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.
This page contains a list of the songs that have stories about their misheard lyrics submitted.
Song names are sorted by first letter, excluding A and The. This is sorted by song title only, not
by song title and performer. So if two different performers preformed the same song, you'll see
misheard lyrics for both on the same page (provided the song title was spelt the same both times, and
misheard lyrics have been submitted for both!).
The Unforgettable Nat King Cole album at Amazon.com
A mother tonight is lacking a cradle in Bethlehem
A mother tonight is rocking a cradle in Bethlehem
The Story: Given the true Bible story I think my misheard lyric makes more sense than the correct one! - Submitted by: Mike
Just stop the sun and moon...
Dust off the sun and moon...
The Story: As if I were Joshua! (from the Bible) - Submitted by: Doug Montgomery
Are you warm, are you rill, Mona Lisa.
Are you warm, are you real, Mona Lisa
The Story: In my mind, the most famous mishearing of all time -- though it is NOT misheard. He actually does say "are you rill". WTF? Somebody, like the record company, should have stopped him. For a man singing standards with otherwise perfect diction, this wacky artistic license is unacceptable, and has certainly caused generations to misunderstand the song. I mean, the word couldn't be "real", right? No one would say "rill" instead, and certainly not Nat King Cole with his perfect diction. - Submitted by: David Greene
Get your kicks in room 66!
Get your kicks on Route 66!
The Story: My dad used to listen to oldies like Nat King Cole, and I misheard the lyrics. When I was in college, someone at work was talking about Route 66, and when I chimed in about "room 66", they looked at me like I was from another planet. "Definitely changes the whole meaning of the song," was the comment from one guy... - Submitted by: G.T.
When you want a true lover
Symphony
Symphony.
When you want a true lover
Send for me
Send for me.
The Story: The title line is repeated frequently throughout the song. In every instance thereof, I heard 'symphony' rather than 'send for me' for a long time. I really wondered why the song was so keen on somehow relating itself to a symphony over and over again. - Submitted by: Penelope Beckinsale
Jack Claus nipping at your nose
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
The Story: I always could have sworn there was a Jack Claus. There is a Santa Claus! - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Jack Frost roasting on an open fire
Chestnuts nipping at your toes
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your toes
The Story: For some reason, every Christmas season going back into the 1970's when I was a child, there is at least once where I will be singing this song (or at least thinking of doing so) with these funny (but rather cruel to Jack Frost, and those chestnuts nipping on people's toes, have me worried) reverse lyrics.
- Submitted by: Peter
To kicks from one 292
To kids from one to ninety-two
The Story: When I was a kid I always wondered why this sweet Christmas song talked about people getting kicks from od'ing on over-the-counter medicine. I asked my parents about it, but I don't think they understood the question, or maybe they thought I was joking. - Submitted by: John Abraham
I want the frim fram sauce with the Oyster bay,
Michelle Pfeiffer on the side
I want the frim fram sauce with the ausen fay
With shifafa on the side.
The Story: Just listening to '40's radio on Sirius, and heard this for the first time, Nat King Cole trio. I immediately thought, "What????" Not from the '40's, but for the '80's it would have been a very nice, albeit very rude sentiment. - Submitted by: Phil
New entries in this section are currently reviewed by Brian Kelly. Previous editors (if any) are listed on the editors page.
