Difference between revisions of "Misheard song lyrics"

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(Created page with "People sometimes mishear song lyrics, which is in part due to misunderstood linking, like these examples. Try to identify linking and other features that we’ve discussed, an...")
 
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People sometimes mishear song lyrics, which is in part due to misunderstood linking, like these examples. Try to identify linking and other features that we’ve discussed, and pronounce the correct lyrics together (sing them, if you know the songs). These are sometimes called mondegreens - misheard or misinterpreted lyrics or phrases due to phonetic similarities.  
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People sometimes mishear song lyrics, which is in part due to misunderstood linking, like these examples. Students can try to identify linking and other features in spoken English, and pronounce the correct lyrics together (sing them, if you know the songs). These are sometimes called mondegreens - misheard or misinterpreted lyrics or phrases due to phonetic similarities.  
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
! actual lyrics  !! misheard as....
+
! song !! actual lyrics  !! misheard as....
 
|-
 
|-
| Excuse me while I kiss the sky <br> (“Purple Haze,” Jimi Hendrix)
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| “Purple Haze,” Jimi Hendrix
 +
| Excuse me while I kiss the sky
 
| Excuse me while I kiss this guy  
 
| Excuse me while I kiss this guy  
 
|-
 
|-
| There's a bad moon on the rise <br> (“Bad Moon Rising,” Creedance Clearwater Revival)
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| “Bad Moon Rising,” Creedance Clearwater Revival
 +
| There's a bad moon on the rise   
 
| There's a bathroom on the right
 
| There's a bathroom on the right
 
|-
 
|-
| I'll never be your beast of burden. <br>
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| “Beast of Burden,” Rolling Stones
(“Beast of Burden,” Rolling Stones)
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| I'll never be your beast of burden.  
 
| I'll never leave your pizza burnin'.
 
| I'll never leave your pizza burnin'.
 
|-
 
|-
| See that girl, watch that scene, diggin’ the dancing queen <br> (“Dancing Queen,” Abba)
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| “Dancing Queen,” Abba
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| See that girl, watch that scene, diggin’ the dancing queen  
 
| See that girl, watch her scream, kicking the dancing queen
 
| See that girl, watch her scream, kicking the dancing queen
 
|-  
 
|-  
| Sweet Dreams are made of these. Who am I to disagree. Travelled the world and the seven seas... <br> (“Sweet Dreams,” Eurythmics)
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| “Sweet Dreams,” Eurythmics
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| Sweet Dreams are made of these. Who am I to disagree. Travelled the world and the seven seas...
 
| Sweet cream is made of cheese, Who am I to disagree, Travelled the world in generic jeans
 
| Sweet cream is made of cheese, Who am I to disagree, Travelled the world in generic jeans
 
|-
 
|-
| Got my mind set on you <br>
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| “Got my mind set on you,” George Harrison
(“Got my mind set on you,” George Harrison)
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| Got my mind set on you
 
| Thought my mom sat on you
 
| Thought my mom sat on you
 
|-
 
|-
| No dark sarcasm in the classroom <br>
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| “Another Brick in the Wall,” Pink Floyd
(“Another Brick in the Wall,” Pink Floyd)
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| No dark sarcasm in the classroom 
 
| The ducks are hazards in the classroom.
 
| The ducks are hazards in the classroom.
 
|-  
 
|-  
| The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind, / The answer is blowin’ in the wind. <br>
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| “Blowin’ in the Wind,” Bob Dylan
(“Blowin’ in the Wind,” Bob Dylan)
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| The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind, / The answer is blowin’ in the wind.
 
| The ants are my friends, they're blowin' in the wind, The ants are a-blowin' in the wind.
 
| The ants are my friends, they're blowin' in the wind, The ants are a-blowin' in the wind.
 +
|-
 +
| “I’m A Believer,” The Monkeys
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| Then I saw her face, now I’m a believer
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| Then I saw her face, now I’m gonna leave her
 +
|-
 +
| “I Can See Clearly Now, “Johnny Nash
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| I can see clearly now, the rain is gone
 +
| I can see clearly now, Lorraine is gone
 +
|-
 +
| “Aquarius,” Fifth Dimension
 +
| This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius
 +
| This is the dawning of the age of asparagus
 +
|-
 +
| “Losing My Religion,” REM
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| That’s me in the corner, that’s me in the spotlight
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| Let’s pee in the corner, let’s pee in the spotlight
 +
|-
 +
| “My Heart Will Go On,” Celine Dion
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| I believe that the heart does go on
 +
| I believe that the hotdogs go on
 +
|-
 +
| “Tiny Dancer,” Elton John
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| Hold me closer, tiny dancer
 +
|Hold me closer, Tony Danza
 
|-  
 
|-  
| Oh Canada, we stand on guard for thee... <br> (“Oh Canada,” Canadian National Anthem)
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| “Oh Canada,” Canadian National Anthem
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| Oh Canada, we stand on guard for thee...
 
| Oh Canada, we stand on cars and freeze...
 
| Oh Canada, we stand on cars and freeze...
 
|}
 
|}

Revision as of 04:27, 13 July 2018

People sometimes mishear song lyrics, which is in part due to misunderstood linking, like these examples. Students can try to identify linking and other features in spoken English, and pronounce the correct lyrics together (sing them, if you know the songs). These are sometimes called mondegreens - misheard or misinterpreted lyrics or phrases due to phonetic similarities.

song actual lyrics misheard as....
“Purple Haze,” Jimi Hendrix Excuse me while I kiss the sky Excuse me while I kiss this guy
“Bad Moon Rising,” Creedance Clearwater Revival There's a bad moon on the rise There's a bathroom on the right
“Beast of Burden,” Rolling Stones I'll never be your beast of burden. I'll never leave your pizza burnin'.
“Dancing Queen,” Abba See that girl, watch that scene, diggin’ the dancing queen See that girl, watch her scream, kicking the dancing queen
“Sweet Dreams,” Eurythmics Sweet Dreams are made of these. Who am I to disagree. Travelled the world and the seven seas... Sweet cream is made of cheese, Who am I to disagree, Travelled the world in generic jeans
“Got my mind set on you,” George Harrison Got my mind set on you Thought my mom sat on you
“Another Brick in the Wall,” Pink Floyd No dark sarcasm in the classroom The ducks are hazards in the classroom.
“Blowin’ in the Wind,” Bob Dylan The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind, / The answer is blowin’ in the wind. The ants are my friends, they're blowin' in the wind, The ants are a-blowin' in the wind.
“I’m A Believer,” The Monkeys Then I saw her face, now I’m a believer Then I saw her face, now I’m gonna leave her
“I Can See Clearly Now, “Johnny Nash I can see clearly now, the rain is gone I can see clearly now, Lorraine is gone
“Aquarius,” Fifth Dimension This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius This is the dawning of the age of asparagus
“Losing My Religion,” REM That’s me in the corner, that’s me in the spotlight Let’s pee in the corner, let’s pee in the spotlight
“My Heart Will Go On,” Celine Dion I believe that the heart does go on I believe that the hotdogs go on
“Tiny Dancer,” Elton John Hold me closer, tiny dancer Hold me closer, Tony Danza
“Oh Canada,” Canadian National Anthem Oh Canada, we stand on guard for thee... Oh Canada, we stand on cars and freeze...