Have you ever been guilty of singing the wrong song lyrics? It’s called a mondegreen – and here, for your entertainment, are 23 of the most famous misquoted song lyrics.
Mondegreen: There’s a bathroom on the right.
Should be: There’s a bad moon on the rise.
Bad Moon Rising – Creedence Clearwater Revival
Mondegreen: And there’s a wino down the road.
Should be: And as we wind on down the road.
Stairway to Heaven – Led Zeppelin
Mondegreen: ‘Scuse me while I kiss this guy.
Should be: ‘Scuse me, while I kiss the sky.
Purple Haze – Jimi Hendrix
Mondegreen: Bake me a pie of love.
Should be: Bring me a higher love.
Higher Love – Steve Winwood
Mondegreen: I want a piece of bacon.
Should be: I wanna be sedated.
I Wanna Be Sedated – The Ramones
Mondegreen: I sometimes wish I’d never been boiled in oil.
Should be: I sometimes wish I’d never been born at all.
Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
Mondegreen: No Dukes of Hazzard in the classroom.
Should be: No dark sarcasm in the classroom.
Another Brick in the Wall – Pink Floyd
Mondegreen: We are living in a Cheerio world, and I am a Cheerio girl.
Should be: We are living in a material world, and I am a material girl.
Material Girl – Madonna
Mondegreen: Wrapped up like a douche, another runner in the night.
Should be: Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night.
Blinded by the Light – Manfred Mann’s Earth Band
Mondegreen: Take your pants down and make it happen.
Should be: Take your passion and make it happen.
Flashdance – Irene Cara
Mondegreen: Back in ’55, we were makin’ fun that hurts.
Should be: Back in ’55, we were makin’ thunderbirds.
Makin’ Thunderbirds – Bob Seger
Mondegreen: I can see you … your bra-strap’s shining in the sun.
Should be: I can see you … your brown skin shining in the sun.
The Boys of Summer – Don Henley
Mondegreen: A year has gone since I broke my nose.
Should be: A year has passed since I wrote my note.
Message in a Bottle – The Police
Mondegreen: Your legs move but I can’t hear what you’re saying.
Should be: Your lips move but I can’t hear what you’re saying.
Comfortably Numb – Pink Floyd
Mondegreen: See that girl, watch her scream, kicking the dancing queen.
Should be: See that girl, watch that scene, digging the dancing queen.
Dancing Queen – Abba
Mondegreen: There’s nothing that a hundred men on Mars could ever do.
Should be: There’s nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do.
Africa – Toto
Mondegreen: Joy to the visions that the people see.
Should be: Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea.
Joy to the World – Three Dog Night
Mondegreen: Are you ringing in the ears?
Should be: Are you reelin’ in the years?
Reelin’ In The Years – Steely Dan
Mondegreen: I got my first real sex dream, I was 5 at the time.
Should be: I got my first real six-string, bought it at the five-and-dime.
Summer Of ’69 – Bryan Adams
Mondegreen: Money for nothin’ and chips for free.
Should be: Money for nothin’ and your chicks for free.
Money For Nothing – Dire Straits
Mondegreen: Every time you go away, you take a piece of meat with you.
Should be: Every time you go away, you take a piece of me with you.
Every Time You Go Away – Paul Young
Mondegreen: It doesn’t make a difference if we’re naked or not.
Should be: It doesn’t make a difference if we make it or not.
Livin’ On A Prayer – Bon Jovi
Mondegreen: Then I saw her face, now I’m gonna leave her.
Should be: Then I saw her face, now I’m a believer.
I’m a Believer – The Monkees
Which is your favourite? Do you know of any other famous mondgereens? Why not share them with our members?
Also read: Lost in translation