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Misheard Song Lyrics -> Stories -> Bruce Springsteen
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!).
Bruce Springsteen's, "10th Ave. Freezeout"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Temp devil in the freeze aisle
The Real Lyrics:
Tenth Avenue freeze out
The Story: Hear it on the radio all the time, and can never understand a thing he says! Whoever told Springsteen he could sing was obviously joking! - Submitted by: Slappy
Bruce Springsteen's, "10th Ave. Freezeout"
The Misheard Lyrics:
That devil has been freeze dried
The Real Lyrics:
Tenth Avenue freeze out
The Story: It sounds like the devil has been freeze dried - Submitted by: Josh
Bruce Springsteen's, "10th Ave.Freezeout"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Dead Devil in the Freezer.
The Real Lyrics:
Tenth Avenue Freeze out
The Story: I used to sing dead devil in the Freezer and wonder why he wrote that as the chorus, it didn't make sense -so I finally read the lyrics an saw it was Tenth Avenue Freeze out -- I laugh every time I hear it. - Submitted by: Tuula Speirs
Bruce Springsteen's, "10th Avenue Freeze Out"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Chet W. freeze town.
The Real Lyrics:
10th Avenue freeze out.
The Story: I was over heard singing the above lyric back in 1979 by older brother and have suffered ridicule ever since! - Submitted by: Patrick
Bruce Springsteen's, "10th Avenue Freeze Out"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Devil, devil with the freeze eyes
The Real Lyrics:
10th Avenue freeze-out
The Story: On January 15th 2004, while watching the 'Today' show, I heard Katie Couric claim she heard the phrase 'Devil devil with the freeze eyes' for this song. I laughed really hard. - Submitted by: Jamison Long
Bruce Springsteen's, "10th Avenue Freeze Out"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Tech devil in the freeze aisle.
The Real Lyrics:
Tenth Avenue freeze out
The Story: The only time I would hear this song was in the grocery store I worked at. So, it made sense to me that they would have a song that dealt with grocery stores. Of course, I don't know the lyrics beyond this one. - Submitted by: Seth
Bruce Springsteen's, "10th Avenue Freeze Out"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Tent devil in the freezer
The Real Lyrics:
10th Avenue freeze out
The Story: I was shooting pool with a girlfriend from high school. This song was on when I heard her singing along, 'Tent devil in the freezer' and I literally fell onto the pool table laughing. 10 years later it still makes me giggle when I think about our conversation after about what exactly a 'tent devil' was and why was it in the freezer? - Submitted by: Robb
Bruce Springsteen's, "Backstreets"
The Misheard Lyrics:
The Sultan faced and summoned me
And Terry, Beak and friends
Tried in vain to breed the fire
We was born in
And Terry, Beak and friends
Tried in vain to breed the fire
We was born in
The Real Lyrics:
One soft infested summer
Me and Terry became friends
Tryin' in vain to breathe the fire
We was born in
Me and Terry became friends
Tryin' in vain to breathe the fire
We was born in
The Story: My nickname was The Sultan in high school, and I actually had a friend we called Beak. - Submitted by: AJinRI
Bruce Springsteen's, "Badlands"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Bada**, you gotta live it every day.
The Real Lyrics:
Badlands, you gotta live another day.
The Story: My husband (not really into Bruce at the time) always thought Bruce was saying 'Bada**'!!' You should've seen his face when I told him the real lyrics (as I was laughing just way too hard), as he sang out (way too loud) 'Bada**' over and over again, pumping his fist in the air. Too funny!! - Submitted by: Dee
Bruce Springsteen's, "Badlands"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Bald man, you gotta live it anyway
The Real Lyrics:
Badlands, you gotta live it every day.
The Story: I was like 5 and this was my favorite song, enough said. - Submitted by: JF
Bruce Springsteen's, "Badlands"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Til you get your batch learn
The Real Lyrics:
Til you get your facts learned
The Story: I have no clue what batch learn is but I think that Bruce really needs some speech therapy or a better recording studio - Submitted by: dayna
Bruce Springsteen's, "Because the Night"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Because the night belongs to Lars
The Real Lyrics:
Because the night belongs to lovers
The Story: This is what my 6-year-old daughter thought that was being sung. My father-in-law has a friend named Lars. - Submitted by: Mark Segall
Bruce Springsteen's, "Blinded By The Light"
The Misheard Lyrics:
And little Curly Girly gave my anus a curly whirley
And asked me if I wanted to ride.
And asked me if I wanted to ride.
The Real Lyrics:
And little Early Pearly came by in his curly-wurly
And asked me if I needed a ride.
And asked me if I needed a ride.
The Story: I was singing with a friend and heard that and laughed for 20 minutes...and got yelled at by our uncle. - Submitted by: Lee
Bruce Springsteen's, "Blinded By The Light"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Blinded by the light
Cut loose like a douche, another lover in the night.
Cut loose like a douche, another lover in the night.
The Real Lyrics:
Blinded by the light
Cut loose like a deuce, another runner in the night.
Cut loose like a deuce, another runner in the night.
The Story: I heard my friend, who is a self-proclaimed Bruce Springsteen freak, singing these lyrics. I started laughing hysterically. I told her, 'Jane, do you really think The Boss is singing about feminine hygiene?' - Submitted by: Kathy
Bruce Springsteen's, "Born In The U.S.A"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I'm a long d*** daddy in the USA.
The Real Lyrics:
I'm a long gone daddy in the USA.
The Story: Need I say more? Must a guy turn everything into the subject of his 'gadget'? This is what my husband has sang forever, it seems. - Submitted by: KittyF
Bruce Springsteen's, "Born in the U.S.A."
The Misheard Lyrics:
Porn in the USA I watch porn in the USA
The Real Lyrics:
Born in the USA I was born in the USA
The Story: Spoofed the word "born" into "porn" - Submitted by: CJEtelomar
Bruce Springsteen's, "Born in the USA"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Born in the USA
Born in the USA
Born in the USA
And I know I'm gonna die in the USA now
Born in the USA
Born in the USA
Born in the USA
And it's true I'm gonna die in the USA now
Born in the USA
Born in the USA
And I know I'm gonna die in the USA now
Born in the USA
Born in the USA
Born in the USA
And it's true I'm gonna die in the USA now
The Real Lyrics:
Born in the USA
Born in the USA
Born in the USA
I'm a long gone daddy in the USA now
Born in the USA
Born in the USA
Born in the USA
I'm a cool rocking daddy in the USA now
Born in the USA
Born in the USA
I'm a long gone daddy in the USA now
Born in the USA
Born in the USA
Born in the USA
I'm a cool rocking daddy in the USA now
The Story: The mistaken references to "And I know I'm gonna die in the USA" and "And it's true I'm gonna die in the USA" were clear continuations, wrong as they were, to the overall bleakness, defeatism, and fatalism of the lyrics.DU - Submitted by: Parker Gabriel
Bruce Springsteen's, "Born in the USA"
The Misheard Lyrics:
He had a woman he loved in Saigon
or
He had a woman he left in Saigon
or
He had a woman he left in Saigon
The Real Lyrics:
He had a little girl in Saigon
The Story: I just figured that the Boss wrote those lyrics because you can't really hear him clearly on that verse. It is a widely misunderstood protest song about the Vietnam War so I thought he was talking about a guy who married a girl when he was overseas and it made perfect sense with the rest of the words. - Submitted by: dayna
Bruce Springsteen's, "Born in the USA"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I watched porn in the USA
The Real Lyrics:
I was born in the USA
The Story: I always hear 'was' as 'watched' and change it into watched Porn in the USA - Submitted by: Shing
Bruce Springsteen's, "Briliant Disguise"
The Misheard Lyrics:
It's just a Bridge in disguise.
The Real Lyrics:
It's just a brilliant disguise.
The Story: Thinking I was the world's foremost authority on Bruce Springsteen lyrics, I attempted to sing this song and was corrected by my husband, who doesn't care for the guy. He sings "Bridge in Disguise" all the time now. - Submitted by: Rachel Lange
Bruce Springsteen's, "Brilliant Disguise"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Is it me baby, or just a brick in disguise?
The Real Lyrics:
Is it me baby, or just a brilliant disguise?
The Story: No real story, just always heard it like that and actually, still do ... - Submitted by: ThumbOne
Bruce Springsteen's, "Brilliant Disguise"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Is that you baby or just a bridge in the sky?
The Real Lyrics:
Is that you baby or just a brilliant disguise?
The Story: My dad and I love Bruce Springsteen and we both misheard the lyrics. It wasn't until years later that I figured it out. Now in true fashion, when I sing this song in karaoke, I sing my lyrics at least once. - Submitted by: THE CAPTAIN
Bruce Springsteen's, "Brilliant Disguise"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Is that you, baby, or just the grim in disguise?
The Real Lyrics:
Is that you, baby, or just a brilliant disguise?
The Story: You know, the grim — omen of death and foreboding. - Submitted by: Jaminkeen
Bruce Springsteen's, "Brilliant Disguise"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Is that you, baby
Or just a brick in my eye?
Or just a brick in my eye?
The Real Lyrics:
Is that you, baby
Or just a brilliant disguise?
Or just a brilliant disguise?
The Story: From Pete, a mate at college who liked 'intentionally' mis-hearing lyrics ;-). - Submitted by: Miztadave
Bruce Springsteen's, "Countin' On A Miracle"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Two plus two
The Real Lyrics:
To come through
The Story: When my mom was listening to 'The Rising' the day it came out, I misheard these lyrics, causing me to remark, 'Bruce, four is not a miracle.' My mom, a Bruce fanatic, flipped out. - Submitted by: Charlie Decker
Bruce Springsteen's, "Dancing In The Dark"
The Misheard Lyrics:
This comes from higher
The Real Lyrics:
This gun's for hire
The Story: Although I must admit that the song could also be interpreted as Going-blindly In The Dark. Especially related to the struggle of the creative process, and life itself in general... - Submitted by: manigordo
Bruce Springsteen's, "Dancing In The Dark"
The Misheard Lyrics:
This gun's for hire
Even if you're Ted Danson in the dark.
Even if you're Ted Danson in the dark.
The Real Lyrics:
This gun's for hire
Even if we're just dancin' in the dark.
Even if we're just dancin' in the dark.
The Story: Well, it made sense, because I was watching Cheers before I heard this song for the first time. - Submitted by: Molly
Bruce Springsteen's, "Dancing in the Dark"
The Misheard Lyrics:
And they'll be calling you up all night
The Real Lyrics:
And they'll be carving you up all night
The Story: In retrospect it's rather easy to see how Bruce was really trowing jabs at his record company at the time... - Submitted by: manigordo
Bruce Springsteen's, "Dancing in the Dark"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Hey there, baby, I can use just a little head.
The Real Lyrics:
Hey there, baby, I could use just a little help.
The Story: It's well known that DITD is an actual reference to Having-sex In The Dark, mostly if you're extremely body conscious. Hence I associated most of the lyrics it with corresponding double meanings and innuendo... - Submitted by: manigordo
Bruce Springsteen's, "Dancing in the Dark"
The Misheard Lyrics:
You can't start a fire worrying 'bout your li'l new Bonaparte
The Real Lyrics:
You can't start a fire worrying about your little world falling apart
The Story: I highly doubted he was referring to Napolean Bonaparte, but for some reason, I ALWAYS heard "Bonaparte" at the end of this line!! - Submitted by: Scary Shari
Bruce Springsteen's, "Downbound Train"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Now I swing a sledge hammer on a railroad gang
Knocking down them cross ties; working hand to ham
Knocking down them cross ties; working hand to ham
The Real Lyrics:
Now I swing a sledge hammer on a railroad gang
Knocking down them cross ties; working in the rain
Knocking down them cross ties; working in the rain
The Story: When I saw Bruce and the E-Streeters live in 1999 they surprised us by playing this gem. I still had a rough time discerning what Bruce said in these lines. Good thing most of his albums have lyrics enclosed. They kind of serve as English - New Jersey / New Jersey translation guides ; ) Now if R.E.M. would do us the same service more often! - Submitted by: Elvis Lives in Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen's, "Ghosts"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Boots on the spurs you used to ride
Click down the halls but never alive
Click down the halls but never alive
The Real Lyrics:
Boots and the spurs you used to ride
Click down the hall but never arrive
Click down the hall but never arrive
The Story: It made perfect sense when I first heard it because spurs are used on cowboy boots and he is talking to what seems to be a dead friend. - Submitted by: dayna
Bruce Springsteen's, "Ghosts"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I can feel the reflection in my bones
The Real Lyrics:
I can feel the blood shiver in my bones
The Story: The actual words make no sense at all and I don't know how one would feel a reflection in your bones. - Submitted by: Dayna
Bruce Springsteen's, "Glory Days"
The Misheard Lyrics:
He could throw that speed-ball by ya
Making love like a fool boy.
Making love like a fool boy.
The Real Lyrics:
He could throw that speed-ball by ya
Make you look like a fool boy.
Make you look like a fool boy.
The Story: My brother thought these were the correct lyrics for 19 years, since 1984, until I heard him and corrected him in 2003. - Submitted by: Big Bisho
Bruce Springsteen's, "Glory Days"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Lovely ladies
The Real Lyrics:
Glory days
The Story: Sang the lyrics wrong for 30 years till I was corrected - Submitted by: Cry
Bruce Springsteen's, "Glory Days"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Making love like a fool boy
The Real Lyrics:
May you look like a fool boy
The Story: 27 years on Earth and I still think that the Boss is being a little upfront about his friend's sex life. Keep that to yourself - Submitted by: Dayna
Bruce Springsteen's, "Glory Days"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Sometimes on Friday, I'd stop by and have a few drinks after she's working a bit.
The Real Lyrics:
Sometimes on a Friday I'll stop by and have a few drinks after she put her kids to bed
The Story: Since the next line was about her and her husband splitting up, I thought that maybe she'd taken up a part-time job to help to make ends meet. - Submitted by: Chris
Bruce Springsteen's, "Glory Days"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Sometimes, I'd stop by, have a few drinks
Then we'd kiss the bed
Then we'd kiss the bed
The Real Lyrics:
Sometimes on a Friday I'll stop by
And have a few drinks after she put her kids to bed
And have a few drinks after she put her kids to bed
The Story: I have misheard this one for 29 years on Earth and I thought that "kissing the bed" was some kind of weird slang for having sex until I looked up the actual words! - Submitted by: dayna
Bruce Springsteen's, "Hungry Heart"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Don't Make No Difference What Some Priest Said
The Real Lyrics:
Don't Make No Difference What Nobody Says
The Story: I didn't know the actual lyrics for over 6 years! - Submitted by: Philadelphia Patriot
Bruce Springsteen's, "Hungry Heart"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Got a wife and kids and Baltimore Jack
The Real Lyrics:
Got a wife and kids in Baltimore, Jack
The Story: It made me wonder, just what is this "Baltimore Jack"? - Submitted by: Al
Bruce Springsteen's, "Hungry Heart"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Gotta watch 'em kiss in Baltimore, Jack.
The Real Lyrics:
Gotta wife and kids in Baltimore, Jack.
The Story: Shortly after my wife and I started dating, this song came on the radio. And this was the line she started singing. It took a look at the lyrics sheet in the CD case to prove to her the correct words. - Submitted by: j.dodgson
Bruce Springsteen's, "Hungry Heart"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Took a powder and I just kept going
The Real Lyrics:
I took a wrong turn and I just kept going
The Story: Yeah, I always thought, Bruce is so Kool, he just poof, turned to powder. - Submitted by: Shill
Bruce Springsteen's, "I'm On Fire"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Sometimes it's like someone took a knife, baby, edgy and dull,
and cut a six-inch valley through the middle of my skull
and cut a six-inch valley through the middle of my skull
or
Sometimes it's like someone took a knife, baby, edgy and dull,
and cut a six-inch valley through the middle of my toe
and cut a six-inch valley through the middle of my toe
The Real Lyrics:
Sometimes it's like someone took a knife, baby, edgy and dull,
and cut a six-inch valley through the middle of my soul
and cut a six-inch valley through the middle of my soul
The Story: I don't know the originator of this misheard lyric. I overheard the 'mis-hearer' telling the story to someone else, and it completely cracked me up. Since then, for me, this song has always been -- and always will be -- the 'Big Toe Song.' I laugh every time Bruce gets to that line. - Submitted by: Ruthie
Bruce Springsteen's, "Jungleland"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Kids flash guitars just like slick brains
The Real Lyrics:
Kids flash guitars just like switch blades
The Story: I just think that it's a weird set of words either way. - Submitted by: Dayna
Bruce Springsteen's, "Linda Let Me Be the One"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Wendell let me be the one
The Real Lyrics:
Linda let me be the one
The Story: It's a good thing most Bruce Springsteen albums have lyric sheets. They act as English-New Jersey/New Jersey-English translation guides. - Submitted by: I Saw Bruce Live 3X!
Bruce Springsteen's, "Mary's Place"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I got a picture of you in my locker.
The Real Lyrics:
I got a picture of you in my locket.
The Story: I guess that would not be the same kind of picture you put in a locker than you would in a locket. I'm not a native English speaker, the two words sound close. :) - Submitted by: Rover
Bruce Springsteen's, "Old Dan Tucker"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Get out the way, you old damn f****r.
The Real Lyrics:
Get out the way for Old Dan Tucker.
The Story: Someone e-mailed Johnnie Walker's show on BBC Radio 2 when he played it, asking if this song was about road rage. - Submitted by: Pickle*
Bruce Springsteen's, "Outlaw Pete"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I've got no sheep! I've got no sheep! Can you hear me? Can you hear me?
The Real Lyrics:
I'm Outlaw Pete! I'm Outlaw Pete! Can you hear me? Can you hear me?
The Story: - Submitted by: Janet Mackey/Vijay Pierce
Bruce Springsteen's, "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)"
The Misheard Lyrics:
And my machine, what the f***, out stuck in the mud somewhere in the swamps of Jersey.
The Real Lyrics:
And my machine, she's a dud, out stuck in the mud somewhere in the swamps of Jersey.
The Story: I didn't realize I was wrong until I came across a hardcore fan. Boy, was he pissed off! - Submitted by: Mike
Bruce Springsteen's, "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town"
The Misheard Lyrics:
He's gonna find out who's rowin' on ice!
The Real Lyrics:
He's gonna find out who's naughty or nice
The Story: That's what I heard when I was young; it sounded so sinister then... - Submitted by: Al
Bruce Springsteen's, "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Red devil in a green dress
The Real Lyrics:
Tenth Avenue freeze out
The Story: I thought the song was about a hot girl. It sounds just like "Hot Legs" from Rod Stewart. - Submitted by: Jon
Bruce Springsteen's, "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Step on the freezer.
The Real Lyrics:
Tenth Avenue freeze-out.
The Story: I am a big Springsteen fan, and when my daughter was about three years old, I used to play his 'Born to Run' tape all the time in the car. This was her favorite song from the tape, and she would always ask me to play 'Step on the Freezer.' She's seventeen now, and we still laugh about it. - Submitted by: Laurie Breton
Bruce Springsteen's, "Tenth Avenue Freeze out"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Tap devil to freeze hell
The Real Lyrics:
Tenth avenue freeze out
The Story: Forever thats what I thought it was, and one day my brother was in the car with my mom singing it and she heard him and corrected him, and thought it was incredably funny so she told me, and the wierd thing was that's what I though it said too! We still sing it our way! - Submitted by: Shelly
Bruce Springsteen's, "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out"
The Misheard Lyrics:
10-W Freeze-Out
The Real Lyrics:
Tenth-Avenue Freeze-Out
The Story: It just sounded to me (it came out when I was 8) like he's singing about his engine freezing up because of the wrong oil. - Submitted by: Eric Liming
Bruce Springsteen's, "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out"
The Misheard Lyrics:
Dead devil in the freezer aisle.
The Real Lyrics:
Tenth Avenue freeze out.
The Story: I first heard the song, and misheard the lyrics, when I was about 8 years old, and I thought it might be about battling Satan in a grocery store. - Submitted by: Kelli
Bruce Springsteen's, "The Nothing Man"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I am the muffin man.
The Real Lyrics:
I am the nothing man.
The Story: Well, my dad comes home and goes, 'Bruce Springsteen has a song about the Muffin Man' First, I cracked up, then he played it. I thought, 'Wow it does sound like it.' - Submitted by: nick
Bruce Springsteen's, "The Power of Prayer"
The Misheard Lyrics:
As Cole, the bouncer, shuts the door
The Real Lyrics:
Last call, the bouncer shuts the door
The Story: It just made sense in my head - Submitted by: dayna
Bruce Springsteen's, "The River"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I come from down in Nevada
The Real Lyrics:
I come from down in the valley
The Story: When I was ten I looked over at my mom and said 'I thought he was from New Jersey!' She (not realizing that I had misunderstood the lyric) asked me 'But aren't there valleys in New Jersey?' I shut right up after that! - Submitted by: BPSTeam
Bruce Springsteen's, "The River"
The Misheard Lyrics:
I come from down in the valley
Where Mr. Wander does
Where Mr. Wander does
The Real Lyrics:
I come from down in the valley
Where mister when you're young
Where mister when you're young
The Story: I just assumed that Mr. Wander was a guy that Bruce knew as a kid and never questioned it until I read Born To Run. - Submitted by: Dayna
Bruce Springsteen's, "Thunder Road"
The Misheard Lyrics:
These two legs will take us anywhere
The Real Lyrics:
These two lanes will take us anywhere
The Story: I thought it made perfect sense given that it's from the Born to Run album. - Submitted by: Nate
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