Mondegreens

One of my favorite topics of conversation is how people misinterpret the lyrics to songs. I just learned that misheard or misunderstood lyrics are called mondegreens. Who knew??

My sister, Brianna, is famous for this. My parents had a Doobie Brothers CD that we would listen to when we cleaned the house, and Brianna thought they said “Dippity Do the streets,” instead of “taking it to the streets.” Dippity Do was a big thing in our house – it’s what we used to slick our hair back for ballet performances. Or in the song, “Everybody Plays a Fool,” Beads thought they said, “Everybody plays a spoon,” and that the little flute part right after that was a simulation of playing spoons. So funny.

My best friend, Pooh’s, family took me on camping trip with them when we were in high school, and we listened to Credence Clearwater Revival while driving, and we all purposely sang, “There’s a bathroom on the right,” instead of “There’s a bad moon on the rise.”

And I’ve heard that Jimi Hendrix is often misheard as saying, “Excuse me while I kiss this guy,” when he’s really saying, “Excuse me while I kiss the sky.”

I myself am pretty bad about misinterpreting lyrics. In high school art class, I was singing that song, “Venus,” by whoever (I think it was originally sung in the 60’s, but Bananarama covered it in the 80’s), and I really thought it says, “She’s goddess; your baby, she’s goddess,” because it’s about Venus, right?? But it’s really “She’s got it; your baby, she’s got it.” When Ben and I were first married, we were on a little road trip to Boise for his family reunion, and we heard that song, “Drops of Jupiter,” by Train. I swore up and down that it said “Bad living is overrated,” and Ben swore up and down that it said, “’Bet heaven is overrated.” We found an internet connection as soon as we got home, and I lost the bet.

Kay, I just found the funniest web site ever, www.amiright.com, where it has an archive of thousands of misheard lyrics. Here are some other misinterpretations to the lyrics for “Drops of Jupiter.” I was laughing so hard when I read these:

Misheard Lyrics:
Did you make it to the Milky Way to see the lights all faded, Van Halen is overrated
Original Lyrics:
Did you make it to the Milky Way to see the lights all faded and that heaven is overrated

Misheard Lyrics:
A man having his own parade.
Original Lyrics:
And that Heaven is overrated.

Misheard Lyrics:
And tell meThe fetus of your mind
Original Lyrics:
And tell meDid Venus blow your mind?

Misheard Lyrics:
Can you imagine a love like deep fried chicken?
Original Lyrics:
Can you imagine, no love, pride, deep fried chicken?

Misheard Lyrics:
Can you imagine no low-fat, deep-fried chicken?
Original Lyrics:
Can you imagine no love, pride deep-fried chicken?

Misheard Lyrics:
Did you finally get the chanceTo dance along the Latter Day?
Original Lyrics:
Did you finally get the chanceTo dance along the light of day?

Misheard Lyrics:
Mad libbing is overrated.
Original Lyrics:
And that Heaven is overrated.

Misheard Lyrics:
Potato man
Original Lyrics:
Tell me

Misheard Lyrics:
She checks our motor while she does Tae-Bo.
Original Lyrics:
She checks out Mozart while she does Tae-Bo.

Misheard Lyrics:
She checks out Malta while she does tae-bo.
Original Lyrics:
She checks out Mozart while she does tae-bo.

Misheard Lyrics:
She checks out Mozart while she plays trombone.
Original Lyrics:
She checks out Mozart while she does Tae-bo.

Misheard Lyrics:
Tell me, did Beavis blow your mind?
Original Lyrics:
Tell me, did Venus blow your mind?

Misheard Lyrics:
The best soiled hottie that you ever had in me.
Original Lyrics:
The best soy latte that you ever had and me.

Misheard Lyrics:
And Matt Damon is overrated.
Original Lyrics:
And that Heaven is overrated.

Misheard Lyrics:
Aunt Helen is overrated
Original Lyrics:
That heaven is overrated

Misheard Lyrics:
Backstreet's (meaning Backstreet Boys) back in the atmosphere
Original Lyrics:
Now that she's back in the atmosphere

Misheard Lyrics:
Betsy's back in the atmosphereorBet she's back in the atompshere
Original Lyrics:
Now that she's back in the atmosphere

Misheard Lyrics:
Can you imagine no lard fries
Original Lyrics:
Can you imagine no love, pride

Misheard Lyrics:
Can you imagine no love cry, deep-fried chicken
Original Lyrics:
Can you imagine no love, pride, deep-fried chicken

Misheard Lyrics:
Can you imagine no love-style deep fried chicken
Original Lyrics:
Can you imagine no love, pride, deep-fried chicken

Misheard Lyrics:
Can you imagine your love child deep-fried?
Original Lyrics:
Can you imagine no love, pride, deep-fried chicken

Misheard Lyrics:
Did you finally get the chance to dance and win the lottery
Original Lyrics:
Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day

Misheard Lyrics:
Here she's back in the atmosphere Rocks of Jupiter in her ear
Original Lyrics:
Now that she's back in the atmosphereWith drops of Jupiter in her hair

Misheard Lyrics:
I need some home-fried, deep-fried chicken
Original Lyrics:
Can you imagine no love, pride, deep-fried chicken

Misheard Lyrics:
Imagine no love, pie, deep-fried chicken
Original Lyrics:
Imagine no love, pride, deep-fried chicken

Misheard Lyrics:
Manhattan is overrated
Original Lyrics:
That heaven is overrated

Misheard Lyrics:
She checks out Scotty while she does Tyrone
Original Lyrics:
She checks out Mozart while she does tae-bo

Misheard Lyrics:
She listens like spring but she sings like Julie
Original Lyrics:
She listens like spring and she talks like June

Misheard Lyrics:
That Helen is overrated
or
That Haley is overrated
Original Lyrics:
That Heaven is overrated

Misheard Lyrics:
The best darn latte that you ever had, damn me
Original Lyrics:
The best soy latte that you ever had...and me

Misheard Lyrics:
The best silver latte that you ever had in me.
Original Lyrics:
The best soy latte that you ever had, and me.

Misheard Lyrics:
Vashti's back in the atmosphere
Original Lyrics:
Now that she's back in the atmosphere

Ohhhhh! Hahahaha!! I’m laughing so hard right now, tears are flowing down my face! Hahahaha! “Potato man”? What??? “Soiled hottie”??? Hahahaha!!! Ohhhh, my side, my side!!! Okay. Phew!!

Anyways, Dylan has added himself to the ranks of Mondegreen Royalty. His class was learning “Keep Your Eye on the Grand Old Flag,” and he thought it said “Every heart beats two,” instead of “Every heart beats true.” He also thought it said, “Keep your eye on the ground or flag.” Cute. And they were practicing singing “I am a Child of God” for their primary program this year, and he was singing it to himself in the house: “And so my knees are great,” instead of “And so my needs are great.” I love that.

I’m gonna have to go back onto that website the next time I need a good belly laugh! I haven’t laughed that hard since the Fantasy Football incident!!