Words Escape Me - The Misheard Lyric
August 14th 2007 01:59
Yep – there I was minding my own business when with a piece of vinyl playing in the background my nephew blurts out:
“Rocket man, burning up the trees on every lawn . . .”
What was that? I said to myself.
“Rocket man, burning up the trees on every lawn . . .”
Laughing almost uncontrollably – but not wanting to hurt the young bloke’s feelings – I announced that what Elton John was really chorusing was in fact “ Rocket man, burning out his fuse up here alone”.
“But that doesn’t make sense,” was the retort for Master eight-years.
Armed with a loaded question – I waltzed back to the adult throngs who were dining on a rich feast of winter sunshine, white wines and assorted cheeses.
“Anyone know the words to that Elton John tune – Rocket Man” I touted.
“Yeah sure,” came the answer.
Four answers later – we’d sorted it out.
". . . but what about that Bennie and the Jets song - you know – the one where he sings
“She's got electric boobs”
“No, no, no it’s - She's got electric boots . . .
“Oh . . .
And so the conversation denigrated – from Elton John to Donna Summer and her hit Hot Stuff – when she wanted to bring a white man home tonight (we nutted out it was a Wild Man), right through to Chirssy Hynde and Credence.
Yep – we got a good 30 minutes of good old fashioned belly laughs an education and bit of bonding out of the whole misheard lyric ‘thang” - so much fun really – that words escape me . . . .
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Comment by Chic Critique
Here's some classics:
1. "....'scuse me, while I kiss this guy!" - the most famous I can think of (Hendrix, Kiss the Sky)
2. "Might as well face it you're a dick with a glove" - Robert Palmer, Addicted to Love
3. "Like a Virgin, touched for the thirty-first time"...Madonna....
A little one in my family was recently travelling with us, we were listening to Le Tigre, "What's your Take on Cassavetes".....and she was singing along "Whats your take on Cassowaries". Apparently she'd just been learning about them in school. Too cute.
Great post - sounds like you had a right laugh. Kids always get the best ones!
Cheers
CC
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
They're great - I particularly like the Robert Palmer version. Yeah kids do hear the damnest things. My daughter asked me earlier in the football season as to why they used Rubber Chicken's? What she'd heard was the commentator quipping that the relevant player had 'got a grubber kick in' which to her sounded remarkably like 'he's got a rubber chicken'. Hmmm - yep - kids are both therapeutic and a great source of material.
Thanks for stopping by
MNG
Comment by Raoul Duke
Style of Eye
"He's gotta big dick ..."
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
"I'm not talkin' about the linen..."
"The girl with the colitis goes by..."
"Hold me close Tony Danza..."
I found out from that wonderful show, 'Spicks and Specks' that misheard lyrics are called "mondegreens".
I cannot recall why....but I remember that the word itself is a mondegreen.
Funny post!!...and Chic-ita...those are so funny!
Hope you are well MNG. My apologies for my inaction re responding but I will soon...
Dusk
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
"...revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night..."
It's deuce, deuce!!!
- referring to a car not an...archaic hygiene product...
And...from 'Kenny';
"Australians all let us ring Joyce, for she is young and free.."
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Anything by Australian Crawl,[I]James Reyne is hard to understand. Ive heard Beautiful People and Errol sung incorrectly from beginning to end, including the title.
Hi DuskDevi,
Blinded by the Light was the first one that jumped into my head....did you ever see the fantastic Saturday Night Live skit where the cast all sing different lyrics...hilarious
Comment by Chic Critique
I agree - Blinded By The Light is misheard, misused, and the alternative lyric is wrong, wrong, WRONG!
Thanks Dusk for clearing up the name - I heard it on S&S too but couldn't remember - mondegreens!!!
This is a great post and so are the comments!
Cheers
CC
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
Don't quite know what you're hearin - but I'd probably not blurt that one out too often on public transport.
Cheers and thanks for calling in
MNG
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
Well scholared and versed you obviously have an eclectic taste in music . . . as for Tony Danza - perhaps the thought has passed through Elton's mind once or twice as well.
And that girl with colitis - well you know - Glen Frey probably penned that originally I'm sure.
Always a pleasure to have you drop by.
MNG
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
Yep - James Reyne was (at the best of times) a toughie. Probably the reason Australian Crawl did so well - didn't matter whether you were sober or not - the lyrics very seldom mattered.
Great to have you on board
Cheers
MNG
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Comment by Mountain Fog
"I AM YOUR PENIS!"......instead of I am your Venus!
I think I was about 28, drunk at a party, when informed of my inappropriate lyric!
And what do you mean it isn't "scuuse me while I kiss this guy"??? I refuse to believe otherwise....Hendrix being one of my pin up boys of yore....sigh...
Great post....oh...and what about that interview with Jagger, when he admitted one of the scariest things to happen on stage is to be singing away, and then looking at someone in the front row singing madly along with him...only to realize HE (JAGGER!) is singing the WRONG lyrics!!! tee hee!!
fog
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
Sounds like you're a danger to society (in your younger days at least!
Cheers
MNG
Comment by Anonymous
If I may contribute,
"Take your teeth out, you and I know..."
"Kicking your cat all over the place" & "Waving your bladder all over the place"
Have fun
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
Freddy Mercury will be rolling over in his grave - probably laughing at your wit.
Thanks for calling in
MNG