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!).
Very Best of to this Very Best of The Jam album at Amazon.com
For he is so pure and Ovaltine.
For he is of pure and noble creed.
The Story: I assumed David had skin the colour of Ovaltine, sort of milky brown. I thought about this when Brian Matthew played the Kinks' original on 'Sounds of The 60's' on BBC Radio 2! - Submitted by: pickle*
The Jam's,
"Down In The Tube Station At Midnight"
Down in the chip station at midnight
Down in the tube station at midnight
The Story: My sister's schoolfriend insisted it was chip station though what a chip station is I have yet to discover. For you guys - Tube is what we call the London underground (subway). - Submitted by: Warren Cheshire
So no bums can ever tempt me from she.
So no bonds can ever tempt me from she.
The Story: Ever since I first heard this album it's on (All Mod Cons), I thought Paul Weller was referring to bums, as in tramps. I later heard David Hepworth of Word magazine mention this as an example of bad lyrics on the quiz show 'All The Way From Memphis', and he definitely said 'bonds'. - Submitted by: pickle*
Eat some Rice Balls, eat some Rice Balls
Eton rifles, Eton rifles
The Story: I was eating dinner with my mom and the jam "Eton Rifles" came on but when the lead singer says the lyrics for the chorus all I heard was "all right, eat some Rice Balls, eat some Rice Balls" my mom thought the same. - Submitted by: graham
Eat two right balls
Eton rifles
The Story: I had made a compiltation tape of my favourite songs (including this one) to play in the car. I heard my husband (who at 27 is 3 years younger than me, and claims to be too young to remember The Jam...!) singing along with these lyrics at the top of his voice (with the windows wide open!) when we were pulled up at traffic lights. He had never heard of the song before he played this tape in the car. I laughed so much it brought on an asthma attack. He is now deeply embarrassed when I mention this misheard lyric to family and friends! - Submitted by: Patsy
Eee too right son, Eee too right son
Eton rifles, Eton rifles
The Story: As a kid, that's how I interpreted this on Radio 1 (UK) circa 1980 (I wasn't one for analysing lyrics). Medium wave reception didn't help. - Submitted by: Drew Rodger
Leads to Redbull
Eton rifles, Eton rifles
The Story: I knew it couldn’t be right but, try as I might, couldn’t work out what else it could possibly be. Just this morning, it came on the radio and I thought “ooh, look up the proper words to that song”! - Submitted by: Paula
Well the brass bands play and start T'Pau.
well the brass bands play and feet start to pound
The Story: I wondered what on earth the were singing about another band that wasn't even out until the late '80s but then I looked for the real lyrics and it was not T'Pau - Submitted by: Nathaniel
New entries in this section are currently reviewed by Brian Kelly. Previous editors (if any) are listed on the editors page.
