I think it’s the Matchbox 20 version of the song “Freshman” in which they irritated the Hell out of me by, for reasons unclear to me, appearing to conclude the chorous with the phrase “We were merely frashmen.”
Rod Stewart’s recent cover of “What A Wonderful World” was pretty irritating from start to finish, what with his embarrassing minstrel-show-esque attempt to sound like what he thought an elderly black American jazzbo might sound like – I especially seem to remember pique at his insistence on quacking out “Waaahhht” in place of “What.”
Geri Halliwell’s godawful version of “It’s Raining Men”, which she sings with a faux-American accent. Except for the word “sources”, which she pronounces “sauces”. It’s bad enough on its own, but that tips me over the edge and makes me want to shove red hot needles into my ears.
Billy Joel, “Souvenir” (otherwise one of my favorite songs of his):
“And your momentos will turn to dust . . .”
I always want to scream, “It’s mEmentos, you idiot!!” It’s not even justified as completing a rhyme or anything . . . just a dumb mispronunciation. He’s usually smarter than that. (Lyrically, anyway; no comment on his driving skills, heh.)
It’s gotta be U2: All Because of You (from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb)
Except that bolded word is pronounced “tor-TOYSE” to make it rhyme. Try it: “voice, choice, tor-TOYSE.” It’s the most forced rhyme I’ve ever heard. It annoyed me until I heard it live and the whole crowd sang it with a grin, reveling in its silliness. And it’s still a great song.
Arctic Monkeys manage two rhymes in one song, which I know some people hate for being (a) bad rhymes and (b) reliant on hammed-up accents, but I love them for the exact same reasons:
He must be up to summat
What are the chances sure it’s more than likely
I’ve got a feeling in my stomach…
and
Look here comes a Ford Mondeo
Isn’t he Mister Inconspicuous?
And he don’t have to say 'owt
REALLY??? I checked with my Irish friend, who assured me that no one says tor-TOYSE. But if that’s a common pronunciation, my whole outlook on life is changed!
Well, I knew both had performed it but in fairness I am not 100% sure which of them is culpable for repeatedly saying “frashmen.” So I just blamed MB20 out of generalized irritation at them.
Big wheels keep on toinin’
Proud Mary keep on boinin’
How about everybody who has performed the Star Spangled Banner at a ballgame, and has sung “Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perohlous fight …”
Good one. I’ve always wondered why someone who’s apparently on a riverboat on the Mississippi, having previously been in Memphis and New Orleans, sings like they’re from Jersey.
On a similar note, I was ready to throw something at the tv when I was watching the beginning of a hockey game last night. The woman they got to sing O Canada kept pronouncing it “Canny-da”.