I was recently driving one of my daughters to work and, as typical per our travel as a family, we had some tunes playing on the radio. I laughed out loud when the Doobie Brothers came on and started singing along to Black Water. My kids asked me why I thought the song was funny. I shared how it evoked a funny memory from my youth as my dad always thought that Black Water, as well as Wild Cherry’s Funky Music contained profanity. He would come up from behind his newspaper where he frequently lounged in his recliner after work and demand to know why I was listening to “such garbage” in his house. I finally realized that his getting-older ears were hearing a word other than “funky” each time he listened to those songs. I set my dad straight but he still complained about the Doobie Brothers because of their name.
My dear dad was apparently not alone in his mishearing of song lyrics. I myself was in my 40s before I realized that Manfred Mann’s Earth Band was revving up with a deuce, not a feminine hygiene product, which is what it had sounded like to me, which also probably why I always hated that song.
I decided to Google the most misheard song lyrics of all time and the myriad lists that turned up had me laughing for hours. Take a look at the following list and see if you have been guilty of one or more of these misheard lyrics: (Incidentally, the first and last ones are my favorites.)
Lyric: Hold me closer, tiny dancer (Elton John)
Misheard: Hold me closer, Tony Danza
Lyric: Kickin‘ your can all over the place (Queen)
Misheard: Kickin‘ your cat all over the place
Lyric: I can see clearly now the rain is gone (Johnny Nash)
Misheard: I can see clearly now Lorraine is gone
Lyric: It doesn’t make a difference if we make it or not (Bon Jovi)
Misheard: It doesn’t make a difference if we’re naked or not
Lyric: The answer my friend, is blowin‘ in the wind (Bob Dylan)
Misheard: The ants are my friends and they’re blowin‘ in the wind
Lyric: Feel the beat from the tambourine, oh yeah (Abba)
Misheard: Feel the beat from the tangerine, oh yeah
Lyric: Money for nothin‘ and your chics for free (Dire Straits)
Misheard: Money for nothin‘ and the chips are free
Lyric: I just died in your arms tonight. Must have been somethin’ you said (Cutting Crew)
Misheard: I just died in your barn tonight. Mustard, no mayonnaise instead.
Now, if you’re like me, you’re going to start at the top of this list and sing every single one of the misheard lyrics to the tunes of the songs! Is there a song you’ve been singing wrong your entire life? Tell us about it!
Writer Bio: Judy Dudich
Judy Dudich resides in the beautiful woods of Pennsylvania, where 24 acres of land and a home-office provide the perfect setting for her children’s home-education and her own homesteading and business ventures. Life is full of blessings (and challenges!) for Judy, as a wife, mother of 10 and Grammy to six. She is a published author, whose book, “I Surrender/A Study Guide for Women” continues to encourage and support others in Christian family lifestyles throughout the world. Judy has also previously worked in the online speaking circuit. Her passion for permaculture, re-purposing, foraging and organic gardening fills her days with learning and adventure that she loves to share.
