# 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:** 19
**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:** [January 26, 2020, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/361 "2020-01-26T06:27:40Z")
So earlier today the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Scar Tissue” came up on one of my Pandora channels. I had always heard the refrain as something like “With birds and shade it’s so lonely with you.” I knew that didn’t really seem right, so I looked up the lyrics. It’s actually “With the birds I’ll share this lonely viewin’.” I honestly never would have guessed that. ---
**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:** [April 5, 2020, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/362 "2020-04-05T07:08:48Z")
The part… > [@WildaBeast](#): > > …it’s so lonely with you." …I heard as well. How I heard “no tell if I die” instead of “don’t care if I die” in “Flip, Flop, Fly”, only the great Blue Meanies know. ---
**Author:** ![Yorkshire\_Pudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/59ef9b/32.png) [@Yorkshire\_Pudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorkshire_Pudding)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/363 "2020-04-05T11:09:19Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > So earlier today the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Scar Tissue” came up on one of my Pandora channels. > > I had always heard the refrain as something like “With birds and shade it’s so lonely with you.” I knew that didn’t really seem right, so I looked up the lyrics. > > It’s actually “With the birds I’ll share this lonely viewin’.” I honestly never would have guessed that. That’s somehow quite a surprise. I’m really no stranger to a misheard lyric myself, but that one was always as clear as a bell to me. ---
**Author:** ![Yorkshire\_Pudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/59ef9b/32.png) [@Yorkshire\_Pudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorkshire_Pudding)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/364 "2020-04-05T11:14:51Z")
Afternoon Delight: This relies on British English slang, but as a child I heard the first line of the chorus as _Ahh, sufferin’ shite_ To be honest, the first four syllables were pretty indistinct and I was pretty well aware that I had no clue what they really were - though they were something like that - but they always resolved into _shite_ at the end of the line. ---
**Author:** ![MizPookie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9c0ed/32.png) [@MizPookie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MizPookie)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/365 "2020-04-07T19:47:20Z")
I recently watched the American Masters biography of Janis Joplin with the closed captioning on. And I realized that for all these years, what I heard as the start of Piece of my Heart: “Didn’t I make you feel like you want to own me?” was actually: “Didn’t I make you feel like you were the only man?” Yikes. ---
**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:** [April 30, 2020, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/366 "2020-04-30T23:08:59Z")
I just looked up the lyrics to “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” when I was posting in the “occupations in songs” thread, and I just discovered I was hearing it wrong all these years. I always heard: “Joan was quizzical, studied at the physical science in the home” (A slightly awkward phrase, but I figured they worded it that way to get the meter right). It’s actually: “Joan was quizzical, studied **pataphysical** science in the home”. To be fair, I’d never actually hears of [pataphysics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%27Pataphysics) until now. ---
**Author:** ![Dsorgnzd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85e7bf/32.png) [@Dsorgnzd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dsorgnzd)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/367 "2020-05-01T00:24:10Z")
Add me to the “Binded By The Light” group, but I always heard “Wrapped up like a douche, and roll her over in the night.” And apologies to Elton John for “Hold me close I’m tired of dancing.” ---
**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:** [May 1, 2020, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/368 "2020-05-01T02:02:51Z")
I’m really good at understanding lyrics; I don’t know why, but I am. Anyway, Steve Winwood’s “Give Me a Higher Love” absolutely sounded like “Rickey and Oliver” to me. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/369 "2020-05-01T03:14:14Z")
I’m embarrassed to say I only found out the real title to the Aerosmith song: Love in an Elevator just a few weeks ago. I always mumbled along, figured it was something like “lovin’ la via bella” or some other foreign term meaning loving a good life. I’m going to hide now. ---
**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 5, 2020, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/370 "2020-10-05T01:44:58Z")
I always thought the lyrics to Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone”, aka the song from _Top Gun_ went “I went to the danger zone Right into the danger zone” I just learned today it’s actually “Highway to the danger zone Ride into the danger zone” ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/371 "2020-10-05T18:19:15Z")
Hotel California: Real lyrics: smell of colitis rising up through the air My lyrics: warm smell of coleep dust rising up though the air I didn’t find out what colitis was until reading the Straight Dope, but what the heck is coleep dust? ---
**Author:** ![CHRISTONY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@CHRISTONY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CHRISTONY)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2021, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/372 "2021-09-11T22:47:31Z")
I strongly believe that Bon sings ’ …Seasoned digger on a one-way ride’ I searched Australian slang for word ’ digger ’ and it is used to describe '… endurance, courage, ingenuity, good-humoured mate etc. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2021, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/373 "2021-09-11T23:08:32Z")
> [@campp](#): > > Boston: **Peace Of Mind** > > Lyric: _All I want is to have my peace of mind_ > Heard: _All I want is to have a piece of pie_ Okay, I’m going to try to make that an earworm. (I’ll gladly trade eternal bliss for some good pie…) . And since this thread has been resurrected this (rightly so, it’s timeless)… I’ve just got to point out this is the saddest thing I’ve ever read: > [@Moonchild](#): > > **Pinball Wizard**. Not The Who version (which I’d never heard), but, ahem, the Elton John version… ---
**Author:** ![anny\_m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@anny\_m](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anny_m)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2021, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/374 "2021-09-12T03:11:50Z")
Several years ago, “Another Brick in the Wall” came on the radio while we were driving somewhere. I said to my husband, “I don’t understand. How come he can’t have any pudding if he don’t clean his feet?” Hubby, almost driving off the road: “What the hell?!? It’s ‘How can you have any pudding if you don’t eat your meat?’” Me: “Gee, that does make more sense.” ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2021, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/375 "2021-09-12T09:43:06Z")
**Freewill** by Rush The line is actually “_I will choose a path that’s clear_” and I heard “…_a bathosphere_.” A friend quickly set me straight (after looking at me up and down with contempt, ha-ha). ETA: Hey, who wants cake? My treat! ---
**Author:** ![Moonchild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@Moonchild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonchild)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/376 "2021-09-24T20:56:40Z")
I should clarify: which I had never heard _at the time_ (I was about 11 years old when I heard Elton John’s version). Should have written, “I hadn’t yet heard.” Probably a case of imprinting, but I do like John’s version better. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2021, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/377 "2021-09-27T04:01:59Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Reminded because I just heard the song. I thought Olivia Newton-John was saying, “Please mister, please-- don’t blame me at 17. . .” saying she was too young to take responsibility for the broken romance, when she was just being a jukebox referee and asking some stranger not to play a certain song. Once I learned she says, “. . .don’t play B-17” I wonder what B-17 was. Theme from A Summer Place or maybe Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head. > > I have thought about this too much. Gary Owens, genius DJ on KMPC AM710 in the 70s, very kindly supplied [the answer to that.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DBpeK9yaONQ) What I’m wondering is: who thinks _Dude looks like a lady_ is a real song lyric, and why won’t Google help me find the complete lyrics to _Do The Lucky Lady_? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2021, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/378 "2021-09-27T04:06:05Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Speaking of Elton John, I already mentioned a misheard lyric from _Funeral For A Friend_ back on the first page. Here’s another from the same song: > > Lyric: ‘The roses in the window box have tilted to one side’ > Heard: ‘The cold November wind don’t rock [can’t remember the rest]’ Nitpick: That song is _Love Lies Bleeding_. _Funeral For A Friend_ is the instrumental that immediately precedes it on the _Goodbye Yellow Brick Road_ album. ---
**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:** [September 27, 2021, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/379 "2021-09-27T13:47:19Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > Hotel California: > Real lyrics: smell of colitis rising up through the air > Uh, Wendy. It’s colitas, not colitis. > **[In the song “Hotel California,” what does “colitas” mean?](https://www.straightdope.com/21342208/in-the-song-hotel-california-what-does-colitas-mean)** 😉 ---
**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:** [November 4, 2021, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166/380 "2021-11-04T20:42:11Z")
So I just figured out that the song that plays during the end credits of Lovecraft Country is “[Sinner Man](https://youtu.be/QH3Fx41Jpl4)”, not “Cinnamon” like I’d been hearing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166.md?page=18) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-misheard-lyrics/727166.md?page=20)