At the risk of being pigeonholed in a specific genre this week, I have another music topic that came to me last night. While I was writing my last post (Radio Ga Ga - The Jukebox of my Mind and Life (The Early Years)), I started thinking about song lyrics.
Over the years, I have probably been among the laziest music fans around. I don't typically take time to learn the actual lyrics to songs, and so I end up singing whatever I think they are saying without bothering to look it up. My wife has made fun of me for years for this. I have some funny examples that I would like to share with you, my faithful AR friends and readers. I hope you enjoy hearing about my "lazy ear syndrome".
When I was in high school, my best friend and I used to love to watch Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" video, usually while drinking something that we shouldn't have been drinking. In 1986, this video was considered groundbreaking stuff, and there is a particular part of the song that I will simply not allow myself to hear correctly. At one point, at the very end of the song, Gabriel sings (according to the lyrics I looked up):
Going to feel that power, build in you
Come on, come on, help me do
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you
Ive been feeding the rhythm
Ive been feeding the rhythm
Its what were doing, doing
All day and night
HOWEVER, I will always hear the fourth and fifth lines as "A big feet in the river. A big feet in the river.", whatever the heck that means! The first time I asked my wife what he meant by that, I thought she was going to wet herself!
The next tune that I stubbornly refuse to correct in my mind is "Big Old Jet Airliner" by Steve Miller. Please understand that I am a HUGE Steve Miller fan. I once listened to his greatest hits CD virtually non-stop on an eight-hour road trip from Dallas to New Orleans and back again when I was with my friend Jeff just after graduating from high school. I also have ample video footage of my son when he was a toddler dancing to "Swingtown" and "The Joker". At any rate, back to the original point:
From the very first time I heard this song, rather than singing about a large plane, I thought he was singing "Big Old Jed Had a Light On, don't carry me too far away! Ohhhh ohhh ohhh.. Big Old Jed Had a Light On, cause it's here that I've got to stay!". I still imagine Jed Clampett from the Beverly Hillbillies holding a lantern every time I hear this. I just can't help myself.
Earlier this evening, Eric Everett mentioned the song "Kokomo" in his comments on my last blog, which brought another one to the surface. I remember dancing to this song in college, usually during a party at the fraternity house. I would always sing along with its smooth tropical vibe, until they got to a part that I never understood. In fact, I had to look it up TONIGHT to find out what the actual lyrics were, for the first time. There is a line just after the initial chorus which is spoken in a deep voice:
To Mar-tinique, that Monserrat mystique
I seriously thought that he was saying "that monk's a rotten stink". As you can see, I don't put a lot of effort into the lyrics typically, with one notable exception:
When I was a senior in high school, we took a ski trip and I managed to make a new popular friend because he and I both memorized a hefty portion of "The End of the World as We Know It" by R.E.M., including the final minute or so (Leonard Bernstein. Leonid Breshnev, Lenny Bruce and Lester Bangs, etc.). Talk about a couple of jukebox heroes!
Thanks for reading. Please feel free to share some of your funny misheard lyrics in the comments if you like. Or, you can make me feel extra awkward by making me think that I am alone in this syndrome. Either way is fine with me.
P.S. I have a feeling that some of the most difficult lyrics to decipher are from Manfred Mann's "Blinded by the Light". I won't go into all of the variations that I have heard, but these guys did, and it is probably one of the funniest and most memorable sketches that I have EVER seen (give it time - the funny part starts at around 0:50 on the video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6U29S--wn8
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SANDY - Make sure you watch the skit that I posted at the end of the article in order to learn the true words to that song - it is VERY funny (good stuff starts around 50 seconds into the video). You are not far off with your guess.
I am glad you liked this one. This is very indicative of my personality. Thanks for reading and for your great comments.
That video is crazy funny. I have always thought Blinded by the Light said 'douche' in there.
One of my own:
"Dirty Deeds and the Thunder Chief" - AC/DC "Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap"
BTW -Sledgehammer is STILL an amazing video.
How funny, Jason... And now, a moment for a longer comment than usual and a story of my own. Sorry in advance.
My Hubby is from Honduras. He's been here for more than 20 years but still doesn't get the 'lingo' right every now and again. I can remember a time, shortly after we were married, when he woke up in the middle of the night screamng and grabbing his leg. I thougt he was having a bad dream. When I realized he was awake, I asked if he was OK and all he could do was say.....Richard..... Richard. Turned out he had a cramp in his calf.... A CHARLIE Horse. hahaha RICHARD was the only name he could think of at the moment.
Jason, this is too funny, LOL,
Its funny how our minds work and how we index them in our head. My wife and I about a month ago caught ourselves watching GhostBusters. In one scene my wife says there the "State Puft" marshmellow man. I almost hit the floor laughing, I asked her to repeat again, and I was almost to the floor laughing. I had to inform her that it was Stay Puff,
Anyhow, I know for years I was singing lyrics wrong until someone else brought it to my attention.
JOEY - I thought you would like this particular post. I'm glad you did. As for the AC/DC song, I actually heard that one for the first time during that road trip to New Orleans that I mentioned. Dirty deeds an' der done dirt cheap! I like the Thunder Chief imagery better.
I guess you're right - the "Sledgehammer" video is timeless. Thanks for your great comments!
GARY - Thanks for commenting. I have a story which relates somewhat to this. I saw an ice cream truck pass by the window of a friend's house when I was over there last week. His three-year old son said, "It's the ice cream man!!!" and nothing else. My friend explained to me that they have never once taken his son out to get ice cream, so for all he knows, the driver is MADE of ice cream, which made me think of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters. By the way, I think you both had it half right - Here's a photo of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man for your enjoyment:
That's great, it starts with an earthquake, birds, snakes and airplanes, Lenny Bruce is not afraid. Eye of the hurricane, listen to yourself churn, world turns it own beat...all from memory before I played the song. I could actually sing along with you on that one. The REM clip is so LOUD. I just blared it in my living room, oops!! My real cousin and I did learn all the lyrics on that one.
OMG, Just watched the video clip. I am rolling! That clip is HILARIOUS. Small french bath towel. Hilarious. I soo relate to this. Now it is really fun to hear the kids sing along to songs and really butcher the words. Speaking of mistaken words, my youngest calls hot dogs "stock dogs". Maybe we spend too much time discussing the stock market.
Jason- this post is so funny and I can so relate!! Thanks for the early morning smile!
GINGER - I had a very good feeling that you would like this particular post. Sorry about the REM volume. You made me smile with your initial comments. The skit is from "The Vacant Lot". My wife and I still bring this one up periodically. The small French bath towel always gets me as well, as do the "foremen of the night" and the "loofah". You made me hungry for a stock dog now.
Jason, I was going to pass this by but you struck a chord (no pun intended I think) with this. I once heard a celebrity (I don't remember who) discussing thesong "Tulsa Time." She thought they were singing "living on toast and wine" instead of "living on Tulsa Time."
Bill Roberts
Ok I'll chime in with my favorite misinterpreted lyric. Its from Sir Mix A Lot's "I like Big ____ and I cannot Lie..." Is that song called Rumpshaker? Anyway, I always thought "Hey rump of smooth skin, you say you wanna get in my benz?" was "Hey Rumpelstilsken (sp) you say you wanna get in my benz?" What could I have been thinking? Why would a guy that slept his life away under a tree want to get in his benz? When my friends heard that one they died laughing, and the funny thing was I thought those were the lyrics for about 15 years! I love the Thunder Chief one, as I thought thats what the bat biter was saying as well.
I like your versions much better! I'm laughing so hard at this because I do this ALL THE TIME!!! I was in an explosion as a teenager and it definitely effected my hearing. I always sing out loud so other people hear me make terrible mistakes. But my favorite mistake is a line from the song 'Magic' by Pilot. I get everything right until they sing:
"Dreaming on my pillow in the morning.."
I hear, (and sing):
"Weenies on my pillow in the morning.."
That line always used to frighten me!! LOL!
JENNIFER - I had to go listen to "Magic" on YouTube in order to hear that line you mentioned. That is pure 70's pop, isn't it? By the way, what kind of explosion occurred when you were a teenager? That sounds like a blog post in and of itself. As for the misunderstood line in the song, that does sound like a rather unpleasant way to greet the day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41UIiEH53QY - ENJOY! And make sure you sing it out loud.
JENNIFER - That is awesome. I never knew the lyrics until I watched the skit in this post about 10 years ago. As I mentioned, I was a pretty lazy listener. I had lots of CD's with the lyrics, but I never took the time to learn them. I did, however, learn the lyrics for most Beatles songs when I was about nine, including all of the weird ones ("I am the Walrus", "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds").
Steve Miller band now you are talking! I awoke this morning to Jungle Love! HA
Jason ,
So far thats two of your music blogs that i've read and only one song so far that i could stand(REM) although you did mention the Beatles in one of your comments so thats two other wise you had some pretty cheesy taste in music.
OK, glass in hand, I'm gonna say it: HUGH, Steve Miller rocks! If you don't LOVE The Joker, then you must be failing with the women, if ya know what I mean.
Just my $.02 ;)
Jason:
Just wanted to say goodnight space cowboy. Ha
OMGoodness!! This cracked me up! That for the laughs and allot of memories!! Thinking of that I hope that I am not showing my age but I just learned to real lyrics to Grease Lighting..lol....I did not know that they were so sexual!! I always thought that they said that they were going to make the girls scream!! LOL!! When my friends were talking about it I did not believe them and had to look up the lyrics! I was in Jr high when it came out so maybe that was the censored song! LOL...
Carla Cullum
Keller Williams Flower Mound
JASON: There is a book all about this very subject. It's called "Excuse Me While I Kiss This Guy." This is from the song "Purple Haze." The real lyrics are "....excuse me while I kiss the sky." Quite a different meaning with just a slight twist of the words. A new york comedian named Eddie Brill did a whole routine on this in his act. Check him out at www.EddieBrill.com. Here's my contribution. The song is by Elvin Bishop. It's a great song that was just covered by Rod Stewart. It's called "Fooled Around And Fell In Love." My ear heard it as "Who's That Mountain Girl Oh Yeah?" I never did find out who the girl on the mountain was. Thanks for the entertainment. I would check out Eddie Brill when you get a chance, and also the book that I mentioned. You'll enjoy them both.
Here's a little twist of irony. The graphic says "mulberry." I had dinner in Little Italy tonight on Mulberry Street. You can't make this stuff up!
ADAM - I have heard of the book, but I haven't read it yet. I should probably pick up a copy. I am watching a clip of Eddie Brill right now. He's talking about why the electric company, which has a monopoly, bothers to advertise on TV.
I have heard the song you mentioned. That is a funny twist on the title. Who is that mountain girl anyway? She must be pretty special to have a song written about her.
Thanks for your support and for your comments!
NANCY - I am glad to HEAR that I am not alone in this affliction. I like your version of "Big Old Jet Airliner" also. I love Journey, and your version of "Open Arms" is hilarious. It sounds like he is really helpless and making sure that everyone knows it. Could someone change the channel for me? As you can see, both of my arms are broken. Thanks -
Oh my gosh Jason, this sent me into a major gut aching laugh. Do you remember that song "Electric Avenue" by Eddy Grant? If not, it's because he was a one hit wonder. The chorus went, "We're gonna rock down to electric avenue and then we'll take it higher". That song came out the summer I was 14 (not that, that's an excuse). It was always playing at the pool, and yes I sounded like the biggest nerd, because I was certain it said "Elashic Avenue". My friends laughed every time I was singing it, but never told me until months later what the heck the guy was singing. And really what is Elashic? That's not even a word.
My boys curl up when I sing too. It's actually quite funny. They listen to the rock music that we listened to as kids. AC/DC, Def Lepperd, Poison, etc. When the music comes on I get so excited because I can jump in and sing the songs because I'm certain that I do know the words. Well, every time I hear, "Mom, that isn't what their singing". or "Mom do you realize what you just said"? Oops!
Jason,
Sorry truly didn,t mean to offend you , You always taken the Cowboy digs so well. Reminded me about years ago when I had a restaurant mw and my partner had long hair as did alot of our customers but there was a particular group of country fans, whereas we were into classic rock and hard rock anyway they (the country Fans) always called us hippies even though their hair was just as long and they were die hard steve miller fans soit became an everyday thing. one of us wwould put Zeppelin in the cd player and when we weren,t looking they would change it to Steve Miller. It just brought back old memories. Never meant to offend anyone
JULIE - I am glad you liked it so much. I actually was laughing today thinking about the content here. I definitely remember "Electric Avenue". My best friend and I used to make and RECORD prank phone calls, and we liked to play this song on one receiver while we listened to the reactions on another phone. Yes, it's embarrassing, but I was 11 at the time.
My wife and I were actually discussing the "Kokomo" song today, and she told me that she always thought they were saying "A mound of rotten steak" which really doesn't fit in too well with the smooth tropics, does it? Thanks so much for your funny comments!
Jason,
I like Chris Tomlin, Casting Crowns, Matt Redman, Bebo Norman, But my favorite is Mercy Me
Jason,
I also love so long self not so sure I,m familiar with Third Day I,ll have to check them out. My two favorite songs by Mecrcy me are " Here Am I" and I can listen to "I Can Only Imagine" all day long. I made my wife promise to play that at my going home service if I pass before she does.
HUGH - I think you will like Third Day based on the other choices you mentioned. Here's a sample for you to check out: Third Day Video
PAUL - That's cool. In the meantime, enjoy this video link:
Business Time
JASON: I can't believe I forgot to see this post! I still have tears in my eyes from the laughter...God knew better...that's why he waited for me to stumble on it AFTER everyone else has left the building...whew! My husband, Jerry can't get the words right either, EVER. We'll be driving down the street and he'll sing something and I'll say, uhm what was that? For some years in the middle he'd try to play it off...now he relinquishes what he thinks the words are proudly...CRACKS ME UP!!! Me on the other hand with my level of up-tightness, find myself looking up the words on the net. DANG I hate to be wrong..whatever..anyway. There's really a rhyme to the reason as to why they made a game-show out of the lyric correctness thing. Do any of us ever get all right? I think not!
My earliest memory of not getting it right...Olivia Newton John with Hopelessly Devoted To You...I was 9 when it came out....there was a part in the song when she sang...Fool "Forget" Him...I thought she said something else and when I sang it....well...I got grounded. Hey, I didn't know!
Nicely done my friend!