# What song lyrics have you misinterpreted? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 28, 2008, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-lyrics-have-you-misinterpreted/469931 "2008-10-28T13:55:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [October 29, 2008, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-lyrics-have-you-misinterpreted/469931/41 "2008-10-29T15:29:52Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > "Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone … " > > For the longest time I thought it was: > > “Rocket man burning down the streets of Avalon” > > I never could quite figure out what that meant. Mine was close to that: “Rocketman burning up a piece of Babylon” ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-lyrics-have-you-misinterpreted/469931/42 "2008-10-29T16:11:59Z")
From The Clash’s \*\*Rock the Casbah \*\*the second to the last line is "fundamentally he can’t take it " but I hear and have always heard “from the mental _retardated_”. Yeah, I realize that’s not actually a word, I just thought he was jazzing up “mentally retarded”. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-lyrics-have-you-misinterpreted/469931/43 "2008-10-29T16:24:37Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > From The Clash’s \*\*Rock the Casbah \*\*the second to the last line is "fundamentally he can’t take it " but I hear and have always heard “from the mental _retardated_”. Yeah, I realize that’s not actually a word, I just thought he was jazzing up “mentally retarded”. I always heard it as “fundamental retardated,” with pretty much the same explanation in my head. ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-lyrics-have-you-misinterpreted/469931/44 "2008-10-29T17:19:56Z")
I’m not talkin’ bout the linen And I don’t want to change your mind … ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-lyrics-have-you-misinterpreted/469931/45 "2008-10-29T18:05:18Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > I always heard it as “fundamental retardated,” with pretty much the same explanation in my head. This nagged at me all through my lunch hour, and I finally realized I had misspoken. I have always heard it as “mentally retardated.” ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-lyrics-have-you-misinterpreted/469931/46 "2008-10-29T18:16:11Z")
Cyndi Lauper’s **Girls Just Want to have Fun** : Real lyrics: “When the working day is done, Girls just want to have fun.” What I thought they were: “Why in the world can’t they understand? Girls just want to have fun.” Actually, I think my interpretation fits the song better. In the verses, she sings about her misunderstanding parents who want her to grow up and “live her life right”, and don’t understand her desire to be a free-spirit. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-lyrics-have-you-misinterpreted/469931/47 "2008-10-29T18:16:12Z")
I remember being confused by Paul Simon singing \*Asking only workman’s wages I came looking for a job But I get no offers Just a “come on, son, the war’s on seventh avenue” \* ---
**Author:** ![Susie\_Derkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Susie\_Derkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susie_Derkins)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-lyrics-have-you-misinterpreted/469931/48 "2008-10-29T21:46:22Z")
“You’re always nude, you wear it well…” I could have _sworn_ those were the lyrics to **Just What I Needed** by The Cars, but every lyrics site says it’s, “You always knew to wear it well…” Bullshit, I say. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-lyrics-have-you-misinterpreted/469931/49 "2008-10-29T21:51:39Z")
The two I remember at the moment are also probably the most famous misheard lyrics. First being “excuse me while I kiss this guy” instead of “excuse me while i kiss the sky” Second one is “dirty deeds done and the thunder chief” which I “corrected” with “dirty deeds done with sheep.” Turns out the deeds are “done dirt cheap.” I still say “done with sheep” occasionally for the laugh factor. Oh, also Blinded by the Light had a lyric I had misinterpreted. Thought it was “wrapped up like a douche” turned out it’s “revved up like a deuce.” Go figure… ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpine/32/17813_2.png) [@Alpine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-lyrics-have-you-misinterpreted/469931/50 "2008-10-29T23:07:19Z")
**The Smiths** : _I am the sun And the air_ It’s \*son \*and _heir_, dummy! I never listened to the rest of the lyrics for context. I’ll go look them up: _I am the son And the heir Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar I am the son and the heir Of nothing in particular_ ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-lyrics-have-you-misinterpreted/469931/51 "2008-10-29T23:17:20Z")
> [@](#): > > I am the sun > And the air > > It’s son and heir, dummy! What, what, what? Add that one to my list too. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-lyrics-have-you-misinterpreted/469931/52 "2008-10-29T23:22:39Z")
When I was little I thought St. Mary was really fat. Because of “Round yon virgin.” And you know what? Turns out there’s no such country as Orientar. ---
**Author:** ![timbicile59](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@timbicile59](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/timbicile59)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-lyrics-have-you-misinterpreted/469931/53 "2008-10-29T23:42:14Z")
George Harrison singing as a Beatle…here comes the sun and ice head it’s alright ---
**Author:** ![Lavender\_Falcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b782af/32.png) [@Lavender\_Falcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lavender_Falcon)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-lyrics-have-you-misinterpreted/469931/54 "2008-10-30T00:05:40Z")
> [@DudleyGarrett](#): > > I’m not talkin’ bout the linen > And I don’t want to change your mind > > … It’s not linen?! I always thought they’d had a fight about who was doing the laundry or the ironing or something. > [@Peter Morris](#): > > I remember being confused by Paul Simon singing > > Asking only workman’s wages I came looking for a job > But I get no offers > Just a “come on, son, the war’s on seventh avenue” This one’s my favorite so far. I literally laughed out loud. ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2008, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-lyrics-have-you-misinterpreted/469931/55 "2008-10-30T00:48:50Z")
I thought the song title was “6050324”, instead of whatever it actually is. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@The\_Tof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tof)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2008, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-lyrics-have-you-misinterpreted/469931/56 "2008-10-30T10:51:28Z")
Eye of the Tiger The Tof’s Way: “Risin’ up, back on the street Took my dime, took my ten cents” It always made sense to me, too. I thought he was saying he rose up from being on the street and not just penniless, but having everything taken away from him. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-lyrics-have-you-misinterpreted/469931/57 "2008-10-31T00:47:46Z")
“Car Wash” by Rose Royce begins with “You might not ever get rich But let me tell ya it’s better than diggin’ a ditch” To me, it sounds like “…but let me tell ya it’s better than bein’ a bitch” The incorrect version is better. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-lyrics-have-you-misinterpreted/469931.md?page=2)