Top Misheard Song Lyrics and Their Stories
Have you ever heard a song and thought, ldquo;What was the artist really saying?rdquo; Misheard song lyrics are a fascinating aspect of music culture that has been around nearly as long as music itself. Letrsquo;s explore some of the most interesting examples, along with the stories behind them.
The Cream's Pressed Rat and Warthog
One of the more unique misheard lyrics comes from the early supergroup Cream, specifically their drummer Ginger Baker. The opening lyrics of the work entitled ldquo;Pressed Rat and Warthogrdquo; are often misheard and can be quite amusing. The original lyrics are:
Pressed rat and warthog have closed down their shop
They didnrsquo;t want to; twas all they had got
Selling atonal apples amplified heat
And pressed ratrsquo;s collection of dog legs and feet
However, many, including myself, often hear:
Pressed rat and warthog have closed down their shop
They didnrsquo;t want to; twas all they had got
Selling atonal apples amplified hate
And pressed ratrsquo;s collection of dog legs and fate
It turns out that Gingerrsquo;s British accent played a major role in this mishearing. This piece is more of a musical recital than a song, with Ginger playing drums while reciting the lyrics, and Eric Clapton coming in on guitar near the end. It is a standout work and holds very personal memories for me. Thanks for asking the question and bringing back those memories.
Leonard Cohen's ldquo;Dance Me to the End of Loverdquo;
One of my favorite misheard lyrics comes from Leonard Cohen's classic song, ldquo;Dance Me to the End of Love.rdquo; The original lyrics go:
Show me slowly what
I only know
The limits of
However, for a while, everyone I knew believed it was:
Show me own and know the limits of
Itrsquo;s a minor change, but it transforms the line into a much more meaningful statement. The mishearing makes the lyrics more relatable and personal, highlighting our understanding of our own limitations and possessions.
Billy Ocean's ldquo;Caribbean Queenrdquo; Misheard as ldquo;Caribou Queenrdquo;
One of the funniest misheard lyrics comes from Billy Ocean's hit ldquo;Caribbean Queen.rdquo; Many listened to the song and thought the lyric was:
Caribou Queen
The difference might seem small, but it's fundamental. Another great example is Credence Clearwater Revivalrsquo;s ldquo;There's a Bathroom on the Right.rdquo; Many thought the lyrics were:
There's a bad moon on the rise.
Similarly, Led Zeppelin's ldquo;As I Wound On Down the Roadrdquo; was misheard as:
There's a wino down the road.
My friends and I also thought Nirvana were saying:
Im a skater and my feet hurt
when the actual lyrics are:
A mosquito, my libido
These misheard lyrics are often funnier and more relatable than the original versions, making them a part of the cultural experience that many remember fondly.
Jimi Hendrix's ldquo;Purple Hazerdquo;
Let's talk about Jimi Hendrix's hit song, ldquo;Purple Haze.rdquo; The line:
'Scuse me while I kiss the sky.
was often misheard as:
'Scuse me while I kiss this guy.
The mishearing is understandable given the context of the song. These misheard lyrics remind us of the sometimes whimsical and often humorous nature of music.