Misheard lyrics from iconic pop songs
Frank Micelotta Archive // Getty Images
Misheard lyrics from iconic pop songs
N Sync performing live at the 2000 Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Kids learning the national anthem could be forgiven for hearing the lyric “by the dawnzer lee light”—even though the latter doesn’t make any sense, in any language. The actual line is “by the dawn’s early light.” Author Beverly Cleary immortalized this mistake in her children’s book “Ramona the Pest.”
Misheard lyrics are known as mondegreens, a term that dates back to 1954. American author Sylvia Wright coined it in Harper’s Magazine while recounting a ballad that had confounded her when she was a child.
But this misfiring of the connections between the ears and the brain can plague anyone of any age. It’s been the subject of both academic study and serious journalism. Researchers found that people sing the “wrong” words to a song due to an illusion of sound; it could indicate what we hope to hear, as reported by New York magazine.
If nothing else, mondegreens are almost always funny (if not a bit embarrassing), so Stacker compiled a list of some of the most humorous misheard lyrics from popular music over the last 70 years. To qualify its popularity, each song on this list had to spend time on the Billboard Hot 100 chart—and many became #1 hits. This collection comes from pop culture references, news articles, music publications, social media posts, and community forums on the internet.
James Devaney // Getty Images
‘Blank Space’ by Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift performing during New Year’s Eve 2015 in Times Square on December 31, 2014.
– Misheard: “All the lonely Starbucks lovers”
– Correct: “Got a long list of ex-lovers”
In 2014, Taylor Swift’s lead single from her album “1989” was “Blank Space,” which percolated at the top of the charts and brewed up some controversy when fans heard the line, “All the lonely Starbucks lovers.” The lyric Swift had really written was “got a long list of ex-lovers.” Still, some listeners were unconvinced, including Swift’s own mother, according to a now-deleted tweet posted by the singer.
ullstein bild // Getty Images
‘Purple Haze’ by Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix playing his guitar.
– Misheard: “‘Scuse me while I kiss this guy”
– Correct: “‘Scuse me while I kiss the sky”
This song lyric in Jimi Hendrix’s most popular record was so famously misheard it spawned a series of books by author Gavin Edwards, including his “‘Scuse Me While I Kiss This Guy and Other Misheard Lyrics,” published in 1995. What Hendrix is actually singing in his seminal guitar anthem “Purple Haze” is the lyric, “‘Scuse me while I kiss the sky”—not “this guy.”
Watal Asanuma/Shinko Music // Getty Images
‘Tiny Dancer’ by Elton John
Elton John performing on stage at the 1972 Royal Variety Performance.
– Misheard: “Hold me closer, Tony Danza”
– Correct: “Hold me closer, tiny dancer”
Even though the correct lyric is contained in the song’s name—”Hold me closer, tiny dancer”—there’s a long tradition of mishearing Elton John’s 1972 single “Tiny Dancer” as an ode to actor Tony Danza (even though his first Hollywood credits didn’t come until 1978). This auditory misfiring even made its way onto an episode of “Friends,” during which Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow) explains that she hears John crooning to the “Who’s the Boss?” sitcom star.
Steven Ferdman // Getty Images
‘My Type’ by Saweetie
Saweetie performing at Power 105.1’s Powerhouse 2019 concert at Prudential Center on October 26, 2019, in Newark, New Jersey.
– Misheard: “Eight-inch bagel… that’s good pipe”
– Correct: “Eight-inch big, ooh, that’s good pipe”
Rapper Saweetie burst onto the mainstream music scene in 2019 with her single “My Type,” which sounds a lot like an ode to a New Yorker’s favorite grab-and-go breakfast. In a sultry growl, she says, “Eight-inch bagel… that’s good pipe”—or does she? Turns out, the actual lyrics are “Eight-inch big, ooh, that’s good pipe.” What the “ooh” is referencing, however, is left to our imagination.
Gabe Ginsberg // Getty Images
‘Thunder’ by Imagine Dragons
Guitarist Wayne Sermon, frontman Dan Reynolds, bassist Ben McKee and drummer Daniel Platzman of Imagine Dragons attending the Vegas Strong Benefit Concert at T-Mobile Arena.
– Misheard: “Fun Dip”
– Correct: “Thunder”
Sometimes the lyrics that are heard incorrectly tell us more about the person listening to the song than the song itself. Case in point: Imagine Dragons’ “Thunder,” one of Billboard’s best songs of 2017. Some hungry fans with a sweet tooth have insisted the word “thunder”—again, right in the song title—sounds just like the candy product “Fun Dip.” It’s even spawned numerous parody videos on social media.
Chris Walter // Getty Images
‘Billie Jean’ by Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson in 1983 on the set of the Beat It music video.
– Misheard: “Billie Jean is not my mother”
– Correct: “Billie Jean is not my lover”
You’d think that after over 40 years since Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” went #1 in 1983, hardly anyone could doubt that the woman referenced in the song’s title is whom the line “not my lover” refers to. But one of the most commonly mistaken lyrics still today is “Billie Jean is not my mother.”
Michael Ochs Archives // Getty Images
‘Louie Louie’ by The Kingsmen
The Kingsmen touring group posing for a portrait in circa 1966.
– Misheard: “Louie, Louie, grab her way down low”
– Correct: “Louie, Louie, me gotta go”
One of the characteristics of the Kingsmen’s 1963 hit “Louie Louie” is its garage rock sound—with distorted vocals that have created so much confusion over the years, the issue was taken up by the feds. A now-debunked rumor stated that the song was full of concealed obscenities that could only be heard if you played the vinyl record at a slower speed. There’s no consensus as to what those “dirty” lyrics actually are, though—and the FBI never found any proof, despite investigating them for over two years.
Michael Ochs Archives // Getty Images
‘Bad Moon Rising’ by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival posing for a photo circa 1970.
– Misheard: “There’s a bathroom on the right”
– Correct: “There’s a bad moon on the rise”
Creedence Clearwater Revival was at its peak in 1969 when it released “Bad Moon Rising,” a country-tinged rock tune that asks listeners to heed its warning: “There’s a bad moon on the rise.” But many fans have thought the band’s lead singer, John Fogerty, was giving directions: “There’s a bathroom on the right.” In fact, it’s such a long-running gag that the vocalist (and the song’s lyricist) told New York City radio station Q104.3 he sometimes intentionally sings the wrong words now too.
Steve Jennings // Getty Images
‘Rock and Roll All Nite’ by Kiss
Gene Simmons, Peter Criss and Ace Frehley of Kiss performing in San Francisco.
– Misheard: “I wanna rock and roll all night and part of every day”
– Correct: “I wanna rock and roll all night and party every day”
With their theatrical makeup, wild costumes, and pyrotechnics-filled stage shows, members of the band Kiss seem like the ultimate rock stars. So fans might be surprised to hear Gene Simmons sing that he wants to “rock and roll all night” and only “part of every day.” But the truth is, as explained in an episode of Disney’s “The Muppets Mayhem,” it’s “party every day”
Tim Mosenfelder // Getty Images
‘Loser’ by Beck
Beck performing during Live 105’s BFD at Shoreline Amphitheatre on June 10, 1994, in Mountain View, California.
– Misheard: “So open the door”
– Correct: “Soy un perdedor”
No one probably expected the California-born, ’90s alternative musician Beck to be singing in Spanish in his debut hit song, “Loser.” So instead of the lyrics “soy un perdedor” (which simply translates to mean “I’m a loser”), some listeners have filled in the blanks with more likely—and perhaps more expected—lines, like “So open the door.”
David M. Benett // Getty Images
‘Cold Heart’ by Dua Lipa and Elton John
Elton John and Dua Lipa performing during the 29th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party on April 25, 2021.
– Misheard: “Well, I farted, but I kept it hid”
– Correct: “Well, I thought it, but I kept it hid”
The 2021 pop hit “Cold Heart” is actually a mashup of classic Elton John songs, remixed together by EDM trio Pnau and featuring rerecorded vocals by Dua Lipa. One line, in particular, which originally appeared in John’s record “Kiss the Bride,” trips up those who try to sing along: “Well, I thought it, but I kept it hid.” Some internet users have suggested Lipa is singing something entirely different: “Well, I farted, but I kept it hid.”
United Archives // Getty Images
‘Blinded by the Light’ by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band
Manfred Mann’s Earth Band performing on stage in 1978.
– Misheard: “Blinded by the light, wrapped up like a douche”
– Correct: “Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce”
“Blinded by the Light” is one song your ears might have a hard time hearing correctly—even when you know the real lyrics include “blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night.” According to the song’s lyricist, Bruce Springsteen, it references the car known as the Little Deuce Coupe—but even knowing that, it may still sound like “wrapped up like a douche.”
Pete Cronin // Getty Images
‘Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)’ by Eurythmics
Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox performing in 1983.
– Misheard: “Sweet dreams are made of cheese”
– Correct: “Sweet dreams are made of this”
The 1980s duo Eurythmics exploded onto the American pop music scene with its first U.S. single, “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).” The song’s popularity launched largely thanks to an iconic music video featuring singer Annie Lennox in a bright red buzz haircut and a suit. But there must not be too many lip-readers out there, because there are plenty of fans who’ve mistaken the lyric “sweet dreams are made of this” for “sweet dreams are made of cheese”—probably because of Lennox’s pronunciation of “this,” which sounds more like “these.”
Fin Costello // Getty Images
‘Don’t Bring Me Down’ by Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra performing on stage in 1979.
– Misheard: “Don’t bring me down, Bruce”
– Correct: “Don’t bring me down, groose”
If you were wondering who “Bruce” is in the Electric Light Orchestra song “Don’t Bring Me Down,” lead vocalist and songwriter Jeff Lynne couldn’t tell you—because the shoutout isn’t actually a man’s name, but a nonsense word made up on the spot: “groose.” Though, in a 2016 Rolling Stone article, Lynne confessed to sometimes giving up his original lyric, giving into the widely held misconception, and just singing “Bruce” in concert.
Bonnie Schiffman Photography // Getty Images
‘Rock the Casbah’ by The Clash
A portrait of The Clash in 1982.
– Misheard: “Sherry don’t like it”
– Correct: “Sharif don’t like it”
“Sherry don’t like it” isn’t how the chorus of the Clash’s “Rock the Casbah” begins. Instead, the British punk rockers are singing, “Sharif don’t like it”—a response to the news that Ayatollah Khomeini had banned all Western music in Iran in 1979, according to American Songwriter magazine‘s explanation of the song’s meaning.
Paul Natkin // Getty Images
‘Oh Sherrie’ by Steve Perry
Steve Perry performing on stage in 1980.
– Misheard: “Cinnamon buns”
– Correct: “You should’ve been gone”
Steve Perry has one of the most distinctive singing voices of any man in the rock ‘n’ roll era—even if his diction isn’t the clearest. In his first solo hit after departing the band Journey, “Oh Sherrie,” it’s the very first line that trips up some listeners, who thought he was calling out, “Cinnamon buns!” The real first line? “You should’ve been gone.”
Michael Ochs Archives // Getty Images
‘Africa’ by Toto
Toto posing for a portrait in 1982.
– Misheard: “I miss the rains down in Africa”
– Correct: “I bless the rains down in Africa”
Toto’s biggest hit song—and the band’s only #1 record—is the mysterious and exotic-sounding “Africa,” which actually contains multiple misheard lyrics. In the chorus, some fans hear “I miss the rains down in Africa” instead of “I bless the rains.” What’s more, the confusion deepens when the line in one of the verses, “As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti,” sounds like “rises like a lepress” (that is, a woman leper).
Michael Ochs Archives // Getty Images
‘I’d Really Love to See You Tonight’ by England Dan & John Ford Coley
England Dan and John Ford Coley performing on stage.
– Misheard: “I ain’t talkin’ ’bout the linen”
– Correct: “I ain’t talkin’ ’bout movin’ in”
In the 1970s, England Dan & John Ford Coley were known for their romantic, soft rock sounds that dominated the adult contemporary airwaves. And their biggest hit, “I’d Really Love to See You Tonight,” was no exception—but they did not sing the line “I ain’t talkin’ ’bout the linen.” The correct lyric is: “I ain’t talkin’ ’bout movin’ in.”
Bob Berg // Getty Images
‘Glycerine’ by Bush
Bush posing for a group photo circa 1994.
– Misheard: “Listerine, Listerine”
– Correct: “Glycerine, glycerine”
It sounds like it could be a hit parody by “Weird Al” Yankovic—but fans imagined Gavin Rossdale, the lead singer of ’90s grunge rock band Bush, is singing “Listerine” instead of “Glycerine.” In reality, he’s not urging for daily dental care when he sings, “Don’t let the days go by…”
Steve Azzara // Getty Images
‘It’s Gonna Be Me’ by ‘N Sync
N’Sync at the MTV video music awards in 2000.
– Misheard: “It’s gonna be May”
– Correct: “It’s gonna be me”
One of the most widespread misheard lyrics in the modern age is also one of the most celebrated—every year, just before May Day, on April 30. That’s because when Justin Timberlake sings, “It’s gonna be me,” in the ‘N Sync song of the same name, he pronounces “me” like “may”—and in 2012 (12 years after the song was released), the internet exploded with “It’s Gonna Be May” memes.
Chris Walter // Getty Images
‘Evil Woman’ by Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra performing on stage in 1975.
– Misheard: “Medieval woman”
– Correct: “Evil woman”
In the Electric Light Orchestra song “Evil Woman,” lead vocalist Jeff Lynne sings the word “evil” with three syllables, drawing out the “ee” sound over the course of two notes. The result? A mistaken title (and lyric) that brought the song into an entirely different era: “medieval woman.”
United Archives // Getty Images
‘Bette Davis Eyes’ by Kim Carnes
Kim Carnes performing on stage in 1981.
– Misheard: “Haul the bathtub just to please you”
– Correct: “All the better just to please you”
Kim Carnes was one of the biggest pop singers of the early 1980s, known for her distinctively raspy vocal style—one that could’ve enunciated just a bit better. In her Grammy Award-winning chart-topper “Bette Davis Eyes,” it might sound like she’s singing, “Haul the bathtub just to please you,” but the real lyrics are: “All the better just to please you.”
Andy Sheppard // Getty Images
‘Rolling in the Deep’ by Adele
Adele performing at the launch of her new album at The Tabernacle on January 24, 2011, in London, England.
– Misheard: “Go ahead and sell me out, and I’ll lay your s— bare”
– Correct: “Go ahead and sell me out, and I’ll lay your ship bare”
According to the authoritative music magazine SPIN, Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” contains the line “Go ahead and sell me out, and I’ll lay your ship bare.” So why is the word “ship” censored in versions played by some radio stations and streaming services?
According to the National Coalition Against Censorship, it’s because it sounded too much like a bad word with the same first three letters—which is a case of music execs either mishearing the lyrics themselves or anticipating audiences mistakenly hearing an expletive. (For what it’s worth, Adele clearly sang the word “ship” during her 2020 appearance on “Saturday Night Live.”)
Michael Ochs Archives // Getty Images
‘Forever in Blue Jeans’ by Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond performing on stage circa 1977.
– Misheard: “Reverend Blue Jeans”
– Correct: “Forever in blue jeans”
If you’ve misheard Neil Diamond’s “Forever in Blue Jeans” as “Reverend Blue Jeans,” you’re not the only one. Comedian and former talk-show host Conan O’Brien confessed in a 2023 podcast episode that he’s among the throngs of fans who thought Diamond was paying tribute to a man of the cloth who took Casual Friday very seriously.
Data reporting by Lucas Hicks. Story editing by Chris Compendio. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Abigail Renaud.
