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Misheard Song Lyrics -> Stories -> Chicago

Misheard lyrics (also called mondegreens) occur when people misunderstand the lyrics in a song. These are NOT intentional rephrasing of lyrics, which is called parody. For more information about the misheard lyrics available on this site, please read our FAQ.

This page contains a list of the songs that have stories about their misheard lyrics submitted.

Song names are sorted by first letter, excluding A and The. This is sorted by song title only, not by song title and performer. So if two different performers preformed the same song, you'll see misheard lyrics for both on the same page (provided the song title was spelt the same both times, and misheard lyrics have been submitted for both!).


At Carnegie Hall, Vol. 1-4 (Chicago IV) album at Amazon.com
Chicago's, "25 Or 6 To 4"
The Misheard Lyrics:
95 or 64
The Real Lyrics:
25 or 6 to 4
The Story: When I was a kid growing up in Richmond, VA, I thought the lyrics were about the two main roads in my town - Interstate 95 and Interstate 64. - Submitted by: Matt
Chicago's, "25 or 6 to 4"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Should I try to do so much?
The Real Lyrics:
Should I try to do some more?
The Story: I heard this in an Amazon Prime commercial, so I am submitting this here. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Chicago's, "Baby, What a Big Suprise"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Just to be ALARMED
Was to be a little more than ARCHITECT
Then you KANSAS STAYED
THEN IN ILLINOIS, TO LOVE ME IN THE EYE COULD DO
Help me find my way
The Real Lyrics:
Just to be alone
Was a little more than I could take
Then you came to stay
Hold me in the morn
Love me in the afternoon
Help me find my way
The Story: Could never understand what they said until the internet came along! - Submitted by: David
Chicago's, "Beginnings"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Only the cream filling
The Real Lyrics:
Only the beginning
The Story: It made me wonder about those Hostess "Where's the cream filling?" spots. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Chicago's, "Call on Me"
The Misheard Lyrics:
You love me do
The Real Lyrics:
You love me, too
The Story: I thought this was a reference to the Beatles. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Chicago's, "Dialogue (Part I and II)"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Don't you feel depression just closing in around?
The Real Lyrics:
Don't you feel repression just closing in around?
The Story: It confuses me about "depression". - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Chicago's, "Dialogue Parts 1 and 2"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Don't you seek salvation, in the city where you live?
All the niggers hunger, oh diddly diddly let's give!
The Real Lyrics:
Don't you see starvation, in the city where you live?
All the needless hunger, all the needless pain!
The Story: I was always incredulous that they could get away with racist lyrics like this...but then again, I was a teenager when the song came out, and I was pretty sure I had heard what I thought I heard! - Submitted by: Frank
Chicago's, "Fancy Colors"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Pepsi Colas
The Real Lyrics:
Fancy Colors
The Story: First time I heard this song I was convinced it was an ad for Pepsi :) - Submitted by: Joe Schmidt
Chicago's, "Feelin' Stronger Every Day"
The Misheard Lyrics:
So now the time has come up
The Real Lyrics:
So now the time has come
The Story: It kind of sounds like "up" at the end but it surely isn't in there. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Chicago's, "Hard Habit To Break"
The Misheard Lyrics:
After all of these years I'm still tryin' to escape
The Real Lyrics:
After all of these years I'm still tryin' to shake it
The Story: so sorry, RA - Submitted by: jp
Chicago's, "Hard Habit To Break"
The Misheard Lyrics:
And I f****d up
The Real Lyrics:
And i found out
The Story: My grandma thought it said this - Submitted by: PhoeixTDM
Chicago's, "Hard Habit to Break"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She learned to live with it, but I don't want to
The Real Lyrics:
Should learn to live with it, but I don't want to
The Story: I had broken up with my first girlfriend at the time after a long relationship and this song was on the airwaves. Very appropo. I wasn't as nice as I could be and now I totally regret it. Even though I am married now and 26 years have passed, I realize I made a huge mistake...Robin was the greatest girl and will always hold a special place in my heart. - Submitted by: jp
Chicago's, "Hard To Say I'm Sorry"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Far away from the one man I love.
The Real Lyrics:
Far away from the one that I love.
The Story: I always thought Peter Cetera was a little on the gay side. I was certain that this lyric proved it. My wife laughed and laughed at me when I told her my theory. of course, I was wrong as usual. [Ed.'s note: You're probably wrong about Peter Cetera's sexual orientation, too. But who are we to judge?] - Submitted by: Brad Gilbert
Chicago's, "Hard to Say I'm Sorry"
The Misheard Lyrics:
After all the who you've been through
The Real Lyrics:
After all that we've been through
The Story: He's saying that after all the other men in her life, he will make it up to her by being there and not letting anyone else hurt her. - Submitted by: Jason
Chicago's, "Hard to Say I'm Sorry"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Even lovers need to have a day
Far away from each other
The Real Lyrics:
Even lovers need a holiday
Far away from each other
The Story: I always thought it was "Even lovers need to have a day far away from each other". I kept thinking for decades that why is he sad (and pathetic) that he misses her after only spending 1 day away from her!! Actually, it was "need to have a holiday", well that makes everything different....LOL. I didn't even realize I was singing the wrong lyrics for 35 years and I'm 43 now!! Haha. - Codi Preston D. - Submitted by: Codi Preston D.
Chicago's, "Harry Truman"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Pouty children
The Real Lyrics:
Harry Truman
The Story: Based on someone hearing "Harry Truman" as "pouty children" in the song "I Know What Boys Like" by the Waitresses, I thought of this as well for Chicago. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Chicago's, "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love"
The Misheard Lyrics:
If I had to make my own.
My love would never been sing.
My love would never been sing.
I just wanna live my life with you.
The Real Lyrics:
If I had to make it on my own.
My life would never be the same.
My love would never be the same.
I just want to live my life with you.
The Story: A sad song was recorded by a jazz rock band. During the pop metal movement, the band adopted this song with the taste of AOR, arena rock, and also pop metal that are not done performed by other jazz rock acts. The movement was done by lead vocals on this song, Bill Champlin. During the Peter Cetera era, the band adopted their other greatest hits from rock and jazz and previously their debut record was influenced by rock, hard rock, proto-metal, and jazz. The Diane Warren and Albert Hammond-penned song was peaking at #3 on Billboard's Pop Chart. - Submitted by: Wisnu Aji
Chicago's, "If You Leave Me Now"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Baby fleece don't go
The Real Lyrics:
Baby, please don't go
The Story: I thought to have heard "fleece"! - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Chicago's, "Just You 'n' Me"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Thomas, you'll never leave me
The Real Lyrics:
Promise you'll never leave me
The Story: Thomas as in Thomas the Tank Engine...predates the show by about 11 years. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Chicago's, "Look Away"
The Misheard Lyrics:
And bring me some on a freak someday.
And I don't know what you say.
Look away, baby, look away.
Don't look at me.
I don't want you to see me this way.
When you wake up in this morning.
Told me that the new love will found.
I said I'm happy for you.
I'm really happy for you.
The Real Lyrics:
And if we meet on the streets someday.
And I don't know what to say.
Look away, baby, look away.
Don't look at me.
I don't want you to see me this way.
When you called me up this morning.
Told me about the new love you found.
I said I'm happy for you.
I'm really happy for you.
The Story: This is not the first time I posting a song by a pop rock band that formed in late 1960s. About this song: The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound ("pop rock band with lyrics about love"), generating several hit ballads. The band was also experiment with other genres in their career like heavy metal's "I'm a Man" (The Spencer Davis Group Cover), country-influence's "Wishing You Were Here" (with The Beach Boys), pop-oriented's "If You Leave Me Now", and later AOR's "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love" (moderate success in Australia). But, with "Look Away" as an example of a "pop rock band with lyrics about love", it would be the last single from the band that reaching the highest position on both Billboard's Pop Chart and Canadian chart. "Look Away" is the second single on their 19th album, "Chicago 19", released on 20 June 1988. - Submitted by: Wisnu Aji
Chicago's, "Mongonucleosis"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Get that chest out
The Real Lyrics:
Que pe chesa.
The Story: Loved this song in high school, but could never understand the lyrics. Only found out decades later. - Submitted by: Randy
Chicago's, "Mongonucleosis"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Que Belleza
The Real Lyrics:
Que pe chesa.
The Story: The lyrics are spanish for What A Beauty - Submitted by: Charlie
Chicago's, "Mongonucleosis"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Que pe chesa
The Real Lyrics:
Ke Pa Chesa
The Story: Que pe chesa - doesn't mean anything, yet we keep using it 'cause the record company published it.. Took some research but "chesa" was the key. Ke Pa Chesa - Sesotho for "I'm on fire". Sesotho is an African language spoken by the Basotho people in the Republic of South Africa and the Kingdom of Lesotho. Very cool Chicago! - Submitted by: Joseph Wagner
Chicago's, "No Tell Lover"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Lipton lover
or
Left-hand lover
or
Uptown lover
or
Mifted lover
or
Lifted lover
or
Liftin’ lover
The Real Lyrics:
No-tell lover
The Story: I couldn’t figure out the lyrics. Those were my best guesses. - Submitted by: JeffinNYC
Chicago's, "No Tell Lover"
The Misheard Lyrics:
You're my part-time lover
The Real Lyrics:
You're my no tell lover
The Story: Sounded as though it inspired Stevie Wonder's hit song! - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Chicago's, "Old Days "
The Misheard Lyrics:
How'd they do that?
The Real Lyrics:
Howdy Doody
The Story: I didn't grow up with the children's TV show Howdy Doody (I am a 1980s child, born in the mid 1970s, and Howdy Doody was 20 years before my time), so I had no idea what Howdy Doody was before I heard this song. So thus, I thought Peter Cetera was singing "How'd they do that?". - Submitted by: Codi Preston D.
Chicago's, "Old Days"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Hold me, good times I remember.
The Real Lyrics:
Old Days, good times I remember.
The Story: This explains since the misunderstood lyric is the title why in 1975 I never could get a Disc Jockey to play this song. I was asking for the wrong title. By the way, if you are reading this, and you are that D.J. from WDXB AM in Chattanooga who I called a liar when you said you did not have a song by that title, I am sorry. Sincerely that smart alleck 8 year old. - Submitted by: Dan Fletcher
Chicago's, "Old Days"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Old days, good times I remember
Fundies, filled with simple pleasures
The Real Lyrics:
Old days, good times I remember
Fun days, filled with simple pleasures
The Story: "Fundies" are gag underwear for couples. They are available at Spencer's and similar stores. - Submitted by: Bob
Chicago's, "Old Days"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Old ladies
The Real Lyrics:
Old Days
The Story: It was the mid-70's, I was in High School, I swear that's what it sounded like on those those old AM radio stations, I had thought that Pete Cetera, the lead singer, had a freaky thing for old Grandmas. There was a weird movie out at the time called "Harold And Maude", it was about a young guy and an elderly woman....well, you get the picture. Anyhow, I remember telling my girlfriend at the time, everything that I said previously, and I'll never forget her reaction of laughing non stop for about 5 mins. I still laugh about it, too. - Submitted by: Dick tater
Chicago's, "Saturday In The Park"
The Misheard Lyrics:
A man playing skin toss, and singing to us all
The Real Lyrics:
A man playing guitar, and singing to us all
The Story: I was singing my version to my wife, and she stops me mid-song to say that those probably weren't the right lyrics. I told her they were, and that the song was about a Saturday in a park somewhere so anything could be going on. She then asks, "Where's this park supposed to be, Molokai?" (Get it? Skin toss, leper colony, skin falling off, etc.) - Submitted by: John Wyncroft
Chicago's, "Saturday in the Park"
The Misheard Lyrics:
A blind man still can tell stories his own way.
The Real Lyrics:
A bronze man still can tell stories his own way.
The Story: Thought this meant Homer - Submitted by: Mars
Chicago's, "Saturday in the Park"
The Misheard Lyrics:
A real celebration, waiting for a song.
The Real Lyrics:
A real celebration, waiting for us all
The Story: I just though it was waiting for a song. - Submitted by: Chris Mulwee
Chicago's, "Saturday in the Park"
The Misheard Lyrics:
He could bar it, he say nothing
or
He could bar it, he say laughing
or
He could bar it, you say nothing
or
He could bar it, you say laughing
The Real Lyrics:
Eicay varé, eisé nardé
The Story: Until now I didn't know that one part of the lyrics were in Italian, and I thought that the singer was singing in broken English! - Submitted by: abc
Chicago's, "Saturday in the Park"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Missing children, oh they got lost.
The Real Lyrics:
Listen, children, all is not lost.
The Story: For the longest time I thought this part of the song was about children who get lost when they go to the park with their parents and get separated, especially one as large as Central Park in New York. But this is a happy song and no kids go missing. - Submitted by: JD
Chicago's, "Wishing You Were Here"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Witchiepoo was here
The Real Lyrics:
Wishing You Were Here
The Story: Witchiepoo is a character from H.R. Pufnstuf. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Chicago's, "You're The Inspiration"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Glory, it's Malaysia!
The Real Lyrics:
You're the inspiration
The Story: I've heard this on the radio countless times in my entire life, without remembering the lyrics very well, that I think one line alone glorifies the southeast asian nation of Malaysia. - Submitted by: Razorback
Chicago's, "You're the Inspiration"
The Misheard Lyrics:
And I don't
The Real Lyrics:
And I know
The Story: Here in this case, I wondered which was correct. - Submitted by: Cody Finke

There are more Chicago misheard lyrics available.

Indexes: [#] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [Y] [Z]

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