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!).
Boys for Pele album at Amazon.com
A sordid fairy tale with you.
A sort of fairy tale with you.
The Story: I first heard this song on British radio. And knowing Tori's stuff, I wasn't surprised at the lyric---until I actually bought the cd. - Submitted by: mindy
A sordid fairy tale
or
I sowed a fairy tale.
A sorta fairy tale
The Story: I called the radio station and asked if she 'sowed a fairy tale' or 'had a sordid fairy tale' The DJ told me there are double connotations throughout the song. After that, he laughed at me. :) - Submitted by: Karen Kasey
And I'm so sad like a good book
I can't put this to bed.
And I'm so sad like a good book
I can't put this day back.
The Story: I just heard it and thought she was talking about when you are reading a really good book in bed. It's 3am, and you're still reading because you have to find out what will happen next. - Submitted by: Louise
I'm p***ing a portion to combat your poison.
I'm piecing a potion to combat your poison.
The Story: I've heard this song many times. But when I first misheard the lyrics, I was doing some work on my computer, so I was only half listening. When these lyrics came on, I stopped dead in my tracks and had to play the section back! - Submitted by: Jeremy
Come in here with me
Come and kneel with me
The Story: I thought these were the real lyrics until I looked at the lyrics sheet. I still think mine are better! - Submitted by: Cecilee
Commanding weathermen
Come and kneel with me
The Story: I knew I had to be wrong, but that's what it sounds like! I love Tori to death, but she really needs to enunciate, haha. - Submitted by: Anonymous
Make this easy, make this easy It's not as happy as it seems
Make it easy, make this easy It's not as heavy as it seems
The Story: I didn't realize I was singing the lyrics incorrectly until I heard Tori sing this song live and I realized, oh she's saying "heavy" not "happy." Ooooops! Then again, Tori has her own way of pronouncing things so she can be hard to understand sometimes. I love her but her enunciation stinks sometimes! :P :) - Submitted by: Cecilee
Vodka martini, take me to Moscow.
Bug a martini, take me to Moscow.
The Story: I thought the song was about a lady wanting to forget her troubles via a vodka martini. It really makes perfect sense this way. A troubled and disenchented lady looking at her martini glass and quietly directing it to take her to Moscow. (BTW, it's a beautiful song, with Tori jamming on a roto organ.) - Submitted by: Mixolydian
Keep your eyes on Your eyes on
Keep your eyes on Her horizon
The Story: Only until I saw the lyrics in the songbook for Tori's album "Scarlet's Walk," which this song is from, did I realize what the lyrics really were. Ooops!! - Submitted by: Cecilee
Ice cream, left the tray out. Singe it.
I scream, rev the triumph's engine.
The Story: Never really heard/listened to Amos before. Heard this song on the radio last night, thought it was sleep deprivation when I heard this. Listened again just now, still heard this. 😄 - Submitted by: TheRatGirlInRoom306
Mama, where'd you put the keys on you?
Rabbit, where'd you put the keys, girl?
The Story: I looked up the lyrics, and now the song makes even less sense. Before, I could at least hold out the hope that it was my mis-hearing that made the song so indecipherable. - Submitted by: Timmy
With my hands like a pee-pee head
With my encyclopedia
The Story: When I first heard this, I could barely believe it. I knew that Tori Amos had a reputation for being a bit of a kook, but this was ridiculous! Basically, after hearing this (nearly wetting my pants), I told an entire circle of friends who proceeded to look up the lyrics on the internet for confirmation. Of course, it wasn't 'pee-pee head', or even 'hands'. It was 'with my encyclopedia'. My friends and I laughed so hard we could barely speak for the rest of the day... - Submitted by: Brenna
Saw me my al dente all.
Saw me melt down to your
The Story: I frequently mishear Tori's lyrics, but usually can figure them out in time. This one, however had me stumped. Obviously, the line I heard was not right, but any attempt to make out something different lead me back to those lyrics. Too much food on the brain. - Submitted by: Torifan
No cigarettes, only peeled bananas for you.
No cigarettes, only peeled Havanas for you.
The Story: I embarassed myself in front of my parents singing this one in the car with them. My father (a connoisseur of cigarettes/cigars) said, 'Are you sure she's saying 'bananas' there? Sounds like Havanas to me.' I, being the headstrong daughter, said 'Havana wouldn't make any sense!' Then he explained what a peeled Havana was. (It's a style of cigar.) When we got home, we checked the liner notes. Ooooops...... - Submitted by: Emily
Sadam's she's got in her own neighborhood.
Flaunt all she's got in our old neighborhood.
The Story: . - Submitted by: Autumn
Tori Amos',
"Don't Make Me Come To Vegas (Timo Maas Mix)"
Don't let me convert you.
Don't make me come to Vegas.
General Lee
Generally
The Story: A Tori fan on one of the forums asked what the car from the 'Dukes Of Hazzard' was doing in this song! - Submitted by: pickle*
I got me samosas to ride on.
I got me some horses to ride on.
The Story: It just really sounds like samosas. She sings it over and over again. I thought, "This can't be right. Why is Tori singing about samosas? Is she having some curry cravings?" Then of course I looked up the lyrics and went, 'Oh......'. - Submitted by: Al
If I multiply, if I multiply
Give me more, give me more
The Story: Um. I'm a massive Tori Amos fan.. and when i got Choirgirl I sat down and memorized all the lyrics.. or so I'd thought.. one day I was looking at the lyric sheet and I noticed it wasn't 'if I multiply' it was 'give me more'.. which sound nothing alike. I posted about it to a Tori mailing list and got my ass laughed at, that's about it. If you listen.. it really does kinda sound like 'if I multiply'. - Submitted by: Lecy
Keep me warm
Give me more
The Story: I've been mishearing these lyrics for years and actually had no idea I was wrong until I read other misheard lyrics on this site. Oops! - Submitted by: Annie
King Solomon's Lines, Excerpt 75:
'I'm still alive'
King Solomon's Mines, Exit 75
I'm still alive.
The Story: I thought she was quoting the Bible. - Submitted by: muriel
You're only puppy love with anorexia.
You're only popular with anorexia.
The Story: I just always thought she was saying "puppy love with anorexia" for some reason, a lot of her lyrics are strange and I never really questioned it until I saw someone else quoting it once and I saw what the lyrics really were! - Submitted by: Sara
Rum and coke
Rebecca
The Story: It was a critic who misheard 'Rebecca' as 'rum and coke'- and then he hadn't a clue about the story, which relates to Daphne Du Maurier's novels 'Rebecca' and 'Jamaica Inn'. - Submitted by: pickle*
Like Gemma says
Like Jimi said
The Story: This one was probably half wishful thinking, but I was sure Tori was singing about someone named Gemma. Then few years later, she actually did. - Submitted by: Gemma
Like Genesis
Like Jimi said
The Story: A friend of mine who liked the Gabriel-era Genesis coined the 'Like Genesis' line. Tori is known for wanting to give Mary Magdalene and Mary, Mother of Jesus equal prominence, and the only evidence of one of them I know of in a Genesis song is 'Holy Mother of God' in 'Dance On A Volcano'! - Submitted by: pickle*
Little sound, many there Olsen Girls
With red ribbons
The pettiest red ribbons.
Little sound, many there know some girls
With red ribbons
The prettiest red ribbons.
The Story: I don't know. I figured Tori just wasn't a fan of the Olsen Twins, so she put them in her song about Hell. - Submitted by: Katie
She does the shows with her nautical nose.
She dives for shells with her nautical nuns.
The Story: Until I read the lyric sheet, I didn't even question what I thought I heard. I figured it's Tori, it's not supposed to make sense to anybody but her. - Submitted by: Jackie
And the seed it warmened with the parasol
If I'm the seated woman with with a parasol
The Story: Thought it was about an egg being fertilised, perhaps parasol was a strange name for her husband's penis... - Submitted by: bob
I haven't moved since the cocaine.
I haven't moved since the call came.
The Story: I assumed she was referring to a bad drug experience - maybe an impure batch of cocaine. - Submitted by: pickle*
I haven't moved since the cocaine
Since the cocaine, I haven't moved.
I haven't moved since the call came
Since the call came, I haven't moved.
The Story: The only thing I just thought, was: wtf is she singing? Then I looked it up and wasn't sure if I know should be disappointed. I asked my girlfriend to listen to it and to tell me what she understands. Well, she heard 'cow' instead of my 'cocaine'. - Submitted by: Sabrina
The seeded woman
The seated woman
The Story: I initially thought she was singing about a ladies' tennis champion, because they always say something like 'So-and so is seeded fourth in the finals' on coverage of Wimbledon! - Submitted by: pickle*
Tori Amos',
"Professional Widow (Its Got To Be Big) [Armand Van"
Hardly bring any toast tonight...
Hardly bring any toast tonight
Saturday bake
Saturday bake
Honey bring youself close to my...
Honey bring yourself close to my lips yeah
It's gotta be big
It's gotta be big
The Story: I thought that I heard it this way for about 7 years till one day a mate said that it's "It's gotta be big." - Submitted by: RAz Dtrain
He's got a pancake. He's got a pancake.
It's gotta be big, it's gotta be big.
The Story: My daughter thought this is what it said. - Submitted by: Sena
Tori Amos',
"Professional Widow - Armand van Helden remix"
He's gotta big dick
It's gotta be big
The Story: Shouted at the top of my lungs on any dance floor whilst at Uni when released! - Submitted by: Berni
He's got a big d***, he's got a big d***.
He's got to be dead, he's got to be dead.
The Story: I used to work in a clothes store. The manager was rather fond of this song and would play it at almost full blast. I was a bit concerned as I thought it might offend the customers until she told me the proper lyrics. I did feel a bit stupid. - Submitted by: Nicola
He's got a big dick
Its got to be big
The Story: I worked for Tori Amos's record company in Australia at the time of this single coming out and I made the mistake of walking around the office corridors singing this line quite loudly and wandering why people were giving me extremely strange looks. A colleague pointed out the correct words to me (much to my embarrassment) but it hasn't stopped me from still singing my version now and again! - Submitted by: Alby
Saturday pig
It's got to be big
The Story: Half the time it sounds like "it's got to be big"; the rest the time it sounds like "Saturday pig" and I was thinking, "What on earth is a Saturday pig?" Maybe she likes big ugly fat men who look like pigs or she really enjoys eating pork at the weekend. - Submitted by: Gary Hall
The sun is warming - my mayonnaise is moistening.
The sun is warming
My man is moistening.
The Story: I was caught singing this by a close friend. As you can imagine, they fell apart at my little rendition. - Submitted by: Dan Bledwich
You thought that you were divine
Yeah well so did I.
You thought that you were the bomb
Yeah well so did I.
The Story: My sister actually did the exact same mistake and told me about it (because I still thought the line said 'divine') We both think it works better our way though! - Submitted by: Senan
The back of the black excursion
The black of the blackest ocean
The Story: I never really got how that tied into a love song. I didn't know if she meant the tail end of something sad. I was lost, until I finally looked it up after 10 years of singing wrong lyrics. - Submitted by: Katrina
Called my boyfriend lucky, add another slender pair of thighs.
Caught my boyfriend looking at another slender pair of thighs.
The Story: Was in the car with a friend and we were both singing along when these lyrics slipped out of his mouth. It was a very Seinfeld moment: 'What did you say? What? What could you possibly have thought that means?' - Submitted by: Easter Bradford
I hear that your old flame is a pilgrim.
I hear that your old flame is a purebreed.
The Story: I knew the song had something to do with dogs, but mishearing 'pilgrim' for 'purebreed' made me think "if this guy dated a pilgrim, he's got issues". - Submitted by: Alice
New entries in this section are currently reviewed by Brian Kelly. Previous editors (if any) are listed on the editors page.