Song Lyrics I've Misunderstood
Terry L. Mitchell
February 14, 2007
I don't know about you, but I'm constantly misunderstanding song lyrics. In many cases, I never figure what's actually being sung until I see the words in writing. Here are some examples of song lyrics I've misunderstood over the years:
(1) From Billy Joel's "My Life":
Actual lyrics: "Got a call from an old friend. We used to be real close."
What I heard: "Got a call from an old friend weast of the riv boat."
(2) From the Black Crowes' "Too Hard to Handle":
Actual lyrics: "Mamma, I'm sure hard to handle now"
What I heard: "Mamma, I'm sure am da henda now"
(3) From the opening theme to Good Times:
Actual lyrics: "Easy credit ripoffs"
What I heard: "Easy crayda ripoffs"
Actual lyrics: "Hangin' in a chow line"
What I heard: "Hangin' and a jivin'"
(4) From the opening theme to All in the Family:
Actual lyrics: "Gee, our old LaSalle ran great"
What I heard: "Gee, our old LaSow rent rate"
(5) From the opening theme to The Flintstones:
Actual lyrics: "They're the modern stone age family"
What I heard: "They're a modern-storic family"
Actual lyrics: "From the town of Bedrock"
What I heard: "Wilma, down in Bedrock"
(6) From the opening and closing themes to Gilligan's Island respectively:
Actual lyrics: "The ship took ground on the shore of this uncharted desert isle"
What I heard: "The ship sacrowned on the shore of this, a charted desert isle"
Actual lyrics: "No phones, no lights, no motor cars"
What I heard: "No phones, no lights, no motorguard"
(7) From Exile's "Kiss You All Over":
Actual lyrics: "Till the night closes in"
What I heard: "Till the night comes within"
(8) From Jackson Browne's "Lawyers in Love":
Actual lyrics: "As vacation land for lawyers in love"
What I heard: "As vacation land for liars in love"
(9) From Gordon Lightfoot's "Carefree Highway":
Actual lyrics: "Carefree Highway, let me slip away on you"
What I heard: "Every highway lets me slip away on you"
(10) From Paul McCartney's "My Brave Face":
Actual lyrics: "My brave, my brave, my brave face"
What I heard: "My great, my great, my great face"
(11) From America's "Ventura Highway":
Actual lyrics: "Ventura highway in the sunshine"
What I heard: "Venture a highway in the sunshine"
(12) From the Eagles' "The Best of My Love":
Actual lyrics: "Wastin' our time on cheap talk and wine"
What I heard: "Wastin' our time on cheap-talkin' wine"
(13) From Elvis Presley's "Don't be Cruel":
Actual lyrics: "Sittin' home all alone"
What I heard: "Sittin' on morning low"
Actual lyrics: "Don't be cruel to a heart that's true"
What I heard: "Don't be cruel -- true heart that's true"
(14) From Earth Wind and Fire's "Dancing in September":
Actual lyrics: "Aaahh Ba de ya -- Say do you remember"
What I heard: "On and on -- Santa, you remember"
(15) From James Taylor's "Fire and Rain":
Actual lyrics: "I've seen fire and I've seen rain"
What I heard: "Obscene fire and obscene rain"
(1) From Billy Joel's "My Life":
Actual lyrics: "Got a call from an old friend. We used to be real close."
What I heard: "Got a call from an old friend weast of the riv boat."
(2) From the Black Crowes' "Too Hard to Handle":
Actual lyrics: "Mamma, I'm sure hard to handle now"
What I heard: "Mamma, I'm sure am da henda now"
(3) From the opening theme to Good Times:
Actual lyrics: "Easy credit ripoffs"
What I heard: "Easy crayda ripoffs"
Actual lyrics: "Hangin' in a chow line"
What I heard: "Hangin' and a jivin'"
(4) From the opening theme to All in the Family:
Actual lyrics: "Gee, our old LaSalle ran great"
What I heard: "Gee, our old LaSow rent rate"
(5) From the opening theme to The Flintstones:
Actual lyrics: "They're the modern stone age family"
What I heard: "They're a modern-storic family"
Actual lyrics: "From the town of Bedrock"
What I heard: "Wilma, down in Bedrock"
(6) From the opening and closing themes to Gilligan's Island respectively:
Actual lyrics: "The ship took ground on the shore of this uncharted desert isle"
What I heard: "The ship sacrowned on the shore of this, a charted desert isle"
Actual lyrics: "No phones, no lights, no motor cars"
What I heard: "No phones, no lights, no motorguard"
(7) From Exile's "Kiss You All Over":
Actual lyrics: "Till the night closes in"
What I heard: "Till the night comes within"
(8) From Jackson Browne's "Lawyers in Love":
Actual lyrics: "As vacation land for lawyers in love"
What I heard: "As vacation land for liars in love"
(9) From Gordon Lightfoot's "Carefree Highway":
Actual lyrics: "Carefree Highway, let me slip away on you"
What I heard: "Every highway lets me slip away on you"
(10) From Paul McCartney's "My Brave Face":
Actual lyrics: "My brave, my brave, my brave face"
What I heard: "My great, my great, my great face"
(11) From America's "Ventura Highway":
Actual lyrics: "Ventura highway in the sunshine"
What I heard: "Venture a highway in the sunshine"
(12) From the Eagles' "The Best of My Love":
Actual lyrics: "Wastin' our time on cheap talk and wine"
What I heard: "Wastin' our time on cheap-talkin' wine"
(13) From Elvis Presley's "Don't be Cruel":
Actual lyrics: "Sittin' home all alone"
What I heard: "Sittin' on morning low"
Actual lyrics: "Don't be cruel to a heart that's true"
What I heard: "Don't be cruel -- true heart that's true"
(14) From Earth Wind and Fire's "Dancing in September":
Actual lyrics: "Aaahh Ba de ya -- Say do you remember"
What I heard: "On and on -- Santa, you remember"
(15) From James Taylor's "Fire and Rain":
Actual lyrics: "I've seen fire and I've seen rain"
What I heard: "Obscene fire and obscene rain"
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