When I first came across Radiohead’s “Paranoid Android,” I heard the pre-last part as:
“Rain down, rain down,
Come on, rain down on me…
From a greyhound…
From a greyhound…”
Since I saw this on YouTube with the crazy music video, I had no particular reason to question this interpretation. Alas, looking up the lyrics has dispelled my belief that Thom Yorke desired to be peed on by a dog.
Share yours 
Don’t keep us folks who are ignorant of the song in suspense. When you do this sort of thing, post the REAL lyrics as well.
Posted before, but what the hey…
Stevie Nicks, Edge of Seventeen. Real lyrics:
What I sang for more than 20 years:
Mine is better. And I still think that Elton John sings “Should’ve they” in Someone Saved my Life Tonight. “Sugar Bear” is just so… wrong. 
He really was singing “Sugar bear”? I was hoping I’d misheard that one.
When I was at University that Kenny Rogers song, You Picked A Fine Time To Leave Me Lucille, was everywhere on the radio.
I had a Chinese roommate who was especially enamoured of country music. She’s just break out in song at the most unlikely moments!
She would sing; “You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille,
With 400 kids and a crop in the field!”
Lyric should be; “You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille,
With 4 hungry kids and a crop in the field.”
And, of course, we never let her forget it!
I’ve mentioned it before, but the most over-the-top one came from Mom:
Real lyric: Good love is hard to find (Tom Petty)
Mom’s lyric: Silly-willy love is hard to find
My all-time favorite was from a guy I went to college with.
Real lyric to Roadhouse Blues (The Doors) -
“… woke up this morning and I got myself a beer”
College guy’s lyric:
“… woke up this morning and I got myself some veal”
Of course, now I always sing “some veal” when I hear the song, in my mind I just picture this ultra-decadent lifestyle where you get up in the morning and breakfast on osso buco or saltimbocca.
[QUOTE=elbows]
When I was at University that Kenny Rogers song, You Picked A Fine Time To Leave Me Lucille, was everywhere on the radio.
You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille,
With 400 kids and a crop in the field!"
[/QUOTE]
I’ve had some bad times and lived through some sad times.
But this time you’re hurting one heel."
Since you admit to being a heel, that’s probably why she’s leaving you.
The real lyric is “This time your hurting won’t heal.”
[QUOTE=JohnT]
Posted before, but what the hey…
Stevie Nicks, Edge of Seventeen. Real lyrics:
What I sang for more than 20 years:
Mine is better. And I still think that Elton John sings “Should’ve they” in Someone Saved my Life Tonight. “Sugar Bear” is just so… wrong.
[/QUOTE]
“The white-winged dove”? That’s terrible. I’ve been singing “Just like the wild wind does” my entire life…which is clearly the superior lyric. 
Then there’s that kinky naughty song “Sway” —
Other dancers may pee on the floor,
But my eyes will see only you
[QUOTE=CalMeacham]
Don’t keep us folks who are ignorant of the song in suspense. When you do this sort of thing, post the REAL lyrics as well.
[/QUOTE]
Er, sorry. It was meant to be “From a great height.”
[QUOTE=Ogre]
“The white-winged dove”? That’s terrible. I’ve been singing “Just like the wild wind does” my entire life…which is clearly the superior lyric.
[/QUOTE]
That’s ok…I’ve been singing “Just like the wide winged dove” :smack:
My multi-year interpretation of a great Beatles song lyrics: “Take the back right turn”.
The actual Beatles song lyrics: “Paperback writer”.
Just as a public service announcement to one of my favorite words, these little misunderstandings are called “mondegreens.”
For adifferent sort of misunderstanding, there’s Police’s Every Breath You Take, which is seen as a love song but is actually about a stalker.
[QUOTE=Quartz]
For adifferent sort of misunderstanding, there’s Police’s Every Breath You Take, which is seen as a love song but is actually about a stalker.
[/QUOTE]
The same with REM’s This One Goes Out To The One I Love, apparently they used to get people telling them how they fell in love to this rather creepy song about cold blooded murder.
[QUOTE=my best friend]
And I said, ‘‘What about Breakfast at Tiffany’s?’’
She said, ‘‘I think I remember the bill line
As I recall we both got two counts on hygiene.’’
And I said, ‘‘Well that’s one thing we’ve got.’’
[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=actual song ‘‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’’]
And I said, ''What about Breakfast at Tiffany’s?"
She said, ‘‘I think I remember the film line
As I recall I think we both kind of like it.’’
And I said, ‘‘Well, that’s one thing we’ve got.’’
[/QUOTE]
The most hilarious thing about her is she will argue with you vehemently that she has the lyrics right. And she never fails to be wrong.
A pet peeve of mine is artists who cover a song but get the lyrics wrong. A couple of examples:
Creedence Clearwater Revival sings I Heard It Throught the Grapevine as:
People say that you hide from what you see
Na na na from what you hear
when the correct lyric is:
People say believe half of what you see
Son, and none of what you hear
And Elvis screws up Long Tall Sally by singing:
*Long tall Sally she’s – built sweet *
When the original lyric was
Long Tall Sally she’s – built for speed
[QUOTE=delphica]
…Roadhouse Blues (The Doors)…
[/QUOTE]
This reminds me of one.
I had a girlfriend from LA a few years back. I went to visit her there once, and to be cute, I broke out singing L.A. Woman while we were hanging out in a park. She got all (mock) offended because she thought the Doors lyric said “L.A. woman’s gonna have to do” (when in fact it’s “L.A. woman, Sunday afternoon”).
(Funnily enough, I used to mishear the lyric exactly the same way before it dawned on me what Morrison was actually saying.)
Hard to Handle by The Black Crowes has probably generated enough misheard lyrics to write a book on the subject.
I finally figured out what the real lyrics were by googling “lemon lime chicano” (real lyric: let me light your candle) and found this page.