Dictionary Word of the Day: Mondegreen

mondegreen
\MON-di-green\ , noun;
1.
A word or phrase resulting from a misinterpretation of a word or phrase that has been heard.

Quotes:

Mondegreens can be found in every area of the spoken word, from the record buyer who asks for a copy of the Queen single "Bohemian Rap City" to the schoolchild who is convinced that the Pledge of Allegiance begins "I led the pigeons to the flag."

-- Gavin Edwards, 'Scuse Me While I Kiss This Guy: And Other Misheard Lyrics

There is something consoling about Web pages that collect "mondegreens." Sites featuring these often hilarious examples of misheard song lyrics offer proof, at last, that botching the words to popular songs is a nearly universal human failing.

-- Pamela LiCalzi O'Connell, "Sweet Slips Of the Ear: Mondegreens", New York Times, April 9, 1998

Oh, I love this word!  We've all done it, haven't we?  We're going along, minding our own business, singing at the top of our lungs (Like this classic:)

I see the bad moon arising.
I see trouble on the way.
I see earthquakes* and lightnin'(FIGHTING).
I see bad times today.

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

I hear hurricanes are blowing.
I know the end is coming soon.
I fear rivers over flowing.
I hear the voice of rage and ruin(THAT RAISED THE ROOF).

Don't go around tonight,
Well, it's bound to take your life,
There's a bad moon (BATHROOM) on the rise(RIGHT).
All right!

Hope you got your things together.
Hope you are quite prepared to die.
Looks like we're in for nasty weather.
One eye is taken for an eye.(ONE GUY IS DRINKING ALL THE RYE)

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

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

Bad Moon on the Rise Credence Clearwater Revival

That's honestly how I sang it was for years.  I didn't know the line about earthquakes until I googled the lyrics this morning.  That's just the first mondegreen off the top of my head (John Fogarty is the muse of all mondegreen singers, after all)

Tom interpreted a David Bowie lyric 'sidewalk and trees' as 'cyborgs and cheese.'  We've never let him live that one down. 

I'll share one more and then I'll ask you to share one of your own mondegreens.

When Jake was just a little squirt he was memorizing his first Bible verse:  John 14:2

In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare (REPAIR) a place for you.

Comments

[Kim in ON]

Remember that song "Band on the Run" by Paul McCartney? How about "sand on the rug?"

[Jill]

This is a great word, Kim, and so much fun! Brian and I love talking about mondegreens--but we never knew there was a word for them!

I had a friend that was a classic at this. One time she used the phrase 'crown victorian' in place of 'valedictorian.'

Some of the essays Brian receives from his students are littered with these...'the sixteenth chapel' in place of Sistine chapel, or 'seeley cat' instead of 'coelacanth'.

Love it!

[Janet]

Yeah, I remember "Bathroom on the Right" about the way you do, Kim. My hubby sometimes refers to his dad talking of getting his "radio" tires "bounced." Not sure whether that's a true mondegreen or his Philly/Trenton accent. BTW, see Wikipedia for the etymology, if you haven't already.

[lawyerchik1]

Those are so hilarious! :) I don't remember any mondegreens in our family history. We make other stuff up in general, but we're pretty strict on lyrics!! (Of course, my parents let us listen to mostly folk music, gospel quartets, and the Carpenters, and they were all pretty articulate singers!)

[jake]

theres always the classic hendrix "excuse me while i kiss the sky" being heard as "excuse me while i kiss this guy"

[Sally]

When Paula was little, she used to sing, "I've got the love of Jesus down in my heart, down in my heart to stay."
(Tuesday.)