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!).
Every Breath You Take: The Classics album at Amazon.com
Put Mary in a coalmine.
Canary in a coalmine
The Story: This song was playing for background music in an exercise class. The instructor later asked, "Why does he want to put Mary in a coalmine?" - Submitted by: Joe Doyle
West of Palermo where the atmosphere is less than perfect
First to fall over when the atmosphere is less than perfect
The Story: I think I misheard it that way because another lyric in the song is “Firenze”, which sounds Mediterranean, and also canary makes you think of the Canary Islands - Submitted by: Matthew Benson
You say you want to spend the winter in France
You say you want to spend the winter in Firenze
The Story: I thought it was “France” pronounced playfully as “Fur Anss A” - Submitted by: Matthew Benson
I can dream up ceilings when I'm sitting in my seat
I don't see any floors 'til I get to my feet.
I can dream up schemes when I'm sitting in my seat
I don't see any flaws 'til I get to my feet.
The Story: I truly thought these were the actual lyrics for awhile. The word 'flaws' sounded like 'floors' and created the ceiling association. - Submitted by: Al
A goo goo goo, a doll doll doll
De do do do, de da da da
The Story: It sounded like that to me back in the day. I wondered if that's what inspired the Goo Goo Dolls to be named after this! - Submitted by: Cody Finke
A-goo goo goo, a-ga ga ga
Is all I want to say to you
A-goo goo goo, a-ga ga ga
The innocence will pull me through
A-goo goo goo, a-ga ga ga
Is all I want to say to you
A-goo goo goo, a-ga ga ga
The meaningless and all that's through
De do do do, de da da da
Is all I want to say to you
De do do do, de da da da
Their innocence will pull me through
De do do do, de da da da
Is all I want to say to you
De do do do, de da da da
They're meaningless and all that's true
The Story: I really liked the song and wanted to find the lyrics, but Google searching "goo goo goo ga ga ga song Police" didn't work out at all. - Submitted by: Kate Walk
Ge Goo Goo Goo
Ge Ga Ga Ga
De Do Do Do
De Da Da Da
The Story: When this song was first heard on the radio in the 80s, my sister told me it was about babies. It made sense at the time, because the 'de do do do...' lyric sounded like the sound of a baby in its crib. Then I looked at the rest of the lyrics and was shocked that the word 'rapes' would be in the same song as normal baby talk. - Submitted by: newave
Don't want no teenager.
Don't want no dead-end job.
The Story: My girlfriend, who was 19 at the time, misheard this one while we were in the car. - Submitted by: Dale
(First Verse)
Your teacher the subject of school girl friend to see
She wants me so broadly knows what she want to be
Inside there, these no you, the school that what can teach
But Marcin, she so closer, the school is have to teach
(Second verse)
How can I, so jealous, you know how that could get
Sometimes this smart so easy to clip that she short had
Some section, the station, so badly make him cry
The bus stop, she's waiting, he's carries will mend cry
Third verse)
Loose talking, the class room so hard make try and try
Strong washing, the start coach, be acting season flag
Is no use, he's sees shock, he's start from sicking cup
Just let me, don't mend it, let put by nectar cup
(First verse)
Young teacher, the subject of schoolgirl fantasy
She wants him so badly, knows what she wants to be
Inside her there's longing, this girl's an open page
Book marking - she's so close now, this girl is half his age
(Second verse)
Her friends are so jealous, you know how bad girls get
Sometimes it's not so easy to be the teacher's pet
Temptation, frustration, so bad it makes him cry
Wet bus stop, she's waiting, his car is warm and dry
(Third verse)
Loose talk in the clasroom, to hurt they try and try
Strong words in the staffroom, the accusations fly
It's no use, he sees her, he starts to shake and cough
Just like the old man in that book by Nabokov
The Story: My coworker obtained a pirated Police tape while overseas in the Persian Gulf War, and the tape included a printed 'lyrics sheet' that got almost all the lyrics to this song, and several other songs, wrong. I told him about this website and he dug it up for me. - Submitted by: Nick Wiltgen
Newsstand, newsstand
Don't stand, don't stand
The Story: I heard this song on some TV show and it went along with the theme of a newstand during that episode (I think). I was singing 'newsstand, newsstand' the rest of the night because I thought that was a funny idea for a song. - Submitted by: Megan J
That book by Alvin Koff
That book by Nabakov
The Story: My sister had to do a report for school on a song lyric, she never bothered to research whether or not there was an Alvin Koff. I will never let her forget it. - Submitted by: Rob Reid
That book by now becomes
That book by Nabakov
The Story: I did not know anything about Nabakov nor his novel 'Lolita' when I first heard this song. Until I did hear about them, I spent a decade wondering what the 'book' became and what it had to do with a student's crush on a teacher. - Submitted by: newave
This girl is half insane
This girl is have his age
The Story: Someone recently made a comment here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EN_3xAe3oY - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Young teacher, the subject of speckled fantasy
Young teacher, the subject of schoolgirl fantasy
The Story: I figured she had freckles and maybe spectacles too. BTW this "Lolita" type story did actually happen in my high school. - Submitted by: Policeman On The Planet Pluto
Ghost Nasser, ghost Nasser, ghost Nasser close to me.
Don't stand, don't stand so, don't stand so close to me.
The Story: I was shopping with my (then) 3 year old son when he started singing this in the shopping cart. I had no idea what song he was singing at first! He told me it was the ghost Nasser song and sang it again. We still laugh about this story and sing his lyrics when we hear it on the radio! - Submitted by: Laura
Lo stesso posto di...
Don't stand so close to me
The Story: This line is in Italian (my mother tongue) and it means "the same place of...". When I was younger I was pretty unable to understand English lyrics (and I'm still better in understanding spoken rather than sung English), and in this case I really thought this song was in Italian! This bias was encouraged also by a scene of the sitcom "Friends" in which the Italian American protagonist Joey was repeatedly shown in several posters with this song in the background: that's why I thought it was obvious to choose an Italian song for an Italian character on the scene! - Submitted by: Michele
Looks nice
Looks nice (so good)
Looks nice (so good) to me
Don't stand
Don't stand (so)
Don't stand (so close) to me
The Story: So I heard this on a local classic rock station and when I heard this song I always tried finding it by the lyrics but as you might guess, I misheard it and typed the misheard lyrics so until today I was clueless until I decided to use Google's "what song is this?" Function and I found it, I felt like an idiot the entire song - Submitted by: Anonymous
Roxanne, Roxanne, Roxanne come close to me
Don't stand, don't stand so, don't stand so close to me.
The Story: I knew this song was by The Police, and that the Police had sung a song called "Roxanne", leading to believe that they were the same song. - Submitted by: Ross Harper
That book will never come
That book by Nabokov
The Story: With the rise of e-commerce nowadays, it kind of makes sense to hear it that way. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Don't dance
Don't dance
Don't dance so close to me.
Don't stand
Don't stand so
Don't stand so close to me.
The Story: Isn't it obvious?? He didn't want this person to dance so close to him. I was goofing around with my husband, dancing real close to him. I said it was just like in the song, "Don't Dance So Close To Me". - Submitted by: Lia C
Don't stand so close, Snoopy.
Don't stand so close to me.
The Story: I was really young and I liked Charlie Brown. I swear Sting had the same background as I did. - Submitted by: 'd'
Ghost man
Ghost man so
Ghost man, so close to me.
Don't stand
Don't stand so
Don't stand so close to me.
The Story: I was young. And who really wants a ghost standing close to them really? As a youngster at the time, coupled with not being too bright, the above lyrics made perfect sense. - Submitted by: Dumas
Dribontuttio, dribontuttio
Driven to tears, driven to tears
The Story: I thought it was Italian, pronounced Dree-Bon-Too_tee-Oh. I had no idea what it meant. - Submitted by: Mike
Every file you break
Every vow you break.
The Story: She breaks a nail file while doing a self-manicure job. Speculating! - Submitted by: City Kopp
Every pool hall aches.
How my poor heart aches.
The Story: Not my misheard lyric, this is actually what VH1 Classic (US, at least) seems to think the line is when you have the closed captioning on. - Submitted by: Katie
How my poo hole aches.
How my poor heart aches.
The Story: My dad was playing this song on Saturday 9th July 2022 at 9:52 a.m. and this is what I heard. Also, I'm 10 years old. - Submitted by: Christopher
I boil hard eggs
How my poor heart aches.
The Story: I only found out I was wrong because I was happily belting it out and my mum totally lost it laughing. - Submitted by: Stephanie
I'm a pool hall ace
How my poor hear aches
The Story: My friend and I had managed to get this girl we were both hot for to go shopping with us and my friend was singing these lyrics; so I jumped on the chance to make him look like a fool. (Neither of us got lucky) - Submitted by: Mike
I'm a pool hall ace
How my poor heart aches
The Story: I kinda wondered where this boast fit into the overall message of the song, lol. - Submitted by: Steve McGlamery
I'm a pool hall ace
my poor heart breaks
The Story: Back in 1983 there were no lyric websites. All we had was the radio - Submitted by: Bealzabub
I’m a pool hall ace
How my poor heart aches.
The Story: Never could understand why he said that till I finally had an opportunity to look up the lyrics. - Submitted by: Dan Midura
The Police's,
"Every Little Thing She Does is Magic"
I resolve to Poloroid
I resolve to call her up
The Story: I kept thinking Sting had to do with taking instant photographs. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
I'm a pool hall ace
How my poor heart aches
The Story: Heard a friend singing this while we were playing pool in the pub. He was totally unaware of the real lyrics and because he fancied himself as a bit of a pool shark, he related to the song. Not sure how he justified the rest of the song lyrics though. - Submitted by: John Cowie
Circles running 'round my thing
Circles running 'round my brain
I have stood here before inside the pouring rain
With the watering circles running 'round my brain.
I have stood here before inside the pouring rain
With the world turning circles running 'round my brain.
The Story: Pouring rain in a sense creates 'watering' circles 'round one's brain? Does it not? - Submitted by: Diddlerdink
It's my sawed off head.
It's my soul up there.
The Story: My two little sisters were actually the ones who thought this is what the song said. I died laughing when i heard them sing it. We are all adults now; and we still sing it this way! - Submitted by: Christy Ford
This month's solar flair
That's my soul up there
The Story: My husband and a friend both insist that these are the actual lyrics (even after seeing the lyric sheet) They say the solar flairs are responsible for all the other odd things happening in the song. - Submitted by: Julie Restle
There's a black cat caught in a high tree top
There's a black hat caught in a high tree top
The Story: I just thought it made more sense that a cat would get caught in a tree more than a hat! - Submitted by: Gary Komblevicz
Bless my soul of pain.
That's my soul up there.
The Story: I eventually learned the actual lyrics, but this misheard lyric carries a feeling that I choose not to let go of. I now hear it whichever way my mood prefers. Singers sometimes change their lyrics to suit a time and place; I think it's okay if I do the same. - Submitted by: Aiken
I always win - King of Pain!
I'll always be King of Pain!
The Story: - Submitted by: Mike Hotter
There's a black cat caught in a high treetop
There's a black hat caught in a high treetop
The Story: I always thought the image of the cat in the tree was so sad and lonely, but then I actually read the lyrics one day and, lo and behold, it was a hat, not a cat. I have to admit I was more than a little disappointed. - Submitted by: Christy DeShong
There’s a skeleton choking on a crushed skull plate
There’s a skeleton choking on a crust of bread
The Story: I’ve thought this was the correct lyric for 40 years - Submitted by: Breck
A year has passed since I broke my node.
A year has passed since I wrote my note.
The Story: I always thought he was singing about having broken his "node" because he couldn't pronounce "nose" properly. Because, you know, when your nose is broken, it's hard to talk properly. - Submitted by: Tom O'reilly
A year has passed since I broke my nose
A year has passed since I wrote my note
The Story: When this song was first released a friend of mine actually thought that was the correct lyrics.We let him believe that he was right. He walked around for approximatly a year and a half singing those lyrics before i finnaly proved to him that he was singing the wrong lyrics. - Submitted by: Brian Kuchma
Making gin in the bathroom.
Message in a bottle.
The Story: I was singing this on my karaoke machine (quite clearly, mind you) and my grandma had this puzzled look on her face. I asked her what was up and she said 'Why would someone be making gin in the bathroom?' I, of course, had no idea what this had to do with anything, but she explained she didn't have her hearing aids in and must have misheard me sing the line 'Message in a bottle'. - Submitted by: Pipkin R.
Only cocaine keeps me together.
Only hope can keep me together.
The Story: Must be a case of selective hearing. When I heard Sting start to sing this for Super Bowl 37, I wondered if he would sing that line (still thinking it contained a reference to a scheduled substance). But when he sung the line with Gwen Stefani from No Doubt, I heard the words as intended, not as interpreted. Probably because I heard Gwen's voice, not his voice with the vocal tunings he applies to this song. - Submitted by: Rolf
Send it on an S.O.S.
Sending out an S.O.S.
The Story: This is always what I thought he said, until about a minute ago when I was looking at the misheard lyrics for this song, and found out the real ones. My mom used to sing it this way too, I'll have to let her know the real ones! - Submitted by: Someone
100 billion castaways
Looking for a w--re
100 billion castaways
Looking for a home
The Story: I'm not sure how I heard it this way or why? But I was so sure that this is what Sting was singing. - Submitted by: Celeste
In the Army piss oh piss
Sending out an S.O.S
The Story: It was very noisy in that bar when the song was played on the jukebox for the first time. - Submitted by: Kent Andersson
Massage in my bottom
Message in a bottle
The Story: For most of my life I just thought this is what he was saying. I thought he was a pervert for a very long time until I found out what he was saying. The song now means something totally different to me. - Submitted by: Terersa
Rescue me before I fall into this peo.
Rescue me before I fall into despair, oh.
The Story: The word "peo" is Spanish for "fart". - Submitted by: Stefano
Sailing out an S.O.S.
Sending out an S.O.S.
The Story: It makes sense to hear it that way since an S.O.S. has to do with sailing ships. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Saturday arvo S.O.S
Sending out an S.O.S.
The Story: I sang the song once while on Holidays and dad set me straight! - Submitted by: I.D. Rayson esq.
There's a tree on the sidewalk
There's a carp on the door.
There's a tree on the sidewalk
There's a car by the door.
The Story: Well my girlfriend pointed out how I was wrong. I just said, "I don't know, I thought it was some eccentric British thing. - Submitted by: Jimbo
Rock slam!
Roxanne
The Story: I put this song on a CD for my eight-year old son, and he liked it. I was making a new CD for him, and he asked me to put on that song, 'you know the one mom, it goes 'Rock Slam' . . .' Too cute! - Submitted by: Lynne
Rowr rowr right
Put on the red light
The Story: I was ten. I was just beginning to get into popular music. I thought that Sting was just singing jibberish. - Submitted by: Scott McPhee
Sue Lawley, Sue Lawley
So lonely, so lonely
The Story: My mum, musically inlined but not quite on the cutting edge of pop, used to wonder why The Police had written a song about a BBC Television presenter. It was quite some time before she found out the song was actually called 'So Lonely'! - Submitted by: Kimba
Uh huh that's right. And we're gonna stay in school
We are spirits in a material world
The Story: One day about 4 1/2 years ago, my niece, Tara and I were watching 'Ace Ventura 2: When Nature Calls.' and at the end, the song 'Spirits In A Material World' starts playing. This is when it was re-made by Pato Banton featuring Sting. So we're sitting there listening, the song had gotten through the first verse in less than 30 seconds until the hook 'we are spirits in a material world' starts to be sung out. by the second time he said it, my niece all of a sudden just blurts out 'uh huh, that's right!! and we're gonna stay in school' I just said 'What in the hell are you singing?' when I told her what they were saying, we both just started laughing. - Submitted by: TREASURE
My, my own, my own box of cereal.
We are spirits in the material world.
The Story: My nephew heard these words and sang them, after I let him listen to my Police tape. He was 11 years old, and he had to share the cereal with a brother and a sister. This was his dream. - Submitted by: Lisa
Our so-called leaders speak Of work in Transylvania
Our so-called leaders speak With words they try to jail you
The Story: I have enjoyed this song for decades and never could understand this one line. I thought maybe the last word sounded like "Virginia". Very surprised no one else posted a misheard lyric about this line. - Submitted by: Robert Bernstein
Red hot spirits hidden in the cereal bowl.
We are spirits in the material world.
The Story: My boyfriend told me that when he was a child, he used to look for red hot spirits in his cereal bowl every morning. - Submitted by: Morrigan
We asperitz enema serial world.
There's spirits in the material world.
The Story: Not a goof, I really heard it this way; and my girlfriend wrote me asking, "What does 'asperitz' mean?" - Submitted by: walla b
There are spirits in uh mah cer-reee-ul. (There are spirits in my cereal)
There are spirits in the material world.
The Story: My brother Dennis and I were at the breakfast table eating Cheerios. The song came on the radio, and he said that he couldn't believe that they wrote a song about breakfast. He was in a band at the time (and I know he was joking), but then he decided that he should call his forthcoming album "Songs about breakfast" But he didn't we just had a good laugh and now I always sing that lyric. "There are spirits...in uh my cereal..." - Submitted by: christine Long
We dusty and sly
Live from day to day
Where does the answer lie?
Live from day to day
The Story: Sting’s annunciation was Jamaican ska influenced, so it wouldn’t have been unusual for him to pronounce “sly” as “suh-lie”. I think I was misled by him singing “does” more like “duss”. - Submitted by: Matthew Benson
Another suburban funny bunny
Another suburban family morning
The Story: I kind of thought Sting said “funny bunny” and I wondered what it would have meant. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
He sees his family whole now
Looming in his headlights
He goes upstairs and drinks his apple tea..
He sees his family home now
Looming in his headlights
The pain upstairs that make his eyeballs ache.
The Story: You come home at the end of a work day so you refresh yourself with a drink - like apple tea, perhaps? - Submitted by: Champ
He sees his family whole now, looming in his headlights
He climbs upstairs that drinks his apple tea
He sees his family whole now, looming in his headlights
He pain upstairs that makes his eyeballs ache
The Story: I figured after work the husband might've cooled off with a refreshing cup of "apple tea" (is there really such a drink?). I didn't know the actual lyrics until nearly 3 years later. - Submitted by: Creature In A Dark Scottish Loch
Little hombre, little Juanto
You will know
Synchronicity.
With one breath, with one flow
You will know
Synchronicity.
The Story: There was stuff going on in Nicaragua and Panama. I don't know; I just didn't listen closely enough. - Submitted by: Jimbo
Sting shall inherit the Earth.
They say the meek shall inherit the earth.
The Story: When I first misheard this I thought: "Wow, Sting's ego is really showing through here. No wonder he went solo." - Submitted by: Mark Dziak
Walking round the loo
Walking on the moon
The Story: When I was but a mere child (10ish) I was absolutely convinced that the lyrics were walking round he loo, and insisted on singing them - loudly - round Feltham town whenever the song came into my head. - Submitted by: Bee Mitchell
Gather when the people see your hiney
Devil and the deep blue sea behind me
The Story: I kept thinking that's what it sounded like. Which wouldn't seem AC radio friendly because it makes it sound like pornography. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
I will turn your face to rural Nebraska
I will turn your face to alibaster
The Story: I'm originally from Nebraska. From the first time I heard this song I thought he was singing about my home state until years later when I embarassed myself by singing this incorrect lyric in front of some friends! - Submitted by: Rick
I'll be captain of your speed boat
I'll be wrapped around your finger.
The Story: I was 12 when I first heard the song and its been a long time favorite. It wasn't until I was in my late twenties I was told the correct lyrics. - Submitted by: Kate
New entries in this section are currently reviewed by Brian Kelly. Previous editors (if any) are listed on the editors page.