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!).
Dixie Chicken album at Amazon.com
The chicken walks in Plains at night
The people line up to watch him fly
I sit watching them playing
Where you can watch the planes at night
The people line up to watch them fly
I sit watching them planes
The Story: I could never understand why watching a chicken drew such crowds. - Submitted by: An Owen
I've been from Tucson to Tucumcari, Tehachapi to Joan Of Arc
I've been from Tucson to Tucumcari, Tehachapi to Tonopah
The Story: Actually, I didn't mishear these lyrics, it was my friend who is a biology teacher at a community college who thought the lyrics were "Tehachapi to Joan Of Arc". She brought this up because I mentioned that I was trying to get some lapel pins from the city of Tehachapi, California, and also from their school district (I collect lapel pins from cities, towns, counties, highways, bridges, tunnels, community colleges, irrigation districts, airports, amusement parks, zoos, school districts, etc as a hobby). She told me that she had sung "Tehachapi to Joan of Arc" and her husband (a neurologist) had laughed so hard and told her that it was "Tehachapi to Tonopah". Interesting story. By the way, Tonopah is in Nevada (and Tucumcari is in New Mexico) - Codi Preston D. - Submitted by: Codi Preston D.
I've been from Tuscon to Tucumcari
There had to be a Joan of Arc.
I've been from Tuscon to Tucumcari
Tehachapi to Tonapah.
The Story: We didn't just mishear the lyrics. My friend Peter and I actually learned the song and have sung it dozens of times, mostly in downtown Winnipeg apartments in the 70's and at backyard parties in many parts of rural and northern Manitoba since then-which reminds me we have to tune up the guitars again soon. - Submitted by: Art Dalton
If you give me sweet white sand, white,
and you show me a sign,
then I'll be willin', to be movin'
If you give me weed, whites, and wine,
and you show me a sign,
then I'll be willin', to be movin'
The Story: My parents used to love Little Feat, and this song in particular. Young innocent that I was, I didn't know what whites are, and weeds were something that grew in my mother's garden and ruined the tomato plants. I spent years trying to figure out why the truck driver in the song was so inspired by sand. ;) - Submitted by: Maeve
There are more Little Feat misheard lyrics available.
New entries in this section are currently reviewed by Brian Kelly. Previous editors (if any) are listed on the editors page.