Music Bird Posted November 17, 2018 Share Posted November 17, 2018 I heard Tiny Tims Tiptoe Thru The Tulips in the early 2000s as The tick tocked through the two slips. Boy was I wrong when I found out what he was saying, Quote Yamaha MX49, Casio SK1/WK-7600, Korg Minilogue, Alesis SR-16, Casio CT-X3000, FL Studio, many VSTs, percussion, woodwinds, strings, and sound effects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hurricane hugo Posted November 19, 2018 Share Posted November 19, 2018 [font:Comic Sans MS]There's a line in "She Blinded Me With Science" that I always heard as "she's tied me up and I can't find anything." It was maybe 3 or 4 years ago that I found out it was "she's tidied up and I can't find anything." I liked my version better.[/font] Quote http://blip.fm/invite/WorkRelease Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamuelBLupowitz Posted November 20, 2018 Share Posted November 20, 2018 From the department of nobody cares but me- There's a word for confusion-generated alternate versions of misheard lyrics and verse- mondegreens. Here's the Harper's 1954 essay from whence it sprang- http://www.drapersguild.com/uploads/1/2/8/5/12854632/harpersmagazine-1954-11-0006768.pdf Thanks for sharing that very fun read. I had read the term "mondegreen" in the book of collected misheard lyrics "When a Man Loves a Walnut," but I had never read the essay from which the term sprang. Quote Samuel B. Lupowitz Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Threadslayer Posted November 20, 2018 Share Posted November 20, 2018 "When a Man Loves a Walnut," Not that there's anything wrong with that... Quote Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect. -Mark Twain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve in VA Posted December 22, 2018 Share Posted December 22, 2018 "Roland. Roland. Roland on a river" CCR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elsongs Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 "Two thousand zero zero party ovaries out of time..." - Prince, "1999" "All the guests are playful work/ Mother has to do all this shit/ Then she sends the kids to school" - Madness, "Our House" (I wondered how that got past the censors) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elsongs Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 I had a hard time with parts of American Pie -- like... "Oh, and while the king was looking down The jestice stole his corny crown The courtroom a germ No, heard it was returned And while Lenin read a book on Marx The court that practiced in the park And we sang 'judge is in the dark' The day the music died And its Fall on the grass The players tried for a forward pass ..." I couldn't figure out what he was singing about (granted, my radio back then wasn't too great). Funny thing, though, after I learned all the correct lyrics, I still didn't know what he was singing about -- until much later when someone wrote a piece that explained it all. You know, there's so many verses to "American Pie," that it doesn't really matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquilaRift Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 I thought I might resurrect this topic because possibly I have misheard the lyrics to almost every song ever released. Before I get into why that it is (and it's not a mondegreen situation, although I have plenty of those too), there have a been a lot of songs that I simply didn't understand what I did properly hear and misinterpreted it. Of the many that come to mind, the one that always makes me laugh is from Billy Joel's "Piano Man." When he sings, "And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar" I pictured people stuffing actual bread in a jar. I didn't know that he meant money, because I was about four or five years old when I first heard the song. I couldn't fathom why anyone would put bread in a jar. What would that do? LOL. OK, as for mishearing things, some of us have what's called Auditory Processing Disorder (APD). You can look it up, but basically, it means that I struggle to hear spoken words, especially in noisy places or if there is something going on in the background. There's more to it than only this. Suffice to say that I hear things phonetically, but that often leads to misinterpretation if I lack context. For example, my mother used to wake me up with, "Up and at 'em!" For my entire childhood, I thought she was saying, "Up and Adam." Why do I gotta be Adam? I could never understand what the hell that meant -- not until I read that phrase in a book at some point in my 20s. Then! And only then! Then I understood it. Like a light bulb turning on. If someone doesn't speak or sing with good enunciation (I'm looking at you, Eddie Vedder, with Yellow Ledbetter, particularly), then it's hopeless. This is why song lyrics that came with albums were so vital to me in the pre-internet era. And if an album didn't have written lyrics, I would go to a store that sold sheet music for rock/pop songs and hope to find it. The problem with APD is that it becomes a mental distraction when people are talking to me in real life. My brain is trying to work through all the possibilities of what I think I misheard, and that causes me to lose focus on what it is still being said to me. It's a massive struggle sometimes, depending on how tired I am, too. To overcome it, I may repeat back what I think I heard, or ask someone to say something again. I know that can be annoying, and it's embarrassing for me too, so sometimes I say nothing at all. Anyway, I will always watch films with subtitles on, just to be certain I've understood what I've heard. If only real life had subtitles! I can hear musical notes and intervals just fine. I play "by ear" pretty well most of the time. But certain tones, depending on their volume levels relative to the vocal, might obscure lyrics in the song. Heavy reverb on a voice also does this. But anyway... I read through all of the posts here and laughed because I misheard almost all of those, too. Indeed, you pick any song, and I guarantee that I've misheard a lyric in it. Take Young Americans from David Bowie, and besides mishearing most of the song, substitute the word "hung" for young... and that's what I thought Bowie was singing at times until I finally read the lyrics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowboyNQ Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 [video:youtube] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricBarker Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 Stevie Nicks' "Edge of Seventeen" I always thought she was singing one-winged dove instead of white-winged dove. Okay... I was Today Years Old when I learned it wasn"t 'One Winged'. And I"m upset too, because 'White Winged Dove' is so much less interesting! Stevie Nicks makes one-winged doves cry. Quote Puck Funk! Equipment: Laptop running lots of nerdy software, some keyboards, noise makersâ¦yada yada yadaâ¦maybe a cat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyRude Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 Afternoon Delight. For some reason I always thought that was about ice cream bars. Quote Some music I've recorded and played over the years with a few different bands Tommy Rude Soundcloud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Docbop Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 I think I posted early in this thread about thinking the Doobie Brothers tune "Feelin Down Further" they singing Peanut Butter, peanut butter now. One of my favorites of someone not understanding a song. Was the kid started posting a guitar forum I was a regular on and he was posting about how he had worked hard and was finally getting to perform a song in church service. Everyone was posting encouragement and ignoring the fact he mentioned he was going to do House of the Rising Sun. I let it go at first thinking someone will say something, he must go to a really open church, but he sounded so innocent. I finally PM do you know what the song House of the Rising Sun's lyrics are about? Take a listen to the words it's about a bordello. The kid probably had to Google bordello but his next post was the decided to do different song. If I could of gone to the church service I might not of said anything to see the reaction of the congregation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutball Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 Jake on me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doerfler Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 Afternoon Delight. For some reason I always thought that was about ice cream bars. dude well, maybe you were really young Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felis Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 . I'm sure you guys must have seen this. The first time I did, I had such mixed feelings - busting a gut to the point of tears, and shock at the degradation of one of my favorite songs: [video:youtube] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felis Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 Wrapped up like a douche According to this, we heard it right: https://www.loudersound.com/features/story-behind-song-blinded-by-the-light-by-manfred-mann-s-earth-band Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moj Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 Three Dog Night - "Mama Told Me Not to Come". "That ain't the way to have fun, no". Now, I know what the song really meant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Motif Max Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 ... One of my favorites of someone not understanding a song. Was the kid started posting a guitar forum I was a regular on and he was posting about how he had worked hard and was finally getting to perform a song in church service. Everyone was posting encouragement and ignoring the fact he mentioned he was going to do House of the Rising Sun. I let it go at first thinking someone will say something, he must go to a really open church, but he sounded so innocent. I finally PM do you know what the song House of the Rising Sun's lyrics are about? Take a listen to the words it's about a bordello. The kid probably had to Google bordello but his next post was the decided to do different song. If I could of gone to the church service I might not of said anything to see the reaction of the congregation. I knew a guy who actually did perform that at church. But what he did was change the entire song's lyrics. Now I know why lol (I never looked the song up). He was a killer guitar player. Quote Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000 Kurzweil: PC3-76| Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT, Kurzweil PC4 (88) Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
analogika Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 The opening sentence from Tipper Gore's 'Raising PG Kids in an X-Rated Society': "Like many parents of my generation, I grew up listening to rock music and loving it, watching television and being entertained by it. I still enjoy both. But something has happened since the days of 'Twist and Shout' and 'I Love Lucy.'" Quote "The Angels of Libra are in the European vanguard of the [retro soul] movement" (Bill Buckley, Soul and Jazz and Funk) The Drawbars | off jazz organ trio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoken6 Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 Stevie Nicks' "Edge of Seventeen" I always thought she was singing one-winged dove instead of white-winged dove. Okay... I was Today Years Old when I learned it wasn"t 'One Winged'. And I"m upset too, because 'White Winged Dove' is so much less interesting! Stevie Nicks makes one-winged doves cry.Famously, that's a Stevie Nicks mondegreen. She heard someone say "Age of Seventeen" and interpolated it into the song title. Cheers, Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamuelBLupowitz Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 The opening sentence from Tipper Gore's 'Raising PG Kids in an X-Rated Society': "Like many parents of my generation, I grew up listening to rock music and loving it, watching television and being entertained by it. I still enjoy both. But something has happened since the days of 'Twist and Shout' and 'I Love Lucy.'" Ah, sanctimony. Still one of America"s greatest exports. Quote Samuel B. Lupowitz Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
analogika Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 The opening sentence from Tipper Gore's 'Raising PG Kids in an X-Rated Society': "Like many parents of my generation, I grew up listening to rock music and loving it, watching television and being entertained by it. I still enjoy both. But something has happened since the days of 'Twist and Shout' and 'I Love Lucy.'" Ah, sanctimony. Still one of America"s greatest exports. And I even missed the reference to "rock" music, as if the term "rock & roll" itself weren't a euphemism. Oh man. Quote "The Angels of Libra are in the European vanguard of the [retro soul] movement" (Bill Buckley, Soul and Jazz and Funk) The Drawbars | off jazz organ trio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dje31 Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 About half of REM's early catalog? I'm a fan, but man, there's a reason that, in trying to pick an album title for what became, "Out of Time," an option--jokingly, I'm sure--was, "The Return of Mumbles." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Threadslayer Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 Okay... I was Today Years Old when I learned it wasn"t 'One Winged'. And I"m upset too, because 'White Winged Dove' is so much less interesting! Stevie Nicks makes one-winged doves cry. You must have had a better stereo than I had. I thought it was "Just like the one we love" Quote Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect. -Mark Twain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamuelBLupowitz Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 Okay... I was Today Years Old when I learned it wasn"t 'One Winged'. And I"m upset too, because 'White Winged Dove' is so much less interesting! Stevie Nicks makes one-winged doves cry. You must have had a better stereo than I had. I thought it was "Just like the one we love"I thought it was "one-winged girl" for awhile, which is, in retrospect, a horrifying image. Didn't Miley Cyrus do a video like that? :wink: Quote Samuel B. Lupowitz Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old No7 Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 Funny & entertaining posting... My identical twin used to sing "Sugar Beets make me feel fine..." instead of Summer Breeze! And "Green-jenn-oh" instead of a multi-syllable "Free-ee-dom" (intro to a song by Bread) What can I say... He's a drummer!!! Old No7 Quote Yamaha MODX6 * Hammond SK Pro 73 * Roland Fantom-08 * Crumar Mojo Pedals * Mackie Thump 12As * Tascam DP-24SD * JBL 305 MkIIs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricBarker Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 More video game references, but all this talk of the Stevie Nicks song just makes me think of 'One Winged Angel' by Nobuo Uematsu. Quote Puck Funk! Equipment: Laptop running lots of nerdy software, some keyboards, noise makersâ¦yada yada yadaâ¦maybe a cat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jahfume Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 "Super calloused fragile mystic vexed by halitosis" ( Usually that's the punch-line to a very long rambling pre-amble.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyRude Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 Go for Soda by Kim Mitchell. As a youth I thought it was kind of a silly song with goofball lyrics. Now that I'm older and wiser, turns out it's a profound anthem with a deeply compelling message. Quote Some music I've recorded and played over the years with a few different bands Tommy Rude Soundcloud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou Gehrig Charles Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 Towards the end of "Desperado" by the Eagles, the lyrics go... "Come down from your fences, open the gate". For years, I thought it was "Come down from your fences, oh renegade". Until eventually I found the sheet music and learned the song on the piano and found out otherwise! But come to think of it, my version probably would have worked too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.