# 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:** 17
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2019, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/321 "2019-10-23T23:53:03Z")
I literally just figured this one out. The Beatles, “Back in the USSR”. I always heard “[Something] weighted paperback was on my knee. Man, I had a dreadful flight.” I just figured out the real line is “On the way the paper bag was on my knee. Man, I had a dreadful flight.” I assume the “paper bag” is the airsickness bag, which completely explains why it was such a dreadful flight. Those lines make so much more sense now! ---
**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:** [October 24, 2019, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/322 "2019-10-24T13:14:39Z")
Gloria I think they got your number. I think they got the area code That you’ve been living under. It’s really “alias,” but all phone numbers have an area code, so the misheard lyric makes some sense. ---
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/323 "2019-10-24T13:35:33Z")
When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me Speaking words of wisdom, Letter B … Letter B, Letter B, Letter B, Letter B Whisper words of wisdom, Letter B ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/324 "2019-10-24T14:59:39Z")
What I’ve always heard… My sister looks cute in her bracelets and boots A handful of breeze in her hair ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/325 "2019-10-24T18:34:45Z")
I was today years old when I finally heard the Righteous Brothers do not sing, “If you’ll be living forever” but “If you believe in forever”. Which makes more sense paired with “then life is just a one night stand.” ---
**Author:** ![icantdraw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3ec8ea/32.png) [@icantdraw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/icantdraw)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/326 "2019-10-24T20:12:58Z")
Slade: If you got a crush, don’t beat around the bush. Me: If you got a crush, don’t be an octopus. Yeesh, I should have known that wasn’t right. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/327 "2019-10-24T22:11:10Z")
> [@Chad\_Sudan](#): > > When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me > Speaking words of wisdom, Letter B > … > Letter B, Letter B, Letter B, Letter B > Whisper words of wisdom, Letter B [The Muppets beat you to it.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WmVd9F1fW00) ---
**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:** [October 24, 2019, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/328 "2019-10-24T22:23:54Z")
> [@icantdraw](#): > > Slade: > > If you got a crush, don’t beat around the bush. > > Me: > > If you got a crush, don’t be an octopus. > > Yeesh, I should have known that wasn’t right. Now that you mention it, I heard _Don’t be an octopus_ too. It kind of makes sense though. Like, an octopus is ‘all arms’. If you’ve got a crush on someone, keep your hands and arms to yourself. Don’t be an octopus. 😉 ---
**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:** [October 24, 2019, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/329 "2019-10-24T22:27:16Z")
I’ve just remembered a thread from several years ago, where someone was debating the lyrics to _Down Under_ (Men At Work). Even after showing him the lyrics as written on Colin Hay’s website (i.e., ‘straight from the horse’s mouth’), he would not be convinced he was wrong. He ended up being banned over that thread. What a silly hill to choose to die on. ---
**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 25, 2019, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/330 "2019-10-25T13:15:46Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Even after showing him the lyrics as written on Colin Hay’s website (i.e., ‘straight from the horse’s mouth’), he would not be convinced he was wrong. Possibly that poster didn’t trust Colin Hay on the grounds that he wouldn’t look him straight in the eye. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2019, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/331 "2019-10-28T21:19:13Z")
Dobie Grey’s “Drift Away”: For ages I thought it went “Give me the Beach Boys and free my soul, I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away.” The actual line is “Give me the beat, boys…” I’d always imagined the singer drifting away in thought while listening to a Beach Boys record. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2019, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/332 "2019-10-28T21:24:10Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > Dobie Grey’s “Drift Away”: For ages I thought it went “Give me the Beach Boys and free my soul, I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away.” > > The actual line is “Give me the beat, boys…” > > I’d always imagined the singer drifting away in thought while listening to a Beach Boys record. I must admit, that’s exactly what I thought too. I like it better with the Beach Boys reference! ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2019, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/333 "2019-11-02T19:48:48Z")
Tommy James and the Shondells For literally decades I thought it was Hangin’ Around, this morning I found out it’s Draggin’ a Line. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2019, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/334 "2019-11-02T22:45:38Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > _**“Summer Breeze” (Seals & Crofts)**_ > Lyric: “…blowing through the jasmine in my mind.” > Heard: “…blowing through the jazz man in my mind.” I thought it was “…blowing through the chasm in my mind.” ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2019, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/335 "2019-11-02T23:35:02Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > For me that was “…blowing through the chasm in my mind.” > [@SCAdian](#): > > I thought it was “…blowing through the chasm in my mind.” Pfui. ---
**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:** [November 4, 2019, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/336 "2019-11-04T00:24:17Z")
An old mondegreen from when I was a wee one: “Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday, Who could hang a nail on you.” ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/337 "2019-11-04T19:03:05Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > Tommy James and the Shondells > > For literally decades I thought it was Hangin’ Around, this morning I found out it’s Draggin’ a Line. I always thought it was “Hitchin’ a ride”. ---
**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:** [November 8, 2019, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/338 "2019-11-08T00:36:06Z")
Another old personal (and no one else’s!) mondegreen… from “Penny Lane” - _There, beneath the blue, ‘so purple’ skies_. (instead of '_suburban’_) ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2019, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/339 "2019-11-08T01:44:41Z")
I grew up thinking Stevie Nicks was singing, “Just like a one winged dove. Sings a song sounds like she’s singing.” ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2019, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/340 "2019-11-08T02:20:33Z")
The smell of fat chicks just put my spine out of place. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166.md?page=18)