It's not entirely possible to catch every single lyric in a song.
Listeners would have to actively be tuned in to not miss the words to a song that can be distorted by a singer's vocal interpretation.
But where's the fun in that?
Sometimes what the listeners thought they heard but were actually way off is a better payoff.
Curious to hear from causal music lovers, Redditor FamousTree391616 asked:
"What's the Funniest Misheard Song Lyric You've Ever Encountered?"
Strong Band Dislike
"Train - Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)"
"For the longest time I thought the lyrics were 'Did you make it to the milky way to see the lights all faded? And Van Halen is overrated.' It's actually 'And that Heaven is overrated.'"
"I thought the guy just didn't like Van Halen for some reason."
– FearTheKeflex
Appetizing Dream
"My father, in broken English, would sing along with Madonna's Isla Bonita, "last night, I dreamt of some bagels."
– donutsbythedozen
"I'll raise you one: Young girl with eyes like potatoes."
– al_m1101
Bad Direction
"There's a bathroom on the right."
"Great when you're driving and someone needs a rest stop."
"But it's actually, 'There's a bad moon on the rise.'"
– Godloseslaw
Not So Tiny Dancer
"I'm not sure, but 'Hold me closer Tony Danza' is the one that always comes to mind."
– Orangewolpertinger
"Just let me staple the vicar."
https://youtu.be/7my5baoCVv8?si=Y04jwgkJQp-ZUAgn
– JamesTheJerk
Eight Boots Were Made For Walkin'
"O Fortuna. "This octopus, let's give him boots, send him to North Korea."
– StarChaser_Tyger
One Smart Goat
"I had books full of these in the 90s, but my favorite is still 'my goat knows the bowling score, hallelujah' instead of 'Michael, row the boat ashore, hallelujah.'"
– jredmond
It only gets better.
Peculiar Instructions
"Don't go Jason Waterfalls."
– SystemFailure
"Why did Jason Waterfalls have to leave?!?!?! 😭"
– Garden_Salad_
"We used to sing Go, Go Jason Waterfalls."
– 58lmm9057
Alana Smore Is It Sang:
"You aughta know: the cross-eyed bear that you gave me."
– IMarvinTPA
'Pumpkin' Is Understood
"Later we'll have some f'kin pie and we'll do some caroling"
– SociallyAwkward423
This My Sh*t
"Holla Back Girl by Gwen Stefani.'”
– chigginbutt
"I heard Holodeck girl. She's not one of Riker's fantasy women!"
– whyamionfireagain
Proud Of My City
"Grew up in Columbia, Missouri 30 mins from the state capital of Jeff City. Was convinced that Bowie’s Suffragette City was actually Stop in Jeff City."
"I still think it sounds like this. At the time I figured it was some local band singing about their regional tour. Had no idea it was David Bowie."
– squirrel-juggler
A Lot To Handle
"My husband singing the Black Crowes' 'Hard to handle': 'Hey little thing let me light your chemicals a mama I'm sure hard dependent now.'"
– PomeranianLibrarian
The hits just keep coming.
Dramatic Flair
"When the eagles were 'on a dark desert highway, cool whip in my hair'. Must hold phenomenally but I’d think the heat would make it start to reek."
– cotterized1
No Rest For The Wicked
"'I want to rock and roll all night! And part of every day!' I always thought KISS was just being reasonable, they need to sleep at some point…"
– CaptainEO
80s Hits That Missed
"I thought Girls on Film by Duran Duran was Downtown Phil."
"I thought Van Halen was singing Animal instead of Panama."
– MobileDeparture7379
She Is The One
"I used to think Billy Jean went 'Billy Jean's not my mother, she's just a girl who said that I am the one but the killer's not my son' and I thought it was about a girl pretending to be a murderer's mother and trying to defend his character as a legal defense."
– Chazkuangshi
Fun For All
"Bee Gees."
"Whether you’re a lover or whether you’re a booger, you’re Stayin’ Alive.”
– TreeBeach
I'll never live this down.
The all-girl band named the Go-Go's from the 1980s had a huge hit called "Alex the Seal."
I sang it aloud all the time and, a. either my friends didn't know the song at all, b. thought I was making it up and being silly, or c. let me continue making a fool of myself knowing that the actual song title and lyrics were "Our Lips Are Sealed."