# Worst misunderstanding of lyrics ever **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 8, 2007, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957 "2007-10-08T17:19:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957/21 "2007-10-09T04:46:08Z")
[QUOTE=Paladud] 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 🙂 [/QUOTE] I’ve been peed on by a greyhound, it was certainly nothing to sing about. Stupid dog! If you stood still for a couple seconds he figured you might be a tree and he’d may as well go for it. I post this one every time there’s one of these threads but one of my favorites is Aerosmith’s “Love in an elevator”, which I originally heard as “Lovin’ an alligator.” ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957/22 "2007-10-09T04:46:09Z")
[QUOTE=Algorithm] _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](http://www.amiright.com/misheard/artist/blackcrowes.shtml) page. [/QUOTE] That song still get’s me, I always here “I so hard to handle, now yes around” the real lyrics are “I’m sure hard to handle, now yes I am” Okay, the so/sure thing is understandable, but what Chris sings at the end of that line doesn’t even rhyme with “yes I am.” ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957/23 "2007-10-09T05:31:04Z")
My own that I really thought was the case for a long time: Wasted away again in Margaritaville Searchin’ for my lost _Shaker soul_ Some people say that there’s a woman to blame But I know, it’s probably my fault. Sure, it doesn’t rhyme, but I figured it was a metaphor for someone who’d broken free from their Puritanical value system and turned to a life of debauchery. Upon seeing the turpitude in which they’d sunk themselves, they longed for some shred of their former honest life to cling to. Turns out it’s just some drunk guy trying to find a _shaker of salt_. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957/24 "2007-10-09T05:45:12Z")
I’ve been misunderstanding lyrics forever, and I’m still at it. I’m in the car with my kid and this song comes on. When alone, I’ve been known to sing along, even though the words kid of mystified me, I mean, why would anybody write a song that went, “We can be depressed, we can be depressed…” But the presence of my kid in the car suddenly somehow revealed the actual lyrics, and I missed the boat by about an ocean: “Why can’t we be friends, why can’t we be friends?” :smack: On the other hand, even though I KNOW he’s not talking 'bout the linen, it sounds to me like, well, like he’s not talking 'bout the linen. ---
**Author:** ![mkl12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@mkl12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mkl12)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957/25 "2007-10-09T10:13:11Z")
[QUOTE=Askance] 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] Can you please explain why that song is about murder? I don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957/26 "2007-10-09T10:54:33Z")
Doobie Bros. “Listen to the Music” – for 35 years, I thought the song was called “For A While It’s Confusing” What’s really sad is I knew the Doobies had a song called “Listen to the Music”, but for some reason it was never played on the radio. :rolleyes: (Excuse me while I [kiss this guy…](http://www.kissthisguy.com/)) ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957/27 "2007-10-09T11:51:05Z")
The Eagles, “You can’t hide your cyanide” . . . _Lyin’ Eyes,_ rather. CCR, “There’s a bad moon on the right.” Don McLean, _American Pie,_ "As the planes rise high into the night, to light the sacrificial rite . . . " ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957/28 "2007-10-09T12:14:40Z")
[QUOTE=Hilarity N. Suze] On the other hand, even though I KNOW he’s not talking ‘bout the linen, it sounds to me like, well, like he’s not talking ‘bout the linen. [/QUOTE] For awhile I thought he was not talkin’ bout the wedding, which makes sense in context. And I forget if I was one of the ones who thought there was a warm wind blowin’ the stars around. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957/29 "2007-10-09T12:18:06Z")
[QUOTE=Neidhart] Don McLean, _American Pie,_ "As the planes rise high into the night, to light the sacrificial rite . . . " [/QUOTE] Not a mondegreen, but I always substitute a soundalike word in the next line: > [@](#): > > I saw Satan laughing with Deee-Lite the day the music died Speaking of Deee-Lite, and also not a mondegreen, whenever there is a song that says something like > [@](#): > > Baby you’ll see the **funk inside 'a me** I always wonder why they’re making an obscene reference to a prohibited act even though I know it’s not the lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![Clockwork\_And\_Candy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b782af/32.png) [@Clockwork\_And\_Candy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clockwork_And_Candy)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957/30 "2007-10-09T12:18:22Z")
As a child I loved singing along to The Go-go’s hit song, ‘Alex the Seal’. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957/31 "2007-10-09T12:33:13Z")
[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] Me too! …“white winged dove”??? ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957/32 "2007-10-09T13:19:52Z")
Back when the song was first released in the 1980s, a friend of mine was convinced that _Cuts Like a Knife_ by Bryan Adams was actually “Cock Sucking Night”. ---
**Author:** ![Foxy40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Foxy40](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foxy40)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957/33 "2007-10-09T13:27:30Z")
A girl with colitis goes by… Instead of _A girl with kaleidoscope eyes._ I always felt bad for her medical condition. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957/34 "2007-10-09T13:28:55Z")
A co-worker just told me about this one, not sure if it was him or where he heard it or what, but it’s now my favorite mondegreen. Panama by Van Halen: Actual lyrics: Reach down, ease the seat back Misheard: Reach down, squeeze my seedbag ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957/35 "2007-10-09T13:30:48Z")
You know that Smash Mouth lyric: “She was looking pretty dumb with her finger and her thumb in the shape of an L on her forehead”? Yeah, well, my stepson thinks it’s “in the shape of an elf” which conjours some interesting mental images. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957/36 "2007-10-09T13:32:11Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] My multi-year interpretation of a great Beatles song lyrics: “Take the back right turn”. The actual Beatles song lyrics: “Paperback writer”. [/QUOTE] The song title wasn’t a clue? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957/37 "2007-10-09T13:32:51Z")
[QUOTE=Ludovic] For awhile I thought he was not talkin’ bout the wedding, which makes sense in context. And I forget if I was one of the ones who thought there was a warm wind blowin’ the stars around. [/QUOTE] There’s not a warm wind blowing the stars around? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957/38 "2007-10-09T13:35:54Z")
Let’s just say I initially misheard the lyrics to “Play That _Funky_ Music, White Boy.” ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957/39 "2007-10-09T13:52:18Z")
[QUOTE=Hilarity N. Suze] There’s not a warm wind blowing the stars around? :eek: [/QUOTE] There’s a warm wind blowin’, the stars are out. But it’s pretty hard for the wind to actually blow the stars around! (If I made that mistake before I’ve erased it from my memory.) ETA: looking back on it, it’s possible that it could be another “Sugar Bear” situation, where what you think you hear really IS what you hear despite it making little sense. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957/40 "2007-10-09T14:02:31Z")
Oh yeah, I have another one which I misheard back in the '70’s when I was young. I always felt funny singing along to it. _Oh, ho, ho it’s my dick, you know Never believe it’s not so._ Unfortunately, it was a long time before I heard the title of the song was “Magic”, that might have cleared things up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-misunderstanding-of-lyrics-ever/421957.md?page=3)