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!).
Golden Hits album at Amazon.com
It's a sin for you to get
Up next to candy horse.
It's a sin for you to get
A Mexican divorce.
The Story: As a child, I heard the song on my sister's lp record. I found the tune to that song particularly catchy, even being so puzzled about the words. My sister didn't like me messing with her records, but I wanted to hear that song one day while she wasn't at home, so I sneakily played the record. But I couldn't find on the cover or record a song title seeming to match that song as I heard it. So I played however many songs it took to go find that one. Then I identified it from the titles on the cover. When I saw that its title was 'Mexican Divorce', I realized, oh, so that's what the words are saying. - Submitted by: Robert Jones
'Cause I can play the steel guitar.
'Cause I can play this here guitar.
The Story: For years, I thought "What a strange pick of instruments for this genre". - Submitted by: Michael Hoover
And one thing, I won't even shine your shoes
And one thin dime won't even shine your shoes
The Story: That is what I always thought the lyric was all my childhood and adulthood until a few months ago! I'm 48!! I mean the lyric does make sense if you think about it "And one thing, I won't even shine your shoes", as in I have only a dime, but one thing - I won't even think about it shining your shoes to get some money!! - Submitted by: Codi Preston D.
But oh! They're dead wrong, I know they are
'Cause I can play this air guitar.
But oh! They're dead wrong, I know they are
'Cause I can play this here guitar.
The Story: On first hearing this song, I thought the lyrics said 'air guitar'. It made me think it was a song of real wishful thinking, since the singers are confident of becoming stars. But playing 'air guitar' is hardly much of a talent to build that hope on. - Submitted by: Daisy Pappus
I met a warthog.
Under the Boardwalk
The Story: This is what my sister thought the lyrics were. She went round the house singing, 'I met a warthog, we were falling in love'. - Submitted by: Student-waster
New entries in this section are currently reviewed by Brian Kelly. Previous editors (if any) are listed on the editors page.
