# Things you only THINK you heard **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 18, 2003, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386 "2003-07-18T13:43:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/41 "2003-07-26T13:55:38Z")
When my son was about 4 there was a song that got lots of air time It was by Shocking Blue I think the Name was “I’m your Venus” At least that was the tag line. Anyway, whenever it came on the radio He would sing along at the top of his voice: “I’m your penis” I tried and tried to talk him out of it, but he insisted those were the words! ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/42 "2003-07-26T15:05:37Z")
Singing “My country tis of thee,” in grammar school, I always thought “land of the pilgrims pride” was “land of the pilgrim’s bride”. ---
**Author:** ![acrossthesea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@acrossthesea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/acrossthesea)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/43 "2003-07-26T15:29:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joel \* > \*\*Apparently I wasn’t the only one who misheard a lyric in a Stevie Nicks song where, when she sings, “Just like the white winged dove…” I (and when looking on line, it turns out that others) heard it as “Just like the one winged dove…” \*\* Hmm, I never thought of that song before but now that I do, I realize that I always heard it as “Just like the world I love”. A funny one I have is “I’ll Stick Around”, from the 1st Foo Fighters album. At the end of the song, Dave Grohl is singing something a little garbled. I am not sure, but I think the actual line may be, “I’ll stick around, I’ll stick around, and learn from all that came from it”. Well, for years, I swore he was singing, “I’ll stick around, I’ll stick around, Nirvana, Dave found it”. I knew that couldn’t POSSIBLY be right, but that’s what it sounded like. Speaking of which, Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit: “A denial” always sounded like “I will die now”. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/44 "2003-07-26T16:56:37Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by hebesphenomegacorona_\*\* > They DON’T say “I miss the rains down in africa?!” > > What do they say?\*\* > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Satisfying Andy Licious \* > \*\*I think it’s “I felt Loraine’s down in Africa.” \*\* I always thought it was “I guess it rains down in Africa” so I just now looked it up using Google. According to two lyrics web sites, the actual line is “I bless the rains down in Africa” 😕 Whatever that means. ---
**Author:** ![Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bren_Cameron_1)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/45 "2003-07-26T22:56:34Z")
When paidhi girl was about three, she liked an obscure Peter Gabriel song called “Party Man.” One line goes Looking at the street lights All spread out like a banquet So one day she’s strapped into the carseat singing along with the tape, Looking at the street lights All spread out like a penguin ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/46 "2003-07-26T23:08:12Z")
> [@](#): > > Like today…I was listening to “Good Golly Miss Molly” by Little Richard on the oldies station and I swear it sounded like “Good golly, Miss Molly sho’ like to bone.” Of course, the real lyric, “she likes to ball,” means pretty much the same thing. > [@](#): > > I still can’t listen to Bruce Springsteen’s “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out” without hearing “Dead Devil in the Freezer.” I thought it was “Dirt Devil You Freezer.” > [@](#): > > Also, in “You Oughtta Know” by Alanis Morisette, she says “the cross I bare that you gave to me.” The same little sister thought she was saying “cross-eyed bear that you gave to me.” I loved that. Is that the line? I really did think it was “cross-eyed bear.” Of course, it’s been years since I thought about this song- but it’s better than the real words. > [@](#): > > I thought that the line “highway to the danger zone” was “highway to the nintyeth hour” (don’t ask why, I just thought he did) I thought it was something like “How we do the dinosaur.” I didn’t find out about this one until about a year ago (although again, I haven’t thought about the song in ages). ---
**Author:** ![acrossthesea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@acrossthesea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/acrossthesea)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/47 "2003-07-27T06:09:50Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Marley23 \* > \*\* > I thought it was “Dirt Devil You Freezer.”_\* Up until now I thought it was “Quit havin’ that freestyle”! ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/48 "2003-08-01T18:41:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Marley23 \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > Also, in “You Oughtta Know” by Alanis Morisette, she says “the cross I bare that you gave to me.” The same little sister thought she was saying “cross-eyed bear that you gave to me.” I loved that. > > Is that the line? I really did think it was “cross-eyed bear.” Of course, it’s been years since I thought about this song- but it’s better than the real words. > \*\* In that same song, I thought “Does she speak eloquently?” was “Does she speak Gaelic like me?” ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/49 "2003-08-01T22:21:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hammos1 \* > \*\*[This site](http://www.kissthisguy.com/) pretty much wrote the book on misheard lyrics. \*\* Don’t bother, **hammos1**. They’re ignoring you. Let 'em have their little “oh, I know one!” fest. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/50 "2003-08-01T22:52:23Z")
In that commercial currently running for Pepsi or Coke where the kids are at the gen-y woostock like concert and the kid sees his dad in the crowd. The song sounds like blah, blah, blah, blah going crazy, i’m just tired of masturbating?? What are they singing??? ---
**Author:** ![hebesphenomegacorona](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b9e5f3/32.png) [@hebesphenomegacorona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hebesphenomegacorona)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/51 "2003-08-02T02:01:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Satisfying Andy Licious \* > \*\*I think it’s “I felt Loraine’s down in Africa.” \*\* I always thought it was "I guess it rains down in Africa. Me too, after realizing it wasn’t I miss the rains down in africa. And to add to this thread… (I have no idea what the song’s called, but I think it’s by Electric light orchestra and says EEEEEVIL WOMAN a lot.) I first thought it said “Release the woman… You can keep the woman!” and then thought it said “We eat the woman… You can eat the woman!” Until I realized it said “EEEVIL WOMAN… SUCH AN EVIL WOMAN!” ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/52 "2003-08-02T02:09:24Z")
And here I thought the words to that song were _“Medieval Woman!”_ ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/53 "2003-08-02T02:54:58Z")
No no, you’re thinking of the Bee Gee’s: _Four-letter woman, Four-letter woman to me-ee-ee_ ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/54 "2003-08-02T03:13:30Z")
And something that everybody who’s heard this song has probably misheard. In the ELO song “Don’t bring me down” there’s a line that sounds like “Don’t bring me down…Bruce” But it’s actually “Don’t bring me down…grroosss” ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/55 "2003-08-02T03:15:39Z")
Actually, I should have said that it’s a line in the chorus. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/56 "2003-08-02T04:08:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tracer \* > Don’t bother, **hammos1**. They’re ignoring you. Let 'em have their little “oh, I know one!” fest. It happens that mine isn’t on the linked site, anyway. Maybe I’ll submit it. My favorite mondegreen is from Seal’s _Kiss from a Rose_. The actual lyric is “I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey.” I heard it as “I compare you to a kiss from a rose on a grave.” I actually like my version better, but it definitely makes the song darker. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/57 "2003-08-02T04:48:05Z")
I thought it was grave too. So did my wife I think. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/58 "2003-08-02T04:58:28Z")
And what the hell does “on the grey” mean anyway? ---
**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:** [August 2, 2003, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/59 "2003-08-02T05:22:34Z")
In the Bob Welch song “Sentimental Lady”, real lyrics are: “Sentimental lady, gentle one” but it always sounded to me like: “Central Limit Theorem, you’re the one” In the Cops theme, the real lyrics are (apparently) \*Nobody naw give you no break Police naw give you no break Soldier naw give you no break Not even you idren naw give you no break \* I don’t even know what “idren” means. Children, maybe? anyway, to my ear the lyrics are: _Nobody won’t give you no break No, policeman won’t give you no break Soldier man won’t give you no break not even Steve Yzerman won’t give you no break_ Which is strange, because Steve Yzerman always seemed like a nice guy to me. ---
**Author:** ![MizQuirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/94ad74/32.png) [@MizQuirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MizQuirk)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/60 "2003-08-02T13:48:17Z")
> [@](#): > > - > > In the Cops theme, the real lyrics are (apparently) > > \*Nobody naw give you no break > Police naw give you no break > Soldier naw give you no break > Not even you idren naw give you no break \* I thought the Cops theme was about Bad boys, bad boys, Whatcha gonna do Whatcha gonna do when they come for you . . . ?? :rolleyes: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386.md?page=4)