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!).
Help! [UK] album at Amazon.com
8th day of the week, I love you.
8 days a week, I love you.
The Story: I had a debate with my husband over this, and he is the Beatles fan! In the end, I just kept it up as it was funny. I still sing it when he is around. - Submitted by: Misscheeva
Eight gays so weak, I love you.
8 days a week, I love you.
The Story: I went to a disco, and eight people started to sing this song as above. They all were inside one another as Russian dolls. [Ed.'s note: Don't want to elaborate on that one.] - Submitted by: Enrique Potter
Nobody was really sure if he was from the house of wine.
And nobody was really sure if he was from the House of Lords.
The Story: I read somewhere that it was 'house of wine' and I kept listening harder and it didn't sound like that and I still didn't know what it was! - Submitted by: Kelly
And nobody was really sure if he was from the outer Paul.
And nobody was really sure if he was from the House of Lords.
The Story: I had no idea what John was talking about here... - Submitted by: Jenny Loop
A girl with colitis goes by
The girl with kaleidoscope eyes
The Story: Actually, my friend sang it this way and was amazed to find out what the actual words were. We all liked her version better. - Submitted by: Cathy F
And it's murder when I hear you say
You're gonna give me everything.
And it's worth it when I hear you say
You're gonna give me everything.
The Story: Had a slight hearing impairment as a 9 year old that I finally grew out of - most all my misheard lyrics were Beatles' tunes. Wasn't until I got a Walkman as an adult that I heard them correctly for the first time. - Submitted by: Ursula Forhan
I should be sleeping like a rock
I should be sleeping like a log
The Story: I was like having to do with the word "dog", and "log" was really the word to rhyme with it. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
So, why on Earth would I roam?
So why on Earth should I moan?
The Story: I believe I am not mishearing it. I believe the lyric has been cleaned up to be less about sex and the idea of cheating...but the lyric sheet for my copy of Red album has a different even less racy lyric: “So why I love to come home.” I would love to know who did this and why. - Submitted by: Ed Fischman
Gaga wookie diva, its on!!!
Jai guru deva om
The Story: I always thaught this part was about some crazy Star Wars gal. I started screaming it out the bus window at the top of my lungs,''Gaga wookie diva, its on!' People were laffing like crazy. - Submitted by: me10!!!
Jackaroo day, oh!
Jai guru deya, om.
The Story: Only that it wasn't until I read the lyrics in the Beatles' "Anthology" that I realised I had been singing the wrong lyrics since 1969! I never even thought it strange that the mental picture of Rolf Harris complete with didgeridoo and corks dangling from his hat should be associated with such a quasi- spiritual song. (I sang the same words along to the David Bowie [which featured John Lennon] version, too.) - Submitted by: Maureen O'connell
Jageroo Daeva Ahmmm
Jai Guru Deva
The Story: Heard the song sung by an Irishman. Thought the line was Gaelic!!! - Submitted by: Don
Kangaroo daydream
Jai guru deva
The Story: I thought that was what the whole song was all about, a kangaroos daydreams. I guess I was about 11 12 and I asked my dad to play that Beatles- one about the kangaroo He hasnt stopped laughing yet and Ill be 20 next week. - Submitted by: Ruby Tuesday
Tag arooo de voila
Jai guru deva
The Story: When I was in junior high, I had a friend whose older sister liked to write down song lyrics and decorate her bedroom walls with the lyrics artfully written down on paper. I gave my friend the album this song appears on for her birthday, and her sister's favorite song was 'Across the Universe.' I noticed her sister had written the lyric 'Jai guru deva' as 'Tag aroo de voila.' - Submitted by: Kitty
Trying to find the river.
Jai guru deva, om
The Story: I was playing the cd with this song on it one day. My mother was wondering why John kept singing "trying to find the river". I laughed so hard that I had stomach pains. - Submitted by: Data
Jackaroo Day, Oh
Jai guru deva om
The Story: I'd always thought "What is a Jackaroo?" and when I found out the real lyric, I reckon that "Jackaroo Day" makes loads more sense. - Submitted by: amber
Jackaroo days love
Jai guru deva
The Story: I thought it was an English saying for a perfect day as in "It's a jackaroo day love!" It made sense to me because the song seems to be about feeling serene. - Submitted by: Bernadette
Macaroon baby Macaroon baby
Jai Guru Deva Om Jai Guru Deva Om
The Story: I couldn't imagine why the Beatles would sing a song about macaroons, but it truly sounded like that was what they were singing. - Submitted by: Mark
Tiger-OOO-Dave--AAAh
Jai Guru Deva
The Story: Not really a story, But my 4 year old son would sing "Tiger 0. Davis" - Submitted by: charles Watkns
The movie's gonna make me a big star,
Like Ben Gazzara, you can never tell...
The movie's gonna make me a big star.
Might win an Oscar, you can never tell...
The Story: All of a sudden, one day I heard it right and thought, "Wha?!!!" - Submitted by: Keith
Guess Again
She Loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
She Loves you yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yesterday
[Later]
She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah.
The Story: I was never sure of the lyric, but it always sounded like Joh was saying "Guess Again" which in his world would be the complete opposite of the song. But then again, it would be just like John to sing "All you need is Love" and at the end sing "Guess Again" meaning that it was all a lark. - Submitted by: Karl White
Love is a holiday.
Love is all you need.
The Story: My brother is a huge Beatles fan. He and his new wife recently got matching tattoos. One says "all you need is love" and the other says "love is all you need". I was wracking my brain trying to figure out which Beatles song the second lyric was from. Turns out I have misheard this lyric my entire life! - Submitted by: Lisa
Love is a holiday
Love is all you need
The Story: This is actually my dad's misheard lyrics, which is quite funny because he's a huge Beatles fan. Has all their albums, the original pressings on vinyl - not worth much because he's played them since they came out! One day we were listening to "All You Need Is Love" & during the final part of the song John sings "All you need is love" and Paul (I believe) answers "Love is all you need" Which my dad has always misheard as "love is a holiday" to this day, I think he still believes those are the lyrics. - Submitted by: Justin
No one you can say that can’t be saying.
[later]
Get together.
No one you can save that can't be saved.
[later]
Yesterday.
The Story: It happened when the song was first listened to. - Submitted by: BrilliantJ8
All you need is Luvs
All You Need is Love
The Story: I heard this in a diaper commercial in 2007. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
You say you've seen certain wonders
You say you've seen seven wonders
The Story: Just realized today what the real lyrics are, at age 59 after hearing and loving this song for 47 years! - Submitted by: James Owens
Anna, just one more finger
Anna, just one more thing girl
The Story: There was a Dutch (Indonesian) band doing this song in Germany in the sixties and they believed this to be the actual lyric - Submitted by: Ray Daniels
As we wind
Ask me why.
The Story: I was ten when this song was popular...I had a weird image in my mind of two people winding their watches while saying 'I love you.' My sister told me the correct lyric. She was seven! - Submitted by: Maya
Tuned to A naturally
Tuned to a natural E
The Story: I play the double bass, and we naturally tune to an A, as do violins, violas, and cellos. I was surprised, and dumbfounded, to forget that guitars tune to a natural E! - Submitted by: Richard Jordon
Abie you're a rich man, too.
Baby you're a rich man, too.
The Story: This was on The Rutles album Tragical History Tour from 1967 and is seen as a song title on the cover of their LP All You Need Is Cash, released in 1978. - Submitted by: Jeffrey Kasten
He gave a cocker spaniel to the Phantom of the Laundromat.
He gave a cocker spaniel a bath in mother's laundromat.
The Story: I really had no clue what John was saying in this part, I had to look it up. - Submitted by: Thaddeus Gammelthorpe
Now, Judith, behave yourself.
Now, Junior, behave yourself.
The Story: When I was little, I thought this, and so I thought the song was about a girl. I also changed the lyric 'bad little kid' to 'bad little kitten' in my head. Then I learned the name of the song. - Submitted by: Kathryn
And of course, Henry the Horse dances the worst.
And of course, Henry the Horse dances the Waltz.
The Story: I figured that since horses can't dance, it would make sense for Henry to be the worst dancer. - Submitted by: Bobby
Today's your birthday
Happy birthday to you
or
They say it's your birthday
A big birthday to ya'
You say it's your birthday
It's my birthday too, Yeah!
The Story: I actually heard the lyrics for the first time on a promo for a Disney/Mickey Mouse Birthday Celebration special. - Submitted by: Brit Boxx
There's a fog upon Elaine.
There's a fog upon L.A.
The Story: Didn't seem funny until I got a disturbing picture in my head of '...fog upon Elaine'. The Seinfeld one. - Submitted by: Ketil Svendsen
Not when he lurks so near
or
But when he looks so dear
Not when he looked so fierce
The Story:
Not when he lurks so near
Or actually, since it’s sung with a child’s voice this makes more sense:
But then he looks so dear
- Submitted by: Gina
Can't Bobby Love?
Can't buy me love.
The Story: My father had an Aunt Bobby (Barbara) and grew up thinking that the Beatles were singing about her. It never made sense to him though, since she was madly in love with her husband, Ben. He didn't realize the real lyrics until my mother and I were singing along in the car nearly 40 years later. - Submitted by: Julie
Cunt Barbie loves
Can't buy me love
The Story: It was the way they sang I was six years old when I sang this. My parents washed my mouth and I never knew why till I was ten and learned the words and now I know what cunt is and I'm eleven it is also my birthday song. - Submitted by: Michele
Give Barney Rubble
Can't buy me love
The Story: I kept thinking the Fab Four said a Flintstones reference. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
I don't care to muss for money.
I don't care too much for money.
The Story: I was about 5 years old when I thought that was the lyric. - Submitted by: Frank Peternam
confommie love
Can't buy me love.
The Story: I misheard this as a kid whilst watching the Beatles cartoon on TV Not sure what a confommie was supposed to be! - Submitted by: Daryl
Come together right now
Oh the meat
Come together right now
Over me
The Story: I was around 4. My family told/teased me about it in later years. I must've thought it was a song about gathering together around the table to say grace or something. - Submitted by: Lisa
He come on Flat Top
or
He come off Flat Top.
Here come old flat top.
The Story: Around here there is a mountain called Flat Top. Another line in the song sounds like Trojan Football. Just so happens the town close to Flat Top Mountain has a high school football team with the name Trojans. - Submitted by: BJ
Got it the feelin'.
Got a good reason.
The Story: The misperformed lyric was done by a lounge act in Panama City, Florida in the 70s. A TV commercial for the local lounge aired and that's where I heard the lyric. - Submitted by: Christopher Cook
She was a day tripper
A one leg driver yeah.
She was a day tripper
A one way driver yeah.
The Story: My 8 year old heard this and it is no surprise as I am an amputee and have a left footed accelerator in my car, hence a one leg driver, yeah. - Submitted by: R. Kaderli
She's a big teaser
She took Miss Hathaway there.
She's a big teaser
She took me half the way there.
The Story: I was 10 in 1965. I thought that the Beatles must have seen The Beverly Hillbillies during some trip to America, and put in a funny line about Miss Hathaway as a nod to their American fans. - Submitted by: Bill Thom
She's lovin' Jesus
She's a big teaser
The Story: Was at Wendy's and knew this was wrong but had no way to look it up. - Submitted by: Briana
That was 'Can You Dig It?' by Georgie Wood
And now we'd like to do 'All the Angels Come'.
That was 'Can You Dig It?' by Georgie Wood
And now we'd like to do 'Hark The Angels Come'.
The Story: I thought I heard, 'All the Angels Come'. This was simply a "throw off' improvisation by Mr. Lennon between live takes. We all agree he was fairly good at that. If he said "Hark" instead of "All" ; my version (at the risk of being sacrilegious) is better. However, I have had 43 years to consider this and John said it off the cuff. - Submitted by: Allan Quackenbush
I war be flavor, a star of the screen
But you can do a song playing in-between
I wanna be famous, a star of the screen
But you can do something in-between
The Story: The misheard lyrics "I war be flavor" reminded me of a hot air balloon ascending. - Submitted by: Isac
Working for penis
Working for peanuts
The Story: The first time I heard the song, I was talking to my sister, not really paying any attention to the music we were playing in the backround. For some reason (I forget what we were talking about) there was a small pause in the conversation and we both heard 'Working for penis'. I nearly had a heart attack and re-wound the words to take a closer listen. - Submitted by: Sponge Beatle
AIDS makes you weak, I lo-o-o-o- low it.
Eight days a week, I lo-o-o-o-love you.
The Story: A bad tape recording heard during the Band Aid era... - Submitted by: Clean- 67
Hey, Dais-a-Weese
Eight days a week
The Story: i thought it was a girl's name, like a combination of 'Daisy' and 'Louise'. - Submitted by: Lynda Ross
AIDS makes you weak, I low it
8 days a week, I love you.
The Story: Bad broadcasting signal - Submitted by: Machine
Eight maids a-milk
Eight days a week
The Story: I thought that maybe the Fab Four would have said something from the eighth day of Christmas. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Hey say Louise
Eight days a week
The Story: A friend from Russia thought these were the lyrics as she grew up. - Submitted by: Nella
Eleanor Ribgy
picks up her eyes from the church where a wedding has been
Eleanor Rigby
picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been
The Story: I remember getting freaky mental images from this song when I was very small. Okay, this woman has glass eyeballs that she picks up from some church. Actually, our church ran a charity to save the sight of children in Africa, so I guess I made a church/eyes connection. Later in the song, we hear about her 'wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door...' Now this was _really_ 'Bride of Frankenstein' stuff. I was so young when I heard this song that I didn't exactly know who the Beatles were. - Submitted by: John Jones
Eleanor Rigby
Picks up her rites in the church where her wedding has been.
Eleanor Rigby
Picks up the rice in a church where a wedding has been.
The Story: Until today I thought my version was correct and that her rites were the funeral rites that Father McKenzie performed. - Submitted by: darrell heckman
Ellen O'Rigby
Eleanor Rigby
The Story: Of course it's "Ellen" — My sister Elinor would never pronounce her name like that. We're in America! :) - Submitted by: Peter Chastain
I look at all the lonely people.
Ah, look at all the lonely people.
The Story: This is such a minor difference, but considering it's the BEATLES, I think it's significant that a third of the people I quiz also thought it was "I" not "Ah" - Submitted by: Glen in Campbell
Picks up her eyes in the church where a wedding has been.
Picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been.
The Story: Well, it was actually my sister. We were listening to it and she suddenly went, ' What did he just say?' So I told her and she told me what she heard, adding, 'Well, you know, if she has a face that she keeps in a jar by the door, why can't she pick up her eyes?' - Submitted by: Scatterbrained
Everybody's trying to beat my baby.
Everybody's trying to be my baby.
The Story: This was actually misheard by my then 5 year old Nephew,now 22. He always sang the misheard lyric. - Submitted by: Igsma
I love the sound blasted ears.
A love that should have lasted years
The Story: The song was playing on the car radio, and my little brother suddenly asked halfway through, 'Why does she love the sound of blasted ears?' - Submitted by: Ellie
For some California a**
For some California grass
The Story: An amateur guitarist named Jerry Bounds deliberately sang the lyrics wrong. - Submitted by: Jim Locke
Get back, Gorilla
Your mommy's waiting for you.
Get back, Loretta
Your mommy's waiting for you.
The Story: We use to play this song in my band, and my brother who was drummer asked, 'What the heck you singing about gorillas for?' - Submitted by: Tony
She's the kind of girl you want so bad
It makes you horny.
She's the kind of girl you want so bad
It makes you sorry.
The Story: I didn't identify what this song was or who the original artist was until I saw it sung in the movie "Across The Universe". But I couldn't forget having heard it before. That earlier occasion was when I was shopping at the drug store for my super-jumbo tampons, and this song was playing on the loudspeakers. At that time I thought I surely heard it as misheard, like I've reported. Then I got up to the checkout, and as fate would have it the cashier was a boy that I had a major crush on. Between the embarrassment of his turning out to be the one I was buying my tampons from and the shock that a mellow-rock type song with this kind of "oldies" flavor would actually have the lyrics that I thought I heard, I nearly (soiled) my pants right there in the checkout line. By the way, the guy that sings it in "Across The Universe" sings the word "sorry" so much more clearly. I could never have misheard it from hearing his version. - Submitted by: Bethany Byrd
Lookin' thru a paperback Juliet.
Lookin' through the bent back tulips.
The Story: Since they make so many references to previous songs in 'Glass Onion', I just thought this was a reference to 'Paperback Writer'! - Submitted by: Alex
It's time for tea and beat the wife
It's time for tea and meet the wife
The Story: I really thought these were the words for the longest time... - Submitted by: Brian
I know the line: "just lead your life" I've never done before
I know that I just need you like I've never done before
The Story: Known this song for over 25 years. But now, I just heard a slowly sung cover version, and I was shocked to hear the real lyrics. - Submitted by: Dov
I imagine she's a pretty nice girl
But she doesn't have a lot to say.
Her Majesty's a pretty nice girl
But she doesn't have a lot to say.
The Story: This was a misheard lyric of a friend of mine which she related to me after I showed her this site. She knew the song was titled 'Her Majesty,' but always heard it and sang it as noted above. Peoples is just plain damn silly, sometimes. Word. - Submitted by: Jeffrey DiFrancesco
Oh Maggie she's a pretty nice girl
Her majesty's a pretty nice girl
The Story: At school, back in the day, we use to sing this to one of the teachers when we were in the playground. The headmaster got shot of this and told us not to make up silly words about our biology teacher "Margaret Th...." or we'd land ourselves in detention. We tried explaining to him, that they were lyrics from a pop song but he didn't believe us. The teacher (Maggie), on the other hand, found it all quite amusing! Needless to say, we didn't heed the headmaster's advice and ended up doing 1 hour of tidying up in the classroom after hometime, but it was worth it! - Submitted by: Tony Flynn
Hey Jude, don't make the bed.
Hey Jude, don't make it bad.
The Story: I thought I heard this line of the song, but I never sang it, but I took it to heart while growing up and it was really tough for my parents to make me make up the bed. Anyway, the first time I realized what the lyrics were really was back on my birthday when I turned 16 years old, I got a copy of the Beatles greatest hits lp (the Blue one) and finally found out this line had nothing to do with whether Jude made up his bed or not. - Submitted by: Peter Bradfield
Hey Seuss
Hey Jude
The Story: Thought it had to do with calling on Dr. Seuss! - Submitted by: Cody Finke
Page you!
Hey, Jude!
The Story: My brother spent years thinking this was the title of the classic Beatles song. They must have been way ahead of their time if they were already using pagers! - Submitted by: Susan
Hate you, you bring me down
Hey, Jude!
The Story: My cousin used to sing this song over and over, and refused to change the lyrics to this day. We had hippy parents.... - Submitted by: Steph
Hey you, don't be afraid
Take a side song, and make it get her
Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can fart, and make it better.
Hey Jude, don't be afraid
Take a sad song, and make it better
Remember, to let her into your heart
Then you can start, to make it better.
The Story: I've head countless people sing 'Hey You' or 'Hey Dude' or 'Hey, Food.' I don't even understand why they thinks it's 'Hey, Food.' Maybe they were hungry. There's so many variations of it, it gets quite funny. - Submitted by: Thomas Wright
Hey, Juice!
Hey, Jude!
The Story: I thought this song was about OJ Simpson, and it was even funnier during the murder trial. I found the real title to the song in a news article about Paul McCartney's halftime performance at Super Bowl XXXIX. - Submitted by: John C
Everybody sucks c***.
Everybody's got one.
The Story: My friend suggested this when I asked her what they were saying. It is now Xeroxed into my brain. - Submitted by: Sarah
Polymonic penguin sitting on a Christian
Elementary penguin singing 'Hari Krishna!'
The Story: It seriously sounds like that. It surprised me when I found out it actually said, "Penguin" after all. Whenever I hear this song now, I imagine a penguin with a one man band, sitting on top of the Pope. - Submitted by: Pirka
Semolina belcher climbing up the Eiffel Tower
Semolina Pilchard climbing up the Eiffel Tower
The Story: I think, so this song had me thinking it was implying that there is a distinctive kind of belching one does from eating semolina wheat. - Submitted by: Heather Patton
Yeah, I'm outta custard
Yellow matter custard
The Story: I got into a big argument in Jr. High School with a guy that thought he was so cool. He was the one that had it wrong (Yeah, I'm Outta Custard). I advised him to look at the lyrics that were included in the album gatefold. - Submitted by: Mickey A. Dressler
Yello Mello Custard
Yellow matter custard
The Story: The caffeinated soft drink Mello Yello wasn't released until 1979. - Submitted by: Ryan Miller
Yellow man with custard tripping like a dead dog, aye.
Yellow matter custard dripping from a dead dog's eye.
The Story: It wasnt until last year a realized that the custard man didnt exist except for in my imagination Too bad, he was a favourite of mine. Mean Mr. Mustard and Yellow Mr. Custard makes total sense. - Submitted by: Ruby Tuesday
Expert, texter, smoking joker
Don't you think the joker laughs at you?
Expert, textpert, choking smokers
Don't you think the joker laughs at you?
The Story: I was surprised when I heard "texter" in the lyrics since the term "texter", meaning someone who sends text messages by phone, wouldn't have been used commonly until the late 2000s, so I looked up the official lyrics to the song. The use of the term "texter" as such would have been an anachronism in this song. - Submitted by: Ryan Miller
And I held her hand and Maggie's.
And I held her hand in mine.
The Story: When I first heard the song I had no idea that the wailed last word of that line was merely 'mine'. It sounded more like Maggie or Maggie's than anything else to me. So the above misheard version was the most sense I could make of it (for all apprehensions that 'three's a crowd'!). It was not until many years later when I heard it as a karaoke song that I read the monitor and figured out the real words. - Submitted by: Robert Jones
And the way she looked was wavy arms and hair.
or
And the way she looked was way beyond command.
or
And the way she looked was wavy on the men.
or
And the way she looked was wavy on the mare.
And the way she looked was beyond compare.
The Story: I was working as a secretary at a college in the late 70s and four of us had the four misheard lyrics above. We made a cartoon poster of it. I wish I still had it. - Submitted by: Kathay Duff
It's such a feeling that my love
I get high, I get high, I get high.
It's such a feeling that my love
I can't hide, I can't hide, I can't hide.
The Story: I thought that this was in reference to the Beatles fondess for getting high. I thought they may be saying that they were getting high off of love. Then my mother corrected me and I'm just like..."it is??" - Submitted by: Mr. Sally
It's just the feeling that my love,
I get high,
I get high,
I get hiiiiiiiigh!
It's just the feelin' that I love,
I can't hide,
I can't hide,
I can't hiiiiiiide!
The Story: I was about 12 years old (Hardcore Beatles' Fan!) and the song came up on my album, I heard it and I always thought it was "I get high," but then, later, I came across a certain site that showed me the correct lyrics, boy was that a great day! - Submitted by: Matthew
And when I touch you
I will have it inside.
And when I touch you
I feel happy inside.
The Story: I used to think that 'it' in the misheard lyric referred to a sprinkler I stole from a next-door neighbor of mine. - Submitted by: Wimpy
I am in Woolworth's.
I am a walrus.
The Story: My cousin, who is now 50, still sings her version. - Submitted by: jan
The cat's got my brain.
I can't stop my brain.
The Story: I thought it was just a saying similar to "Cat got your tongue?" - Submitted by: James Victor
You say you wouldn't be wantin' me, no Joe,
It's two in the morning and I can't sleep,
The cat's got my brain, you know it's knee deep,
I'm going insane
You'd say I'm puttin' you on, but it's no joke,
It's doing me harm, you know I can't sleep
I can't stop my brain, you know it's three weeks
I'm going insane
The Story: 35 years ago a coworker told me that she heard the lyrics this way when the song was new, and I always remembered it. It still makes me laugh. - Submitted by: James Owens
I've got a filling.
I've got a feeling.
The Story: My young daughter heard this song after she had been to the dentist. - Submitted by: Ann
Farming, yes I am farming
And she keeps calling be back again.
Falling, yes I am falling
And she keeps calling me back again.
The Story: Literally for ages, I thought he was saying 'farming'. I used to get a mental picture of Macca ploughing a field, with a piece of straw hanging out one side of his mouth or something. - Submitted by: Bec Walker
In my life, I loved the mall.
In my life, I've loved them all.
The Story: From the time I was a child, I thought those were the correct lyrics. Then as a grown up I heard the song again and had reason to question if that fit in the context. Of course, after that it wasn't hard to guess the real words. - Submitted by: Jessica Beelzebub
pee in the bushes
lady maddonna
The Story: bushes - Submitted by: China
Cleaning for Donna
Lady Madonna
The Story: A roommate of mine argued for weeks that the "Grace Under Fire" theme song was called "Cleaning For Donna". I pointed out that it was actually a song called 'Lady Madonna' by a little-known group called The Beatles. [Ed.'s note: I'm pretty sure Schuh was being facetious.] - Submitted by: Schuh
Knee deep and under
Chewin' at your feet.
Lady Madonna, children at your feet.
The Story: Another one from my friend's eccentric (or dopey) sister. - Submitted by: Peter Royle
Knee deep in donuts
Lady Madonna
The Story: The song had only been out for a week or two at the time this happened. I was at my friend's apartment when the song came on and she started singing, 'Knee-deep in donuts...' I looked at her strange. When I told her the right lyrics, she laughed and said, 'Now it makes sense... but I like my version better.' - Submitted by: Gerry Ashley
Lady Madonna
Chili anchovy
Lady Madonna
Children at your feet
The Story: My kids were repeatedly asking to hear 'that song about chili anchovies.' It took my wife and I about a half hour to figure out what song they were talking about. We explained what the lyrics really were saying, but they still called it 'chili anchovy' and still do! - Submitted by: Jim
And though they may be ribald, there is still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be.
or
And though they may be maudlin, there is still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be.
For though they may be parted, there is still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be.
The Story: Its already kind of a maudlin song, so I didn't think it was right that they accuse others of being maudlin. - Submitted by: Amy Allen
Letter B
Let it be
The Story: Too much Sesame Street. - Submitted by: Bernard F Hronek
Speaking words of wisdom
Letter B.
Speaking words of wisdom
Let it be.
The Story: As a kid I always thought it quite wise to know all your alphabet! And then, to confirm this, 'Letter B' was on Sesame Street. - Submitted by: Kaspyr
Lovely retard/meter maid
Lovely Rita, meter maid
The Story: I was pretty young, about 8, when I first heard the song. About that time, the word "retard" was becoming more common among the schoolyard vernacular. Without actually listening to the rest of the song, my mind immediately went to "Lovely retard," which seemed at once a bold attempt to make a point that everyone has beauty, and still a very non-politically correct use of slang verbiage. It was at this moment of confusion that I opted to follow the Rolling Stones instead. - Submitted by: Jeff Dean
Look into the sky, the sky.
Lucy in the sky with diamonds
The Story: I used to work with this guy, who was kinda slow. Anyway, one day he starts singing, 'Look into the sky, the sky'. I asked, 'What on Earth are you singing?' And he answered, 'You know, that song by the Beatles.' I thought I knew all the songs by the Beatles. We were trying for like 5 minutes to figure out what the heck song this was. It didn't help that he was singing off key either. When I finally figured it out, I was laughing and had to tell everyone. He was embarassed though, so I pretty much stopped. I would remind him of it from time to time ^_-. - Submitted by: The Lightning Stalker
Lucy in the sky with Pam
Lucy in the sky with diamonds
The Story: My stepsister, Pam, thought the song was about her. In her defense, we were pretty young. - Submitted by: Jason Renfro
Lucy in the sky with diapers.
Lucy in the sky with diamonds.
The Story: Several of the kids in my mom's day care thought these were the lyrics. This is over a span of 34 years; the kids didn't necessarily know each other. - Submitted by: Lily Gillman
Newspaper taxis the beer on the shore.
Newspaper taxis appear on the shore.
The Story: I was in the 8th grade, and someone made a slide show set to music. When they got to that line, they showed a beach with beer cans on it. Naturally, I tried to put 2 and 2 together. :/ - Submitted by: Mig
Snoopy's in the sky, he's divin'.
Lucy in the sky with diamonds
The Story: I was a big fan of 'Peanuts' as a child, and Snoopy's battles with the Red Baron in general. When this song came out, my mother told me that it was about Snoopy dogfighting (no pun) the Baron. A few years later (at age five) I figured out what was really being said. It took a while to convince Mom, though. - Submitted by: Robert Pearson
The girl with colitis goes by.
The girl with kaleidiscope eyes
The Story: I have that I had the words wrong to this song when I said to one of my friends, isn't colitis a stomache ailment? That makes no sense at all in this song. It brought tears to everyones eyes they were laughing so hard. - Submitted by: Steven Gally
The girl with colitis goes by.
The girl with kaleidoscope eyes
The Story: In The Nanny, Fran Fine (Fran Drescher) was surprised to hear that the line was 'the girl with kaleidoscope eyes' was the line, and not 'the girl with colitis goes by'. She made a comment that the original was a better line, and she always thought that the 'colitis' misheard lyrics was very poor taste by The Beatles. - Submitted by: Jonah Falcon
The girl with colitus goes by
The girl with kalaidescope eyes
The Story: I THOUGHT COLITUS WAS AN STD - Submitted by: Sandra
A girl with colitis goes by.
The girl with kaleidoscope eyes.
The Story: When I first heard (or misheard) the lyric, I was surprised and accidentally choked on my drink. - Submitted by: Robb
A girl with colitis goes by
A girl with kalidescope eyes
The Story: For years I wondered why the Beatles would sing about a girl with colitis. Then I realized my mistake! - Submitted by: Larry
Lucy in disguise with diamonds
Lucy in the sky with diamonds
The Story: My friend Mykka and I were discussing this website and compairing misheard songs with each other, and she told me a story of when she was young. She used to ask her mom to play the 'spy' song, the one where Lucy dressed up in a disquise, wore her diamonds, and spied on people. I'd make fun of her, but she was only 6 at the time. - Submitted by: Shannon
Where rocking horse people eat marshmallow flies
Where rocking horse people eat marshmallow pies
The Story: Only just found out it isn't "marshmallow flies". :-) - Submitted by: Peter Werner
Lucy in the sky with diapers
Lucy in the sky with diamonds
The Story: I was in the car driving to Vermont, and my dad and brother love classic rock. Thinking I knew the lyrics I screamed diapers instead of diamonds... both don't really make sense. - Submitted by: Kira
La la! The Magical Mystery Tour
Roll up! Roll up for the mystery tour!
The Story: I kept hearing it all garbled because I kept predicting the wrong lyrics. - Submitted by: Anonymous
Roll up
Bad-da-dup Ba-da-deep-ba-dee Tour
Roll up
Roll up for the Mystery Tour
The Story: I was expecting them to say "The Magical Mystery Tour", so it came out as garbled gibberish for years. - Submitted by: anonymous
Wal-lah!
The Magical Mystery Tour.
OR
Voila!
The Magical Mystery Tour.
Roll up
Roll up for the Mystery Tour.
The Story: I honestly didn't know the true words of this particular line until yesterday when I read the blog comments after seeing the Magical mystery Tour movie for the first time on YouTube. - Submitted by: Yellow Submarine Helmsman
Back in school again
Maxwell plays the fooligan.
Back in school again
Maxwell plays the fool again.
The Story: When I was younger, I thought that they were singing about how Maxwell played an instrument called the 'fooligan'. - Submitted by: David
Keeps a ten-buck note up his nose
Keeps a ten-bob note up his nose
The Story: I'm an American and I didn't know what a "bob" was (I know now it means shilling) so I guess my brain filled in the gap and I heard "ten-buck note" (buck being the U.S. slang term for dollar) instead of "ten-bob note". - Submitted by: Alex Puckett
Michelle, my bell
Soulless monkey fortress be in sample turns, be in sample.
Michelle, ma belle
Sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble, tres bien ensemble.
The Story: My dad almost drove the car on the opposite lane because he couldn't stop laughing about my interpretation. - Submitted by: jesse van winden
Michelle, Ma Bell
Someday monkeys won't traipse in on time
Traipse in on time.
Michelle, ma belle
Sont des mots qui vont trs bien ensemble
Trs bien ensemble.
The Story: This song really messed with my head, and is a major factor in my dislike for the French language. I thought the Ma Bell referred to the telephone company. - Submitted by: Juli
Michelle, ma belle Someday monkeys won't play piano songs. Play piano songs. [Or some people say the lyrics: "monkeys will play piano songs"].
Michelle, ma belle Sont des mots qui vont tres bien ensemble Tres bien ensemble.
The Story: A girl in college, in the 1990s, told me that the "piano songs" lyrics, were the actual lyrics to the song. I think the TV cartoon, named "The Powerpuff Girls", also says: "someday monkeys won't play piano songs". I guess that if the PPG show used the piano-songs-lyrics, then many people, maybe believe, that the song talks about monkeys that will or won't play songs. The PowerPuff Girls episode, that parodies the song, is called: Meet the Beat Alls. - Submitted by: TR
Michelle, ma belle
Someday monkey won't play piano song
Play piano song
Michelle, ma belle
Sont des mots qui vont tres bien ensemble
Tres bien ensemble.
The Story: This line is said in the "Powerpuff Girls" Beatles reference episode "Meet the Beat-Alls". A monkey called Michelle plays piano and Judy (or Jude) the zookeeper, says this line and then walks off. I always thought it was weird until I realized she was saying what French for "These are words that go together well" sounded like. - Submitted by: SideshowJazz1
Michelle, my Belle
Sunday morn' keep on play piano 'n song
Play piano 'n song.
Michelle, ma belle
Sont des mots qui vont trs bien ensemble
Trs bien ensemble.
The Story: I thought these guys must either be real poetic or else were stuck in baby talk! - Submitted by: Terri
Michelle, my bell
Someday monkeys won't get in on Sunday
Train been on Sunday.
Michelle, ma belle
Sontles mots qui vont tres bien ensemble
Tres bien ensemble.
The Story: This was what I thought when I was a little kid. I never used to ask any one about lyrics, I just heard what I heard and was content with that no matter how strange the lyric sounded. - Submitted by: Zymurgy
Someday monkey won't play piano ensemble.
Sont des mots qui vont tres bien ensemble.
The Story: The funniest part about this misheard lyric is that I used to sing it out loud in the car. And neither my dad, nor my brother corrected me. - Submitted by: Spencer
You walked hand in hand with another man in my face.
You walked hand in hand with another man in my place.
The Story: I always thought this song was about a stalker, who kept watching the girl of his dreams. Everything he does--seeing her in the window, knocking on the door, attempting to call, and especially "I know where you've been" I interpreted as the actions of someone who was following a woman who wanted nothing to do with him. It is actually about a man whose girlfriend is cheating on him and his attempts to confront her are being thwarted by her family. Hence "in my place" means the other guy replaced him, whereas "in my face" would be her sending him a message, "stop bothering me." - Submitted by: Denise
Biting my thumb.
Biding my time.
The Story: It was my sister as a child (many years ago) who misheard this this way. Of course the mishearing doesn't rhyme, so my family modified it even more. Now I can't help but sing it as 'biting my thumb, drinking her rum' instead of the correct, 'biding my time, drinking her wine'. - Submitted by: Jeffrey Goldberg
Isn't it good
Knowing Jerwood?
Isn't it good
Norweigian wood.
The Story: All this time, I really thought he was singing about a (sort of) eccentric girl, "Jerwood". Come on, there are lots of interesting names: (Jermaine, for instance0. I even truly thought my husband was pulling something over on me. After all, why the heck would someone sing about Norweigian wood? Ridiculous. I am 48 by the way. - Submitted by: J. Kressley
Piv it all
Until somebody else into your hands.
Leave it all
'Til somebody else lends you a hand.
The Story: I was typing the lyrics out by hand for a friend, while listening to the song. (Note: I typed what I heard) She didn't notice the mistake. A showed another friend, and she saw the mistake. I was cracking up. Really. - Submitted by: Aimee
Happy as a rafter in the marketplace
Happily ever after in the marketplace
The Story: I wasn't the poor fool whom misheard it. It was actually some girl in the school chorus. She wanted to do this song and typed up the lyrics. She had the misheard lyrics on there. When my sister told me of this, I began cracking up. How can someone be as happy as a rafter?! - Submitted by: CrazyBandGeek
Happy as a rafter in the marketplace
Happily ever after in the marketplace
The Story: My sister was doing this song for chorus and she knows pretty much all the words to it. This other girl was 'supposedly' knew all the lyrics to it. She decided to copy down the lyrics. This was pretty much the funniest of all the errors of the song. When my sister told me this, I bursted out laughing. - Submitted by: Crazy Bandite
Ob La Di, Ob La Da, light goes on, bra
La-la how the light goes on.
Ob La Di, Ob La Da, life goes on, bra
La-la how the life goes on.
The Story: I totally know better, but that's what it sounds like to me. - Submitted by: Suzanne
Desmond takes a trolley to the do-rag store.
Desmond takes a trolley to the jewelry store.
The Story: I'm a 46-year old man who grew up hearing this song and never know what the real lyric was. I knew it as "Desmond takes the trolley to the ." Sometime in my 20s I heard the word "do-rag" for the first time and, well, that was it. In my mind, it was "do-rag store" from then on. - Submitted by: Brian
Oh, DARN it!!
Oh Darling!
The Story: This is what my son used to sing when he was 3 years old. - Submitted by: Deb
Well you know I need a lift home now...
When you know I nearly broke down...
The Story: I've known this song for about 25 years, and consistently heard it this way. I thought it meant that the chick said she doesn't need him any more, but she's enough of a bitch that when she needs a lift home, she still turns to him. Last week I sang it in front of a shocked friend who corrected me. - Submitted by: DBH
Ape, the Back Rider!
Paper back writer
The Story: My little daughter was singing along with the music and I listened hard and asked her what she was singing. - Submitted by: SMT
"Take Her Back A Chrysler"
Paperback Writer
The Story: The lyrics were misheard not by me, but by a friend of mine back in 1966 when this song had come out. He asked me if I had heard the new song by the Beatles about buying a Chrysler. I replied, "What are you talking about?" and he sang the misheard lyrics listed above. We had a small arguement over this one. - Submitted by: Bob Apczynski
It's a dirty story of a dirty man
And his Klingon wife doesn't understand.
It's a dirty story of a dirty man
And his clinging wife doesn't understand.
The Story: Since the song predates the TV debut of 'Star Trek' by a few months, maybe this is where Gene Roddenberry was inspired to come up with the name 'Klingons'..? - Submitted by: Jeffrey Kasten
Paid for by Chrysler
Paperback writer
The Story: When my wife was little she thought it was "Paid for by Chrysler". - Submitted by: TJ
Paint the bag brighter.
Paperback writer
The Story: This is what a friend thought the Beatles were singing. - Submitted by: Neil Tarbox
Take the back right turn....
Paperback writer
The Story: always thought the beatles were giving directions to some secret house in the country where they all hung out... - Submitted by: Sean
Think about laughter.
Paperback writer
The Story: My wife was hearing me sing this song, quite confidently may I add, using the incorrect version above. We were flying down the 101 in LA and this song was cranked, and she started laughing. She said to me: 'Think about laughter?! Try: Paperback Writer!' Listening to that song from that day on was never quite thr same. - Submitted by: Mongo Dawsoni
Tickle that Chrysler
Paperback Writer
The Story: I always wondered how one could tickle a car? I found out the true lyrics when I was 9 years old. - Submitted by: Pokeo
And Elaine, she's in my ears and in my eyes.
Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes.
The Story: My sister bought the Beatles 1 cd (she's a big fan). I'm not a huge fan, but I love to sing along. I never looked at the title and so I thought for the longest time that the song was a love song about a girl named Elaine. - Submitted by: Mira
And Elaine
Penny Lane
The Story: I always believed that this song was about some woman called Elaine. I guess a woman could be 'in [a man's] ears and in [his] eyes' if he was really crazy about her. Only when I received a Beatles album for Christmas 2000 did I notice the title of the song and hear the correct lyrics. Gosh, what a bloody moron I feel like now! Oh, well. Someone out there has probably sung a love song about an Elaine. - Submitted by: Katie O.
And he lays beneath my ears and in my eyes
And beaneath the blue so puddin' skies
That say that we shall part.
Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes
Wet beneath the blue suburban skies
I sit meanwhile back in.
The Story: A friend of mine was convinced that the words 'Penny Lane' was a Liverpool code phrase for 'long hair.' Thus--' 'Penny Lane' is in my ears and in my eyes.' - Submitted by: ...james
Aunt Elaine is in my ear and in my eye.
Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes.
The Story: I was really young when I first heard this. The next time I saw my Aunt Elaine, I asked her if she heard the song they wrote about her. - Submitted by: wadded beef
Baby faces in my ears and in my mind
Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes
The Story: I wondered how the Fab Four got into the looks of baby faces! - Submitted by: Cody Finke
From the corner is a banker, an emoticon.
From the corner is the banker in a moter car.
The Story: One day I was driving in the car with my father and we were listening to this song. I was sick of wondering what an emoticon was (besides online smilies) and so I asked my dad. He corrected me on the lyric and added 'You've been spending way to much time on the computer!' - Submitted by: Sponge Beatle
Her prettiness is selling puppies from a tray
A pretty nurse is selling poppies from a tray.
The Story: As a kid, that is what I heard and thought pretty girls walked the streets selling puppies in England. - Submitted by: Brian Chidichimo
Penny Laces in my ears and in my eyes.
Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes.
The Story: I foolishly asked my older brother WHAT in thunder would invoke "Penny Laces in my ears and in my eyes." He quickly retorted "how could you think that?" and explained that it's Penny Lane. That didn't make much sense either since we didn't seem to have any "Penny Lane" on this side of the Atlantic. Of course I should have known better, as laces cost a lot more than a penny any time I was alive. - Submitted by: steve johnson
Penny Lane is in my beer and in my yard
Penny Lane is in my ear and in my heart
The Story: This one is for my brother. On his school bus, the driver listens to oldies. He came home from school one day singing it the wrong way. I thought it was really funny. He wasn't embarrassed at all though. - Submitted by: Megan Mary
Penny Lane, the reservoir
Penny Lane, there is a bar
The Story: I always thought it was 'reservoir' until I saw Nicholas Lyndhurst perform it on an episode of Goodnight Sweetheart, when I was 21. - Submitted by: Colin Slater
She's killer diller when she dances the illser.
She's killer-diller when she's dressed to the hilt
The Story: I've wondered what dance the "Illser" was since the song came out. - Submitted by: Beatrice
Stare it down
And nourish what comes near you
Sdaeh rieht edih dna nur yeht
Semoc niar eht fi
The Story: These misheard lyrics were printed in a lyric sheet for the original Japanese issue of the song. Apparently, the translator didn't realize this portion was actually reversed. - Submitted by: S. Tim Wood
Chamomile
or
Chem and Mao
Chairman Mao
The Story: When I was a kid, I always thought that the lyric was chamomile. Yet my father was convinced that it was Chem and Mao. You could imagine our surprise when we saw the actual lyrics and found out that both of us were wrong! - Submitted by: Annie
But if you go carrying pictures of German cows
But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao
The Story: It was the last day of school and my friends and I had brought records to play and sing along with. When my friends heard my version of the song, they broke up laughing nonstop then informed me of the proper lyrics! - Submitted by: mdales
Hamaradi-oodi-a-loosha-a-a.
You say you want a revolution.
The Story: I was five years old when I made this mistake. I busted out singing it in Yosemite National Park, scaring away the deer my family was looking at, and they've never let me forget it since. - Submitted by: Kathleen MacNeil
A ginger slang with a pineapple heart.
A ginger sling with a pineapple heart.
The Story: nothing - Submitted by: Frank Edward Smith
Montellimar
Cream tangerine and Montellimat
The Story: Montellimat is the name of a candy from a box of 'Good News' chocolates. The story - according to none other than the author, George Harrison - is that Eric Clapton had a major - league sugar jones to the point where he would polish off an entire box of chocolates in one sitting..and have horrible toothaches afterward. 'Cream Tangerine, 'Pineapple Heart', 'Coffee Dessert' are the names of other individual candies. - Submitted by: Kevin Mahoney
You have to have them all pumped out after the savoy truffle
You have to have them all pulled out after the savoy truffle
The Story: I always imagined George Harrison wrote this song about an outbreak of food poisoning at a very swanky hotel. I could picture men in tuxedos and women in gowns hurried to the hospital to have their stomachs pumped. - Submitted by: Jamieson
cream tangerine and montelimar
Cream tangerine and montelimat
The Story: George wrote this song after reading the flavors on a box of chocolates, and cream tangerine, monetlimat, ginger sling with a pineapple heart, cool cherry cream, coconut fudge, and savoy truffle are all names of the chocolates in the assortment. - Submitted by: John
B-D-G!!!
Billy Shears
The Story: I thought they were singing guitar chords. - Submitted by: Bob!
The one and only Billy Shields
The one and only Billy Shears
The Story: Billy Shields was an offensive tackle for the San Diego Chargers back in the '70s. Never could figure out why the Beatles (who probably knew next to nothing about American football) would sing about a player who, although a good player, was fairly obscure even to American football fans. - Submitted by: Mike
The one and only Britney Spears
The one and only Billy Shears
The Story: I was borrowing the "Yellow Submarine" DVD from one of my friends. I watched the Sgt. Pepper segment, and thought that there was a reference to a pop star who wasn't born when the song was written. - Submitted by: Wally G.
If you love my cat
You know you should be glad.
With a love like that
You know you should be glad.
The Story: As a kid I always sang it like the misheard version above. Then I went a long time without hearing it. As a grown-up I heard it again and burst out laughing on realizing I'd gotten it wrong way back then. - Submitted by: Miranda Turner
You know you should be Brad
You know you should be glad
The Story: Again, we hate Brad from the Liberty Mutual commercial. - Submitted by: Cody Finke
el mambo si si si
shes loves you yeah yeah
The Story: mambo - Submitted by: chacon
There ain't no reason for you to be bad
For you're the woman and I love you so
There ain't no reason for you to declare
War on the one who loves you so
The Story: These wrong lyrics actually appeared in a lyrics website. - Submitted by: S. Tim Wood
I'm very small.
Cranberry sauce
The Story: A music teacher at the University misheard this, then spent 10 minutes linking it to how John Lennon thought of himself, and that the song was about his childhood. I didn't have the guts to put my hand up and say, actually. Listen to Anthology 2; it's absolutely clear, plus any fan knows it too. - Submitted by: Johnny Wilson
Living is easy with nice clothes
Living is easy with eyes closed
The Story: I've always heard the lyrics right. Some fool tried to tell me it was 'nice clothes' instead of 'eyes closed,' but I wouldn't budge. Finally he played it over the stereo at a party and then asked for a vote on what the lyrics were. He was the only person out of 41 who said 'nice clothes.' Then he listened to it again and admitted we were right, but only after extreme embarassment. - Submitted by: Evan Thompson
Strawberry pills for rabbits
Strawberry fields forever
The Story: Driving down the Natchez Trace with my best friend from high school, I was singing along with The Beatles, "Strawberry pills for rabbits." My friend asked me what I had just sung. I told him. He corrected me, and that's the first time I heard the actual lyrics. - Submitted by: Wayne D Stephens
And my advice for those who die
Wear clover pennies on your eyes.
And my advice for those who die
Declare the pennies on your eyes.
The Story: i seem to recall reading this lyric in a magazine review shortly after "Revolver" came out. But of 40 years of "clover pennies"? What the heck is a clover penny? I Googled the phrase; and apparently, I am the only one on the planet who ever thought this was the verse. - Submitted by: Pete
Annie Girdle Lee, I'll always be in love with you
And eternally, I'll always be in love with you
The Story: I thought that was her name. I was a little kid, what can I say? - Submitted by: Porfle Popnecker
Eating chocolate cake in the bath
Eating chocolate cake in a bag
The Story: I assumed it was some practice of John and Yoko's to lie in the bath eating chocolate cake - something like old man Steptoe with his pickled onions. And then on 'The Darling Buds Of May' I saw Ma and Pa Larkin having a full meal in their bath! - Submitted by: pickle*
Hear a brown Paul say, you can make it okay.
Peter Brown called to say you can make it okay
The Story: Lol well, I'm 47 years old and, for my entire life, I've thought it was saying, hear a brown Paul say, (I thought he was referring to Paul McCartney in some way all of this time..lol - Submitted by: TERRY
Last night my wife said "Yoko and you're dead
You don't take nothin' with you but your soul! Yeah!"
Last night the wife said "Oh boy, when you're dead
You don't take nothing with you
But your soul, think!"
The Story: Until I was 21, I thought this line was about Cynthia Lennon warning John (who was about to embark on tour) that if he took his mistress Yoko with him, she was essentially going to cut him. - Submitted by: Brenda
You don't take nothing with you but you're so homesick.
You don't take nothing with you
But your soul, think!
The Story: (Purportedly:) Last night the wife said "Oh boy, when you're dead/You don't take nothing with you/But your soul, think!" It just doesn't sound like "think" and I don't hear the L from the word soul. - Submitted by: Stan Takis
Ahh, the night with Paul
Ahh, the night before
The Story: Of course, the title tells all, but the way it is sung, it can be interpreted as someone singing of a rather passionate night with Paul McCartney. No wonder the old dog is on his 3rd marriage! - Submitted by: Eric Andrews
The batbooks that I have read
the bad books that I have read
The Story: The album this song is/was on (Rubber Soul) came out when the 'Batman' TV series was popular. I mean, batmobile, batphone, why not batbooks?! - Submitted by: Marc Ross
She's got a chicken to ride.
She's got a ticket to ride.
The Story: I was 4 years old when this song came out, and I honestly pictured a woman riding a gigantic chicken out of town. - Submitted by: Lisa
She's got a chicken to ride
It's in my hair.
Ahe's got a ticket to ride
And she don't care.
The Story: I was about eight years old when my mother was taking me to school one morning. When "Ticket to Ride" came on the radio, I asked my mother why this chick was riding a chicken. And what was in his hair? She started laughing so hard that she almost wrecked the car. She then explained to me what the real lyrics were. Almost twenty years later, my whole family still bust my chops about it. - Submitted by: Jess
She's got a d*** in her eye
And it's got hair
My baby donkey.
She's got a ticket to ride
And she don't care
My baby don't care.
The Story: My friend and I were going through some of my mom's old oldies tapes. We put one in a cassette player to see what kind of weird stuff people used to be into (just kidding, the Beatles are a classic). The song 'Ticket to Ride' came on. I was like, 'Did he say what I think he just said?' My friend said, 'What? That she's got a d*** in her eye and it's got hair and something about a baby donkey?' - Submitted by: Caper
She's got a trick giraffe.
She's got a ticket to ride.
The Story: My mom thought it was wierd that The Beatles would sing about a "trick giraffe". - Submitted by: Merri
My pipi don't care
My baby don't care.
The Story: I just remember the text as it sounded to me as a 13 year old boy. Pipi?!? Seemed logic in that context ;-) - Submitted by: Ben Hoebee
She's got a chicken to ride and she don't care
She's got a ticket to ride and she don't care
The Story: When this song came out in 1965 my little sister was six years old and loved to sing her version around the house. - Submitted by: Avis
She's got a chicken to ride,
She's got a chicken to ride,
She's got a chicken to ride, and she don't care!
She's got a ticket to ride,
she's got a ticket to ride,
she's got a ticket to ride, and she don't care!
The Story: When my daughter was two, we were playing the Beatles a lot, and my daughter like to dance to it. One day I heard her playing, and this was what she was singing! - Submitted by: Rose
Eat that chow.
Twist and shout.
The Story: Blame this on my fat little brother in the 1960s. I heard it right. - Submitted by: Ritchie Kelly
Runaway home
Runaway home.
We're on our way home
We're on our way home.
The Story: It's a very subtle difference, but my Beatles-obsessed friend noticed when I belted it out at a little karaoke party. Sadly, the most embarrassing part was the singing, not the slight mess-up. - Submitted by: Emily
Run away home
On our way home
The Story: Listening to a live performer and not fully hearing the lyrics, then trying to remember the song. I searched the words (with no quotes) and also "on our way home" (with no quotes) and one of the suggestions was Two of Us and I remembered it was a song by The Beatles and I listened to it and that was the song. - Submitted by: Bridget Ilene Delaney
I nearly died, I nearly died
I gotta whole lotta things to tell her
Whoa-oh-I, whoa-oh-I
I gotta whole lotta things to tell her
The Story: A typical example of confusing one Beatle classic with another, in this case, "No Reply". - Submitted by: S. Tim Wood
Griff and Chuck and Flav
Vera, Chuck, and Dave
The Story: About 20 years before Public Enemy formed, I thought The Beatles mentioned them! - Submitted by: Unowattimits
Vera, Chuck-man, Dave
Vera, Chuck, and Dave
The Story: It happened when I first heard this song. - Submitted by: BrilliantJ8
Will you still be sending me a Ballantine
Will you still be sending me a valentine
The Story: The Valentine card tradition was practically unknown here (Denmark) 30-40 years ago. Also, it's an appropriate gift for someone turning 64. - Submitted by: Giorgio
I look at the floor and I see evening sleeping
I look at the floor and I see it needs sweeping
The Story: One of my fave Harrison songs and I could not make out what evening had to do with it for the longest time. Then I checked the lyrics and laughed. - Submitted by: Paola
Paul.......Paul........Paul......
Ohhhhh........ohhhhhhhh.........ohhhhhhhhh
The Story: The 'Paul is dead' advocates of the late 1960s used this song as 'evidence.' They claimed that George was whining 'Paul' at the end of this song as a tribute to his dead friend. - Submitted by: Evan Thompson
Wire my guitar Jimmy Greaves
While my guitar gently weeps
The Story: Heard the wife singing it - Submitted by: Ben
Why don't we do it in the room?
Why don't we do it in the road?
The Story: The misheard lyrics always remind me of a man and his girlfriend locking themselves in a room and engaging in sexual activity. LOL - Submitted by: Isac
Boogie Pants
Honey pie
The Story: I always thought this was a strange lyric, but with the Beatles a lot of them are. Then I was reading through a list of song lyrics and realized this was actually "honey pie". With the accent it sounds more like "who-knee pie". - Submitted by: Marie DeVault
Moneybanks
or
Moneybags
Honey Pie
The Story: This one was my sister's. She thought this was funny because we're both diehard Spongebob fanatics, and in the episode 'Artist Unknown' there is a character named 'Monty P. Moneybags'. - Submitted by: Sponge Beatle
If a citizen must be dumb
If a citizen must be blue
If there's anything that you want
If there's anything I can do
The Story: I think the mondegreen is clearer on the Chipmunks' version of The Beatles than on the real thing. That probably caused me to hear it this way for years. - Submitted by: John Bell
Bil-ly Shears!
A-B-C!
The Story: Cut this bit out of the original recording and play it back on quality headphones! - Submitted by: Al Ian
And he told about his life in the land of submarines.
[later]
Love to Jacob! Love to Jacob!
[later]
Every one of us (every one of us) is all we need (is all we need).
And he told us of his life in the land of submarines.
[later]
Action station! Action station!
[later]
Every one of us (every one of us) has all we need (has all we need).
The Story: I heard “told about his life” and “is all we need” when I first listened to the song, and my mum often hears “Love to Jacob” when she listens to this song. - Submitted by: BrilliantJ8
Full speed ahead Mr. Gimble, full speed ahead
Full speed eh tuh deska!
Captain Shafer, Captain Shafer
All aboard! Skip it, skip it!
Full speed ahead Mr. Boatswain, full speed ahead
Full speed ahead it is, Sergeant.
Cut the cable, drop the cable
Aye, sir, aye, captain, captain.
The Story: I always pictured John Lennon in the sound room where they created the sounds for the animation. All the other Beatles were picking up different things around the room and making noise while John was speaking over the intercom. - Submitted by: Nick
We all live in a Wolverton latrine.
We all live in a yellow submarine.
The Story: When staying at a Boy Scout camp (Camp Wolverton) in the 1960's, this 'misheard' lyric was a popular rendition of the song amongst the scouts. - Submitted by: David Mathews
Yesterday
When my brother seemed so far away.
Yesterday
All my troubles seemed so far away.
The Story: Some friends of mine and I were having a party at a country house. After a few beers we started singing, and at some point 'Yesterday' came along, then we sang some more and got bored. Just as we were sitting there thinking of something better to do, one of us, nicknamed (Captain) Kirk (main passion: techno music, he's got no idea why everyone's praising some bugs for inventing modern music), suddenly grabs a wooden guitar, takes a very lyrical-miserable posture and starts whining: 'Yesterday, when my brother seemed so far away...'! All of us instantly broke down in laughter and this episode got engraved in the history of our gang. - Submitted by: Marius
Hey, you've got a hija of a way
Hey, you've got to hide your love away.
The Story: This was my little sister's interpretation of the lyric. After singing along for about 3 minutes, she turned to me and said 'What's a hija?' - Submitted by: Paul McKibbin
New entries in this section are currently reviewed by Brian Kelly. Previous editors (if any) are listed on the editors page.