Imagine, you go your whole life thinking that Elton John was singing ‘Hold me closer, Tony Danza.’ Your brain must go through the process of inventing some lore to explain why Sir Elton John has a whole ballad about some American actor until you learn that you have simply been wrong your entire life.
So one person wanted to know what other examples of misheard lyrics are out there and the internet delivered. So if you aren’t afraid of having a song reinvented when you figure out how it actually goes, get comfortable, scroll down, and be sure to upvote the more hilarious examples.
#1
She was a fax machine
She kept her modem clean
[Original lyrics: She was a fast machine, she kept her motor clean
AC/DC – “You Shook Me All Night Long”]
Image source: younghorse, chronic-shock
#2
I guess it rains down in Africa?
StoopidTumbleweeds replied:
I’m still somewhat embarrassed to say that I thought it was “god bless the maids down in Africa”. Thought it was some sort of weird political statement.
Is_What_They_Call_Me replied:
I felt some brains down in Africa up until a couple years ago..
milkpen replied:
I always heard it as “I miss the rains down in Africa” and thought that sounded so lovely and melancholic. I was so disappointed by the real lyric lmao
[Original lyrics: I bless the rains down in Africa
Toto – Africa]
Image source: walkingtalkingdread, TOTO
#3
My favorite misheard lyric is ‘Hold me closer, Tony Danza’ instead of ‘Hold me closer, tiny dancer’ by Elton John.
Image source: Queasy_Bus_9388, Sean Biehle
#4
Robert Palmer
“You might as well face it, you’re a d**k with a glove”
Image source: kajola1969
#5
My sister thought the Beatles lyrics “the girl with kaleidoscope eyes” was “the girl with colitis goes by”.
Image source: herefortheguffaws, The Beatles
#6
As a kid I thought it was “we’ll rob a mexican monkey” and not “we’re up all night to get lucky”
[Daft Punk – Get Lucky]
Image source: 8thFurno, Daft Punk
#7
“It’s not fair, to deny me
Of the crosseyed bear that you gave to me
You, you, you oughta know”
-Alanis Morissette
How could you take her crosseyed bear Dave Coulier
[Original lyrics:
“It’s not fair to deny me
Of the cross I bear that you gave to me
You, you, you oughta know”
Alanis Morissette -“You Oughta Know”]
Image source: lindsasaurusreks, Justin Higuchi
#8
I want to know, have you ever seen Lorain?
PheonixKernow replied:
As a child I used to sing ‘I can see clearly now Lorraine has gone’ and always wondered what poor Lorraine did that was so bad.
[Original lyrics: I can see clearly now, the rain has gone
Johnny Nash – “I Can See Clearly Now”]
Image source: Tolbitzironside, Fantasy Records
#9
Hit me with a wet sock, FIRE AWAY!!!!!
[Original lyrics: “Hit me with your best shot”; Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”]
Image source: SpaceTroutCat, Heidy Escobar
#10
We were in the car and Guns ‘n Roses Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door was playing and after a minute my then four year old son asked ‘Who’s Kevin?’ It took us a beat to understand the question but from now on, for me this song will always be ‘Knockin on Kevin’s door’ 🤣
Image source: SuccessExtreme4373
#11
Sweet dreams are made of cheese, who am i to disagree
[Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)]
Image source: __botulism__, Eurythmics
#12
I see skies of blue
And clouds of white
The bright blessed day
The dogs say goodnight
[Louis Armstrong – What A Wonderful World]
Image source: twoferrets, Louis Armstrong
#13
My three year old thinks “Like a G6” is “Like a cheese sticks”
[Far East Movement and The Cataracs – “Like a G6”]
Image source: Veritas3333, Vervegirl Canada
#14
Jimi Hendix – “Purple Haze”: ‘scuse me while I kiss this guy.
corvid_booster replied:
Roommate back in the day, who would have been about 18 in 1970, told me that Hendrix was aware of the alternate interpretation, and he would gesture at Noel Redding and say “‘scuse me while I kiss this guy.”
Image source: Alone_Employment7914, discogs.com
#15
My 7th grade teacher had a real hatred for Gwen Stefani and when we finally asked him it was because he thought she was saying “I ain’t no Harlem black girl” in her hit song “holla back girl”
Image source: BillyStunnaGunna, Gwen Stefani
#16
When I was 14 my dad was driving me to my boyfriend’s house. On the way over “Applause” by Lady Gaga came on & my dad sang “I live for the applesauce applesauce applesauce”. I busted out laughing and mocking him. Laughed so hard he turned the car around and took me home.
Image source: Dependent_Border9912, Nathan Malone
#17
“Oooh, Dyslexics on fireeeeee”
– Kings Of Leon
Image source: QuotingThings, ceedub13
#18
As a kid, I didn’t get the chess references in Murray Head’s “One Night in Bangkok”.
So when he sang “One town is very like another with your head down over your pieces, brother.”, I thought he was singing “One town is very like another with your head down over your *feces* brother”
I remember wondering what the hell goes on in Bangkok that would find you with your head down over your own poo.
Image source: MisterMarcus
#19
Blinded by the light
Wrapped up like a douche
A running lover in the night
Image source: occamhanlon
#20
Steely Dan, instead of “Are you reelin’ in the years?”, got “Are you really into yeast?”
Image source: snitterisagooddog, Fred von Lohmann
#21
Concrete jungle, wet dream, tomato.
[Original lyrics: “In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made, oh… ”
Jay Z and Alicia Keys – “Empire State of Mind”]
Image source: Suspicious-Doubt-583, Music Top Internac
#22
Song: “Here I Go Again” by Whitesnake
Lyric: “Like a drifter I was born to wear cologne”
Image source: Intensity_In10Cities
#23
CCR – bad mood rising
There’s a bathroom on the right
Warm_Fox1937 replied:
Same
And then my siblings tried to convince me it said “there’s a Batman on the rise”.
Image source: revs201, Creedence Clearwater Revival
#24
Abba- Take a chance on me. The beginning sounds like they are saying Jackie Chan.
Johnny rivers- Secret agent man- secret Asian man
Image source: pkim173
#25
“remove my jacket”
Instead of
“moves like jagger”
Boy I felt dumb.
Image source: wesleybg, Maroon 5
#26
Lion King’s Circle of Life:
Pink pajamas penguins on the bottom.
Image source: Cowabungadude_07, Disney
#27
Don’t bring me down, Bruce
by Electric Light Orchestra
Image source: buteoPT
#28
Get your free cone.
[Original lyrics: “Get your freak on”, Missy Elliott’s “Get Ur Freak On”]
Image source: Weapon_X23, Missy Elliott
#29
“Got along with Starbucks lovers” – Blank Space by Taylor Swift
Image source: i_hate_sephiroth, Taylor Swift
#30
I fight with Dorothy & Dorothy always wins…
[editor’s note:
Original Lyrics: “I fight authority, authority always wins”, John Mellencamp’s,”Authority Song” ]
Image source: jemcnick
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