# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![lolagranola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ea5d25/32.png) [@lolagranola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lolagranola)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/21 "2001-02-02T17:27:38Z")
Why am I posting?? It’s obvious I will have to hang my head in shame after this. I am notorious for mis-hearing things. My Dr. told me that I had an auditory learning disability, so at least I have an excuse. Two of my famous misunderstandings (read: got teased for years): Irene Cara - Flashdance. I heard _Take your passion_ as _Take your pants off_. Air Supply - Making love out of nothing at all. I heard _I know just when to pull you closer_ as _I know when to pull your clothes off_. I guess we know where my mind is. ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/22 "2001-02-02T17:38:28Z")
take on me: baked potato monkees: underation salsa boogie Got three of 'em: When I was little, the Monkees were my favorite “group”. For years, I thought the line “We’re the young generation” in Hey, Hey… was “we’re the underation”. Had no idea what it meant, but I sang it loud and often. Think my parents finally said, “Huh?”, and corrected me. “Take On Me”, by Aha, has a line that I still don’t know, but have always sung: “Isn’t life a- baked potato?” And that operatic song that the Guinness commercials use now (used also in the Doors movie, I think). Whatever the main line of that song is I’ve always taken to be “This is the Salsa Boogie!” I only know it as the Salsa Boogie. ---
**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, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/23 "2001-02-02T18:14:39Z")
My brother learned this song in school that just drove me nuts when he sang it: “What should we do, Punchanella, Punchanella? What should we do, Punchanella from the zoo?” (Actually, I have no idea what the actual lyrics are, so that’s probably a Mondegreen right there.) I told him it was a stupid song and he should stop singing it. He said it wasn’t any worse than that dumb “Tammy Moore” song I always listened to. I had no idea what he was talking about. He said, “the one that goes ‘Tammy Moore, Tammy Moore, didja get very far?’” ---
**Author:** ![brickiebee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@brickiebee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickiebee)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/24 "2001-02-02T18:28:34Z")
I knew (as a child) that it was “tell me more, tell me more, like the seat of a car” But I was always strangely puzzled by it, for what it’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/25 "2001-02-02T21:02:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shirley Ujest \* > \*\*“Years ago, someone alluded to music by _the loneliest monk"_ misreferring to musician " Thelonious Monk.” > > \*\* I can’t think of one of my own right now, but this happened when Tabetha Soren was interviewing newly elected President Clinton for some MTV special. I believe the exchange went something like: TS: “Favorite musician?” BC: “Thelonious Monk” TS: “Hmmmmmm…and who was the lonliest monk?” I’m sure it’s happened before then, but that’s the documented version I know of. ---
**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, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/26 "2001-02-02T21:52:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by voguevixen \* > \*\* > TS: “Favorite musician?” > BC: “Thelonious Monk” > TS: “Hmmmmmm…and who was the lonliest monk?” > > I’m sure it’s happened before then, but that’s the documented version I know of. \*\* Yikes! This is a new low of stupidity, even for MTV - and isn’t she supposed to be the smart one there, outside of Kurt Loder?? Usually, when I see “Thelonious Monk” I think of his run-ins with the law and call him “Felonious Monk.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pluto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f08c70/32.png) [@pluto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pluto)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/27 "2001-02-02T22:00:15Z")
When I was a child, _The Bugs Bunny Show_ (“starring that Oscar-winning rabbit – BUGS BUNNY!”) began with a song-and-dance number by Bugs and Daffy that started, “Overture! Curtain! Lights! This is it, the night of nights!” My young mind, struggling to make sense of what it didn’t understand, came up with, “Oh M’sieur! Sheer delight!” The basic problem was that I had never heard the word _overture_. Why _m’sieur_ was a better choice, I’ll never know. ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/28 "2001-02-02T22:22:38Z")
A few more: **Take It Easy** It’s a girl, my Lord, in a plastic Ford… **Invisible Touch** She sees the hat and puts it on the top shelf ---
**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:** [February 2, 2001, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/29 "2001-02-02T22:41:57Z")
The song “Renegades of Funk” by **Rage Against the Machine** , no matter how closely I listen, I can only hear “we’re the redneck kings of funk”. ---
**Author:** ![Proudest\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/proudest_monkey/32/13257_2.png) [@Proudest\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Proudest_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2001, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/30 "2001-02-03T00:27:41Z")
You have to keep in mind that I live in the Northeast where we drop the “r” at the end of many words (ex. summah and wintah are two of the four seasons) to understand this one. A friend at work told me that something made her so angry she became “livered.” I didn’t get it until I realized she had only **heard** the word “livid” and never **read** it and was adding the “r” that she thought was left off in casual speech. Hope that came across. ---
**Author:** ![PlanMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/2bfe46/32.png) [@PlanMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlanMan)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2001, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/31 "2001-02-03T02:11:55Z")
That old time favorite of winter … In the meadow we could build a snowman, and pretend that he was parse and brown … A brown snowman - must be really dirty snow, and what the heck is ‘parse’? ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2001, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/32 "2001-02-03T04:11:10Z")
NPR radio announcer: “And so we conclude our Christmas celebration with the voice of Leontyne Price…” My mom: “The voice of the ANTICHRIST?!?” ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2001, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/33 "2001-02-03T04:19:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by xizor \* > \*\*The song “Renegades of Funk” by **Rage Against the Machine** , no matter how closely I listen, I can only hear “we’re the redneck kings of funk”. \*\* Damn, that’s funny. “C’mon, Billy Bob Joe Mack Cooter, play me some o’ that George Clinton on the gee-tar!” ---
**Author:** ![Pismonque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/46a35a/32.png) [@Pismonque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pismonque)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2001, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/34 "2001-02-03T05:02:21Z")
I remember reading a news item years ago in which a young boy had saved a choking person’s life by using the Heimlich Maneuver. He later referred to his effort as the _Time/Life Remover_. Kinda makes sense in a way, though. ---
**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 3, 2001, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/35 "2001-02-03T09:25:42Z")
Okay, listen to the theme song to _The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly_. You know the one: aaAAaaAAaaaa, waa WAA waa. Listen to the guys chanting in the background. It sounds like they’re saying: Eggroll Eggroll Eggroll Eggroll Eggroll, too Eggroll Don’t want two eggroll Don’t want two eggroll Don’t want two No thank you ---
**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 3, 2001, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/36 "2001-02-03T15:17:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Proudest Monkey \* > \*\*You have to keep in mind that I live in the Northeast where we drop the “r” at the end of many words (ex. summah and wintah are two of the four seasons) to understand this one. A friend at work told me that something made her so angry she became “livered.” I didn’t get it until I realized she had only **heard** the word “livid” and never **read** it and was adding the “r” that she thought was left off in casual speech. > > Hope that came across. \*\* I have that speech pattern too. My supervisor at work told her son to use “er” at the end of words where I say “a.” It drove her nuts to hear “cleva” and “summa,” etc. The result was a child (now 20) who still says “soder.” ---
**Author:** ![slackergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@slackergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slackergirl)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2001, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/37 "2001-02-03T16:29:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by xizor \* > \*\*The song “Renegades of Funk” by **Rage Against the Machine** , no matter how closely I listen, I can only hear “we’re the redneck kings of funk”. \*\* Thank You! I heard the last half of this a few days ago and I swear that’s exactly what I heard. I was trying to figure out who the band was - because Rage would never call themselves rednecks. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2001, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/38 "2001-02-03T19:55:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pluto \* > “Overture! Curtain! Lights! > This is it, the night of nights!” > > My young mind, struggling to make sense of what it didn’t understand, came up with, > > “Oh M’sieur! Sheer delight!” As a kid, I heard: “Hold the shirt, turn the lights.” Actually, until I read your post, I didn’t know what it really was. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2001, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/39 "2001-02-03T20:18:37Z")
The Rolling Stones song, _It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I like it)_. I always heard: _Would it satisfy you, would it slide on by you?_ as _would it sodomize you_. Although my only source on the lyrics comes from a website…as the lyrics never came with the actual album. Maybe I **am** right…😛 ---
**Author:** ![ladybug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@ladybug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladybug)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2001, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821/40 "2001-02-03T21:00:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Podkayne \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by pluto \* > > “Overture! Curtain! Lights! > > This is it, the night of nights!” > > > > My young mind, struggling to make sense of what it didn’t understand, came up with, > > > > “Oh M’sieur! Sheer delight!” > > As a kid, I heard: “Hold the shirt, turn the lights.” > > Actually, until I read your post, I didn’t know what it really was. \*\* You know, until I read this post I thought it was: “Overture. Cut the lights.” Yeah, I know “cut the lights” doesn’t make sense, but that’s what I always heard. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by lolagranola_ > **Irene Cara - Flashdance. I heard Take your passion as Take your pants off.** ::giggles:: That’s how my best friend and I used to sing it! I think we were about 8 years old when that song came out. It was years before I realized that we had the lyrics wrong. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-mondegreens-mis-hearing-phrases/52821.md?page=3)