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!).
Night of Nights Live album at Amazon.com
You're always window shopping but never stop in Dubai
You're always window shopping but never stopping to buy
The Story: The city Dubai was not around when that song came out! I wonder how did the band know that Middle Eastern city. - Submitted by: abc
I travel Poland and I travel Hungary.
I've travelled cold and then I've travelled hungry.
The Story: When I was a kid, I guess I studied Geography more than most kids did. And that must be what made me conducive to hearing names of countries in the above line over hearing the actual lyrics. - Submitted by: Daphne Hughes
You never cared what cigarettes I could buy
You never cared what secrets I'd confide
The Story: I once commented to my mother that I didn't see why this was the kind of thing one would want one's partner to care about, and she agreed. - Submitted by: Eric Hamell
But the joys of love I'm greeting
Going now and far and by.
But the joys of love are fleeting
For Pierrot and Columbine.
The Story: When I first heard this song, the above misheard version was as near as I could come to making it out. This is one case where I first learned the correct lyrics by seeing them cited in a previous submission to amiright.com. Others have commented on the mystery and obscurity of the reference to Pierrot and Columbine. But I looked up those terms and found that they are names for two stock-character lovers in miming. That reveals how, in this song, they become symbols of two erstwhile lovers, lamenting the short-lived nature of their love, symbolized by the ephemeral nature of a carnival and the fling of two performing there as lovers. - Submitted by: Natasha
But the joys of love are fleeting
Poppy, Rose and Columbine.
But the joys of love are fleeting
For Pierrot and Columbine.
The Story: I'm glad you have the real words printed here. I have sung the wrong words for years! - Submitted by: Y. Walls
Far below and far on high
For Pierrot and Columbine
The Story: I heard (and sang) this song as a kid and for the next 45 years thought these were the lyrics! Oh well, I still prefer mine! - Submitted by: Ken Gray
For dear olden pal o'mine
For Pierrot and Columbine
The Story: Every new year we would sing Auld Lang Syne. I thought as a little girl that for dear Olden pal o'mine had to be right because that line in the carnival is over always reminded me of and rhymed with auld (which I thought was 'old') lang syne - Submitted by: Roxy
Poppy, Rose and Columbine
For Pierrot and Columbine
The Story: Like three flowers that fade too soon - Submitted by: acclivity
Porky roll and come on by
For Pierrot and Columbine
The Story: I submitted the above lyric within the last few days - it appeared in 'latest additions' but does NOT appear in the archive. - Submitted by: Robert Woodrow
Poppy, Rose and Columbine
For Pierrot and Columbine
The Story: Well, it made sense to a hearing impaired kid with some knowledge of short-lived flowers. After all, columbine is a type of flower, they don't live long, and they are considered romantic, therefore they are the joys of love, they are fleeting, and that's what the line sounded like! I finally learned the REAL line from an interview with The Seekers. Along with a lot more facts about the characters, and several jokes about mixed marriages. - Submitted by: Terri
New entries in this section are currently reviewed by Brian Kelly. Previous editors (if any) are listed on the editors page.
