# Song goofs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 7, 2007, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901 "2007-03-07T02:37:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2007, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901/81 "2007-03-10T02:22:19Z")
[QUOTE=Siam Sam] Haha! That’s like “'Scuse me while I kiss this guy” from Hendrix. I’ll have to start a thread about misheard song lyrics. There’s actually a term for that. [/QUOTE] mondegreens ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2007, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901/82 "2007-03-10T02:27:26Z")
Yeah, mondegreens. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2007, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901/83 "2007-03-10T02:28:47Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] In “City of Dreams”, the Talking Heads sang “From Germany and Europe”. Really? Both places? [/QUOTE] What song was it where he says “Did I forget to mention Memphis, home of Elvis and the ancient Greeks” ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2007, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901/84 "2007-03-10T02:54:30Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] James Blunt (rhymes with…) tells us he “a plan” to get this beautiful woman he’s seen. Then immediately tells us he will “never be with [her]”. The so-called plan never surfaces again; there is no exposition. This is one of the many annoying things about that song, not the least of which is that he sings it like he’s got a piece of bread in his mouth. [/QUOTE] He also starts the the lyrics early with “My life is brilliant…” and then stops and waits for the intro to end and begins again. They just decided to leave it in. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2007, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901/85 "2007-03-10T03:21:21Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] And then there’s the whole meta-irony of a song named “Ironic” not being, in fact, ironic. [/QUOTE] Dude… Like, you just totally blew my mind. :eek: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2007, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901/86 "2007-03-10T03:43:38Z")
I might forgive someone else, but not Mr. Born in the USA for this: “I had a friend who was a big baseball player Back in high school He could throw that **speedball** by you Make you look like a fool” So pitchers throw drugs? Come on Bruce, watch a baseball game sometime. It’s FAST ball. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2007, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901/87 "2007-03-10T05:39:17Z")
[QUOTE=Vinyl Turnip] Despite the tortured apologetics I’ve seen from their fans, I still think Bono’s “_Unos! Dos! Tres! Catorce!_” was a goof. [/QUOTE] I’ve heard it refers to a) Steve Lillywhite, who produced the first, second, third, and fourteenth U2 albums (including compilations), or b) referencing the first testament, second book, third chapter, 14th verse, which is Exodus 3:14 - the verse with Moses talking with the burning bush. Both sound pretty good to me. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901/88 "2007-03-12T02:13:28Z")
[QUOTE=Hippy Hollow] I’ve heard it refers to a) Steve Lillywhite, who produced the first, second, third, and fourteenth U2 albums (including compilations), or b) referencing the first testament, second book, third chapter, 14th verse, which is Exodus 3:14 - the verse with Moses talking with the burning bush. Both sound pretty good to me. [/QUOTE] Whatever the explanation, it still translates to “ones, two, three, fourteen”. Uno = one, unos = ones. ---
**Author:** ![Manatee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@Manatee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manatee)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901/89 "2007-03-12T03:21:06Z")
[QUOTE=Scupper] In the song “Be Prepared,” from Disney’s _ **The Lion King** _, Scar declares: “… When at last I am given my dues!” Unless he’s the treasurer for the Lion’s Club, I think he means something else. [/QUOTE] He sings “When at last I am given my due” (that is, once I’ve been given proper respect). It has nothing to do with money. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901/90 "2007-03-13T19:43:55Z")
Listening to the Beatles’ Love last night, while detangling Michaela’s hair, I fastened my attention on the lyrics to “_Lady Madonna_”. There were several references to the notion of lots of children wondering what might be the source of their mother’s income. _Bzzzzt!_ Children _never_ wonder about where their parents get the money to finance their lifestyle. In fact, they’re noted for not having a scintilla of curiosity about it. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901/91 "2007-03-13T20:41:15Z")
[QUOTE=Vinyl Turnip] This may not be exactly in the spirit of the thread, but I thought of the synthesizer solo in the Led Zeppelin song “All My Love,” near the end of which it always sounded (to me) as though John Paul Jones clearly flubbed a note or hit an extra key. [/QUOTE] “All My Love” actually has a number of notes that sound like flubs in the synth solo. I’m not sure if they’re meant to be played as “smudged” notes or not, but they sound unintentional to my ears. ---
**Author:** ![Sonia\_Montdore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Sonia\_Montdore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonia_Montdore)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901/92 "2007-03-13T22:49:33Z")
Neil Diamond: \*Songs she sang to me Songs she brang to me \* Ouch. That’s so inept it hurts. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901/93 "2007-03-14T03:01:57Z")
The Beach Boys covered the Stevie Wonder song “I Was Made To Love Her”. The words that Stevie wrote go: _My papa disapproved, my mama blew her hood…_ - meaning his mom lost her head, blew her top, etc. Carl Wilson turned that line into: _…my mama hoo her hood…_ What? She “hoo” something? Are you freakin’ kidding me? ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901/94 "2007-03-14T04:08:01Z")
That last post reminds me of the Creedence Clearwater Revival version of Heard It Through The Grapevine. Actual lyrics: _“people say believe half of what you see, son, and none of what you hear”_ John Fogerty’s best guess: _“people say believe half of what you see, sunununa wutcha hee”_ Also from CCR/Fogerty, the dreadful Sweet Hitchhiker, which for years I thought had to be Sweetie Cha High Ga, because that’s what he’s singing. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901/95 "2007-03-14T11:56:34Z")
[QUOTE=fishbicycle] The Beach Boys covered the Stevie Wonder song “I Was Made To Love Her”. The words that Stevie wrote go: _My papa disapproved, my mama blew her hood…_ - meaning his mom lost her head, blew her top, etc. Carl Wilson turned that line into: _…my mama hoo her hood…_ What? She “hoo” something? Are you freakin’ kidding me? [/QUOTE] Are you sure it isn’t “my mama boo-hooed it”? That’s what I always thought, and it comes closer to a rhyme. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901/96 "2007-03-14T12:12:22Z")
[QUOTE=ianzin] ‘Africa’ by Toto contains the words: _I know that I must do what’s right Sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti_ I’m _told_ that this is wrong, apparently because Kilimanjaro _doesn’t_ rise above the Serengeti. Can anyone confirm or refute? [/QUOTE] Sure it does. [Map.](http://www.wildlifetravel.net/images/wpeF.gif) OK, it’s off to one side of the Serengeti Plain, but if it was in the middle of the plain then it wouldn’t be a plain! Certainly you can see it from the Serengeti, although whether it “rises like Olympus” is a matter of personal taste. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901/97 "2007-03-14T12:53:07Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] “Gypsys Tramps & Thieves” has a line about picking up a boy “just south of Mobile”- not sure that is possible, unless he was on a raft. [/QUOTE] Also from Cher, _The Way of Love_: she addresses the song to “you,” asking what “you” will do when “you” meet a boy who breaks up with “you” just the way that “you” said goodbye to Cher. Which means that either Cher lost her man to another man or Cher was dating a woman. Which is either a case of unclear grammar or a case of Cher being amazingly transgressive for the early 1970s. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901/98 "2007-03-14T16:51:40Z")
[QUOTE=JThunder] “As God has shown us, by turning stones to bread…” (_We Are The World_) [/QUOTE] For those of you who didn’t get this, Jesus _refused_ to change stones into bread when the devil was tempting him. How about that song _You’re Beautiful_? I don’t know who sings it (it’s a woman), but in the radio version it sounds like she starts singing a few beats too early, catches herself, and then starts again at the correct time. But I can clearly hear “My life is…” just before the lyrics properly start. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901/99 "2007-03-14T17:08:19Z")
[QUOTE=Diceman] How about that song _You’re Beautiful_? I don’t know who sings it (it’s a woman), but in the radio version it sounds like she starts singing a few beats too early, catches herself, and then starts again at the correct time. But I can clearly hear “My life is…” just before the lyrics properly start. [/QUOTE] See post #84 in this thread. Not sure if I’m being whooshed, but it’s [not a woman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Blunt). ---
**Author:** ![Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boulter_s_Canary)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901/100 "2007-03-14T19:12:14Z")
_Oh, he reached for her hand and he slipped her the keys Said "I’ve got no further use for these._ - Richard Thompson A Vincent Black Lightning didn’t _have_ keys. It had a kick-start. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-goofs/394901.md?page=6)