but-now-cant-stop-noticing/505536/81 "2009-08-10T15:29:03Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > That one doesn’t bother me so much. “He doesn’t be good to me” sounds okay to my ear. But the one that gets me (and frankly, ruins the song for me) is The Doors, “Touch Me”: > > \*I’m gonna love you > 'Til the stars fall from the sky > For you and I \* Ugh, yeah. Any time someone says “I” for “me.” Paula Cole and Eric Carmen, I’m looking in your general directions. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mistakes-you-missed-but-now-cant-stop-noticing/505536/82 "2009-08-11T20:47:24Z")
If we’re going to bring up song lyrics, how about Green Day: Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road. NONONONONO!!! Forks aren’t _stuck_ in the road. **Chanteuse** said: > [@](#): > > Richard Marx, Right Here Waiting, has these lyrics: > > “Whatever it takes, or how my heart breaks” > > This makes no sense at all. “HowEVER my heart breaks” is what’s meant, I know, but the grammar stinks, and ever since I noticed it, it drives me nuts. Seems fine to me. What is the distinction? ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mistakes-you-missed-but-now-cant-stop-noticing/505536/83 "2009-08-11T20:53:14Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Seems fine to me. What is the distinction? Compare: Whatever it takes, I will be right here waiting for you. How my heart breaks, I will be right here waiting for you. The latter is not a gramamtical sentence in English. It should be “whatever/however,” or “no matter what/no matter how.” ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mistakes-you-missed-but-now-cant-stop-noticing/505536/84 "2009-08-11T21:12:36Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > If we’re going to bring up song lyrics, how about Green Day: > > Another turning point, > a fork stuck in the road. > NONONONONO!!! Forks aren’t _stuck_ in the road. Doesn’t seem so off to me. My guess is they wanted “A fork in the road” but it didn’t scan. The image of a literal fork in the road has been used before in cartoons and the like, so they threw stuck in there to evoke the literal imagery. There’s not much point to it save that it makes the line scan, but it’s not necessarily a mistake. ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mistakes-you-missed-but-now-cant-stop-noticing/505536/85 "2009-08-11T23:00:07Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > “…in which we’re livin’.” > [@Shot\_Clock](#): > > I never noticed this until some Evil Bastard pointed it out: > > “Live and Let Die” by Paul McCartney- “…but in this ever-changing world **in** which we live **in** …” > > It drives me absoultely batshit insane. I used to think that this belonged in the Department of Redundancy Department until it was pointed out to me.. “…but \*\*if \*\*this ever-changing world \*\*in \*\*which we’re **living** …” ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mistakes-you-missed-but-now-cant-stop-noticing/505536/86 "2009-08-12T19:57:19Z")
**Bosstone** , I know cartoons have done the literal fork in the road as a joke, but that does not fit the context or theme of the song. The song is a melancholy reflection on life and death and living to the fullest. Putting in a literal fork in the road destroys the tone of the song. Yes, I know it scans better to the music, but it’s a horrible choice that doesn’t fit with the song. It’s stupid. The road _forks_ - it splits into different directions. It doesn’t have a fork stuck in it. I’m not saying I can fix the line - I don’t claim to be a songwriter. But that line doesn’t work with the piece. **kath94** said: > [@](#): > > "…but **if** this ever-changing world **in** which we’re **living** … Yeah, I recently heard the “world in which we’re livin’” interpretation. The problem is I have listened carefully to the song numerous times and find no indication of the “we’re” - it sounds exactly like “we”, no r sound at all. Of course, I’ve never seen a lyrics sheet from McCartney, so I don’t know what he thought he was singing. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mistakes-you-missed-but-now-cant-stop-noticing/505536/87 "2009-08-12T21:03:38Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > **Bosstone** , I know cartoons have done the literal fork in the road as a joke, but that does not fit the context or theme of the song. The song is a melancholy reflection on life and death and living to the fullest. Putting in a literal fork in the road destroys the tone of the song. Oh god, I can’t believe I’m about to defend the lyrics of this stupid song I can’t stand… I don’t think it’s supposed to be a utensil-fork as opposed to a branching-fork. It’s “a fork stuck in the road” in the sense of “in the journey that is your life, someone created this arbitrary branching point.” As a side note, if you’re going to get that picky, you should realize that a branching-fork is also a “literal fork.” ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mistakes-you-missed-but-now-cant-stop-noticing/505536/88 "2009-08-12T21:42:54Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > **Bosstone** , I know cartoons have done the literal fork in the road as a joke, but that does not fit the context or theme of the song. The song is a melancholy reflection on life and death and living to the fullest. Putting in a literal fork in the road destroys the tone of the song. No, it’s not. Did you happen to catch the rest of the title? The _(Good Riddance)_ is a pretty big clue that the whole thing is ironic, despite the tendency to use the song at prom and in tearjerker movie scenes. > [@](#): > > **kath94** said: > Yeah, I recently heard the “world in which we’re livin’” interpretation. The problem is I have listened carefully to the song numerous times and find no indication of the “we’re” - it sounds exactly like “we”, no r sound at all. > > Of course, I’ve never seen a lyrics sheet from McCartney, so I don’t know what he thought he was singing. I’ve heard this song in concert, and it’s pretty clear when he’s singing that the line is _But if this ever-changing world in which we’re livin’ makes you give in and cry, say live and let die_. Paul can have trouble crafting really strong lines, but even he isn’t insane enough to write “But in this ever-changing world in which we live in makes you give in and cry…” ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mistakes-you-missed-but-now-cant-stop-noticing/505536/89 "2009-08-12T22:13:15Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > I’ve heard this song in concert, and it’s pretty clear when he’s singing that the line is _But if this ever-changing world in which we’re livin’ makes you give in and cry, say live and let die_. Paul can have trouble crafting really strong lines, but even he isn’t insane enough to write “But in this ever-changing world in which we live in makes you give in and cry…” I think he originally wrote the redundant line, then realized his mistake or more likely it was pointed out to him, upon which he changed it in live appearances. ---
**Author:** ![Obeseus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbce88/32.png) [@Obeseus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obeseus)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mistakes-you-missed-but-now-cant-stop-noticing/505536/90 "2009-08-12T22:27:46Z")
In _My Cousin Vinny_, Pesci & Tomei have a spat and appear to have broken up. Then Pesci is questioned by Gwynne about his identity. Later, Gwynne has received a fax (orchestrated by Tomei) indicating Pesci is who he says he is. The problem is that Tomei should not have known that Pesci had told Gwynne his name was Callow, not Gallow. Judging by Tomei’s attitude when put on the stand, it’s seems obvious they never had a conversation ‘between scenes.’ ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mistakes-you-missed-but-now-cant-stop-noticing/505536/91 "2009-08-12T22:59:10Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Ugh, yeah. Any time someone says “I” for “me.” Paula Cole and Eric Carmen, I’m looking in your general directions. Melissa Etheridge too. (“Barring divine intervention, there is nothing between you and I…”) The mistake I always see, though it’s not so often any more, is from a 1994 [Law & Order episode](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0629245/). As Briscoe & Logan interview the victim and her father on the upper floor of a high rise apartment building, fierce winds outside blow over the plant and chair on the apartment balcony easily visible behind them. They’re totally upstaged by the tumult happening outside. The episode doesn’t rerun often any more but when it was part of the more regular rotation of reruns on TNT, I would stop and watch it just to see this scene. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mistakes-you-missed-but-now-cant-stop-noticing/505536/92 "2009-08-12T23:32:46Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Yeah, I recently heard the “world in which we’re livin’” interpretation. The problem is I have listened carefully to the song numerous times and find no indication of the “we’re” - it sounds exactly like “we”, no r sound at all. > > Of course, I’ve never seen a lyrics sheet from McCartney, so I don’t know what he thought he was singing. He’s from Liverpool. He wouldn’t pronounce the r in we’re. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mistakes-you-missed-but-now-cant-stop-noticing/505536.md?page=4)