I was 9 years old when I started listening to the Beatles. My mom bought me some of their albums, and others I purchased with lawn-mowing money. I would study the lyrics as I played the records over and over again, since precision was important to me for some reason. Even difficult and intricate lyrics like this one from "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" remain a part of my memory vault:
Picture yourself on a train in a station,
With plasticine porters with looking glass ties,
Suddenly someone is there at the turnstile,
The girl with kaleidoscope eyes...
As a side note, yes, this song is about LSD. Don't let anyone convince you differently.
At some point, lyrics must have become less important to me, or they stopped providing lyrics to read along with while listening. For example, R.E.M. used to be notorious for never putting any lyrics with their CD's.
Recently, I realized that there are some other tunes that I have enjoyed for many years, even though the lyrics in my mind don't mesh with reality at all. In fact, while I was writing this post, I even discovered some new ones that I didn't even know about before.
One example comes from my junior high days, from Van Halen's exceptionally popular "1984" album. Yes, I said album, not CD or even cassette tape. I have the vinyl album (somewhere). So, the song "Jump" came out when I was 13 or 14 years old, and it was among my favorites. 
However, I later realized that one portion of the song had utterly eluded me, and it seriously changed the meaning of the verse in question. Here's the real lyric, which appears just before the chorus:
Oh can't you see me standing here,
I've got my back against the record machine
I ain't the worst that you've seen.
Oh can't you see what I mean ?
And here's the Jason Crouch version:
Oh can't you see me standing here,
I've got my back against the record machine
I eat the worst things you've seen.
Oh can't you see what I mean ?
As you can clearly see, this is a bit different from the original. I always wondered why in the heck that line was in there, since it was such a cool song. I learned the real lyric later, but I still stubbornly sing along about eating junk food. Incidentally, I just learned TODAY that in "Hot for Teacher", they are singing "I've got it bad" rather than (my version) "I've got it made". Just another example of my auditory ineptitude.
With apologies to my friend Paul Slaybaugh, who is a big-time fan of reggae and Bob Marley, I must admit that over the last couple of days I learned that Marley was actually singing "Stir it Up" in his early 70's hit rather than "Still in Love". I even managed to mess up the title in this instance!
I actually like my version better, so I think I'll just stick with it rather than changing. I guess I am getting more set in my ways as I age. As the reader, you have the benefit of knowing the lyrics already, but here's the song I am referring to:
I wrote another post back in October about my "lazy ear syndrome", if you are interested:
MORE song stuff - Am I hard of hearing? My Lazy Ear Syndrome
P.S. I still maintain that the most widely misunderstood song ever written is Manfred Mann's "Blinded by the Light", and even though I included this link back when I wrote on this topic in October, I think it bears including it again, partially because I have more people reading my blog now, and partly because it is hysterical. 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
If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me elsewhere or subscribe via email?
If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can also visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. If you're interested in social media training, visit 210 Consulting. Thanks!
Funny! There's a book dedicated to "Lazy Ear Syndrome" called 'Excuse me while I kiss this guy!'
Be of service! The rewards will come!
MARGARET - Many times I just sing sounds that aren't actual words when I am trying to follow along.
MATT - I have heard of that book - maybe I need to pick up a copy!
Don't feel bad, I was a DJ for 18 years and I still have no clue what half these songs say! But, dang it, I'll sing my version with conviction!
We all do this and it is always hilarious! Stop the catbox! The sheep don't like it! <<<smile>>> Reminds me of Whoopi Goldberg's character in Jumping Jak Flash trying to decipher the lyrics to the Rolling Stones song of the same name.
Terry Doolittle: Mick, Mick, Mick! Speak English!
That cracked me up - I eat the worst things you've seen. Hysterical.
My baby nephew is obsessed with Bob Marley. He's only 16 months and he walks around pointing at tvs and saying "bob". My sister lost her Bob Marley DVD and tried to show him a tribute DVD where other artists were singing Bob's songs and even that wasn't good enough. Gotta be "bob"!!
PAUL - I am not surprised that we would both mess up the same song. I like the idea of David Lee Roth with his back against a wrecking machine eating sloppy joes and sauerkraut for lunch, perhaps on a construction site? As for the lyrics, we will have to agree to disagree. :-)
Bruce Springsteen wrote "Blinded by the Light" from his earliest, Dylanesque heavy lyric period. Ok, that's out of the way.
Paul, Cub Scouts? Way to make me feel my bones creak.
Jason -Try to decipher these songs:
"Brass in Pocket" The Pretenders
"Wooly Bully" Sam the Sham & The Pharoahs
"Because the Night" Patti Smith version -- originally written by Springsteen, lyrics altered by Smith, then altered by Springsteen again.
Jason, as I started to read this, I wanted to joke you. 1984 you were in JR High as I was in my Jr Year? Am I really that old????
And then, taking me down memory lane. oh boy.
jASON:
Congratulations. I noticed you are number 3. I could not be prouder if you were my broker. Wait a minute you are my broker. Hey stop making me feel old with these posts. Ha
I have to agree with Paul on this one! Marley's version is best! Man, that guy was talented.
Jason...That youtube video on "Blinded by the Light" killed me.
You are WRONG WRONG WRONG about Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Come on...the guys were very open about their drug adventures, their adultery...why would John be coy about that one silly song? When you say don't let anyone convince you otherwise, does that include John Lennon?
I just said my favorite lazy ear lyric to Jolynne the other night and now I can't remember it...if I think of it I'll return.
Hilar Jason. That cracked me up for sure. How 'bout Hollaback girl by Gwen Stefani. My son used to sing this in the car, "ooh-ooh, that's my shoe, that's my shoe".
My most detested lyrics: "Objects in the rearview mirror may be closer than they appear", by Meatloaf. Are you kidding me? They actually made money from this song?
My fav picks- Smashing Pumpkins, The Police and Prince.
I'll throw some props to Marley too. Used to have a tie-dyed cloth poster of him on my bedroom wall in high school.
Jason...Thanks for "Steeeering the Pot". I'm lousy with lyrics. Never have been able to remember them but my daughter and her two daughters learn them immediately. They were all little kids when they developed that ability. My daughter laughs at me when I sing along with a recording. I'm always half a word behind.
I mentioned in a comment on your latest post that I was looking for a laugh. Picturing myself singing did it.
Thanks,
Kathleen
RICH - Dude, I LOVE that commercial. It is right on the money for me, too. Good stuff - thanks for the link!
CHRIS - Your nephew apparently has impeccable taste in music already. I don't dig tribute stuff either. By the way, is that his actual picture? What a great-looking kid!
ELAINE - Great trivia, my friend! As for "Wooly Bully", I was in Cub Scouts when that one came out! :-) Actually, it reminds me of "Louie Louie", which always seemed a bit more self-aware in this department, as though they were TRYING to slur and make it harder to understand. Springsteen is one of my all-time favorites. I saw him in Dallas in 1985 or 1986 for the "Born in the USA" tour. It remains one of the best shows I have seen.
I see absolutely nothing wrong with having your own versions....maybe it's because I have the same affliction. LOL! People occasionally point out to me that my lyrics are incorrect but that does not stop me from singing "MY Way"
lol Gwen Stefani... my daughter's was This shiP is bananas... b a n a n a s.
Lucy in the Sky...LSD or no LSD, great song either way.
Thanks - He is pretty cute in my humble opinion. And yes, it's all "bob" all the time. : )
Jason, I don't think it's so much caused by a "lazy ear" as it is the fault of a "lazy singer".
It ain't cool if your listener doesn't have to spend hours deciphering the lyrics!
Remember Bad Moon Rising ?... lots of folks thought the lyrics were "There's a bathroom on the right".
AUDREY - I love several of the songs from that movie, and I actually have that one on my iPod. Great stuff! I don't think I will be able to hear that song the same way again!
Jason, I don't hear well so I'd always had trouble with lyrics. Maybe it is lazy ear syndrome. I think it runs in the family because my kids used to say "Pokes Office." I'll let you guess what they meant.
One of my favorite stories about screwed up lyrics was some celebrity I saw interviewed saying she thought the song "Living on Tulsa Time" was "Living on Toast and Wine."
Bill Roberts