In one of my last blogs, I talked about two new television game shows that focus on not how well you can sing a song, but if you know the correct lyrics. Have you ever been in the car with a spouse, family member, or friend and heard them sing the wrong lyrics? I know I have. But then, I am a bit of a stickler for correct lyrics. I remember sitting in my bedroom as a teen, hoping the new album I just bought had the lyrics including in the record sleeve. After all, back then, looking up the proper lyrics wasn’t as easy as just logging on the Internet (that ability was still about 15 years away).
Of course, people don’t do this on purpose, it is just that some songs have lyrics that run together when sung, leading us to hear an entirely different verse.
I mentioned the dreaded “Excuse me while I kiss this guy” lyrics in my last blog, but what are some other famous misheard lyrics? How about these:
CCR’s “Bad Moon Rising:”
Maybe due to lead singer John Fogerty’s uniquely identifiable voice, this one is often misinterpreted. The original line is “There’s a bad moon on the rise” but people often sing the ever popular “There’s a bathroom on the right” and the utterly ridiculous “There’s a baboon on the right.”
The Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds:”
Some people think the line “The girl with kaleidoscope eyes” is actually “the girl with colitis goes by.” Seriously, why would the Beatles sing about a girl with colitis? Ew.
Toto’s “Africa”
A beautiful song, but rather than “I bless the rains down in Africa” some people would have sworn he sang “I’ve lead some raids down in Africa.” Well, that kind of takes a love song and changes into a military assault song, don’t you think?
Hot Chocolate’s “You Sexy Thing”
I must admit, this was one of the funniest misheard lyrics I happened across. Someone thought the line “I believe in miracles” was actually “I believe in milkbones.” Well, the singer does pronounce the word “miracles” rather oddly.
To find more misheard lyrics, check out the Archive of Misheard Lyrics.