# YOUR misheard lyrics **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [August 6, 2015, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166 "2015-08-06T16:34:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![Trancephalic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trancephalic/32/380_2.png) [@Trancephalic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trancephalic)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2016, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/261 "2016-12-07T01:46:48Z")
There’s no such thing a ringworm ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2016, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/262 "2016-12-07T01:52:42Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Me too. Though I can’t remember if I actually misheard it, or if I intentionally ‘misheard’ it. (When I think of the song nowadays, I like to imagine _With four hundred children and an old Glockenspiel_. 😛 ) I honestly thought that they ran an orphanage or something. I could not imagine any other situation where there would be two adults and 400 kids. Thinking about it now, he could have had the 400 kids work the field without lifting a finger himself. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2017, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/263 "2017-02-08T21:16:33Z")
I don’t know if I posted this already. _ **Spirit In The Night** _ Lyrics: It’s a mile down on the dark side of Route 88 Misheard: It’s a mile on the dark side of Rudy the 8th ---
**Author:** ![OsageOrange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6a8cbe/32.png) [@OsageOrange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OsageOrange)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2017, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/264 "2017-02-08T23:46:34Z")
At my workplace, the “music in the air” is modern country, so I end up with a lot of “countrified” mondegreens. In the interest of honoring copyrights, I leave finding the real lyrics as an exercise for the student. Here are a few of my “warped” ones: “Keepin’ you forever in the hallways…” (Shania Twain) “All the 8-tracks in the world ain’t gonna clean your dirty laundry.” (Unknown; she’s a more recent artist) “If everybody everywhere had a lion or a bear…” (Unknown, again; sounded like Travis Tritt to me) And lastly, from musical turf closer to my own, here’s one that puzzled me for years before I finally got hold of the real lyric: “Come, let out the baby…” (David Bowie) Enjoy! Giggles are good for you! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/265 "2017-04-03T18:46:16Z")
Just happened to me today … heard a very catchy tune by Sweets — “That don’t look like Mommy, Mommy, Mommy doesn’t have a sweater like that …” Looked it up … “That don’t look like my man, my man, my man doesn’t have a swagger like that …” I like my version better ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/266 "2017-04-04T14:03:11Z")
Justin Timberlake’s _Can’t Stop The Feeling_. Heard: “Nowhere to hide when I’m **gettin’ new clothes** ” Actual lyric: “Nowhere to hide when I’m **gettin’ you close**.” And an oldie - in Dinah Washington’s rendition of _We’ll take Manhattan_, the last line is “We’ll turn Manhattan into an **isle of joy** ”. But with her accent it sounds like she’s singing “We’ll turn Manhattan into an **Olive Joy** ”, which I’ve always visualized as a disgusting variant on an Almond Joy. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2017, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/267 "2017-04-13T21:50:31Z")
I asked in May, 2010, about a lyric from _Dalai Lama_, by Clambake. _Dalai Lama, with no hair Soul vibrations in the air There’s a question I’ve got for you Why are you named after a beast of burden **with an Aunt Beru?** _ Two months later, I realized it was: _ **… living in Peru?** _ ---
**Author:** ![Girlundone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Girlundone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girlundone)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2017, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/268 "2017-04-13T22:09:50Z")
My son insists that Carrie Underwood sings “carved my name into your legacy”. It’s “carved my name into your leather seats” I mean the whole song is about effing up the guys car lol his girlfriend and I still laugh at him. ---
**Author:** ![WildBlueYonder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WildBlueYonder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildBlueYonder)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2017, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/269 "2017-04-13T23:31:26Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Elton John, again. I’ve said this before in like threads, but I prefer my mis-hearing better than the original lyrics. From **Someone Saved My Life Tonight** : > > Original version: “Someone saved my life tonight. Sugar Bear.” > My version: “Someone saved my life tonight. Should’ve they?” > > I think mine sounds better, with more pathos. EJ’s version gives me a vision of him being given mouth-to-mouth by [this guy](http://www.postfoods.com/images/brands/golden-crisp/1970_sugarbear.png). and “sugar bear” term of endearment in England? I’ve been an Elton fan since the early 70’s. I know all the words to the songs…or do I? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![WildBlueYonder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WildBlueYonder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildBlueYonder)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2017, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/270 "2017-04-13T23:59:47Z")
guess I should have tried to edit… Anyway, I thought I was the only one in the world that cant hear the correct words Most all of the ones in here that people have messed up, I’ve always gotten right. So many others I have screwed up! Isnt it later on, we’ll perspire while we wait by the fire?? I thought it was conspire I have yet to get Hotel California right I need to get Stayin Alive right. I love Jive Talkin! I think it helps a lot to see the videos of the songs to know what the lyrics are ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/271 "2017-04-14T00:29:37Z")
From David Bowie’s _Changes_ This is pretty commonly misheard, or actually purposely misheard in the St Louis area: _Turn and face the strange, Chaannges. . . Don’t tell them to grow up in Olivette_ [a municipality in west St Louis County] I finally looked it up recently, it is _Don’t tell them to grow up, and out of it_ ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/272 "2017-04-14T00:40:52Z")
Used to wonder if the Thompson Twins regret writing that line in the third stanza of “Lies”: _“The bigger, the better / Some nip from Old Saigon…”_ But no, the actual line is: _“Some nicked from Old Saigon”_ ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/273 "2017-04-14T00:44:07Z")
Jim Croce’s “I Got a Name”: Being a birder, I was deeply surprised (after I DLed it last week) to go to several lyric sites to see that they all had this line as _Like the whippoorwill and the baby’s cry_ When to me it is clearly and unambiguously _Like the whippoorwill and the phoebe’s cry_ I mean, he’s talking about the songs of two birds for criminy’s sake. “Baby” makes zero sense in context. Alas, only 4 sites come up on Google for the last one (in "), 2 of them misheard lyric sites. They can go and blow me. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2017, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/274 "2017-04-20T17:42:06Z")
The first time I heard this song… **Illegal Alien** - Genesis Lyric: ‘It’s no fun being an illegal alien.’ Heard: It’s no fun being a league of aliens.’ ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2017, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/275 "2017-06-04T15:13:40Z")
Lisa Hannigan, _“Lille”_. There’s this [part](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G21swi--fc&feature=youtu.be&t=55) where I could swear that she sings “what I read in the john”. Of course, I realized pretty much right away that this couldn’t possibly be the actual line, and some research reveals it to be “what I read it the charms”. But now I’m stuck with a mental image of Lisa Hannigan reading on the loo, which will not go away. Frankly, I could do without it. So, if anyone has any tips for purging your brain of that sort of thing, please let me know. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2017, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/276 "2017-06-04T15:24:36Z")
Too late for edit: “What I read \*in \*the charms.” Well, make that my misheard-misspelt lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2017, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/277 "2017-06-04T15:55:49Z")
The Cult, “Big Neon Glitter”… All the lyric sites insist: _And drag me back, drag me back, drag me back Through that revolution, without solution_ But we all know how reliable they are. I instead think it is: \*And drag me back, drag me back, drag me back To the ocean, of absolution \* Why would you want to be dragged back to an unsolvable scenario? An ocean which washes away your sins makes a lot more sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2017, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/278 "2017-06-04T22:18:09Z")
As a little’un I had a couple: Instead of “We can work it out” (Beatles) I thought it was “Wicket, wicket, out”. “Lookin for my last shaker o’salt” (Jimmy Buffet) - “Lookin for my last nigger assault”. “oooooo, ooooo, witchy woman” (Eagles) - “oooooo, ooooo, windshield woman”. “and her name was McGill” (Beatles) - “and her name was Moogie-Ill”. “There, beneath the blue, suburban skies” (Beatles) - “There, beneath the blue, so purple skies”. “You can get married in Gibraltar near Spain” - (Beatles) - “You can get married and then you call it a spring”. ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2017, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/279 "2017-06-04T23:54:39Z")
My husband and I both heard this before we ever discussed it. Jack Wilson Said by Van Morrison Actual lyric : I’m in heaven We hear: Drunken animal I’ve never been able to discern “I’m in heaven” from that song. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2017, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/280 "2017-06-05T06:14:59Z")
> [@CelticKnot](#): > > My husband and I both heard this before we ever discussed it. > Jack Wilson Said by Van Morrison > Actual lyric : > I’m in heaven > We hear: > Drunken animal > > I’ve never been able to discern “I’m in heaven” from that song. Maybe he was drunken animal during the recording and slurred the words? 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166.md?page=15)