Making fun of music, one song at a time. Since the year 2000.
Check out the two amIright misheard lyrics books including one book devoted to misheard lyrics of the 1980s.
Misheard Song Lyrics -> Stories -> Elton John
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!).
Elton John - Greatest Hits 1970-2002 album at Amazon.com
Elton John's, "A Word In Spanish"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I got a road atlas for Christmas.
The Real Lyrics:
I got a romance we could christen.
The Story: This song came out when I was 10 years old, and I remember listening to it. I also remember hearing part of the song before the chorus where he really sings 'I've got a romance we could christen.' Anyway, I was looking at this road atlas with enthusiasm hoping to get it for a Christmas present when I was 10. In fact, the song 'A Word in Spanish' was running through my mind as I was paging through it. For years, while I hardly heard this song on the radio much after '88 was over, I kept thinking, he was singing 'I got a road atlas for Christmas,' just because I did. So the story goes... - Submitted by: Tim
Elton John's, "All That I'm Allowed (I'm Thankful)"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Then there are the yucky ones
The Real Lyrics:
Then there are the lucky ones
The Story: Once again, why we mishear "lucky" as "yucky". - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Amazes Me "
The Misheard Lyrics:
I'm drifting in your doodoo
And it amazes me.
or
I'm dripping in your doodoo
And it amazes me.
or
I'm drifting in your voodoo
And it amazes me.
And it amazes me.
or
I'm dripping in your doodoo
And it amazes me.
or
I'm drifting in your voodoo
And it amazes me.
The Real Lyrics:
I'm drifting in your hoodoo
And it amazed me .
And it amazed me .
The Story: I was in a store shopping, with this playing on the loudspeaker. I heard what sounded like 'I'm drifting in your doodoo', but I thought surely he must be saying 'voodoo' instead. I asked the cashier if she knew what song it was or who was singing it. She told me she thought it was called 'Amazes Me', and it was by Elton John. I quickly searched for lyrics on the computer before I would forget the title, and I found lyrics that way. Turns out neither 'doodoo' nor voodoo' was correct! - Submitted by: Edyth Bowen
Elton John's, "Answer in the Sky"
The Misheard Lyrics:
An answer in disguise
The Real Lyrics:
An answer in the sky
The Story: Why is it we hear "disguise" instead of "the sky/skies", and vice versa? - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Believe"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I believe in Luvs
It's all we got
It's all we got
The Real Lyrics:
I believe in love
It's all we got
It's all we got
The Story: Imagine believing that all you had was diapers! - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
B-B-B and his guests
The Real Lyrics:
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
The Story: It was a friend's little sister who sang this version; and we never let her forget it. - Submitted by: K Hawkins
Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
B-B-B-Bennie and the checks
The Real Lyrics:
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
The Story: A now defunct teen humor magazine called "Bananas", drew some parodies of album covers (wa-a-a-ay before Amiright started doing it). The one cover featuring Elton John (which they titled "Songs That Made Me Richer Than Anyone") had a song listed as "Bennie and The Checks". Naturally, I thought Elton was really singing this instead of "Bennie and the Jets", me being only 12 at the time of the magazine's issue. (On a related note, "Bananas" also did a mock album cover by Stevie Wonder, titled "Songs That Made Me Richer Than Elton John"). - Submitted by: Kid
Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Baby, Baby, Baby, Baby, Baby Please.
The Real Lyrics:
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets.
The Story: Keep in mind I hear this song over the PA system at my workplace... - Submitted by: Chris
Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Daddy in a dress
The Real Lyrics:
Bennie and the Jets
The Story: I was in the car with my friend, Barbara and her older sister. I made the mistake of telling her sister what I thought the song said. She laughed so hard, she cried. I was thirteen at the time and was embarassed! - Submitted by: Leah Joseph
Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Hey, kids, welcome to the famous
Place in Atlanta, where Bennie makes his millions.
Place in Atlanta, where Bennie makes his millions.
The Real Lyrics:
Hey, kids, plug into the faithless
They may be blinded, but Bennie makes 'em ageless.
They may be blinded, but Bennie makes 'em ageless.
The Story: One of my favourite songs for 33 years, I only learned what he was really saying when I googled the lyrics this morning. It's weird to find out that what you were hearing wasn't really what was in the song, especially after singing along to it across four decades. - Submitted by: Eric Liming
Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Oh Ben, she's Loretta King.
The Real Lyrics:
Oh Bennie, she's really keen.
The Story: I actually know a Loretta King, so the lyrics seemed really strange to me until I looked them up online. I still can't hear 'really keen' no matter how many times I listen to the song. - Submitted by: E.H.
Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Oh Betty, she's a red arcade.
She's got electric boobs,
Come on Jesús
You know I read it in a magazine, oh oh,
B-B-B-Betty and the Jitz
She's got electric boobs,
Come on Jesús
You know I read it in a magazine, oh oh,
B-B-B-Betty and the Jitz
The Real Lyrics:
She's got electric boots
a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine
Bennie and the Jets
a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine
Bennie and the Jets
The Story: My niece is OBSESSED with Elton John, and she is 6. So one day she was wandering around singing this, but no one was paying attention. Then, on Christmas, our whole family (roughly 50 or so people) was sitting around listening to the kids put on a karaoke contest, my fiance is a DJ, so he had the Elton John karaoke. When Aimee got up to sing Bennie and the Jets she sang the above lyrics and mouths started dropping. She wasn't looking at the screen, she was just singing. Hehe. It was too cute! - Submitted by: Ace
Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Oh but the weird and the wonderful
Oh Betty shes a ready cane.
Shes got electric boots a mohawk too.
You know it's redder than a pack of angels.
Oh Betty shes a ready cane.
Shes got electric boots a mohawk too.
You know it's redder than a pack of angels.
The Real Lyrics:
Oh but they're weird and they're wonderful
Oh Bennie she's really keen.
She's got electric boots, a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine, whoa, ho!
Oh Bennie she's really keen.
She's got electric boots, a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine, whoa, ho!
The Story: My friends used to laugh at me when I sang these lyrics. I was the Clown of 8th grade goin around singing 'redder than a pack of angels' - Submitted by: Dan Bridge
Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Oh, Betty is really clean
She's got electric boobs, a mohawk suit
You know away-eeeeeeeeen
She's got electric boobs, a mohawk suit
You know away-eeeeeeeeen
The Real Lyrics:
Oh, Bennie, she's really keen
She's got electric boots, a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine.
She's got electric boots, a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine.
The Story: cracking up about "electric boobs" once we found out the real lyrics. - Submitted by: Danni
Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Out there innnnn the wonderful Oh baby, she’s a renegade She’s got electric boots, I know how to You know I read it in a magazine
The Real Lyrics:
Oh, but they're weird and they're wonderful Oh, Bennie, she's really keen She's got electric boots, a mohair suit You know I read it in a magazine.
The Story: I still can’t sing it the correct way lol - Submitted by: Marie
Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She has electric boobs
She's busting through
She's madder than a pack of zebras.
She's busting through
She's madder than a pack of zebras.
The Real Lyrics:
Oh, Bennie, she's really keen
She's got electric boots, a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine.
She's got electric boots, a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine.
The Story: Ever since it came out when I was back in high school days back in the '70s you know it's like I could never understand exactly what he was singing the words throughout most of the song even with headphones on man I couldn't couldn't get it maybe I was too high I don't know anyway that's what I've always thought it said. - Submitted by: Christopher Carlson
Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She's got electric boobs and mohair tubes.
The Real Lyrics:
She's got electric boots, a mohair suit.
The Story: This lyric was suggested to me by my mother. It was she who always thought the lyrics were when she was younger. - Submitted by: Sean Smith
Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She's got electric boobs, her mom does too.
The Real Lyrics:
She's got electric boots, a mohair suit.
The Story: I was 13 years old when this song came out, My friend Tom thought that the 'electric boobs' thing was right. Back in 1973, what did we know???? - Submitted by: mark
Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She's got electric boobs
Her mom has two
or
She's got electric boobs, a mohawk too.
or
She's got electric boobs and mohair pubes.
or
She's got electric boobs, I know her do.
or
She's gotta let me booze, I know her too.
or
She's got electric boobs - I know, Jesus.
or
She's got electric boobs, I know her do.
Her mom has two
or
She's got electric boobs, a mohawk too.
or
She's got electric boobs and mohair pubes.
or
She's got electric boobs, I know her do.
or
She's gotta let me booze, I know her too.
or
She's got electric boobs - I know, Jesus.
or
She's got electric boobs, I know her do.
The Real Lyrics:
She's got electric boots, a mohair suit.
The Story: My wife's friend used to sing this at the top of her lungs while the girls were riding in the car in high-school. She really thought the lyrics went that way. Must have been pretty funny to see! - Submitted by: Jeff Ream
Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She's got electric booze,
A mohair, Sue
A mohair, Sue
The Real Lyrics:
She's got electric boots,
A mohair suit
A mohair suit
The Story: Mohair comes from a specific breed of goat. I thought "mohair Sue" referred to a pet goat. - Submitted by: Liz
Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She's got electric spoons
I gotta have toons
Oh ah she's ready with spaghetti ah ah!
Bennie and the Jets!
I gotta have toons
Oh ah she's ready with spaghetti ah ah!
Bennie and the Jets!
The Real Lyrics:
She's got electric boots
A mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine
Bennie and the Jets
A mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine
Bennie and the Jets
The Story: I have never gotten this right and laughed like shell at the movie where they sing them wrong. - Submitted by: marty
Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She's got eletric boots, my mom wears boots.
The Real Lyrics:
She's got electric blues, a mohair suit.
The Story: My mom's employer was listening to the radio and that song came on. All the sudden he started to sing it and she heard him singing that version. She immediately called me and told me. We laughed for ever! - Submitted by: callan
Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She's got moon boots and a mole hair suit
And a big red pack of fajitas
Bennie and the Jets
And a big red pack of fajitas
Bennie and the Jets
The Real Lyrics:
She's got electric boots a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine
Bennie and the Jets
You know I read it in a magazine
Bennie and the Jets
The Story: I will probably not stop singing it this way. - Submitted by: Brandon Myhre
Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
You know the little faggot ain't a whore
The Real Lyrics:
You know I read it in a magazine.
The Story: I could never understand that lyric. That's the best understanding I could come up with. - Submitted by: Jac
Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
maybe I jus like an undercover idea that "She's a Ready King" but oui know 'cane
The Real Lyrics:
Oh but they're weird and they're wonderful Oh Bennie she's really keen. She's got electric boots, a mohair suit.
The Story: jus LOVE the song that's all! - Submitted by: Rob
Elton John's, "Bennie and The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She's got electric boobs, and mower shoes
The Real Lyrics:
She's got electric boots, a mohair suit
The Story: I heard it on the Love 105 radio station in Minneapolis, MN. I was in the car with my dad, and when I heard the song lyrics that I messed up, I said "Electric boobs?!" And my dad turned around and looked at me like I was crazy! - Submitted by: Leigh
Elton John's, "Bennie and the Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
B-B-B-Baby it's a gas
The Real Lyrics:
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
The Story: It made sense to me because in the '70s if something was super fun or awesome you would say "That's a gas!" - Submitted by: Deborah
Elton John's, "Bennie and the Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
She's got electric boobs, I'll mow her soon.
She's got electric boobs, I'll mow her soon.
The Real Lyrics:
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
She's got electric boots, a mohair suit.
She's got electric boots, a mohair suit.
The Story: I was only 7 when I first heard this song. There was no internet, no porn, and no cell phones. So, the world of adults, sex, and what they may do behind closed doors was a complete mystery. I only knew that I didn't know the acts or the vernacular. I just figured this crazy looking British guy was singing about a world that existed but was not privy to. - Submitted by: G. Michael Malone
Elton John's, "Bennie and the Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Betty and the jets
The Real Lyrics:
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
The Story: as a little girl traveling on family vacations...we sang. We blasted the music in the olive green Winnie as we moved through the Smokey Mountains. - Submitted by: Steph
Elton John's, "Bennie and the Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Hey kids, shake your boobs to get her
The Real Lyrics:
Hey kids, shake it loose together
The Story: I thought it was a strange lyric but, hey it was the 70s! - Submitted by: Deborah
Elton John's, "Bennie and the Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Jimmy Carter farted and coughed on my tongue
So stick around
or
Jimmy Kimmel farted and coughed on my tongue
So stick around
So stick around
or
Jimmy Kimmel farted and coughed on my tongue
So stick around
The Real Lyrics:
We kill the fatted calf tonight
So stick around
So stick around
The Story: This is what it sounds like since he’s British. - Submitted by: Ashley Brown
Elton John's, "Bennie and the Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She got electric booze, I knew that too
The Real Lyrics:
She got electric boots, a mohair suit
The Story: I really thought Elton John said "electric booze", given that people said "electric boobs" and that it was also common to hear "boobs in the blender" instead of "booze in the blender" for Jimmy Buffett's "Margaritaville". - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Bennie and the Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She's electric boobs, a Mohawk too
You know, I heard it from a Pakistani
You know, I heard it from a Pakistani
The Real Lyrics:
She's got electric boots, a mohair suit
You know, I read it in a magazine
You know, I read it in a magazine
The Story: I was in 4th grade when this album was popular. So, I got the 8-Track tape from my uncle & aunt for Christmas. I spent the afternoon trying to figure out the lyrics to this song and above is what I got. The sad part is I did not get the correct lyrics for another 3 years when I got the record version and the lyrics were included. - Submitted by: SC Suites
Elton John's, "Bennie and the Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She's got election blues
The Real Lyrics:
She's got electric boots
The Story: One month after Election Day, but election blues was the topic. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Bennie and the Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She's got electric boobs and a mohawk too
The Real Lyrics:
She's got electric boots, and a mohair suit.
The Story: I was singing the wrong words in the car and girlfriend started laughing at me. - Submitted by: Bill's Pizza
Elton John's, "Bennie and the Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She's got electric boots and a mo-hawk too.
The Real Lyrics:
She's got electric boots, a mohair suit.
The Story: I just found out I was wrong! This is what I thought when the song came out. - Submitted by: Derek Rondin
Elton John's, "Bennie and the Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She's got electric shoes, a poor man's suit
The Real Lyrics:
She's got electric boots, a mohair suit
The Story: It sure made sense here - "electric shoes" vs. "electric boots". - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Bennie and the Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She's got eleven boobs.
The Real Lyrics:
She's got electric boots.
The Story: Umm, I am not a prevert. I swear. I just heard a live version of this song and couldnt' quite make out (any of) the lyrics. I heard this and started cracking up. The mental image is disturbing, but interesting nonetheless. - Submitted by: ugar the unclean
Elton John's, "Benny & The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She's got electric boobs, her mom has too
You know I read it in a magazine.
You know I read it in a magazine.
The Real Lyrics:
She's got electric boots, a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine.
You know I read it in a magazine.
The Story: This was from a girl I knew when I lived in San Francisco. She heard me singing the right lyrics, told me I was wrong and it took me an hour to convince her it wasn't electric boobs and her mom didn't have any either! - Submitted by: Eamonn Corbally
Elton John's, "Benny & The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She's got electric boobs.
The Real Lyrics:
She's got electric boots.
The Story: My friend Jessica was driving and I know and sing every word on a 70's& 80's radio station, and she heard this song and said 'this song is very weird, how do you have electric boobs?' - Submitted by: JESSICA
Elton John's, "Benny And The Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She's got electric boobs, a molar suit.
The Real Lyrics:
She's got electric boots, a mohair suit.
The Story: It took singing it this way out loud, in front of my parents, before I learned I was wrong. - Submitted by: Katie
Elton John's, "Benny and the Jets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She's got electric boobs
The Real Lyrics:
She's got electric boots
The Story: Sept. 2022 Singing along to this on the car radio, as I have for decades. I said, Wow, I finally heard this right - it's boots, not books! My husband of decades corrects me and says, No, it's electric moves! ...and so we argued. I had to look it up to settle things. LOL - Submitted by: Sheila H.
Elton John's, "Blessed"
The Misheard Lyrics:
You, me babe
The Real Lyrics:
You'll be blessed
The Story: - Submitted by: amiright
Elton John's, "Can You Feel The Love Tonight?"
The Misheard Lyrics:
It's enough for the wide band underwear.
The Real Lyrics:
It's enough for this wide eyed wanderer.
The Story: My roommate has a very small modest music studio in our basement. Between projects, my 9 year old likes to ask him to record her singing, and he always says o.k. She wanted to do 'The Lion King Song', so he laid a quick piano track and let her sing to it. Most of the entire song was wrong, but this line was the funniest. - Submitted by: christine
Elton John's, "Can You Feel The Love Tonight?"
The Misheard Lyrics:
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Leave their feathered beds.
Leave their feathered beds.
The Real Lyrics:
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe the very best.
Believe the very best.
The Story: I never quite understood how a vagabond would have a feathered bed to leave in the first place. - Submitted by: Kira
Elton John's, "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Can you feel the love of life?
The Real Lyrics:
Can you feel the love tonight?
The Story: Could the Lion King be inspired by a soap opera? - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?"
The Misheard Lyrics:
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Leave the prairie's nest.
Leave the prairie's nest.
The Real Lyrics:
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe the very best.
Believe the very best.
The Story: From the start I could never understand the last 4 words and never bothered to look them up. If prairie were another word for savanna then it would totally make sense! - Submitted by: Kenneth Lees
Elton John's, "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?"
The Misheard Lyrics:
It's enough to make kinks' and faggots' bonds
The Real Lyrics:
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
The Story: Really "kinky" choice for a Disney movie! - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Candle In The Wind"
The Misheard Lyrics:
A voodoo liked to know you
But I was just a king.
But I was just a king.
The Real Lyrics:
I would have liked to know you
But I was just a kid.
But I was just a kid.
The Story: This is a song I first learned from hearing karaoke singers do it. Then when I first heard the original Elton John version, I found he doesn't enunciate a lot of the words as clearly as a lot of karaoke singers do! So phrases such as the above are ones I already knew the real lyrics to, but thought his own version sounded more like the misheard version that I cite! - Submitted by: Samantha Wayland
Elton John's, "Candle In The Wind"
The Misheard Lyrics:
And it seemed to me you lived your life
Like an elf in the snow.
Like an elf in the snow.
The Real Lyrics:
And it seemed to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind.
Like a candle in the wind.
The Story: I've always thought they were the real lyrics (believe it or not). Then the song came on on the radio, and I sang along. Then all my friends started laughing and told me the real words. - Submitted by: Molly
Elton John's, "Candle In The Wind"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Goodbye, enormous jeans
The Real Lyrics:
Goodbye, Norma Jean
The Story: I wondered for years why Elton was singing about weight loss, then I heard my wife singing along with the radio one day and realized. - Submitted by: Duke Ganote
Elton John's, "Candle In The Wind"
The Misheard Lyrics:
My poodle liked to own you.
The Real Lyrics:
I would have liked to've known you.
The Story: No wonder I had trouble hearing these lyrics amid all the confusion. I was in the little girls' room at a Barnes and Noble bookstore when this came on the sound system there. But my friend Gretchen in the next stall had me to where I couldn't help laughing. Between my laughter and the rest of the commotion, I guess I was lucky to come this close to hearing the right words. And I'm still intrigued by the thought of Elton John's poodle wanting to own somebody. - Submitted by: Karen Smith
Elton John's, "Candle In The Wind"
The Misheard Lyrics:
They said you were a treadmill.
The Real Lyrics:
They set you on a treadmill.
The Story: I used to play this song in a cover band, and our singer/keyboardist misheard the lyric as shown. Even though he was corrected by me, he continued to sing it the misheard way for years. - Submitted by: Doug Bracey
Elton John's, "Candle in the Wind"
The Misheard Lyrics:
And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never knowing who to cling to
When the roof fell in
Like a candle in the wind
Never knowing who to cling to
When the roof fell in
The Real Lyrics:
And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never knowing who to cling to
When the rain set in
Like a candle in the wind
Never knowing who to cling to
When the rain set in
The Story: I heard the song on the radio, and I thought Elton John sang that the roof fell in!!! I have heard this song for 24 years (the 1987 version) and thought he sang the roof fell in, and I was surprised when I actually found out the real lyrics were "When the rain set in". - Submitted by: Codi Preston D.
Elton John's, "Candle in the Wind"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Goodbye aubergine
The Real Lyrics:
Goodbye Norma Jean
The Story: This song came on the radio when my family was in the car on a road trip. My little brother who was 12 at the time, sang 'Goodbye aubergine' 'cause he really thought that was what the lyrics were! - Submitted by: Anais
Elton John's, "Candle in the Wind"
The Misheard Lyrics:
It seems to me you lived your life like a sandwich in the rain.
The Real Lyrics:
It seems to me you lived your life like a candle in the wind.
The Story: My younger brother was convinced that everyone but he had the wrong lyrics. So when this sond would play on the radio, he would sit there and belt out at the top of his lungs 'It seems to me you lived your life like a sandwich in the rain' - Submitted by: Nick Smith
Elton John's, "Candle in the Wind"
The Misheard Lyrics:
The candle burned out long before. The legend of a dead.
The Real Lyrics:
The candle burned out long before
The legend ever did
The legend ever did
The Story: She was dead & a legend. Seems to have made sense at the time. - Submitted by: karl
Elton John's, "Club on the End of the Street"
The Misheard Lyrics:
The cat sets tail
The Real Lyrics:
You can't sit still
The Story: - Submitted by: Tioli
Elton John's, "Cold as Christmas"
The Misheard Lyrics:
And I cannot finalize
The Real Lyrics:
And I cannot find the lines
The Story: Sounded like he could not finalize. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Crocodile Rock"
The Misheard Lyrics:
"Cry rocket!" the song would shout
And then your feet just can't keep still.
I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will.
I wore my Mombas most Friday nights, and Susie wore her dresses tight.
The "Cry Rocket" was ou-ou-out of si-i-i-ight!
And then your feet just can't keep still.
I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will.
I wore my Mombas most Friday nights, and Susie wore her dresses tight.
The "Cry Rocket" was ou-ou-out of si-i-i-ight!
The Real Lyrics:
Croc rockin' is somethin' shockin'
And your feet just can't keep still
I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will
Oh Lordy Mama, those Friday nights
When Susie wore her dresses tight
And the Crocodile Rocking was out of sight
And your feet just can't keep still
I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will
Oh Lordy Mama, those Friday nights
When Susie wore her dresses tight
And the Crocodile Rocking was out of sight
The Story: I thought Mombas were a brand of jeans. - Submitted by: Lynn
Elton John's, "Crocodile Rock"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Cryin' rocket
You stop and shop
And then your feet just can't keep still
I never knew me a valentine
And I guess I never will
Ow, Rollin' Mama and Smilin' Ace and Suzie Woman
Guess it's fading
Cry and rock us out of Versailles
You stop and shop
And then your feet just can't keep still
I never knew me a valentine
And I guess I never will
Ow, Rollin' Mama and Smilin' Ace and Suzie Woman
Guess it's fading
Cry and rock us out of Versailles
The Real Lyrics:
Crocodile rocking is something shocking
When your feet just can't keep still
I never knew me a better time
And I guess I never will
Oh lawdy mama, those Friday nights
When Suzie wore her dresses tight
And the crocodile rocking was out of sight
When your feet just can't keep still
I never knew me a better time
And I guess I never will
Oh lawdy mama, those Friday nights
When Suzie wore her dresses tight
And the crocodile rocking was out of sight
The Story: I didn't know how to spell Versailles back then but I'd heard of it and just thought it was some exotic place where Elton hung out - Submitted by: Clockie
Elton John's, "Crocodile Rock"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Dreaming of my Chevy and my aubergines
The Real Lyrics:
Dreaming of my Chevy and my old blue jeans
The Story: For those who don't know aubergines are what we call eggplants in the UK, and Elton John is English so for the longest time I was wondering why the devil Elton (or the croc' rockin' narrator) would be dreaming of a Chevy and eggplants. So, naturally, you can imagine how embarrassed I was when I was singing this song and a mate pointed out that the lyric was "old blue jeans" and Elton was, in fact, not talking about a random vegetable. 😂 - Submitted by: Rowan
Elton John's, "Crocodile Rock"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Dreaming of my Chevy and my ol' 15.
The Real Lyrics:
Dreaming of my Chevy and my old blue jeans.
The Story: I assumed that a '15' was some model of classic car from the 1950s. - Submitted by: John
Elton John's, "Crocodile Rock"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Got an aubergine and a place in my heart
The Real Lyrics:
Had an old Gold Chevy and a place of my own
The Story: This was actually misheard by my husband Russ for about 30 years - ever since the song came out. He only found out that these weren't the lyrcis when he happened to be singing them one day & I happened to overhear! - Submitted by: Russell Sharpe
Elton John's, "Crocodile Rock"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Had an Uncle Shammy and a place of my own
The Real Lyrics:
Had an old gold Chevy and a place of my own
The Story: I always sang it this way from the early '70s. The other day my wife was in the car with me and we were both belting out the song. She stopped and looked at me and said "WHAT did you just say???" I was so amazed I've been singing it for 40 years like that...." - Submitted by: Jeff Urbik
Elton John's, "Crocodile Rock"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Had an oval Chevy and a drink of my own.
or
Had an Uncle Chevy and a trick of my own.
or
Had an Uncle Chevy and a trick of my own.
The Real Lyrics:
Had an old, gold Chevy and a place of my own.
The Story: I remember when rock was young, and I had so much fun listening to staicky songs on AM radios in old cars (Chevys or otherwise). I remember this song and trying to make it out. Above are some of my attempts. - Submitted by: Regina Haniger
Elton John's, "Crocodile Rock"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I never neutered a valentine
And I guess that I never will.
And I guess that I never will.
The Real Lyrics:
I never knew me a better time
And I guess I never will.
And I guess I never will.
The Story: This came out in the early 1970s, pretty much the very end of the 'hippie' era. When I heard it the way I did, I thought that 'neuter a valentine' must be some kind of 'hippie' jargon. But I puzzled without success to fathom what it might possibly mean. - Submitted by: Regina Olsen
Elton John's, "Crocodile Rock"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Me and Suzie dogs on my tongue
The Real Lyrics:
Me and Suzie had so much fun
The Story: I don't know; I was 8 at the time. I misheard a lot of stuff back then. Still do. - Submitted by: John L.
Elton John's, "Crocodile Rock"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Sky rocket to Stop & Shop.
The Real Lyrics:
Croc rockin' is something shockin'.
The Story: It was actually my mom who misheard these lyrics. We were listening to this song on the radio and she says, 'It sounds like he's singing 'Sky rocket to Stop & Shop' Stop & Shop is a supermarket. I just started laughing, and then I sang it that way for fun. - Submitted by: fr4nc1n3
Elton John's, "Crocodile Rock"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Susie left me for some foreign guide
The Real Lyrics:
Susie left me for some foreign guy
The Story: Elton John seriously needs to work on his pronunciation - Submitted by: Dayna Morris
Elton John's, "Crocodile Rock"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Susie wore her leopard tights.
The Real Lyrics:
Susie wore her dresses tight.
The Story: I honestly thought that is what Elton John was singing and that the song was about a class reunion where Susie had kept those tights for 20 years and wore them to the reunion! - Submitted by: Sandra
Elton John's, "Crocodile Rock"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Well the years went by
And the rockhouse dies
Susie dumped and left me with some guide
Long miles past down the wreckin’ machine
Treating up the cherry and my Ovaltine
And the rockhouse dies
Susie dumped and left me with some guide
Long miles past down the wreckin’ machine
Treating up the cherry and my Ovaltine
The Real Lyrics:
But the years went by and the rock just died
Suzie went and left me for some foreign guy
Long nights crying by the record machine
Dreaming of my Chevy and old blue jeans
Suzie went and left me for some foreign guy
Long nights crying by the record machine
Dreaming of my Chevy and old blue jeans
The Story: I got almost every lyric wrong on every song on the radio until I was, oh, 15. Elton John, though, provided the most opportunities. - Submitted by: Daler
Elton John's, "Crocodile Rock"
The Misheard Lyrics:
When Susie wore her distant hyena
The Real Lyrics:
When Susie wore her dresses tight
The Story: I imagined Susie channelling a far-off exotic animal energy. - Submitted by: Laurel
Elton John's, "Crocodile Rock"
The Misheard Lyrics:
When Susie wore her dress last night
The Real Lyrics:
When Susie wore her dresses tight
The Story: We all told him they made no sense. But my high school buddy, Tom, insisted he was right and sang his lyrics loud and often. - Submitted by: Martin Novoa
Elton John's, "Crystal"
The Misheard Lyrics:
The nuts of friendship seem to be untied
...
And the long one, she's the one who must decide
...
And the long one, she's the one who must decide
The Real Lyrics:
The knots of friendship...
...
In the long run she's the one who must decide
...
In the long run she's the one who must decide
The Story: Well, this is not really a thing of 'misheard' lyrics in the strict sense - it is more of a homophone problem... - Words that sound the same are not so easy to handle for us non-native speakers of English... So after I had heard Elton John's 'Crystal' for the first time and being much more used to British English pronounciation, I spent some time wondering what 'nuts of friendship' might be... Elton John's lyrics are a constant source of confusion for me - later on I also heard '... and the long one, she's the one who must decide'.... - Submitted by: Tinarose
Elton John's, "Crystal"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Twister!
Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do twister!
Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do twister!
The Real Lyrics:
Crystal!
Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do Crystal!
Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do Crystal!
The Story: I thought it had something to do with the game, 'Twister' - Submitted by: Brett
Elton John's, "Daniel"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Damn yourselves, it’s the best place I’ve ever seen
The Real Lyrics:
Daniel says it’s the best place he’s ever seen
The Story: Took me 30 years to hear it correctly - Submitted by: Trent Bernakevitch
Elton John's, "Daniel"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Daniel is traveling tonight on a train
The Real Lyrics:
Daniel is traveling tonight on a plane
The Story: I debated between "train" and "plane". - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Daniel"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Daniel, my brother
You are, all bones and meat
You are, all bones and meat
The Real Lyrics:
Daniel, my brother
You are, older than me.
You are, older than me.
The Story: I thought Elton was saying that his brother was ill, and therefore was too skinny. - Submitted by: Mitch
Elton John's, "Daniel"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Danielle, my brother
The Real Lyrics:
Daniel, my brother
The Story: Who would have thought confusion between "Daniel" and "Danielle"? - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Daniel"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I can see the red tail lights heading for Spanky Inn
The Real Lyrics:
I can see the red tail lights heading for Spain
The Story: I was a kid when this song came out and regularly watched Our Gang shorts syndicated on television, so that influenced what I was hearing. I had a sense that this probably wasn't right, but Elton John's enunciation as "spay-ayy-iin" was hard to figure out and I didn't know what the actual lyric was until years later. - Submitted by: Peter
Elton John's, "Daniel"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I can see the red tail lights
Heading for Spaggedy Ann.
Heading for Spaggedy Ann.
The Real Lyrics:
I can see the red tail lights
Heading for Spain.
Heading for Spain.
The Story: Still, I always liked the song even though it took me years to figure out where that plane was heading! - Submitted by: Andy
Elton John's, "Daniel"
The Misheard Lyrics:
in the faith of the sky
The Real Lyrics:
in the face of the sky
The Story: I thought it made since from a Christian perspective. He's a star in the faith of the sky; an angel. - Submitted by: Dana Yager
Elton John's, "Dark Diamond"
The Misheard Lyrics:
You get a dollar a diamond
The Real Lyrics:
You get a Dark Diamond
The Story: The very first time I heard this song. I put the CD in and didn't know the names of any of the songs. This is what I was singing, you get a "dollar a diamond". When I found out the name and the real words I laughed and I still laugh and now it is a favorite and one of my favorite CDs! - Submitted by: Reggie
Elton John's, "Dirty Little Girl"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Well I'm gonna put pork chops in your pants
If you step into my yard.
If you step into my yard.
The Real Lyrics:
Well I'm gonna put buckshot in your pants
If you step into my yard.
If you step into my yard.
The Story: One day I was in the office listening my copy of 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' and all of a sudden this song comes on. Well, right when it got to that song, I started laughing so hard because I really thought Elton was saying that he was goign to put pork chops in some girls's pants. So yeah, that's what it sounded like to me. - Submitted by: Jennifer
Elton John's, "Don't Go Breaking My Heart"
The Misheard Lyrics:
A hundred f***** wrestlers
The Real Lyrics:
Uh-honey, if I get restless
The Story: I heard this from a wrestler back in the '70's, who was initially offended. - Submitted by: Bill
Elton John's, "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Don't let the sun fall down on me.
The Real Lyrics:
Don't let the sun go down on me.
The Story: My little sister thought the lyric was 'Don't let the sun fall down on me', thinking 'Well he must be sad if the sun fell on him' or something stupid like that. We can't listen to the song anymore without cracking up now thinking of that misheard line. - Submitted by: Gerri
Elton John's, "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Don't let your son go down on me.
The Real Lyrics:
Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
The Story: I was wrong, but it's pretty funny. - Submitted by: Jim
Elton John's, "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I can't find, no more Augie Dog-ness.
The Real Lyrics:
I can't light no more of your darkness.
The Story: Augie Doggie was a cartoon character. - Submitted by: Ron Fowler
Elton John's, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I can't light no more of your dog mess
The Real Lyrics:
I can't light no more of your darkness
The Story: I imagined a flaming bag of 'dog mess' on someone's front porch on Halloween, with Elton scurrying away in the twilight... (hey - it was the '70s, and my imagination was *QUITE* active back then - if ya catch my meaning, if ya get my drift...) - Submitted by: Porgie Tirebiter
Elton John's, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I can't light, no more of your dog mess
The Real Lyrics:
I can't light, no more of your darkness
The Story: I pictured Sir Elton running away from his next-door-neighbor's mansion/estate after ringing the doorbell and leaving a flaming paper bag on the doorstep/porch/porte-cochère... - Submitted by: PorgieTirebiter
Elton John's, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Too late to save myself from Paul Lynde
The Real Lyrics:
Too late to save myself from falling
The Story: I wasn't that old when the song came out... Hollywood squares was really big. - Submitted by: Timi Zhuo
Elton John's, "Electricity"
The Misheard Lyrics:
And I'm whispering
The Real Lyrics:
And I'm listening
The Story: It makes sense since the previous line was "Playing in your ear". - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Friends Never Say Goodbye"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Still we are, have always been
Well never be as one.
Well never be as one.
The Real Lyrics:
Still we are, have always been
Will ever be as one.
Will ever be as one.
The Story: My hearing would seem to be very good. I can identify a person speaking on the phone before they ever give their name (once I've heard their voice). Elton John sings this with the Back Street Boys, and I know he says, 'never be as one.' There is a certain lady I want to share the 'right' lyric with. Depending on the time & cicumstance, we are, will ever be, or will 'never' be 'as one.' Funny, huh? - Submitted by: John Bishop
Elton John's, "Funeral For A Friend"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Love that feeling in my hand
You can tell by the things that I'd do with another man.
You can tell by the things that I'd do with another man.
The Real Lyrics:
And love lies bleeding in my hand
Oh it kills me to think of you with another man
Oh it kills me to think of you with another man
The Story: I thought for years that these were the real lyrics. - Submitted by: Paul
Elton John's, "Funeral for a Friend"
The Misheard Lyrics:
And love lies bleeding in my hand
It was killed by the things that I do with another man
I was playing rock and roll and you were just a fan
But my guitar player came inside and then he s*** the bed
It was killed by the things that I do with another man
I was playing rock and roll and you were just a fan
But my guitar player came inside and then he s*** the bed
The Real Lyrics:
And love lies bleeding in my hand
Oh it kills me to think of you with another man
I was playing rock and roll and you were just a fan
But my guitar couldn't hold you and I split the band
Oh it kills me to think of you with another man
I was playing rock and roll and you were just a fan
But my guitar couldn't hold you and I split the band
The Story: I thought the second line was Elton John's way of proclaiming that he was gay. I don't know what I thought the fourth line was about, but my version makes at least as much sense as the real lyrics and I still think it sounds like that's what he says. - Submitted by: Jim
Elton John's, "Funeral for a friend"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I almost peed in my hand
The Real Lyrics:
Love lies bleeding in my hand
The Story: I was shocked at first and knew it could not be right but I couldn't figure out what it might be. One time, the song came on while I was riding around with a friend and corrected me. But, we both still sing it the misheard way because we think it's a better song that way. - Submitted by: Jack Velvet
Elton John's, "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Giuseppe be down the twain
The Real Lyrics:
I bet that'll shoot down your plane
The Story: At age eight, when I LITERALLY got lyrics wrong for every song on the radio (and two older brothers that laughed at me about it until I’d lay into them), I wouldn’t have known how to spell Giuseppe, but I did watch Pinocchio. - Submitted by: Dale
Elton John's, "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Goodbye yellow brick road,
With the dog outside of the house.
You can't find me a new pen pal
Going back to the plow
With the dog outside of the house.
You can't find me a new pen pal
Going back to the plow
The Real Lyrics:
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Where the dogs of society howl
You can't put me in your pen house
I'm going back to the plough
Where the dogs of society howl
You can't put me in your pen house
I'm going back to the plough
The Story: Singing with my ex-boyfriend in the car. He turned the volume down and said, "wait, what did you say? Busted my butt for years. - Submitted by: Mistym
Elton John's, "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Goodbye yellow brick road
With the dark side society house
You can’t help meeting your pen pal
I’m going back to my cloud
With the dark side society house
You can’t help meeting your pen pal
I’m going back to my cloud
The Real Lyrics:
Goodbye yellow brick road
Where the dogs of society howl
You can’t plant me in your penthouse
I’m going back to my plough
Where the dogs of society howl
You can’t plant me in your penthouse
I’m going back to my plough
The Story: I would’ve been about 8, and didn’t know the word penthouse. I thought it strange because wouldn’t it be relatively hard to meet your pen pal? - Submitted by: Jill
Elton John's, "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I should have listened, my oh my
The Real Lyrics:
I should have listened to my old man
The Story: I thought that's what he said here. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
The Misheard Lyrics:
My future lies beyond the elephant yards
The Real Lyrics:
My future lies beyond the yellow brick road
The Story: I was asing my friend, whose a big Elton John fan what the name of the song was with the elephants. He looked at me like i was insane. Especially when I burst out singing about elephant yards. - Submitted by: CC
Elton John's, "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Oh my, by mid-July
Be on the yellow brick road
Be on the yellow brick road
The Real Lyrics:
Oh, I've finally decided my future lies
Beyond the yellow brick road
Beyond the yellow brick road
The Story: More mid-July madness, and this one started it. See Savage Garden's "I Want You" for this one: Misheard Lyrics: Ooh, by mid-July, I'll know if I need you, but Ooh, I've gotta find out Original Lyrics: Ooh, I want you, I don't know if I need you, but Ooh, I'd die to find out - Submitted by: Old Comedywriter
Elton John's, "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
The Misheard Lyrics:
The cat's not being your pen pal.
The Real Lyrics:
You can't plant me in your penthouse.
The Story: I have always prided myself of my knowledge of music. I grew up on early Chicago, Eagles, Beatles, Blood Sweat and Tears, 3 Dog Night, Temptations, the Byrds, the Troggs, the McCoys, just a huge variety of really great music. I got 2 Elton John cds when I was about 7 and immediately fell in love with 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.' I always thought the line was about these people kicking their kid out of the house without his cat and him retorting 'I'm going back to my plow.' I suppose I'm not the music guru I thought. - Submitted by: meds
Elton John's, "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
The Misheard Lyrics:
What do you think you're doin'?
A betchery down the plain.
A betchery down the plain.
The Real Lyrics:
What do you think you'll do then?
I bet they'll shoot down the plane
I bet they'll shoot down the plane
The Story: Never could figure our what a betchery is. - Submitted by: Jim
Elton John's, "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
The Misheard Lyrics:
When are you gonna come down?
When are you going to learn?
I should have stayed on the farm
I should have listened to my oh my
AND
Moms' girls who ain't got a penny
Sniffin' for tidbits like you
On the ground, ah, ah
When are you going to learn?
I should have stayed on the farm
I should have listened to my oh my
AND
Moms' girls who ain't got a penny
Sniffin' for tidbits like you
On the ground, ah, ah
The Real Lyrics:
When are you gonna come down?
When are you going to land?
I should have stayed on the farm
I should have listened to my old man
AND
Mongrels who ain't got a penny
Sniffing for tidbits like you
On the ground, ah, ah
When are you going to land?
I should have stayed on the farm
I should have listened to my old man
AND
Mongrels who ain't got a penny
Sniffing for tidbits like you
On the ground, ah, ah
The Story: I was 10 at the time. Three of these mishears might make sense, but I don't remember for sure what the hell I was thinking on some. Did someone on the farm at some point climb a ladder and fall off and then keep climbing the ladder not having learned his/her lesson? ". . . listened to my my oh my"? I have no idea. Some mother abandoned her daughters to starve and die in poverty, but the "tidbits like you" part? The tidbits in my mind were pieces either of money or food, but why would the person he's singing to--"you"--be money or food? 🤷♂️ - Submitted by: Eric Tuten
Elton John's, "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
The Misheard Lyrics:
You can't let leaving your pet out
The Real Lyrics:
You can't plant me in your penthouse
The Story: I wondered about losing pets! - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
The Misheard Lyrics:
You can't let me in your penthouse,
I'm going back to my cloud
I'm going back to my cloud
The Real Lyrics:
You can't plant me in your penthouse,
I'm going back to my plough
I'm going back to my plough
The Story: I never really thought much of what was the real words, actually. - Submitted by: Billy
Elton John's, "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
The Misheard Lyrics:
You can't trap me in your henhouse, I'm going back to my cloud.
The Real Lyrics:
You can't plant me in your penthouse
I'm going back to my plough.
I'm going back to my plough.
The Story: Oh man, I had so many lyrics messed up besides this one. Here's the list. I should've stayed on Mars instead of of I should've stayed on the farm. Back to the horny owl in the woods instead of hooty owl. There is an owl called Great-horned Owl. I thought he was referring to it. I can't remember what I thought "gin and tonics or dogs of society howl" were but I know I had them wrong. - Submitted by: Theresa
Elton John's, "Honky Cat"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Get back on rehab.
The Real Lyrics:
Get back, honky cat.
The Story: I first heard this before I was familiar with the word 'Honky' (and I'm still not sure how a cat can be one, lol). Trying to make out the line, 'on rehab' was about as close as I came for a long time. - Submitted by: Kirsten Abercrombie
Elton John's, "Honky Cat"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Get back, honk your cab
The Real Lyrics:
Get back honky cat
The Story: I actually used to think this song was about taxicabs backing up and honking or something like that! - Submitted by: David Pratter
Elton John's, "Honky Cat"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Get back, hump your cat!
The Real Lyrics:
Get back, honky cat!
The Story: A few years ago, a much younger friend who wasn't familiar with the song was listening along to this Elton John classic with a bunch of us old farts. She was trying her best to like it, until it got to the 'Get back, honky cat!' part. She shot me the most horrified look, and said, 'Did he just sing what I thought he did? That is sick!' Of course, I was curious about what she thought she heard and after much prodding she sang, 'Get back, hump your cat!' I was hysterical with laughter! I knew she wasn't exactly an Elton John fan, but to accuse him of writing an ode to beastiality... - Submitted by: Michelle H.
Elton John's, "Honky Cat"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Get back, walk the cat
The Real Lyrics:
Get back, honky cat
The Story: I had this record in high school and was listening to it. My little brother was in there talking to me. He's nine years younger than me, so he was probably about 7 at the time. After the song was over, he went back to his room. I heard him singing 'Get back! Walk the cat!' I about fell over laughing. - Submitted by: Melissa
Elton John's, "Honky Cat"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Puppy cat
The Real Lyrics:
Honky Cat
The Story: Puppies are baby dogs, not cats, which are kittens! - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Honky Cat"
The Misheard Lyrics:
funky jack
The Real Lyrics:
Honky Cat
The Story: All these years I thought honky cat was funky jack. LOL - Submitted by: Cindy
Elton John's, "I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I don't want Rinoa to look like that.
The Real Lyrics:
I don't wanna go on with you like that.
The Story: That's what I thought he was saying, although I had no idea who Rinoa was. Then, in 1999, Final Fantasy viii comes out with a character named Rinoa! I wonder if someone at Square sang that to the character designer? - Submitted by: Larcen Tyler
Elton John's, "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues"
The Misheard Lyrics:
And I guess that's why they call it a loo
The Real Lyrics:
And I guess thats why they call it the blues
The Story: In England - a loo is a toilet or a restroom ... so I'd figured the song was about all the people who might use the loo ('like children, like lovers' ...) and I thought it was wickedly funny and believed truly that the song went this way .. and my mum agreed as well after she corrected the lyrics that the song should be this way instead. - Submitted by: Evelyn
Elton John's, "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Between you & me I could honest have said
The banks can only get better
And while I'm away
Just out lemons inside
I don't wanna belong
Before you have made a run
To the place in our hearts
Where we hide
The banks can only get better
And while I'm away
Just out lemons inside
I don't wanna belong
Before you have made a run
To the place in our hearts
Where we hide
The Real Lyrics:
Between you and me I could honestly say
That things can only get better
And while I'm away
Dust out the demons inside
And it won't be long
Before you & me run
To the place in our hearts
Where we hide
That things can only get better
And while I'm away
Dust out the demons inside
And it won't be long
Before you & me run
To the place in our hearts
Where we hide
The Story: Again, just chalk it up to good old-fashioned slurred pronunciation. - Submitted by: Dan Cronan
Elton John's, "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Cry in the night if it help
The Modern Elf.
The Modern Elf.
The Real Lyrics:
Cry in the night, if it helps
But more than ever.
But more than ever.
The Story: It wasn't until I heard another artist doing a version of this that I realised what the real lyrics are. Elton, your diction is appalling!! - Submitted by: Vikki Powles
Elton John's, "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Cry in the night if it helps, it often helps.
The Real Lyrics:
Cry in the night if it helps, but more than ever.
The Story: When you sing it correctly, in tune and with proper meter, these lyrics "just work", making Elton John sound like a mental health professional. - Submitted by: Jeff Koplow
Elton John's, "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Laughing like children, children like dolphins.
The Real Lyrics:
Laughing like children, living like lovers.
The Story: I heard this song playing on the sound system of a lobby of a hotel where I was staying. I could have sworn that the last part of the line above sounded like "children like dolphins". I was able to hear enough of the lyrics correctly to identify the song on a lyrics site. So I'm submitting the misheard lyrics exactly as they sounded to me! - Submitted by: Francesca Wylie
Elton John's, "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Laughing like children
Living like lovers
Growing like Fonda
Under the covers
Living like lovers
Growing like Fonda
Under the covers
The Real Lyrics:
Laughing like children
Living like lovers
Rolling like thunder
Under the covers
Living like lovers
Rolling like thunder
Under the covers
The Story: This song always gave me the "funny feeling" listening to it on the stereo as a child. I had no idea what growing like Fonda meant, but I had heard of Henry and Jane, so I figured it had special significance to someone. - Submitted by: Jeanette
Elton John's, "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues"
The Misheard Lyrics:
When I'm Big Bird
Cry in the life into hell, but no one else
Cry in the life into hell, but no one else
The Real Lyrics:
Wait on me, girl
Cry in the night if it helps, but more than ever
Cry in the night if it helps, but more than ever
The Story: Big Bird is a character from Sesame Street. - Submitted by: Timi Zhuo
Elton John's, "I Guess That's Why they Call it the Blues"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Rolling like thunder
under the clouds
under the clouds
The Real Lyrics:
Rolling like thunder
under the covers
under the covers
The Story: My mom was absolutely convinced those were the lyrics, and when I was little she tried to convince me, because she didn't want me listening to sex lyrics. But I finally got her to hear them correctly, as 'covers' rhymes with 'lovers,' and 'clouds' does not, and she still hates to admit that her dear Elton John would write a sex song! - Submitted by: Jabber
Elton John's, "I Want Love"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I can't love, Chock Full O' Holes
The Real Lyrics:
I can't love, shot full of holes
The Story: A slight reference to Chock Full O' Nuts coffee. - Submitted by: Mikey
Elton John's, "I Want Love"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Oh man, I've seen so much tragic.
The Real Lyrics:
Oh man, I've seen so much traffic.
The Story: I just thought, 'Can you use tragic as a noun? or If you're Bernie and Elton, who cares? :) - Submitted by: Kimerly
Elton John's, "I'm Still Standing"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I steal diamonds after all these years
The Real Lyrics:
I'm still standing after all these years
The Story: I heard this the wrong way before I knew what the name of the song was because this line is in the title. I heard this song while stationed at good ole Fort Bragg. - Submitted by: Goolet1962
Elton John's, "I'm Still Standing"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I'm still Stan Lee
The Real Lyrics:
I'm still standing
The Story: R.I.P. Stan Lee (1922-2018) - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "I'm Still Standing"
The Misheard Lyrics:
The threats you made at the Kentucky Downs
The Real Lyrics:
The threats you made were meant to cut me down
The Story: I thought that's where they held the Kentucky Derby. - Submitted by: Micha
Elton John's, "I've Seen That Movie Too"
The Misheard Lyrics:
So keep your orgasms for somebody,
Who hasn't got someone to lose,
'Cause you can tell by the lines I've been writing,
That I've seen that movie too.
Who hasn't got someone to lose,
'Cause you can tell by the lines I've been writing,
That I've seen that movie too.
The Real Lyrics:
So keep your auditions for somebody,
Who hasn't got so much to lose,
'Cause you can tell by the lines I'm reciting,
That I've seen that movie too.
Who hasn't got so much to lose,
'Cause you can tell by the lines I'm reciting,
That I've seen that movie too.
The Story: I was listening to "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" before I could read (I was a late reader, and had dyslexia.). The lyrics I'd 'figure out' were often much funnier and more risque than the actual lines Elton sang... - Submitted by: Mike
Elton John's, "Island Girl"
The Misheard Lyrics:
He want to shave you, but the crack is lost.
The Real Lyrics:
He wants to save you, but the cause is lost.
The Story: I played this song for my third grade teacher in '75, singing the same misheard lyrics. When I was done singing I was laughed off the stage. When I got married, they played this song with the misheard lyrics above. - Submitted by: Liz Tigrett
Elton John's, "Island Girl"
The Misheard Lyrics:
High-end girl
The Real Lyrics:
Island Girl
The Story: Thought she would end up for luxury! - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Island Girl"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I like girls.
The Real Lyrics:
Island girl!
The Story: My husband always thought that Elton was saying 'I like girls' and it wasn't until I corrected him that he finally understood what was really being said. His reply, 'Oh. I thought he was trying to convince everyone he was straight.' - Submitted by: Rachie O
Elton John's, "Island Girl"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I like girls
The Real Lyrics:
Island girl
The Story: When I was a kid my mom told me that Elton John is gay, then I heard a song called Island Girl & I thought he was saying "I Like Girls" & I thought that "How could he be gay if he singing in his song about how he like girls". - Submitted by: Nick
Elton John's, "Island Girl"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I like girls
The Real Lyrics:
Island girl
The Story: When I was a kid my mom told me that Elton John’s gay. Then I heard “Island girls” on the radio. I told my mom. Elton John’s not gay. He’s singing “I like girls”. - Submitted by: Nick
Elton John's, "Island Girl"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Island Girl
Whatchoo wadda wid da wide man's whirl
Whatchoo wadda wid da wide man's whirl
The Real Lyrics:
Island Girl
What you wanting with the white man's world
What you wanting with the white man's world
The Story: It sounded so Jamaican that it had to be right! Even the right lyrics sound like the ones I heard if you say them fast enough! - Submitted by: Susie
Elton John's, "Island Girl"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Me want to take you
From the wrecking ball.
From the wrecking ball.
The Real Lyrics:
He want to take you
From the racket boss.
From the racket boss.
The Story: I also thought the song was "I Like Girls." But it just sounded interesting, finding a way to mention a wrecking ball in this song. The first and second times I heard this song was on a store's PA system, not the best sound quality....but a great source of misheard lyrics. - Submitted by: Ra'akone
Elton John's, "Island Girl"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Tell me what you want and stop the wise cracks,
Tell me what you want and stop the wise cracks,
Tell me what you want and stop the wise cracks, girl.
Tell me what you want and stop the wise cracks,
Tell me what you want and stop the wise cracks, girl.
The Real Lyrics:
Tell me what you wanting with the white man's
Tell me what you wanting with the white man's
Tell me what you wanting with the white man's, girl.
Tell me what you wanting with the white man's
Tell me what you wanting with the white man's, girl.
The Story: Elton John has reached the end of the song and he still can't get a straight answer from her. - Submitted by: Jeff Koplow
Elton John's, "Levon"
The Misheard Lyrics:
And Jesus, he wants a golden p***s,
Leaving Levon far behind.
Leaving Levon far behind.
The Real Lyrics:
And Jesus, he wants to go to Venus,
Leaving Levon far behind.
Leaving Levon far behind.
The Story: My mom was walking a short distance away singing it...this is what I heard. - Submitted by: Summer Rayne
Elton John's, "Levon"
The Misheard Lyrics:
And this town better leave home, I done shot me a good man.
The Real Lyrics:
And he shall be Levon. And he shall be a good man.
The Story: Just misheard it. Still made a sort of sense. - Submitted by: Jm
Elton John's, "Levon"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Lean on
The Real Lyrics:
Levon
The Story: It made sense it made me think since this was soon before Bill Withers had a hit with "Lean On Me". - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Levon"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Levon, Levon likes his Mommy.
The Real Lyrics:
Levon, Levon likes his money.
The Story: My aunt thought these were the words. So she named her son Levon, because she figured that if the guy in the song loved his Mommy, then so would her boy! - Submitted by: Pembee_Diva
Elton John's, "Love Lies Bleeding"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Love that feeling in my hand
I can tell by the things I can do with another man.
I can tell by the things I can do with another man.
The Real Lyrics:
Love lies bleeding in my hand
It kills me to think of you with another man.
It kills me to think of you with another man.
The Story: Riding around in a car using 'mood management' techniques, this song came on the radio. One guy swore this is what the lyrics were. I listened and had to agree. I listened closely every time I heard the song to make sure and each time I heard those same wrong lyrics. For years I went around telling people this was Elton John's coming out of the closet song. I didn't find out the real lyrics until after the year 2000, when I found an old vinyl album in a thrift store with the lyrics printed inside. Listen to the song and imagine my wrong lyrics. I swear you will hear them! - Submitted by: Flyingsod
Elton John's, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds "
The Misheard Lyrics:
A girl with colitis go buys.
The Real Lyrics:
A girl with kaleidoscope eyes.
The Story: I thought Elton John said "A girl with colitis go buys." for 3½ years! - Submitted by: Christopher Nathaniel Rambahal
Elton John's, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"
The Misheard Lyrics:
A girl with karate close by
The Real Lyrics:
A girl with kaleidoscope eyes
The Story: It's apparent I heard "karate"...given my brother Glenn (who is now a parent of Glenn Jr. and Daisy)does karate. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Lucy in despise with diapers
The Real Lyrics:
Lucy in the sky with diamonds
The Story: Lucy despised diapers? - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"
The Misheard Lyrics:
The girl with colitis goes by
The Real Lyrics:
The girl with kaleidoscope eyes.
The Story: Actually my neighbor's 3 year old son misheard this. He also thought that the song was about Lucy from the Peanuts Movie until he asked his dad if that was true. - Submitted by: Kayla
Elton John's, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"
The Misheard Lyrics:
The girl with the colitis goes by.
The Real Lyrics:
The girl with the kaleidascope eyes
The Story: I thought those were the correct lyrics, until I heard my cousin singing it and his mom told him the correct ones. - Submitted by: e
Elton John's, "Made in England"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I was a maid in England
The Real Lyrics:
I was made in England
The Story: Whatever it was, it could have been that he could have been talking something feminine! - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Made in England"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Ryan Goss and me, a brother.
The Real Lyrics:
Cryin' God, send me a brother.
The Story: I had a classmate named James Ryan Goss. - Submitted by: Mikey
Elton John's, "Mama Can't Buy You Love"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Mama don't knock you
The Real Lyrics:
Mama don't want you
The Story: Who wants anyone to knock on anyone? - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Mandalay Again"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Life is a Pastrami.
Rumor that burned like gasoline...
Rumor that burned like gasoline...
The Real Lyrics:
Lives that left us drowning
Rumor that burned like gasoline...
Rumor that burned like gasoline...
The Story: I'm driving down the road, I am listening to "Mandalay Again", and I had to play that line back 4 times, to believe my ears..."what was he singing? Pastrami?" I played it for other fans, they all laughed and agreed...until I actually took the time to look that line up. LOL! I think I like my line better! :) I always get hungry now when I get to that line. :) - Submitted by: Claude Bernardin
Elton John's, "Nikita"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Got to tempt them soldiers in the road
The Real Lyrics:
Nikita counting ten tin soldiers in a row
The Story: It's what I've always thought the lyrics were, ever since the song came out in the 80s. It's only because it came on the radio today that I thought I'd finally find out what the lyrics were supposed to be, lol. - Submitted by: Garry Davenport
Elton John's, "Nikita"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Oh Nikita you will never know anything a Pac-Man hope
The Real Lyrics:
Oh Nikita you will never know anything about my home
The Story: When this song came out, at the time I was playing "Pac-Man", one of the first Japanese video games... Being French and moreover 9 years-old, I could not translate English, so I believed it was the real lyrics !! - Submitted by: Aubin
Elton John's, "Original Sin"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Oh you were always my original sting
The Real Lyrics:
Oh you were always my original sin
The Story: Could I wonder that this was inspired by the 2001 film Original Sin? - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Part Time Love"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Potty time love is bringing me down
The Real Lyrics:
Part time love is bringing me down
The Story: I thought it could have been about potty training! - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Part Time Love"
The Misheard Lyrics:
With you, Milo
The Real Lyrics:
With you, my love
The Story: Again, why we hear "Milo" instead of "my love". - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Passengers"
The Misheard Lyrics:
To make a chain of food
The Real Lyrics:
To make a chain of fools
The Story: Once again, why we mishear "fool" as "food". Also, it was apparent that the song "Chain of Fools" by Aretha Franklin wasn't the only song we heard it that way - it was this song too! - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Philadelphia Freedom "
The Misheard Lyrics:
Phil I dealt you a free one
The Real Lyrics:
Philadelphia Freedom
The Story: Two of my friends and I were on a road trip. Philadelphia Freedom came on the radio and we were all singing along. One of my friends sang "Phil I dealt you a free one." When I asked her about the words she was singing, she said that she thought they were playing a card game and that someone got dealt a free card. - Submitted by: Marlene Karow
Elton John's, "Philadelphia Freedom"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Be my Keystone mama, daddy never had
The Real Lyrics:
Gave me a piece of mind
My daddy never had.
My daddy never had.
The Story: I've always thought he was saying being my Keystone mama, daddy never had. It made sense to me, since Pennsylvania is known as the Keystone State. - Submitted by: Laura
Elton John's, "Philadelphia Freedom"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Filla, Daffy, and Freda
The Real Lyrics:
Philadelphia Freedom
The Story: I still remember my younger brother, at about 6 years old, singing 'Filla, Daffy and Freda' to this song in the car so many years ago. He's 33 years old now. - Submitted by: Christine Carlson
Elton John's, "Philadelphia Freedom"
The Misheard Lyrics:
From the day that I was born a waste of time.
The Real Lyrics:
From the day that I was born I've waved the flag.
The Story: For 39 years I thought he was saying he'd been a waste of time! LOL. Thank you for having this web site! - Submitted by: Ronnie
Elton John's, "Philadelphia Freedom"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Phila-f***in' freedom
The Real Lyrics:
Philadelphia Freedom
The Story: Elton John is trying to make his point more emphatically. - Submitted by: Jeff Koplow
Elton John's, "Philadelphia Freedom"
The Misheard Lyrics:
as I near the street it's Philadelphia Freedom
The Real Lyrics:
'Cause I live and breathe this Philadelphia freedom.
The Story: Elton John was super hard to understand for a ten-year-old who'd never heard pop music before. You'd think with all those weeks at the top of the charts I'd have learned the right words eventually. - Submitted by: Karen
Elton John's, "Pinball Wizard"
The Misheard Lyrics:
That deaf dumb and blind kid sure had big big b***s.
The Real Lyrics:
That deaf dumb and blind kid sure plays a mean pinball.
The Story: This was misheard by a friend at a concert. We were talking about the concert and he mentioned the song Elton has about the kid with big big, uh, appendages. - Submitted by: Lisa
Elton John's, "Rocket Man "
The Misheard Lyrics:
Burning down the streets of Oregon
The Real Lyrics:
Burning out his fuse up here alone.
The Story: - Submitted by: sal
Elton John's, "Rocket Man "
The Misheard Lyrics:
Rocketman
Burning all the shoes off everyone.
Burning all the shoes off everyone.
The Real Lyrics:
Rocket man
Burning out his fuse up here alone.
Burning out his fuse up here alone.
The Story: My girlfriend and I picked up these guys from Canada one summer night. We invited them back to my apartment. My girlfriend said to put on some music, and Elton John's album was the first LP I pulled out. As the song began to play, the guy I was sitting with started singing these screwed up lyrics. The idea of some guy burning all the shoes off everyone seemed so hysterical to me. We laughed for years about that. - Submitted by: Elizabeth
Elton John's, "Rocket Man"
The Misheard Lyrics:
A Pop-A-Matic is the one I want.
The Real Lyrics:
I'm not the man they think I am at home.
The Story: A competition among several newly introduced hot air popcorn poppers marketed in the weeks before Christmas of 1971 captured the interest of kitchen appliance aficionados in the U.S. and elsewhere that memorable year. Today we take such modern conveniences for granted. But in 1971, we deduced that Elton John was so smitten with one particular brand that he insisted on insertion of this misplaced lyric in the hope that Santa might bring him one. 12/25/71 was the day of reckoning, I presume. - Submitted by: Jeff Koplow
Elton John's, "Rocket Man"
The Misheard Lyrics:
And I think it's gonna be a long long time
Till touchdown brings mirror again to find.
Don't know 'bout the things I'll never know, no no no no.
I'm a rocket man, rocket man, burning down the street with people on.
Till touchdown brings mirror again to find.
Don't know 'bout the things I'll never know, no no no no.
I'm a rocket man, rocket man, burning down the street with people on.
The Real Lyrics:
And I think it's gonna be a long long time
Till touch down brings me round again to find
I'm not the man they think I am at home
Oh no no no
I'm a rocket man
Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone
Till touch down brings me round again to find
I'm not the man they think I am at home
Oh no no no
I'm a rocket man
Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone
The Story: I just assumed those were the lyrics until today at the age of 20 when I thought "wait a minute, that doesn't even make sense". Needless to say, English is not my native language. - Submitted by: Petter
Elton John's, "Rocket Man"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Another man to take Iron Man home.
The Real Lyrics:
I'm not the man they think I am at home.
The Story: I thought, "What's with all these songs about Iron Man?!" (Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" was released around the same time, in '72.) - Submitted by: Rich F
Elton John's, "Rocket Man"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Breathing all these fumes all everlong
The Real Lyrics:
Burning up his fuse up here alone
The Story: I usually hear a different thing every time. - Submitted by: Jack
Elton John's, "Rocket Man"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Burnin' Howard Hughes up here alone.
The Real Lyrics:
Burnin' out his fuse up here alone.
The Story: No, alas, it just sounded that way to me. - Submitted by: James Jones
Elton John's, "Rocket Man"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Burnin' all the Jews in Babylon
The Real Lyrics:
Burnin' out this fuse up here alone.
The Story: I seriously thought that what I heard were the original lyrics and sung it this way for years. My husband and his friend have a band. I was singing along to their cover of 'Rocket Man.' When I got to this verse, they accused me of being the Anti-Christ. - Submitted by: Lisa L3 Lislangsta
Elton John's, "Rocket Man"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Burnin' down the strings the hair is on
The Real Lyrics:
Burnin' his fuse up here alone.
The Story: I never knew what he was saying lol - Submitted by: Jimmy Pete
Elton John's, "Rocket Man"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Burnin' like a neon flame on fire
The Real Lyrics:
Burnin' his fuse up here alone.
The Story: I've just always thought this to be the lyric. When I was younger, I thought it was cool. Later, I wondered if the words "neon", "burning", "flame", and "on fire" were references to being gay or flamboyant. I also didn't stop to wonder how a flame, by its very nature, is already on fire. How could it then be further "on fire"? The actual lyrics make more sense and are more poetic and lonely. - Submitted by: Chris
Elton John's, "Rocket Man"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Burnin' out his fuse, his hairs too long.
The Real Lyrics:
Burnin' out his fuse up here alone.
The Story: The funny thing was that for over 20 years, I've sang this song wrong and believed I really knew what he was saying. Finally driving home one night after going to the State Fair, my husband said, 'No way, that's not what he says'! Now we both know the truth. No one else ever questioned me. Ain't that always the way? One day, someone questions your bulls*** and you have to search for the truth. - Submitted by: Misha
Elton John's, "Rocket Man"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Burnin' up his fuel to Gammalon.
The Real Lyrics:
Burnin' out his fuse up here alone.
The Story: I thought that's where the Rocket Man was traveling to, the star system "Gammalon". - Submitted by: Dave
Elton John's, "Rocket Man"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Burning down the fields of Avalon
The Real Lyrics:
Burning out his fuse up here alone.
The Story: I prefer my lyrics. They allude to classic mythology and are a nice metaphor for space exploration. 😁 - Submitted by: Brian kelly
Elton John's, "Rocket Man"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Burning hairs of Pelilome
The Real Lyrics:
Burning out his fuse up here alone.
The Story: My 8 year old was belting this lyric at the top of her lungs. When I told her what the lyrics really said, she still sang "Burning Hairs of Pelilome". - Submitted by: Holly
Elton John's, "Rocket Man"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Burning like a two ton abalone
The Real Lyrics:
Burnin' out his fuse up here alone.
The Story: I've always thought it was this since I was a little kid. - Submitted by: Jim
Elton John's, "Rocket Man"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Burning on the fields of Arrimore
The Real Lyrics:
Burning out his fuse up here alone.
The Story: I'm not a fan of Elton John, but I listened to this song when it came out and thought he was saying something entirely different from what Bernie Taupin actually wrote. - Submitted by: Stephen
Elton John's, "Rocket Man"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Burning out this useless telephone
The Real Lyrics:
Burning up this fuse up here alone
The Story: The song that I remember hearing a guy singing in a Volkswagen commercial. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Rocket Man"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Burning up his shoes I'm very long.
The Real Lyrics:
Burning out his fuse up here alone.
The Story: I just realized it all by myself one day. I had listened to this song on vinyl 100 times over on my little Fisher Price turntable, so the audio wasn't superb. I was in my 20's when I got the Elton John Boxed Set on CD when I could clearly hear the words (off *all* his songs) for the first time. - Submitted by: Timi Zhuo
Elton John's, "Rocket Man"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Rocket man
Burning out his fuse on everyone.
or
Rocket man
Burnin' up the fuse of everyone.
Burning out his fuse on everyone.
or
Rocket man
Burnin' up the fuse of everyone.
The Real Lyrics:
Rocket man
Burnin' out his fuse up here alone.
Burnin' out his fuse up here alone.
The Story: Misheard by yours truly, your editor, using the misheard line while posting a quiz thread on inthe00s.com's messageboard. (Thanks a lot, Feiticeira. That'll teach me to research on Google.) - Submitted by: Indy
Elton John's, "Rocket Man"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She packed my bags last night me flight
The Real Lyrics:
She packed my bags last night pre-flight
The Story: I always thought he meant "before my flight" and just skipped the word "before" and changed "my" to "me." It makes no sense in retrospect! - Submitted by: Tommy
Elton John's, "Rocket Man"
The Misheard Lyrics:
We packed my bags last night, we fight
Weirdo Coward, Auntie Em.
Weirdo Coward, Auntie Em.
The Real Lyrics:
She packed my bags last night pre-flight
Zero hour, nine a.m.
Zero hour, nine a.m.
The Story: I was about 8. The album cover had a yellow brick road on it. Auntie Em, Cowardly Lion... I can see that. Curious too was the weirdo in the giant sunglasses. - Submitted by: LiSlangstress
Elton John's, "Rocketman"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Bars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids
in fact its cold as hell
in fact its cold as hell
The Real Lyrics:
Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids
in fact its cold as hell
in fact its cold as hell
The Story: I thought those were the right lyrics for years. I know it is not a big change, but the message is totally different... Rocketman... mars... bars?? duh don't know how I misheard these lyrics for so long. - Submitted by: Will
Elton John's, "Rocketman"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Rocket man
Girl you gotta leave my hair alone
Girl you gotta leave my hair alone
The Real Lyrics:
Rocketman
Burning out his fuse out here alone
Burning out his fuse out here alone
The Story: Way off on that one but give me a break. I was only 5 years old when I first heard it, and that was outdoors on an AM transistor radio attached to the handle bars on my bike. - Submitted by: Krisjan Sandoval
Elton John's, "Sacrifice"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Into the foundry
Of each married man
With defeat come collies
And negativity lands.
Of each married man
With defeat come collies
And negativity lands.
The Real Lyrics:
Into the boundary
Of each married man
Sweet deceit comes calling
And negativity lands.
Of each married man
Sweet deceit comes calling
And negativity lands.
The Story: No story, just heard it over an AM car radio years ago. Now that I have a hearing aid and a mini-disk Walkman, I finally figured it out. - Submitted by: Kchula-Rrit
Elton John's, "Sacrifice"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Purple hearts
Are done by you.
Are done by you.
The Real Lyrics:
Cold, cold heart
Hardened by you.
Hardened by you.
The Story: I heard this song alot growing up and always imagined dark-purple heart. I also used to think this song was by Cher! - Submitted by: Trent
Elton John's, "Sacrifice"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Wee Lou's got an erection.
The Real Lyrics:
We lose direction.
The Story: I heard it in the car while on holiday in France. I had to ask my parents if Elton John was really singing about Lou's erection. - Submitted by: Sing A Long
Elton John's, "Sad Songs (Say So Much)"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Santa says so much
The Real Lyrics:
Sad songs say so much
The Story: I could have known what would have been if Elton John turned into Santa! - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Sad Songs Say So Much"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Saint Saen say it so hard
The Real Lyrics:
Sad songs say so much
The Story: I remember from my early childhood (I was about 3 or 4 years old at the time) hearing this song on the radio a lot. I thought for many years that what I said I'd misheard was in the song. I vaguely mentioned the song 'Saaa Sawn', and my late mother (who died when I was 5) asked me if I meant 'Carnival of the Animals'? I didn't know what she was talking about, but I'd found out about the famous pieces of music used in 'Saint Saen's Carnival of the Animals' several years later! - Submitted by: David Pratter
Elton John's, "Sad Songs Say So Much"
The Misheard Lyrics:
That bridge into your room
Just feel your genitals
Just feel your genitals
The Real Lyrics:
They reach into your room
Just feel their gentle touch
Just feel their gentle touch
The Story: Was on the express bus on the motorway listening to this on the radio. Elton's nasal voice may also be to blame! Found it ironic the lyrics contain: "And it's times like these when we all need to hear the radio" when it was this medium which let this song down!! - Submitted by: Jamie
Elton John's, "Sad Songs Say So Much"
The Misheard Lyrics:
You reach into the roo
Just feel the joey touch
Just feel the joey touch
The Real Lyrics:
They reach into your room
Just feel their gentle touch
Just feel their gentle touch
The Story: I thought he was singing about a kangaroo and her baby joey. - Submitted by: Roy
Elton John's, "Sad Songs say so much"
The Misheard Lyrics:
That bridge into your room
Just feel your genitals
Just feel your genitals
The Real Lyrics:
They reach into your room
Just feel their gentle touch
Just feel their gentle touch
The Story: Was on the express bus on the motorway listening to this on the radio. Elton's nasal voice may also be to blame! Found it ironic the lyrics contain: "And it's times like these when we all need to hear the radio" when it was this medium which let this song down!! - Submitted by: Jamie
Elton John's, "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Don't give us none of your aggravation,
We had it with your discipline.
Saturday nights alright for fighting,
Better in an election year!
We had it with your discipline.
Saturday nights alright for fighting,
Better in an election year!
The Real Lyrics:
Don't give us none of you aggravation,
We had it with your discipline
Saturday nights alright for fighting
Get a little action in
We had it with your discipline
Saturday nights alright for fighting
Get a little action in
The Story: It makes sense when you think about it. A lot of fights going on during election years....:) - Submitted by: Don Cygan
Elton John's, "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Don't give us none of your aggravation
We've had it with your Death Star plans.
We've had it with your Death Star plans.
The Real Lyrics:
Don't give us none of your aggravation
We had it with your discipline.
We had it with your discipline.
The Story: I was listening to EJ's greatest hits last night driving home from seeing Clerks 2. All that Star Wars talk in the movie made it seem plausible someone could've sung about Star Wars. It sounded so much like 'We've had it with your Death Star plans' to me and my roomie I had to look up the real lyrics. - Submitted by: Erin
Elton John's, "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Sanity, sanity, sanity
Sanity, sanity, sanity
Sanity, sanity
Sanity night's alright.
Sanity, sanity, sanity
Sanity, sanity
Sanity night's alright.
The Real Lyrics:
Saturday, Saturday, Saturday
Saturday, Saturday, Saturday
Saturday, Saturday
Saturday night's alright.
Saturday, Saturday, Saturday
Saturday, Saturday
Saturday night's alright.
The Story: I thought that Elton John must have been very concerned about cleanliness, or could it have been mental health? - Submitted by: Larry
Elton John's, "Saturday Nite's Alright For Fighting"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Don't give us none of your "had a vision",
I've had it with your Death Star plan.
I've had it with your Death Star plan.
The Real Lyrics:
Don't give us none of your aggravation,
We've had it with your discipline.
We've had it with your discipline.
The Story: Elton John is fully prepared to kick you off the planning committee. - Submitted by: Jeff Koplow
Elton John's, "Simple Life"
The Misheard Lyrics:
We're going to get back to the circle of life again
The Real Lyrics:
We're going to get back to the simple life again
The Story: Elton John quotes from The Lion King - Submitted by: Timi Zhuo
Elton John's, "Since God Invented Girls"
The Misheard Lyrics:
They're making seven wonders
Created for this squirrel.
Created for this squirrel.
The Real Lyrics:
There may be seven wonders,
Created for this world.
Created for this world.
The Story: The album "Reg Strikes Back" was a Christmas present when I was 8, and as I received it on cassette, there were no accompanying lyrics. So I wondered for years what a squirrel had to do with the beauty of women... - Submitted by: Mike
Elton John's, "Someone Saved My Life Tonight"
The Misheard Lyrics:
And someone saved my life tonight, Sugar Bear
You almost had your hooks in me, didn't you?
You almost had your hooks in me, didn't you?
The Real Lyrics:
And someone saved my life tonight, Sugar Bear
you almost had your hooks in me didn't you?
you almost had your hooks in me didn't you?
The Story: When I heard this song, I was pretty sure I heard Elton sing: 'Someone saved my life tonight, Sugar Bear'. I thought 'Well that's stupid. That can't possibly be what the real words are. What does the guy have shares in Sugar Crisp cereal?!' So I looked the lyrics up and found out. 'Golly gee, he does sing Sugar Bear!' - Submitted by: Shan
Elton John's, "Someone Saved My Life Tonight"
The Misheard Lyrics:
And someone shaved my legs tonight. Sugar Bear
The Real Lyrics:
And someone saved my life tonight, Sugar Bear.
The Story: My wife and I have laughed about this for years. Father of boys who swam and shaved their legs. - Submitted by: Mark H
Elton John's, "Someone Saved My Life Tonight"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Butterflies and Freedom Fries
The Real Lyrics:
Butterflies are free to fly
The Story: Freedom Fries was a 2003 renaming from French Fries. - Submitted by: Timi Zhuo
Elton John's, "Someone Saved My Life Tonight"
The Misheard Lyrics:
When I think of those east end lights
Muggy nights the curtains drawn
In the little room downstairs
Gina Lollabrigida, you should have been there
Muggy nights the curtains drawn
In the little room downstairs
Gina Lollabrigida, you should have been there
The Real Lyrics:
When I think of those east end lights
Muggy nights the curtains drawn
In the little room downstairs
Prima donna
Lord you really should have been there
Muggy nights the curtains drawn
In the little room downstairs
Prima donna
Lord you really should have been there
The Story: From the album Captain Fantastic and The Brown Dirt Cowboy which I had in 1974 when I was 19. I misheard it the first time and soon realised my mistake - but I still sing along with misheard lyrics because I love them! - Submitted by: Eamonn McCarthy
Elton John's, "Someone Saved My Life Tonight"
The Misheard Lyrics:
When I think of those eastern lights.
The Real Lyrics:
When I think of those east end nights.
The Story: I grew up in NJ and used to look at the skylight of Manhattan from my bedroom window thinking those were the eastern lights he was singing about! - Submitted by: Jamie
Elton John's, "Something About the Way You Look Tonight"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I'm Screech and I don't know where to start
The Real Lyrics:
I'm speechless and I don't know where to start
The Story: Wonder how Elton John's sympathy for Princess Diana would really mean about Dustin Diamond... - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Step Into Christmas"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I'd like to sing about all the things
That Iron Mike had seen
That Iron Mike had seen
The Real Lyrics:
I'd like to sing about all the things
Your eyes and mind can see
Your eyes and mind can see
The Story: I thought Elton wanted to share things that Mike Tyson had seen... - Submitted by: Al
Elton John's, "Step Into Christmas"
The Misheard Lyrics:
September Christmas, September Christmas
People wanna go to the 7-11
People wanna go to the 7-11
The Real Lyrics:
Step into Christmas, step into Christmas
People watchin' snow forever and ever.
People watchin' snow forever and ever.
The Story: When I first heard this song in the '80s, there were no local stores or markets open on holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving. If you needed something you forgot like batteries or soda or cigarettes, the only places open were 7-11 convenience stores. So "people wanna go to the 7-11" made sense to me. - Submitted by: Tom
Elton John's, "Step Into Christmas"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Step into reading
With permission free
With permission free
The Real Lyrics:
Step into Christmas
The admission's free
The admission's free
The Story: I swear Elton John could have been hired by (Penguin) Random House! - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Take Me to the Pilot"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Take me to the power line controls
The Real Lyrics:
Take me to the pilot for control
The Story: Over the years I've encountered no less than three (unassociated) individuals whose insistence upon the ‘accuracy’ of the misheard lyrics was exceeded in ardor only by their abuse of any and all daring to challenge their ‘delusion’ Aye! Aye!! Aye!!! - Submitted by: Cousin Kevin
Elton John's, "The Bitch Is Back"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I don’t like those!
My God, what’s that!
Oh, there’s a lot of nasty habits when the bitch gets back
My God, what’s that!
Oh, there’s a lot of nasty habits when the bitch gets back
The Real Lyrics:
I don't like those!
My God, what's that!
Oh, it's full of nasty habits when the bitch gets back.
My God, what's that!
Oh, it's full of nasty habits when the bitch gets back.
The Story: Elton changed up the lyrics when I was listening to a 1980s live version. - Submitted by: Nicky Sakamoto
Elton John's, "The Bitch Is Back"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I was just a fly at 45, novocaine is not an aldehyde.
The Real Lyrics:
I was justified when I was five, Raisin' Cain, I spit in your eye.
The Story: Despite his lowly status as a former insect, Elton John is technically knowledgeable about chemistry. - Submitted by: Jeff Koplow
Elton John's, "The Bitch Is Back"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I'm a fish I'm a fish on a fishing rod
The Real Lyrics:
I'm the bitch, I'm the bitch
Oh, the bitch is back.
Oh, the bitch is back.
The Story: I was still a kid. Heard song from cheap AM car radios and transistor radio's. I was certain this was correct because there are even sounds that can be interpreted as a strained fishing reel toward the end. - Submitted by: David John
Elton John's, "The Bitch Is Back"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Oh the bitch is black
The Real Lyrics:
Oh the bitch is back
The Story: thought it was racist. - Submitted by: Liam
Elton John's, "The Bitch Is Back"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Somebody stole my carwash pass
Oh, it's full of nasty habits when the bitch gets back
Oh, it's full of nasty habits when the bitch gets back
The Real Lyrics:
I don't like those, my God, what's that
Oh, it's full of nasty habits when the bitch gets back
Oh, it's full of nasty habits when the bitch gets back
The Story: I was a teenager at the time, and I thought Foreigner and the choir was singing "I want a nose like Lovey's," thinking that maybe they were referring to Mrs. Howell on "Gilligan's Island." I thought, "Well, Mrs. Howell has a very nice nose but I don't know why they would be singing that they want a nose like hers! What's so special about Lovey Howell's nose anyway?" - Submitted by: Timi Zhuo
Elton John's, "The Circle of Life"
The Misheard Lyrics:
On the path of whining
The Real Lyrics:
On the path unwinding
The Story: This song was sung by a group of kids in my son's kindergarten class during an assembly. While my son was practising in the car a couple of days before, this was what he was singing. - Submitted by: Michael Schiedel-Webb
Elton John's, "The Circle of Life"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Pennsylvania
The Real Lyrics:
Nants ingonyama
The Story: It was on Jimmy Fallon and I thought it was funny. - Submitted by: Dan
Elton John's, "The One"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Duncan Hines in chocolate cake
The Real Lyrics:
Drunken nights in dark hotels
The Story: Who would have talked about cake or alcohol? - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "The One"
The Misheard Lyrics:
In the instant that you love someone,
In the second that the hammer hits,
Reality runs up your spine,
And the beast is finally fed.
In the second that the hammer hits,
Reality runs up your spine,
And the beast is finally fed.
The Real Lyrics:
In the instant that you love someone,
In the second that the hammer hits,
Reality runs up your spine,
And the pieces finally fit.
In the second that the hammer hits,
Reality runs up your spine,
And the pieces finally fit.
The Story: For a long time I heard this on a CD and thought (without questioning) that the words were as I misheard them. A bizarre song, I thought -- comparing the fulfillment of love to feeding a beast. I pondered a long time over what that metaphor could mean. Whatever it meant, I thought it wouldn't be out of place in many an Elton John song, aimed as many of his are, toward the arcane, cryptic, and grandiose. Then tonight, I was listening to the CD after many other hearings, when for the first time an alternate hearing suddenly clicked in my mind. When I got home I looked up the song on a lyrics site, finding that my novel alternate hearing discovered the actual words. "The pieces finally fit" -- what a relatively straightforward metaphor! So much for the cryptically grandiose in THIS song! - Submitted by: Amber Wayland
Elton John's, "The One"
The Misheard Lyrics:
No pharaohs black hole sun
The Real Lyrics:
No shadows block the sun
The Story: Wonder if this inspired Soundgarden? - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "This Train Don't Stop Here Anymore"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I used to be the Med Express.
The Real Lyrics:
I used to be the main express.
The Story: I thought it was some reference to drugs or something like that. - Submitted by: COREY THOMAS
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
All the close up tiny dancers
The Real Lyrics:
Hold me closer tiny dancer
The Story: I thought all the close up tiny dancers was about the rain. As a child large raindrops in a thunder storm hitting the pavement and splashing back up looked like little ballerinas in tutus to me. So when the headlights were on the highway I thought he was out in the rain on the road someplace all by himself. Age 8. - Submitted by: Debbie Viamontes
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Baby, darlin', she's so blended.
The Real Lyrics:
Lay me down in sheets of linen.
The Story: I found out a few years ago that he was counting head lights and not 'head lice' on the highway (My mom went and bought the record for me when I was in 4th grade (1990). But not until now did I know that 'she's not so blended!!' :) - Submitted by: JessicaRigg
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Blue Jean Baby, LA Lady
Sings just for the band
Sings just for the band
The Real Lyrics:
Blue jean baby, L.A. Lady
Seamstress for the band.
Seamstress for the band.
The Story: My coworker and I listen to music during the day and she ALWAYS gets words wrong. We'd argue and argue and I'd always have to prove her wrong. Now I just correct her and she just says "Shut up!". - Submitted by: Jane
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Climb on my hand, he makes her stand
In the auditorium.
In the auditorium.
The Real Lyrics:
Piano man he makes his stand
In the Auditorium.
In the Auditorium.
The Story: When I was a child, I thought this song was about a 'tiny' dancer about 4 inches tall. I pictured her sitting on the dashboard, counting the head lights on the highway. So it made perfect sense, that she would climb on his hand. - Submitted by: Kimerly
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Foldin' clothes with Tony Danza
The Real Lyrics:
Hold me closer, tiny dancer.
The Story: Rainy day, doing laundry while watching "Who's the Boss?" with the sound turned down all the way, listening to the radio (getting some static from time to time). It seemed to fit! Then the DJ announced the artist as Elton John, and the title as 'Tiny Dancer', which is when I busted out laughing, and then called all my friends to giggle about it. - Submitted by: Mgw
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Happy birthday, private waxer
The Real Lyrics:
Hold me closer, Tiny Dancer
The Story: Heard this on The Late Late Show with James Corden where they were singing it. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Hold me close I'm tired of dancin'
The Real Lyrics:
Hold me closer tiny dancer
The Story: One evening while dancing in our kitchen, my husband belts out these lyrics to Elton John's "Tiny Dancer". He was absolutely serious about the lyrics. When I realized that he wasn't kidding, I fell down laughing. It's a wonderful moment in time to re-visit. - Submitted by: marlena
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Hold me close I'm tired of dancing.
The Real Lyrics:
Hold me closer tiny dancer.
The Story: I loved Elton John when I was young. 20+ years later, my son asked me if I ever heard Tiny Dancer by Elton John, I said no, you must have the wrong artist. He started singing the song, and I about peed my pants laughing. When I told him the words I'd been singing all along, he said "Mom it is the NAME of the song!!" We still get a good laugh off that one! - Submitted by: Cindy Sellers
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Hold me close and tie me down sir
The Real Lyrics:
Hold me closer Tiny Dancer
The Story: Had the radio on while I was working, only half listening, and that's what it sounded like he said! So now even when I'm actually paying attention, that's what I hear. - Submitted by: Jodi B.
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Hold me close like Ted Danson.
The Real Lyrics:
Hold me closer, tiny dancer.
The Story: My nephew and I were simultanously singing this song on the ride home from work. He came out with 'Tony Danza', while I sang 'Ted Danson' at the same instant. Not a proud moment. - Submitted by: Johnny
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Hold me close now, Tonya Dacer.
The Real Lyrics:
Hold me closer, tiny dancer.
The Story: My wife thought the name of this song was 'Tonya Dancer.' She would sing along with pretty much the same lyrics except she would sing 'Tonya,' instead of 'Tiny.' We have a friend named Tonya. Tonya's & her husband recently bought a house with a room in the basement that has purple velvet walls and a purple rug. There is a pole in the middle of the room. My wife started singing 'Tonya Dancer' in the background, and I told Tonya's husband that she could practice her dancing and stripper routine around the pole. - Submitted by: John Quackenbush
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Hold me closer Tony Banta
The Real Lyrics:
Hold me closer, tiny dancer
The Story: Tony Banta was portrayed by Tony Danza in TV's "Taxi" - Submitted by: Mickey D.
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Hold me closer Tony Danza
We'll drink the Kool-Aid off the highway.
We'll drink the Kool-Aid off the highway.
The Real Lyrics:
Hold me closer tiny dancer
Count the headlights on the highway.
Count the headlights on the highway.
The Story: I was about 9 or so and I got the lyrics so wrong to this my family wrote them down. - Submitted by: Marcus Haskin
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Hold me closer Tony Danza
The Real Lyrics:
Hold me closer tiny dancer
The Story: I'm a big Elton fan. To annoy me a co-worker sang these words. Ten years on, I still think of Tony Danza every time I hear this song. - Submitted by: Teddy Gee
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Hold me closer Tony Danza
The Real Lyrics:
Hold me closer tiny dancer
The Story: My sister used to sing to the while cleaning. She would sing "hold me closer Tony Danza" and my brother and I would crack up. The best part is Tony Danza was relatively unknown until 1982. The song was released in 1972. - Submitted by: Jack
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Hold me closer you darlin' now
The Real Lyrics:
Hold me closer tiny dancer
The Story: I once sang this song in front of my school and someone yelled out, "It's tiny dancer!" - Submitted by: Mani
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Hold me closer, Tiny Hamster
The Real Lyrics:
Hold me closer, tiny dancer
The Story: Remember a few years ago, when Tiny Hamster was popular on the internet? I watched the videos before I heard the song, so it just stuck. Also, Tiny Hamster is just the cutest. - Submitted by: MK
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Hold me closer, Tony Danza.
The Real Lyrics:
Hold me closer, tiny dancer.
The Story: My friend assumed that Elton John, who is gay, was talking about his love for Tony Danza. - Submitted by: Krystle
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Hold me closer, Tony Danza.
The Real Lyrics:
Hold me closer, tiny dancer.
The Story: My older sister thought that these were the real lyrics, so our entire family sings our hearts out to Mr. 'Who's the Boss' himself. Hey, knowing Elton's sexual preference, the song works well! - Submitted by: Liz Fisher
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Hold me closer, Tony Danza.
The Real Lyrics:
Hold me closer, tiny dancer.
The Story: When I first met my 30-year old husband two years ago, he was singing these lyrics loudly in the car. I laughed so hard I almost wet myself. He thought that it was about Tony Danza, since "Who's the Boss?" was a new show at the time. He's a smart guy, too, so it made it even funnier. - Submitted by: Marie
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
L.A. lady, blue jean lady
sings just for the band.
I'm a close-up kinda dancer
sings just for the band.
I'm a close-up kinda dancer
The Real Lyrics:
L.A. lady, blue jean lady
seamstress for the band.
Hold me closer tiny dancer
seamstress for the band.
Hold me closer tiny dancer
The Story: My wife is the one who commonly missunderstands lyrics, so I cracked up when she sang the real ones in the bathtub one night. Of course I had to dry off before I could get the cd jewel and imagine my surprise when she was right! - Submitted by: Dave Lindee
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Lady Diamond, she's so planted.
The Real Lyrics:
Lay me down in sheets of linen.
The Story: Heard the line this way ever since I was a kid. It's funny, now that I know the right words and have sung the song a thousand times, I still think of those incorrect lyrics when I listen to the song to this day :) - Submitted by: Ed
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Lay me down in sheets Bert Glennon.
The Real Lyrics:
Lay me down in sheets of linen.
The Story: Paying homage to a great cinemaphotographer of movies and TV, who last worked on 77 Sunset Strip at Warner Bros. - Submitted by: James Beer
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Lay me down in sheets Bert Glennon.
The Real Lyrics:
Lay me down in sheets of linen.
The Story: Bert Glennon was a cinema photographer who worked movies and television for decades until the early 1960s. - Submitted by: James Beer
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Lay me down in sheets of lettuce.
How it feels from day to day.
How it feels from day to day.
The Real Lyrics:
Lay me down in sheets of linen
You had a busy day today.
You had a busy day today.
The Story: About half of what Elton John sang in the 70s was unintelligible. His audiences didn't really care. - Submitted by: David Adamson
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Lay me down in streets of Lennon
The Real Lyrics:
Lay me down in sheets of linen
The Story: Tribute to John Lennon - Submitted by: Frank
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Tony Danza in my hand
The Real Lyrics:
Tiny Dancer in my hand
The Story: My boyfriend had no idea what the title of the song was and he wanted to know so he asked an older friend of his Mom's. He was like 'What song by Elton John says something about Tony Danza?' And then he was told right away that it was 'tiny dancer'. - Submitted by: Erin
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
You had a visitor today.
The Real Lyrics:
You had a busy day today.
The Story: I had thought this is what Sir Elton said for years. It was not until I saw a Tim McGraw sing it live at a concert on NBC with the closed captions turned on that I realized what was actually being said. The next time I heard Elton sing it, I thought, 'Well duh!' - Submitted by: Dan Fletcher
Elton John's, "Tiny Dancer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
you had the fixodent today
The Real Lyrics:
you had a busy day today
The Story: I didn't have any idea what he was really saying until I found this website - Submitted by: Loyne
Elton John's, "Too Low For Zero"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Too long for Vera
The Real Lyrics:
Too low for zero
The Story: I was taking part in a trivia quiz on the Internet. The question-mistress played 'Too Long For Zero' and asked for artist and title. I replied 'Too Long For Vera', which I have to admit is much closer to what I actually heard. Quick as a flash, someone (I wish it had been me) made the ribald comment 'So she's only little, then, this Vera?'. Much giggling ensued. - Submitted by: Phil
Elton John's, "Wrap Her Up"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Abu, there's a hole down near
Abu, she is out down near
Abu, Only get one chance
To deter you, they all can dance
Abu, there's a hole down near
Abu, she is out down near
Abu
It's faling near, Abu
or
Abu, there's a hall down near
Abu, she is boating near
Abu, Only get one chance
To deter you, they all can dance
Abu, there's a hall down near
Abu, she is boating near
Abu, It's calling near
Abu
Abu, she is out down near
Abu, Only get one chance
To deter you, they all can dance
Abu, there's a hole down near
Abu, she is out down near
Abu
It's faling near, Abu
or
Abu, there's a hall down near
Abu, she is boating near
Abu, Only get one chance
To deter you, they all can dance
Abu, there's a hall down near
Abu, she is boating near
Abu, It's calling near
Abu
The Real Lyrics:
Wrap her up, I'll take her home with me
Wrap her up, she is all I need
Wrap her up, I only get one chance
Beasts and beauties, but they all can dance
Wrap her up, I'll take her home with me
Wrap her up, she is all I need
Wrap her up
Give her to me, wrap her up.
Wrap her up, she is all I need
Wrap her up, I only get one chance
Beasts and beauties, but they all can dance
Wrap her up, I'll take her home with me
Wrap her up, she is all I need
Wrap her up
Give her to me, wrap her up.
The Story: This would rank as the first lyric my brother corrected for me. I assumed Elton was singing about some fictional place (Abu) that I myself imagined in my playtime from the days when the song was a hit. - Submitted by: zhu plantation
Elton John's, "Wrap Her Up"
The Misheard Lyrics:
She's so horny, she got cramps
The Real Lyrics:
She's a honey, she's a tramp
The Story: Seemingly she was rather risque... - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Elton John's, "Your Song"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I hope you demand
I hope you demand
That I put downy woods
I hope you demand
That I put downy woods
The Real Lyrics:
I hope you don't mind
I hope you don't mind
That I put down in words
I hope you don't mind
That I put down in words
The Story: Elton sings for song meter, not clarity, and his pronunciation is often drowned by the music. - Submitted by: Mr. E
Elton John's, "Your Song"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I hope you'll do mine I hope you'll do mine
or
I'll Hold your dupa I'll Hold your dupa
or
I'll Hold your dupa I'll Hold your dupa
The Real Lyrics:
I hope you don't mind I hope you don't mind
The Story: Dupa is Polish for buttocks - Submitted by: Roy
Elton John's, "Your Song"
The Misheard Lyrics:
If I was a sculptor, but then again, Gnome.
The Real Lyrics:
If I was a sculptor, but then again, no.
The Story: Sung at full voice by my 8-year-old daughter at a school talent show. Needless to say, she didn't win. - Submitted by: Nova Sambrook
Elton John's, "Your Song"
The Misheard Lyrics:
If I was a skeleton, but them again no.
The Real Lyrics:
If I was a sculptor, but then again no.
The Story: I thought thought he really said skeleton until I was about 29 years old. And he kinda laughs a little after he says the line, so I thought Elton was just joking with us. - Submitted by: Latecia
| 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.
Submissions!
Would you like to Submit some Misheard Lyrics for a song We're always looking for more entries.
Disclaimer
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.