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Creedence Clearwater Revival

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!).

Best of Creedence Clearwater Revival album at Amazon.com

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Risin'"

The Misheard Lyrics:

I've seen ... Paraquats of lightning,
Or
A pair of quaking lighting,
OR
Pears skating lightened

The Real Lyrics:

I see earthquakes and lightnin'

The Story: I pronounced paraquat as "paraquate" until just now because of this song! - Submitted by: Shanan Cummings

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Risin'"

The Misheard Lyrics:

There's a baboon on the right.

The Real Lyrics:

There's a bad moon on the rise.

The Story: When I was a kid, I used to think that the song was about a killer baboon. No joke! I guess was just a little scared of those critters in general. - Submitted by: Alex Allred

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Risin'"

The Misheard Lyrics:

there's a bedroom on the right

The Real Lyrics:

There's a bad moon on the rise.

The Story: i had just started going to country bars and was so sure that this song was a little more explicit than i was used to!!!!!............... - Submitted by: judy mattox

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising "

The Misheard Lyrics:

Hey the black man stole my bike

The Real Lyrics:

There's a bad moon on the rise.

The Story: Just what I thought it said but doubted it - Submitted by: matao

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Don't go around tonight,
let the farmer take your knife.
There's a bad move on the right

The Real Lyrics:

Don't go out tonight,
it's bound to take your life.
There's a bad moon on the rise

The Story: For the longest time, growing up, this is literally how I sang this song, and truly felt I knew the words. That is until a friend of mine heard me singing that part and said, 'What was it you said right there?' Obviously he knew what the true lyrics were... - Submitted by: Mark Nakoff

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Don't go around tonight,
Well, its bound to take your life,
There's a bathroom on the right.

The Real Lyrics:

Don't go around tonight,
Well, its bound to take your life,
There's a bad moon on the rise.

The Story: My older sister was on a road trip with two of her girlfriends and was singing along with the radio when this tune was playing. She sang out loudly,"There's a bathroom on the right." Her friends looked at her incredulously and teased her mercilessly afterward. it seems my sister was always concerned about where the bathroom is! - Submitted by: Rex Stewart

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Don't go out tonight
It's bound to take your life
There in the bathroom on the right

The Real Lyrics:

Don't go around tonight
Well it's bound to take your life
There's a bad moon on the rise

The Story: 1st year university, down in the dungeon, Aberdeen Union, echoing sound effect?? Maybe, but it sounded like the bathroom to me and for a good while afterwards. Maybe it was my first go on the joint, Bill.... - Submitted by: rufus Wildegoose

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Don't throw up tonight
But if you do it's quite alright
'Cause there's a bathroom on the right.

The Real Lyrics:

Don't go out tonight
It's bound to take your life
There's a bad moon on the risin'.

The Story: We were a bunch of hippie-freaks living in a commune in Connecticut where there were no flush toilets, only outhouses. These lyrics evoked an image of real luxury to us. - Submitted by: Henry Packer

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

I see parakeets of lightning

The Real Lyrics:

I see earthquakes and lightnin'

The Story: I misheard that line when I was a youngster. - Submitted by: Jo

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Theeeere's a bathroom on the right

The Real Lyrics:

Theeeere's a bad moon on the rise

The Story: It was 1969. I first heard the song on the radio while in the car with my mom and younger brother. All three of us misheard the lyric and spent the rest of the day trying to figure out if we had heard it correctly. Mom was appalled that a song on the airwaves would have a lyric like that. We finally called the radio station's DJ to get the answer. - Submitted by: Susan

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

There are the bathrooms on the right!

The Real Lyrics:

There's a bad moon on the rise.

The Story: I just heard the song.. and there's THAT line I misheard.. I was surprised that wasn't already submitted! :) - Submitted by: DJ Zath

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

There is a bathroom on the right

The Real Lyrics:

There is a bad moon on the right

The Story: When John Fogarty released his solo album, Premonition, he included the misheard lyric in the song Bad Moon Rising. He had known about this for years and so included it in the song as an inside joke. If you listen to the song, it happens just before the fadeout. - Submitted by: Dan

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

There's a bad mood on the right.

The Real Lyrics:

There's a bad moon on the rise.

The Story: The first time I heard this song was about the same time my older sister started getting her womanly flow. Bad moods were abound! - Submitted by: Amy

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

There's a bathroom on the right...

The Real Lyrics:

There's a bad moon on the rise...

The Story: I used to Deejay at parties and weddings and such. I played this song one night when a friend (No names. Right, Andreas Freyvogel?) came along to help me. I wasn't sure that that I heard him correctly. But after several repeats, I realized he was singing the wrong lyrics. I corrected him and we have chuckled about it ever since, right Andy? However in his defense: If the story about John Fogerty singing those exact lyrics during the fadeout is true, maybe Andreas was correct after all. - Submitted by: Hans

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

There's a bathroom on the right.

The Real Lyrics:

There's a bad moon on the rise.

The Story: I think the song came out in the late sixties but it took me a couple of years, before I really got into their music, to figure out that my version made little sense. Then I found out the title of the song, and had the overdue epiphany. To this day I laugh when I hear the song. - Submitted by: John

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

There's a bathroom on the right.

The Real Lyrics:

There's a bad moon on the rise.

The Story: My brother's mate was heard singing these words at a pub one night. - Submitted by: Conley Newall

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

There's a bathroom on the right.

The Real Lyrics:

There's a bad moon on the rise.

The Story: My dad and I used to sing it this way. I suspect he knew the true lyrics, but I always thought it really was about a bathroom on the right hand side of the road. - Submitted by: Will

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

There's a bathroom on the right

The Real Lyrics:

Don't go around tonight,Well it's bound to take your life,There's a bad moon on the rise.

The Story: My dad would kinda hum/sing this song around the house and one day I heard him sing "there's a bathroom on the right". It still makes me laugh. - Submitted by: DeadlyRuby

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

There's a bathroom on the right

The Real Lyrics:

There's a bad moon on the rise.

The Story: Heard this while at a party that hired a band, they did not get any song they played right - Submitted by: The Sarge

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

There's a bathroom on the right

The Real Lyrics:

There's a bad moon on the rise

The Story: My Dad used to sing this song all the time with his guitar in the living room while we would sit around and sing listening to him play and my mom would be in the kitchen singing along and she would always sing the wrong lyrics till one day we told her what the real lyrics were and we've sang it her way ever since. - Submitted by: Jodi

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

There's a bathroom on the right

The Real Lyrics:

There's a bad moon on the rise

The Story: My sons grew up singing CCR and as I was listening to them singing along in the car, I realized they were singing 'bathroom on the right' instead of bad moon on the rise. We all still sing their version when we're together. - Submitted by: Ellie

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

There's a bathroom on the right

The Real Lyrics:

There's a bad moon on the rise

The Story: We were hanging out with friends laughing about misheard lyrics when one person says, "I always thought it was 'There's a baboon on the rise.'" We laughed but then one of our friends corrected him with "Well that makes more sense than the real lyrics. Who cares if there's a bathroom on the right?" At that point a couple of people fell out of the booth laughing. - Submitted by: Cold Mama

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

There's a bathroom on the right

The Real Lyrics:

There's a bad moon on the rise

The Story: While changing during gym class a discussion broke out about the lyrics to 'Bad Moon Rising' and one student was surprised to find out that 'There's a bathroom on the right' wasn't the correct lyrics to this song. - Submitted by: sharon fuller

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

There's a bathroom on your right.

The Real Lyrics:

There's a bad moon on the rise.

The Story: When I head this song on the radio, I thought that was what the lyrics were. Really embarrassing. But my grandma admits she thought the same thing, and even sang it that way once. It was too funny. - Submitted by: Taylor

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

There's the bathroom in the right

The Real Lyrics:

There's a bad moon on the rise

The Story: Wasn't me, but a friend just belted this out one day while singing along. - Submitted by: Tony

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Yeah, the bathroom's on the right.

The Real Lyrics:

There's a bad moon on the rise.

The Story: I never knew the name of the song, but I couldn't figure out why the song was talking about where the bathroom was. Then I found out the title of the song after asking my boyfriend. Being the classic rock enthusiast he is, he hasn't let me forget my mistake. Now when the song comes on the radio, he asks me, "Hun, where's the bathroom?" I always respond, "On the right". :o) - Submitted by: Andrea

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bad Moon on the Rise "

The Misheard Lyrics:

Theres a bathroom on the right

The Real Lyrics:

There's a bad moon on the right

The Story: There was a tavern we would frequent that played this song Bad moon on the rise. The when songing this, the bathroom was on the right at this establishment. - Submitted by: LuAnn

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bbad Moon Rising"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Tthere's a bathroom on the right.

The Real Lyrics:

There's a bad moon on the rise.

The Story: My wife and I were driving from Baton Rouge to Atlanta. She was singing along to this song at top volume, oblivious to how ridiculous she sounded. I had to pull over laughing when she actually argued with me about the correct lyric. - Submitted by: Charles De Long

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Bootleg"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Voulez, voulez

The Real Lyrics:

Bootleg, bootleg

The Story: I figured Fogerty might have slipped in some French, given CCR's preoccupation with bayou country. - Submitted by: Charles J. Eckard

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Born on the Bayou"

The Misheard Lyrics:

I went out with Judge Pilou's boy, standing to my daddy's knee

The Real Lyrics:

When I was just a little boy, standing to my daddy's knee

The Story: I actually performed this song in my set for years opening the song with this line. I don't think anyone ever knew better. Those were the days before computers and "easy to find" lyrics! I would play the records and write down the lyrics. - Submitted by: Stu

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Born on the Bayou"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Rollin’ with salt and cake come queee.

The Real Lyrics:

Rollin' with some Cajun Queen

The Story: Just heard silly nonsense here. - Submitted by: HM

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Born on the Bayou"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Wishin' I were a fat crank freak

The Real Lyrics:

Wishin' I were a fast freight train

The Story: It was 1969! - Submitted by: jerome

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Cotton Fields"

The Misheard Lyrics:

In their mould cotton fields back home

The Real Lyrics:

In them ole cotton fields back home

The Story: Nothing special. I simply couldn't see why they referred to a "mould" in a song called "Cotton fields". It took me to read the lyrics to realize what CCR really sang here... - Submitted by: Manni

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Down On The Corner"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Blinky thumbs the butt face and solos for a while.

The Real Lyrics:

Blinky thumps the gut bass and solos for a while.

The Story: Heard someone sing this at karaoke one night. - Submitted by: Shyanne

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Down On The Corner"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Down on the corner Out in the street With a poor boy a playing With the music can't be beat .

The Real Lyrics:

Down on the corner Out in the street Willie and the Poor Boys are playing bring a nickel, tap your feet

The Story: Always sung it this way. Never knew the real words, til now. lol - Submitted by: Dena

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Down On The Corner"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Grisdo hits the waplo and people just got to smile
Root Beer foams the gupbate and solos for a while
Old Board playin' the rhythm out on his kalamazoo
Willy goes into a dance--the 'Devil's Ongazoo'.

The Real Lyrics:

Rooster hits the washboard and people just got to smile
Blinky thumps the gut bass and solos for a while
Poorboy twangs the rhythm out on his kalamazoo
Willy goes into a dance and doubles on kazoo.

The Story: For years I thought the whole second verse was written as deliberate nonsense. Then I finally saw the real lyrics, which actually do make sense. - Submitted by: Edward

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Down On The Corner"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Throw it on the corner
There's a happy foot.

The Real Lyrics:

Over on the corner
There's a happy noise.

The Story: I was eating in a restaurant when the overhead speakers started playing this song so ripe for mishearings. Of the real lyrics that I know to this song, most of them I learned from postings on this site, seeing misheard excerpts and the corresponding real lyrics! That means there are some lines to the song I'd never learned, perhaps partially because they correspond to no frequently read mishearings. The above lines were in that category. As best I could hear through the talking in the restaurant, those lines jumped out at me as the misheard version above. I came home and looked on a lyrics site, pretty sure that I hadn't heard the lines right, and I hadn't. - Submitted by: Edyth Bowen

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Down On The Corner"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Wear your knickers, tap your feet.

The Real Lyrics:

Bring a nickel, tap your feet.

The Story: It still cracks me up when I hear this song on the radio. I looked up the real lyrics on the record recently, and I asked some people about it. They laughed, making me look like a fool. My wife told me she heard a more racially offensive version of the song. - Submitted by: John C

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Down On The Corner"

The Misheard Lyrics:

You don't need a penny just to hang around
But if you got a nickel, won't you lay your money down? Over on the corner
There's a happy goer
People come from all around
To puff the magic horn
Down on the corner
Out here in the street
When the popo comes around
Better beat your happy feet.

The Real Lyrics:

You don't need a penny just to hang around
But if you've got a nickel, won't you lay your money down?
Over on the corner
There's a happy noise
People come from all around
To watch the magic boy
Down on the corner
Out in the street
Willy and the Poorboys are playin'
Bring a nickel, tap your feet.

The Story: Always thought the song was about smoking marijuana. - Submitted by: Alex De Leon

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Down On The Corner"

The Misheard Lyrics:

You don't need a pinhead just to hang around
But if you've got a n**-***, won't you lay yo money down!

The Real Lyrics:

Don't need a penny, just to hang around
But if you have a nickel, lay your money down.

The Story: I thought the song was about a street corner slave trade. - Submitted by: Soda83

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Down On the Corner"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Blinky thumps the duck bait.

The Real Lyrics:

Blinky thumps the gut bass.

The Story: A few years ago, my dad and I were listening to this song. When this lyric came on, he mentioned how he always thought they said, 'Duck bait'. Of course, I laughed, but every time I heard this song afterwards, I thought they said it too! - Submitted by: Josh

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Down on the Corner"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Benny and The Pope Boys are playin', bring a nickel, can't be beat

The Real Lyrics:

Willie and the Poor Boys are playin'
Bring a nickel, tap your feet

The Story: The song came out when AM radio was king and you couldn't really make out the lyrics too well. - Submitted by: Dick Laurent

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Down on the Corner"

The Misheard Lyrics:

But if you got a n****r, won't you lay your money down?

The Real Lyrics:

But if you've got a nickel, won't you lay your money down?

The Story: The southern singing style of CCR can make for a load of misinterpretations. - Submitted by: NA

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Down on the Corner"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Down on the corner, out in the street,
Where the punk boys are playing
Giving kittens Fancy Feast

The Real Lyrics:

Down on the corner, out in the street
Willy and the poor boys are playin'
Bring a nickel, tap your feet

The Story: I always thought they were talking about cat food until a couple of my dad's friends gave me awkward stares at a family gathering. - Submitted by: Justin J Barger

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Down on the Corner"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Down on the corner
Out on the street
Billy and the boat boys are playing
Bringin' in your happy feet

The Real Lyrics:

Down on the corner
Out on the street
Willy and the poor boys are playing
Bring a nickel tap your feet

The Story: Who heard this right the first time they heard it? That's right, no one. - Submitted by: Matthew

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Down on the Corner"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Down on the corner
Out the the street
Where the popcorn's a-playin'
And the knee bells fancy feet.

The Real Lyrics:

Down on the corner
Out in the street
Willy & The Poorboys are playing
Bring a nickel, tap your feet.

The Story: Some friends and I heard this on the radio, and we spent most of the rest of the time in the car trying to figure out what these lyrics meant. - Submitted by: Oblivion

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Down on the Corner"

The Misheard Lyrics:

For a quarter you can dance,
Bring a nickel, tap your feet

The Real Lyrics:

Willie and the Poor Boys are playin'
Bring a nickel, tap your feet

The Story: This is what I have always heard in the song. Like an evening get-together in the town square and you pay to participate. - Submitted by: Charles Maginnis

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Down on the Corner"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Four kids on the corner tryin' to cook something up
Willy picks a tuna up and throws it on the hearth

The Real Lyrics:

Four kids on the corner tryin' to bring you up
Willy picks a tune out and he blows it on the harp

The Story: I just heard on the iHeart Real Oldies station this song from when I was only six years old and often misheard lyrics and this one from John Fogarty happens to stick in my mind very well. I always wondered for many years until I was in my 20s and found the real lyrics why Fogarty had suddenly found himself hungry enough to have Willy cook up a tuna? - Submitted by: Peter

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Down on the Corner"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Out in the street
Billy and the poor boys are sayin'
Sayin' those new girls can't be beat

The Real Lyrics:

Out in the street
Willie and the Poorboys are playin'
Bring a nickel, tap your feet

The Story: My father, who lived the '60s and I'm sure had the album and read the liner notes, played drums with a local band, and when they played this song, I remember asking, "Dad, what's that bit in the chorus about Billy and the poor boys?" Blew my mind, 25 years later, to find out the song doesn't contain a reference to prostitutes! - Submitted by: Jae

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Down on the Corner"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Out on the corner
Howdy in the streets
When we're going po-poise the band
Bang and lift those happy feet

The Real Lyrics:

Down on the corner
Out here in the street
Willie and the Poor Boys are playing
Bring a nickel, tap your feet

The Story: As a kid, I had no idea what they were saying. I thought it was about a poor city community that was very friendly and music was all they had, but I couldn't understand "Willie and the Poor Boys are playing." "Bang" referred to banging on trash can lids in lieu of drums. - Submitted by: A Nanny Mouse

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Down on the Corner"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Where the dough boys are playin'
And they nick those happy feet

The Real Lyrics:

Willy and the Poor Boys are playing
Bring a nickel, tap your feet.

The Story: I wouldn't hold out much hope for the tape deck though...or the Creedence. - Submitted by: jasper

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Down on the Corner"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Willy goes into a dance and doubles as Gazoo.

The Real Lyrics:

Willy goes into a dance and doubles on kazoo.

The Story: As a child I was enamored of The Flintstones' cartoon series, and Gazoo was the name of a small green extraterrestrial alien that was introduced to either help or get Fred Flintstone into trouble. So at six years old imagine my surprise when John Fogarty loved the Flintstones as much as I did and put the character of Gazoo into his lyrics. - Submitted by: Peter

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Down on the Corner"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Willy goes into a dance, the devil's on his hooves!

The Real Lyrics:

Willy goes into a dance and doubles on kazoo.

The Story: I think I've searched all the misheards -- some close, but... I've had this wrong for close to 40 years, and no one else ever heard it exactly this way?? I think I Iike mine better. A kind of wild possessed dance goes better with people coming to watch the magic boy. - Submitted by: Bob Sheleg

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Fortunate Son"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Ganymede, Ganymede.

The Real Lyrics:

It ain't me, it ain't me.

The Story: I thought it was kinda cool that they were singing about Greek myths. - Submitted by: Patrick

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Fortunate Son"

The Misheard Lyrics:

It ate me, it ate me.

The Real Lyrics:

It ain't me, it ain't me.

The Story: I really thought this song was about a man getting eaten before my brother told me otherwise. - Submitted by: Hermod Arne

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Fortunate Son"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Some folks are born
Made to wave the flag
Ooh, the red, white, and blue

The Real Lyrics:

Some folks are born
Made to wave the flag
Ooh, they're red, white, and blue

The Story: I thought that's what I heard when I remember seeing the Wrangler Jeans commercials that used the song. - Submitted by: Cody Finke

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Fortunate Son"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Some folks inherit star-spangled ass

The Real Lyrics:

Some folks inherit star-spangled eyes

The Story: I guess it's just how I thought he said it. Cracked me up - Submitted by: Tyler Theriault

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Fortunate Son"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Yeah me!

The Real Lyrics:

It ain't me

The Story: It's 1969 in Kaiserslautern, Germany (K-town), my posse and I are in the girls' bathroom of the junior high arguing over these lyrics. One girl says it's "yeah me" and one girl says it's "it ain't me." Finally, the girl who is WRONG claims to have a printed lyrics sheet. When I asked one of the other girls where she could have gotten the lyrics the other girl says, "She's lying." sigh. Such simple times. - Submitted by: Killer

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Have You Ever Seen The Rain?"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Have you ever seen Lorraine?

The Real Lyrics:

Have you ever seen the rain?

The Story: I was half asleep in the car when the station my brother-in-law was playing started playing this song. Not really awake yet, I asked him, 'Did they just say ...'? He laughed, but before he could answer, I woke up and realized my mistake and corrected myself. He commented that my version of the lyrics would give a whole new meaning to the song. - Submitted by: Car

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Have You Ever Seen The Rain?"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Sun is cold and the rain is hard.

The Real Lyrics:

Yesterday, and days before, sun is cold and rain is hot

The Story: In the line, I believe the writer to be exchanging cold for the sun in hot for the rain. But usually people think of the Rain being cold and the sun being hot. - Submitted by: Gregory Lane

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Have You Ever Seen The Rain?"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Why the fellow steeds complain

The Real Lyrics:

Have you ever seen the rain?

The Story: When I first saw Evan Almighty, this song was in it, and it was confusing with the misheard lyric, and now it’s more confusing that I know the lyrics. - Submitted by: Noah Phillips

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Have You Ever Seen The Rain"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Someone told me long ago, they's-a call me Bozo

The Real Lyrics:

Someone told me long ago, there's a calm before the storm

The Story: My brother & I would sing it this way as kids because we didn't know what the hell he was saying - that was the best we could come up with. What's funny is, many years later, I'm riding in the car with my girlfriend & the song plays & she blurts out "why is he singing about BOZO?" - Submitted by: TJ

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Have you ever seen Jolene?

The Real Lyrics:

Have you ever seen the rain?

The Story: I still think about Dolly Parton and the song "Jolene". - Submitted by: Cody Finke

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "It Came Out Of The Sky"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Ronnie the Cop said, 'It was a Communist plot.'

The Real Lyrics:

Ronnie, the Popular said, 'It was a Communist plot.'

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Lodi"

The Misheard Lyrics:

OH Lord here in old Diadem

The Real Lyrics:

Oh Lord stuck Lodi again

The Story: I always thought the lyrics were stuck in old diadem, and I didn't know the name of the song I just knew I heard it and I loved it, I called and wrote the radio station, I told them the only part of the song I knew was old diadem, and what time they played the song, and could they please tell me the name of the song and who sang it, my friends Ron and Jodie really know their music, so I called them and said I only know 2 words of the song, old diadem they asked who the artist was I said not sure, but it reminds me of Proud Mary so they asked is it CCR? Yep I said I think it is, well with 2 words and the wrong words at that, Ron guessed Lodi...I'm still impressed, love the song especially now that I know the right lyrics. - Submitted by: Becky Irving

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Lodi"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Oh Lord, it's Stockton and Lodi agian

The Real Lyrics:

Oh, Lord, I'm stuck in Lodi again.

The Story: Had a friend tell me that the original Lyric was "Stockton and Lodi", the names of two towns. But everyone kept singing stuck in lodi, so Creedence changed the lyric. - Submitted by: Randy Redington

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Lodi"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Oh Lord, stuck in Lodi oh yeah

The Real Lyrics:

Oh Lord, stuck in Lodi again

The Story: I actually thought the place was called Lodio - Submitted by: Anonymous

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Lodi"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Oh, Lord, I'm stuck in low-drive again.

The Real Lyrics:

Oh, Lord, I'm stuck in Lodi, again.

The Story: Same trip, same situation. Okay, maybe 'bathroom' was funnier. At least this time, she didn't argue about it. - Submitted by: Charles De Long

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Lodi"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Oh, Lord, stuck on a diaphragm.

The Real Lyrics:

Oh, Lord, stuck in Lodi again.

The Story: Yes, when I was a teen, I giggled, thinking that Fogarty had some trouble shortly after having sex. -:) It wasn't until sometime when I was in my twenties in the late 1980's that I finally found out the true lyrics, as well as the name of the song. - Submitted by: Peter

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Lookin Out My Back Door"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Look at all the happy preachers dancing on the lawn

The Real Lyrics:

Look at all the happy creatures dancing on the lawn.

The Story: I was so sure about this one that I once got into an argument about it. - Submitted by: Joe Blevins

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Lookin' Out My Back Door"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Amerasian elephants

The Real Lyrics:

Tambourines and elephants

The Story: It never occurred to me that it was anything else. - Submitted by: Randall Hayter

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Lookin' Out My Back Door"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Dude, dude, dude; dude, get out my back door.

The Real Lyrics:

Doo, doo, doo, lookin’ out my back door.

The Story: Having only ever heard this song in passing, I’ve always assumed it was about the singer spotting & trying to chase away his wife’s paramour. I even chuckled at the potential lewd metaphor (figuring it wasn’t intended by the songwriters). I finally looked up the lyrics to find out the rest of the story... & learned how completely off I‘d been my whole life. - Submitted by: Radu Ysya

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Lookin' Out My Back Door"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Listening to begoins

The Real Lyrics:

Listening to Buck Owens

The Story: I thought maybe begoins were some type of flower. - Submitted by: Jimmy

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Lookin' Out My Back Door"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Never-ending elephants all playing in the band.

The Real Lyrics:

Tambourines and elephants are playin' in the band.

The Story: I first heard this song as a teenager in the 70s, and it wasn't until 2018 on this site that I discovered what was really being sung. I never imagined what I thought I heard was correct, but never took the time to look up the original lyrics. Then my wife started humming the song, and since I was near a computer, it was finally time. - Submitted by: Michael Eidson

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Lookin' Out My Back Door"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Tangerines and elephants are playing in the bed

The Real Lyrics:

Tambourines and elephants are playing in the band

The Story: Do we really have any idea to hear "tangerine" instead of "tambourine", and vice versa? - Submitted by: Cody Finke

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Lookin' Out My Back Door"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Tattoos and memories are playing in the band

The Real Lyrics:

Tambourines and elephants are playin' in the band.

The Story: It’s my 6-month earworm. - Submitted by: TJ

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Lookin' Out My Back Door"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Woman's apparition, provided by magician.

The Real Lyrics:

Wond'rous apparition, provided by magician.

The Story: A song where after many dozens of times listening to it, over several years, the light bulb came on with the correct lyrics, piece by piece, until I just about got it all. 'Memories of elephants all playing in the band' was maybe the last one to be deciphered into 'tambourines.' - Submitted by: Rich Reese

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Lookin' Out My Back Door"

The Misheard Lyrics:

memories and elephants are playing in the band

The Real Lyrics:

Tambourines and elephants are playin' in the band.

The Story: I just figured those were the words in the song. I didn't understand why elephants were playing in a band, but I liked the sentiment. - Submitted by: Lori

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Lookin' out My Back Door"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Dude dude dude, looking at her back door

The Real Lyrics:

Doo-doo-doo, lookin' out my back door.

The Story: Was just a kid when I heard this song. Although it came out years ago I heard it in the '90s. - Submitted by: Steven

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Lookin' out My Back Door"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Memories of an elephant

The Real Lyrics:

Tambourines and elephants

The Story: I'm not english mothertongue - Submitted by: marcello

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Lookin' out My Back Door"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Penelope's an elephant playing in the band

The Real Lyrics:

Tambourines and elephants are playin' in the band.

The Story: Never looked up the lyrics, really thought this is what he was saying. - Submitted by: Eric Cartman

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Looking Out My Back Door"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Got a sore throat, listening to Buck Owens.

The Real Lyrics:

A dinosaur Victrola, list'ning to Buck Owens.

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Looking Out My Backdoor"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Coo, coo, coo, lookin� out my back door.

The Real Lyrics:

Doo, doo, doo, lookin� out my back door.

The Story: I always used to think of Roscoe P. Coltrane (of The Dukes of Hazzard) when this song would come on. He would go, "Coo coo coo". - Submitted by: Harry May

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Mustang Sally"

The Misheard Lyrics:

All you wanna do is ride around
Sally Ride, Sally Ride.

The Real Lyrics:

All you wanna do is ride around, Sally
Ride, Sally, ride.

The Story: When I was younger, I used to hear this song on the radio occasionally. I never really listened to the rest of the lyrics, so I was convinced this song was written about the astronaut Sally Ride, who I had learned about in school. It made sense with the chorus at least, that they would make a play on her name and riding around on the spaceship. - Submitted by: The Dormouse

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Proud Mary"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Cranberry, keep on burnin'

The Real Lyrics:

Proud Mary, keep on burnin'

The Story: Yeah, and this really is "The Cranberry Song" for many of the mishearings in CCR's songs. - Submitted by: Cody Finke

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Proud Mary"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Donut, donut
Donut on the river
or
Don't it, don't it
Don't it on a river?

The Real Lyrics:

Rollin', rollin'
Rollin' on the river.

The Story: My 5-year-old niece sings this version. She mixes up other things, too. She insists that in 'Finding Nemo', Nemo is shouting 'Birthday school! Birthday school!' when actually it's 'First day of school! First day of school!' When we got the Lion King 1-1/2 toy from McDonalds (I think) that says 'Hakuna matata' when you push a button, she thought it was cussing (and I don't know to this very day what she misheard) - Submitted by: Jeffrey Hope

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Proud Mary"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Pumped a lotta pain down in New Orleans

The Real Lyrics:

Pumped a lotta 'tane

The Story: I never heard the abbreviation 'tane so I just assumed the singer considered it painful that he was stuck pumping gas when he'd rather be rollin' on the river. It wasn't until I saw the real lyrics on another mondegreen site that I realized I'd been singing it wrong all these years. - Submitted by: Lady Mondegreen

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Proud Mary"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Seen a lot of fakes in Memphis
Pumped a lot of fame down in New Orleans

The Real Lyrics:

Cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis
Pumped a lot of 'pane down in New Orleans.

The Story: I'm 37 and I have heard this song since I was a toddler. I always thought those were the lyrics, but it never made any sense, I finally had to look up the words online after hearing the song on the radio tonight. - Submitted by: chad

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Sweet Hitch-Hiker"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Where did you hide her?

The Real Lyrics:

Sweet hitch-a-hiker...

The Story: That's how it sounded to me as a young child in the early 1970s. - Submitted by: Steve S.

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Sweet Hitchhiker"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Slay The Hydra
or
Swaying Hydra

The Real Lyrics:

Sweet Hitchhiker

The Story: When the record with this song was released and was a hit when I was 5-years old, I couldn't understand at all what John Fogerty was singing. I still couldn't after I started school and started learning about Greek mythology, and then I thought that maybe Fogerty was making a reference to the Greek mythological creature of the Hydra and it's many heads -- perhaps referencing that a woman he had a falling out with reminded him of the Hydra. I also didn't know the title of this song until the early 1980's when I was well into my teens, when I did find out I felt a little like a stupid one, although I still like the concept that Fogerty might have written a tune referencing the mythical Hydra monster. - Submitted by: Peter

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Sweet Hitchhiker"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Sweet hitch a hike brotha

The Real Lyrics:

Sweet Hitchhiker

The Story: - Submitted by: Bill S

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Sweet Hitchhiker"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Sweet hitch-a-hiker
The boomy music got da greasy pants
Sweet hith-a-hiker
Won't you rattle my bread machine?

The Real Lyrics:

Sweet hitch-a-hiker,
We could make music at the Greasy King.
Sweet hitch-a-hiker,
Won't you ride on my fast machine?

The Story: First time looking up the actual lyrics to post here. I was content on singing "greasy pants" for eternity. - Submitted by: crazystrick

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Sweet Hitchiker"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Swee dudge-a Heike

The Real Lyrics:

Sweet hitch-a-hiker

The Story: My then-girlfriend Susan was ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED this was correct-and it was 'a German Lyric!' - Submitted by: Rick Harrison

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Up Around the Bend"

The Misheard Lyrics:

We’re going up around the gate
or
We’re going up around the game

The Real Lyrics:

We’re going up around the bend

The Story: I heard this in an Applebee’s commercial promoting the new Indiana Jones movie, so I am submitting this here. - Submitted by: Cody Finke

Creedence Clearwater Revival's, "Who'll Stop the Rain?"

The Misheard Lyrics:

Babya plans the New Year

The Real Lyrics:

Five year plans and new deals
Wrapped in golden chains.

The Story: Party planner Babya will take care of your New Year's eve party! - Submitted by: Shan

There are more Creedence Clearwater Revival 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]

New entries in this section are currently reviewed by Brian Kelly. Previous editors (if any) are listed on the editors page.

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Disclaimer: amIright.com makes no claims to the accuracy of the correct lyrics. All correct lyrics are copyrighted, amIright.com does not claim ownership of the original lyrics.