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!
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
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.”
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.
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.
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.