Misheard lyrics (also called mondegreens) occur when people misunderstand the lyrics in a song. These are NOT intentional rephrasing of lyrics, which is called parody. For more information about the misheard lyrics available on this site, please read our FAQ.
1950s | |
Kingston Trio's, "Zombie Jamboree"
Misheard Lyrics: I don't give a damn 'cause I don't welly welly
Original Lyrics: I don't give a damn 'cause I done that already
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The Coasters', "Yakety Yak"
Misheard Lyrics: Just tell your huddle of friends outside,
You ain't got time to take a ride Original Lyrics: Just tell your hoodlum friends outside,
You ain't got time to take a ride |
The Everly Brothers', "Bye Bye Love"
Misheard Lyrics: Bye bye, swankiness
Original Lyrics: Bye bye, sweet caress.
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1960s | |
Jimmy Dean's, "Big Bad John"
Misheard Lyrics: Twenty men scrambled from a whoopee grave
Original Lyrics: Twenty men scrambled from a would-be grave
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Marty Wilde's, "Abergavenny"
Misheard Lyrics: Passin' the time with parrot eyes people
Parrot eyes people are fine by me. Original Lyrics: Passin' the time with paradise people
Paradise people are fine by me. |
Roger Whittaker's, "Durham Town"
Misheard Lyrics: I've got an evil doll in town.
Original Lyrics: I've got to leave old Durham town.
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Simon and Garfunkel's, "Scarborough Fair"
Misheard Lyrics: Tell her to make me a cannibal shirt
Original Lyrics: Tell her to make me a cambric shirt
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Young Rascals', "People Got to Be Free"
Misheard Lyrics: There was a man who was tryin' to sell me a helpin' hand
Original Lyrics: If there's a man who is down and needs a helpin' hand
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1970s | |
ABBA's, "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!"
Misheard Lyrics: Won't somebody help me chase this child away
Original Lyrics: Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away
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ABBA's, "Man in the Middle"
Misheard Lyrics: Did you see that man with the fancy car
Original Lyrics: Did you see that man with a fat cigar
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ABBA's, "Thank You for the Music"
Misheard Lyrics: I'm nothing special
In fact, I'm a bit of a ball. Original Lyrics: I'm nothing special
In fact, I'm a bit of a bore. |
ABBA's, "Voulez-Vous"
Misheard Lyrics: We've done it all before and now we beg to get some more
Original Lyrics: We've done it all before and now we're back to get some more
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AC/DC's, "Highway to Hell"
Misheard Lyrics: Living easy, loving free,
See's a nigger on a one way ride Original Lyrics: Living easy, loving free
Season ticket on a one-way ride. |
Arlo Guthrie's, "City of New Orleans"
Misheard Lyrics: Fifteen cars and fifteen wrestler's idols
Three conductors and twenty five Saxon men Original Lyrics: Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders
Three conductors and twenty five sacks of mail |
Bachman-Turner Overdrive's, "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet"
Misheard Lyrics: I met a Dago woman
She took my heart away Original Lyrics: I met a devil woman
She took my heart away |
Bob Welch's, "Precious Love"
Misheard Lyrics: I want you to love your precious love
Original Lyrics: I want your love, your precious love
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Bobby Caldwell's, "What You Won't Do for Love"
Misheard Lyrics: I searched to find a love again
Original Lyrics: I searched to find a love within
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Earth, Wind & Fire's, "After the Love Has Gone"
Misheard Lyrics: How could you leave me on?
Original Lyrics: How could you lead me on?
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Elton John's, "Crocodile Rock"
Misheard Lyrics: "Cry rocket!" the song would shout
And then your feet just can't keep still. I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will. I wore my Mombas most Friday nights, and Susie wore her dresses tight. The "Cry Rocket" was ou-ou-out of si-i-i-ight! Original Lyrics: Croc rockin' is somethin' shockin'
And your feet just can't keep still I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will Oh Lordy Mama, those Friday nights When Susie wore her dresses tight And the Crocodile Rocking was out of sight |
Jackson 5's, "Dancing Machine"
Misheard Lyrics: Danson, Danson, Danson
Original Lyrics: Dancing, dancing, dancing
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Steve Miller Band's, "The Joker"
Misheard Lyrics: I'm a midnight town hooker.
Original Lyrics: I'm a midnight toker
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Thin Lizzy's, "The Boys Are Back in Town"
Misheard Lyrics: Down at Dino's boring Grill
Original Lyrics: Down at Dino's Bar and Grill
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1980s | |
Baltimora's, "Tarzan Boy"
Misheard Lyrics: Nighty-night
Gimme the odour, gimme the odour Original Lyrics: Night, tonight
Gimme the other, gimme the other. |
Billy Joel's, "I Go to Extremes"
Misheard Lyrics: Call me a choker, call me a fool
Original Lyrics: Call me a joker, call me a fool
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Billy Joel's, "We Didn't Start the Fire"
Misheard Lyrics: California Facebook
Original Lyrics: California baseball
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Bruce Springsteen's, "Born in the U.S.A."
Misheard Lyrics: I had a brother, Ecky Shaw
Original Lyrics: I had a brother at Khe Sahn
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Bruce Springsteen's, "Cadillac Ranch"
Misheard Lyrics: Well, there she sits proudly just a-gleaming in the sun
There to greet a friend of mine when his day is done I'm gonna pack my bra and I'm gonna pack my pants I'm gonna take them down to the Cadillac Ranch Original Lyrics: Well, there she sits buddy just a-gleaming in the sun
There to greet a working man when his day is done I'm gonna pack my pa and I'm gonna pack my aunt I'm gonna take them down to the Cadillac Ranch |
Bruce Springsteen's, "Hungry Heart"
Misheard Lyrics: Everybody needs to play the rest
Original Lyrics: Everybody needs a place to rest
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Bruce Springsteen's, "Hungry Heart"
Misheard Lyrics: We took what we had and we used it up all
Original Lyrics: We took what we had and we ripped it apart
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Crowded House's, "Don't Dream It's Over"
Misheard Lyrics: In the paper today
Tales of Warren of Wales Original Lyrics: In the paper today
Tales of war and of waste |
Eddy Grant's, "Electric Avenue"
Misheard Lyrics: Out in the street there is wireless
Original Lyrics: Out in the street there is violence
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J. Geils Band's, "Centerfold"
Misheard Lyrics: My Angel is a senna pod
Original Lyrics: My Angel is a centerfold
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John Fogerty's, "My Toot Toot"
Misheard Lyrics: Don't tread on my toe, toe
Original Lyrics: Don't mess with my Toot-Toot
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Kraftwerk's, "Numbers"
Misheard Lyrics: Each me son she
Live...my...dreams Original Lyrics: Ichi ni san chi
Adjin, dva, tri |
Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra's, "Xanadu"
Misheard Lyrics: Zara too, Zara too
(Now we are here) and Zara too Original Lyrics: Xanadu, Xanadu
(Now we are here) In Xanadu |
Queen's, "Flash"
Misheard Lyrics: Dispatch Warren Contagious
To bring back his body. Original Lyrics: Dispatch war rocket Ajax
To bring back his body. |
R.E.O. Speedwagon's, "Live Every Moment"
Misheard Lyrics: 'Cause, Big Boy, you know it your precious time slips away
Original Lyrics: 'Cause before you know it your precious time slips away
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Sherry Kean's, "I Want You Back"
Misheard Lyrics: I'll wash your back
Original Lyrics: I want you back
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Talking Heads', "Wild Wild Life"
Misheard Lyrics: Are you ready for vaginas?
Original Lyrics: I'm wearin' fur pajamas.
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Young MC's, "Bust a Move"
Misheard Lyrics: Some girls are sadistic, mucho realistic
Original Lyrics: Some girls are sadistic, materialistic
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1990s | |
Elton John's, "Sacrifice"
Misheard Lyrics: When the semaphore lingers
And temptation's strong. Original Lyrics: When the scent of her lingers
And temptation's strong. |
Megadeth's, "Black Curtains"
Misheard Lyrics: Hey, hey Dave Righetti.
Original Lyrics: He, look around you
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2000s | |
Dido's, "White Flag"
Misheard Lyrics: I will not go down with this s#%*
Original Lyrics: I wont go down with this ship
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Fall Out Boy's, "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race"
Misheard Lyrics: Lucy Lucy it's a dead horse race
Original Lyrics: This ain't a scene, it's a g**d*** arms race.
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Franz Ferdinand's, "Take Me Out"
Misheard Lyrics: Har du fiskedej?
Original Lyrics: If I move this could die.
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Queens of the Stone Age's, "Six Shooter"
Misheard Lyrics: I can tell you're breastfed
Original Lyrics: I'll f***in' kill your best friend
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2010s | |
Marina and the Diamonds', "Froot"
Misheard Lyrics: Looking for some fruit luck
Good luck Good luck to you Original Lyrics: Looking for some good luck
Good luck Good luck to you |
Miley Cyrus', "Wrecking Ball"
Misheard Lyrics: I came in like a raven
Original Lyrics: I came in like a wrecking ball
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country | |
Alison Krauss and Union Station's, "Oh, Atlanta!"
Misheard Lyrics: On my way back to Java Joe
Original Lyrics: I'm goin' back down to Georgia.
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