# What are your Mondegreen's? (Mis-hearing phrases) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 2, 2001, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821 "2001-02-02T04:10:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/1 "2001-02-02T04:10:34Z")
Inspired by an article in Smithsonian Magazine. \*\*Mondegreen: Meaning a word or phrase that results from mis-hearing a proper word or phrase. \*\* \*Background \* Humorist Sylvia Write confessed in a column during the 1950’s that wen she first heard the verses " They have slain the Earl of Moray / And laid him on the green." from the Scottish folk ballad " The bonnie Earl of Moray", she thought the lines described the double tragedy, " They have slain the Earl Amurray / And Lady Mondegreen." Here’s a few others (All from the magazine) : " Lead us not into Penn Station." “Years ago, someone alluded to music by \*the loneliest monk” misreferring to musician " Thelonious Monk." That said, here is my first Mondegreen: The christmas song \*God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen \*when I was a kid, I swear it sounded like \*God rest ye Jerry Mendlebaum. \* ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/2 "2001-02-02T04:51:43Z")
I heard a children’s song that I swear had lyrics about a dog scratching his ass. Robin ---
**Author:** ![St.Attila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@St.Attila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Attila)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/3 "2001-02-02T08:02:50Z")
Took me the longest time to figure out what bloose wade shoes were. (Had I heard the Elvis tune instead of the Bay City Rollers tune, I might have gotten it; damn Scottish accents.) I heard about this interview, once, where the interviewer ended up doing a hatchet job on the interviewee. One badly placed criticism, though, was when the interviewer said the interviewee had some bizarre taste in obscure literature, including a work called “Lame is Rob.” ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/4 "2001-02-02T11:33:28Z")
There used to be a song that was played _ad nauseum_ on the local AM station when I was a kid called “Convoy” by C.W. McCall. I never paid much attention to it, but always thought it was a commercial for Lawn-Boy lawnmowers. ---
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/5 "2001-02-02T11:33:31Z")
From _American Pie_ by Don McLean, for years the line “…and moss grows fat on a rolling stone…” was, for me, “and Moscow’s flat out of _Rolling Stone_”. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/6 "2001-02-02T12:10:47Z")
Ah, the hymns of childhood… _Mine eyes have seen the glory of the Coming of the Lord, He hath trampled through the village where the crates of rats are stored…_ And I just couldn’t imagine for the life of me why anyone would want to store crates of rats. ---
**Author:** ![DAVEW0071](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19b73/32.png) [@DAVEW0071](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DAVEW0071)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/7 "2001-02-02T12:36:39Z")
My brother says he knew a kid who thought the line “And as we wind on down the road” from _Stairway to Heaven_ was actually “And there’s a wino down the road.” He also sings the signature line from _Bad Moon Rising_ as “There’s a bathroom on the right.” Ruined the song for me. Not exactly a Mondegreen, but I like this: Recently we were returning from a weekend family getaway. My wife and I were discussing the characters from the Land of Make-Believe in Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, and I mentioned X the Owl. From the backseat, where it’s tougher to hear, my daughter asked, “Who’s Tex Diablo?” Now I want to open a chain of Barbecue Restaurants called “Tex Diablo’s.” ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/8 "2001-02-02T12:55:46Z")
There’s a song by Jamiroquai which, as far as I’m concerned, contains the lyrics “I’m going deeper underground/There’s too much haddock in this town”. I don’t know what the line really is, and I prefer it that way… ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/9 "2001-02-02T12:59:52Z")
Then there’s the great patriotic song “Jose, Can You See?”… And how about from **Grease** : “I got shoes, they’re made of plywood…” ---
**Author:** ![Bawdysurfer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/90db22/32.png) [@Bawdysurfer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bawdysurfer)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/10 "2001-02-02T13:05:09Z")
**Paperback Writer** - (Lennon/McCartney) “take the la-ast ri-ight turn…take the last right turn…” Always loved to sing out loud for no reason atoll, felt so foolish when the truth came to light. Egos can be so useless. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/11 "2001-02-02T13:45:57Z")
A line from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: “Oh now, brothers, how low can you stoop? You naked, sordid group.” Actually, it’s “you make a sordid group,” but my way makes more sense. ---
**Author:** ![Eohippus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Eohippus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eohippus)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/12 "2001-02-02T14:12:06Z")
I once read an interview where Louis Malle was said to be developing an adaptation of Vitor Hugo’s famous play, “Lame is Rob”. no kidding. ---
**Author:** ![Jadis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@Jadis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jadis)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/13 "2001-02-02T14:18:46Z")
As if you couldn’t hate the song any more than you probably already do…Livin’ La Vida Loca has the lines: “Her lips are devil red And her skin the color mocha” The DJ on the radio station I listen to remarked that when he first heard it, he thought it said: “Her lips are deviled eggs…” I can’t listen to the song without hearing it that way now…it’s always good for a laugh. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/14 "2001-02-02T15:24:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bawdysurfer \* > \*\ ***Paperback Writer** - (Lennon/McCartney) > > “take the la-ast ri-ight turn…take the last right turn…” > > Always loved to sing out loud for no reason atoll, felt so foolish when the truth came to light. Egos can be so useless. \*\* I always thought it was “Take the back ride, Zack.” ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/15 "2001-02-02T16:03:51Z")
And who could forget the classic, “'Scuse me while I kiss this guy?” See more misheard lyrics [here](http://www.kissthisguy.com/). ---
**Author:** ![St.Attila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@St.Attila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Attila)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/16 "2001-02-02T16:08:12Z")
\*Originally posted by dantheman \* > [@](#): > > \*\*And how about from **Grease** : “I got shoes, they’re made of plywood…” \*\* 😃 and, oh gawd, I know that’s gonna be running through my head all day now. ---
**Author:** ![Tabithina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@Tabithina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabithina)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/17 "2001-02-02T16:36:30Z")
[little girl voice] “Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing organ pains”[/little girl voice] (I proudly sang it this way at my first Christmas program.) I also used to mangle _Bad, Bad Leroy Brown_ when I was a kid: “He had a 44 gun in his pocket, poor bum he had a razor hit his shoe” ---
**Author:** ![Jeannie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@Jeannie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeannie)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/18 "2001-02-02T16:51:26Z")
In the Melissa Etheridge song, “I Wanna Come Over,” the line is, “To hell with the consequence.” I found this out while reading a mondegreen web page. I thought the line was, “to hell with the concert plans.” I like mine better 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bumbazine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbazine/32/362_2.png) [@Bumbazine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbazine)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/19 "2001-02-02T17:09:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shirley Ujest \* > "Years ago, someone alluded to music by _the loneliest monk" misreferring to musician " Thelonious Monk."_ > \*\* To this day, my ears insist that his name is **Felonious Monk** 🙂 And as a kid, I always thought it was _“through the night, with a light from a bulb.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/20 "2001-02-02T17:09:31Z")
We’re in the SCA. My daughter (age 11) made a wooden box based on a 13th century viking box and entered it into the arts & sciences competition. She told me afterwards that one judge, who I knew to be kind of picky, said, “This is very nice, but you should make candles.” I was pissed. Spent the rest of the day glaring at the guy, told my daughter’s woodworking instructor about it, and at the end of the day as we were driving home, I told my wife what the guy said. My daughter piped up, “He didn’t say make CANDLES, he said make HANDLES.” Oh. Never mind. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821.md?page=2)