# 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:** 4
**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, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/61 "2003-08-02T13:58:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Balance \* > \*\*My favorite mondegreen is from Seal’s _Kiss from a Rose_. Mondegreen = something you only _think_ you heard??? Love learning new words–can’t find this in a dictionary. Did you make it up? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![80sHairMetalMaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/8/ed655f/32.png) [@80sHairMetalMaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/80sHairMetalMaven)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/62 "2003-08-02T14:59:14Z")
I can’t figure out what they’re singing in that Pepsi commercial either. I _THINK_ it’s this but I could be wrong: _Am we the ones who’s going crazy? I’m so tired of mustard baiting…_ Although I have NO idea what mustard baiting is…😃 IDBB ---
**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, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/63 "2003-08-02T15:38:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MizQuirk \* > \*\*Mondegreen = something you only _think_ you heard??? > > Love learning new words–can’t find this in a dictionary. Did you make it up? 🙂 \*\* Here’s the Wikipedia entry on [“mondegreen”](http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mondegreen). It explains the origin. Basically, it refers to mishearing a phrase, usually in music, in such a way as to change the meaning. This thread is all about mondegreens, and if you search on the term, you’ll turn up some previous threads on the topic as well. ---
**Author:** ![Jerrybear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8c91f0/32.png) [@Jerrybear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jerrybear)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/64 "2003-08-02T17:29:24Z")
I always wondered who the third party not giving you a break was in the Cops song. “Idren now???” maybe is some obscure Jamaican/Reggae/Rasta slang? The first Grateful Dead show I went to was in 1992. At the time, I was not familiar with all that many of their songs, and they always had a tendency to play lots of different ones. Towards the end of the second set, Jerry Garcia is singing a slow, sentimental song. The repeated refrain sounds like “Still love you,” so I am thinking this must be a song about a long term relationship that has had its ups and downs, but through it all the two people still love each other, hence “still love you.” I later found out that it is not a love song at all, but rather more a song about life in general, and the repeated refrain (and title of the song) is actually “Stella Blue.” Also, in the Grateful Dead song “So Many Roads,” the line “Tangled in the window blind” still sometimes sounds like “tell me the wind won’t mind” 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, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/65 "2003-08-02T17:33:17Z")
Thanks, Balance. Wikipedia–what a great site! Bet I’ll learn more than one new word today, 'cause I’m going back there. ---
**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, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/66 "2003-08-02T18:01:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Balance \* > \*\*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. \*\* When he says “To me you’re like a growin’ addiction that I can’t deny,” I hear it as “To me you’re like a benediction…” I also like my version better. ---
**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, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/67 "2003-08-02T18:09:17Z")
I’m still curious, does anybody know what the “on the grey” means? ---
**Author:** ![mojave66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@mojave66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mojave66)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/68 "2003-08-02T23:49:53Z")
> [@](#): > > “Central Limit Theorem, you’re the one” Ah, the Statistician National Anthem. ---
**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 3, 2003, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/69 "2003-08-03T01:30:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MizQuirk \* > \*\*I thought the Cops theme was about > > Bad boys, bad boys, > Whatcha gonna do > Whatcha gonna do when they come for you . . . > > ?? :rolleyes: \*\* Yes, that’s the same song. The part I quoted is from later on in the song. Full lyrics are [here](http://www.reallyrics.com/lyrics/I002900010002.asp) ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/70 "2003-08-03T02:47:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joel \* > I’m still curious, does anybody know what the “on the grey” means? I think it actually just means “on the grey”, referring to the color. I think the point is the contrast between the vividly colored rose (“Baby”, whoever that is) and a bleak gray emptiness (representing the rest of the singer’s life). Likewise, I think the “grey tower alone on the sea” refers to the singer. The upshot is that she’s the only thing that matters in his life. Of course, I could be totally wrong. I mean, I first thought he was talking about a rose growing from a grave, after all. ---
**Author:** ![MizQuirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/94ad74/32.png) [@MizQuirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MizQuirk)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/71 "2003-08-03T02:49:51Z")
Thanks, Manduck. I’ll listen for that. And I’m fascinated by how you replace that address with the underlined word ‘here’ (I assume you’re replacing), and have it go to that website when we click on it. Would that be hard to explain here? ---
**Author:** ![acrossthesea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@acrossthesea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/acrossthesea)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/72 "2003-08-03T03:14:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cuauhtemoc \* > \*\*When he says “To me you’re like a growin’ addiction that I can’t deny,” I hear it as “To me you’re like a benediction…” I also like my version better. \*\* I thought he said, “grown addiction”…and I also thought it was “rose on the grave”. In fact, up until right now, I believed them to be the correct lines. And yeah, they seem to make more sense, especially the “rose on the grave” one…That’s so much more romantic and haunting than “rose on the grey”…what does that mean?! ---
**Author:** ![angelicate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@angelicate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/angelicate)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/73 "2003-08-03T04:06:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by acrossthesea \* > \*\*Speaking of which, Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit: “A denial” always sounded like “I will die now”. \*\* My best friend’s brother thought he was saying “Poke your eye out, poke your eye out.” ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/74 "2003-08-03T05:20:20Z")
Here’s one from a movie, not a song. _Pirates of the Caribbean._ Jack Sparrow and Will Turner are waking up Joshamee Gibbs from where he is sleeping with some pigs. Jack throws a bucket of water on Gibbs, Gibbs splutters and wakes up yelling and cussing, then notices it’s Jack. I hear his next remark as “MY FIRST LOVE! Jack Sparrow!!!” I’m told he’s actually saying “Mother’s love! Jack Sparrow!” ---
**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 3, 2003, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/75 "2003-08-03T06:06:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MizQuirk \* > \*\* And I’m fascinated by how you replace that address with the underlined word ‘here’ (I assume you’re replacing), and have it go to that website when we click on it. Would that be hard to explain here? \*\* It’s explained [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/misc.php?action=bbcode#buttons) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/76 "2003-08-03T16:51:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Balance \* > \*\*I think it actually just means “on the grey”, referring to the color. I think the point is the contrast between the vividly colored rose (“Baby”, whoever that is) and a bleak gray emptiness (representing the rest of the singer’s life). Likewise, I think the “grey tower alone on the sea” refers to the singer. The upshot is that she’s the only thing that matters in his life. > > Of course, I could be totally wrong. I mean, I first thought he was talking about a rose growing from a grave, after all. \*\* Thanks, and don’t worry, I used to think it was grave also. ---
**Author:** ![MizQuirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/94ad74/32.png) [@MizQuirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MizQuirk)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/77 "2003-08-03T17:59:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Manduck \* > \*\*It’s explained [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/misc.php?action=bbcode#buttons) 😉 \*\* Many thanks, Manduck. 🆒 I promise not to go so far astray from the OP anymore. It’s a great thread! ---
**Author:** ![TeaRoses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@TeaRoses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaRoses)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/78 "2003-08-03T22:48:59Z")
I was listening to “Live and Let Die” this morning (the remake by whoever that is) and I realized that it’s not “makes you give it a try” it’s “makes you give in and cry.” No, I’m not going to go check and see if it’s on that website, I just think it’s funny that it took me over 25 years to notice. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/79 "2003-08-04T04:24:27Z")
Well, the origional was either Paul McCartney by himself, or with Wings, and the remake was by Guns 'n Roses. Not that that helps with the lyrics any though 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2004, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386/80 "2004-01-29T12:15:30Z")
My girlfriend thought Rage Against The Machines “Renegades of Funk” went “Redneck Kings of Funk.” She asked me because she thought the lyrics were a bit strange considering the band they came from. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed harder. Something about picturing Zack in overalls and a flannel shirt hoppin up and down singing about funky hillbillies. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-only-think-you-heard/189386.md?page=5)