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What’s your favourite mondegreen?

(210 Posts)
Blossoming Tue 18-May-21 17:21:54

A mondegreen is a misheard lyric or phrase that seems to make sense but has a completely different meaning to the actual words used. It comes from a mishearing of a poem that read ‘They have slain the Earl of Moray and Lady Mondegreen. Except it really read ‘They have slain the Earl of Murray and laid him on the green’.

My own favourite, courtesy of a little niece, is that well known song by John Travolta and Olivia Newton John, from Grease, “You’re the Wizard of Oz, ooh ooh ooh”.

MissElly Thu 20-May-21 16:13:02

My husband as a child thought that the last line of Rudolf the Red Nosed reindeer was. “you’ll go down and kiss Doreen”

Jaxie Thu 20-May-21 16:07:18

I thought “ Poetry in Motion” was “Oh, a tree in motion.” Until someone pointed out my error.

starstella Thu 20-May-21 16:05:51

WHEN I WAS 5 YEARS OLD I HAD TO LEARN THE HAIL MARY AND THE WHOLE CLASS PRAYED AND FORGIVE US OUR SCISSORS [SINNERS]NOW AND AT THE HOUR OF OUR DEATH AMEN.

Musicgirl Thu 20-May-21 15:56:09

When my sister was very small and the other children were playing at Dr Who she came home saying: “l am a toilet.”

Bluecat Thu 20-May-21 15:50:58

From Black Velvet Band by The Dubliners- "And her hairy tongue over her shoulder, Tied up with a black velvet band."

It's really "And her hair, it hung over her shoulder" but I prefer the hairy tongue interpretation.

Yammy Thu 20-May-21 15:43:22

In "Christmas Carol " which they had seen on TV, a friend thought Bob Cratchit was Pork Scratchings and had done for years.
When the children were small we had dancadils and paterkillers in the garden.
A child I taught said she liked me better with stip lick.

Sickofweddingcake Thu 20-May-21 15:15:49

When my DD was four years old, she would not accept that:
'Away in a Manger, no crisps in the bed' , was incorrect!
She did love her food though! smile

MadeInYorkshire Thu 20-May-21 15:07:57

My daughter as a young child when shopping one day sat down and said "I am NOT going into Marks and Spensives again!"

Been known as that ever since!

Grannynannywanny Thu 20-May-21 14:56:41

My cousin who has Down’s syndrome loves to sing. He’s a big Elvis fan. He used to sing In the Gateau (ghetto). He even used to burst into a rendition of In the Gateau if he was served cake for dessert.

For Golden Brown he sang Gordon Brown and if Gordon Brown appeared on tv he would sing it.

Galaxy62 Thu 20-May-21 14:41:20

The song by REM the sidewinder sleeps tonight, sounds like “only cheryl baker” it should be “call me when you try to wake her”

MountainAsh Thu 20-May-21 14:31:27

Kim19

For many years I happily sang what I thought was a fun nonsense song :- Mairsie dotes and dozey dotes and little amsey tivey. A kiddle etivie too, wouldn't you?

Actual words:- Mares eat oats and does eat oats and little lambs eat ivy. A kid'll eat Ivy too. Wouldn't you.

I will never understand why my family never put me right on this. I was a reasonably articulate child......?? I was an adult when discovered this quite by chance. Blimey!

Well, I never! Kim19 I thought I was singing the right words, till you posted.
Never too old to learn. grin

Blinko Thu 20-May-21 14:23:53

At Christmastime 'A weighing a Major'.

Blinko Thu 20-May-21 14:23:06

The backing line to Elvis's Teddy Bear is surely the repetition of 'hot banana'. I think it really is...unless anyone knows otherwise.

I'm crying with laughter at some of these...

Foxyferret Thu 20-May-21 14:18:45

Bringing in the sheep, bringing in the sheep, we will go rejoicing bringing in the sheep. I still sing this even though I now know it should be sheaves.

Blinko Thu 20-May-21 14:17:27

EllanVannin

"And lead us not into Thames station". Lord's Prayer.

...and deliver us from Eve Hill. It's a place near where I live, well known in the area.

Tickledpink Thu 20-May-21 14:16:28

We're having big fun by Inner City, sounds like 'we're having meatballs'.

LynneH Thu 20-May-21 14:14:28

From Bohemian Rhapsody, my husband always sings "spare him his life for his warm sausages"

MountainAsh Thu 20-May-21 14:06:15

Go and get stuffed
When the going gets tough-Billy Ocean

Four hundred Children and a chop in the field
Ruby don’t take your love to town

Nanascats Thu 20-May-21 13:57:57

Good King Wenless last looked out. But have to admit I was wrong with lots of songs before it was confirmed Was partially deaf in both ears!

Wibblywobbly Thu 20-May-21 13:57:18

From the Bear Necessities: My daughter when young used to sing “Forget about your worries and your stripes”.

May7 Thu 20-May-21 13:51:27

Sex on fire by Kings of Leon

Woah Oh Oh Oh Oh your socks are on fire

Gcs sing this in the car and I just love it.

Apricity Thu 20-May-21 13:49:28

"Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet eating her curtains away."
I can still remember wondering why anyone would eat their curtains.

Laurensnan Thu 20-May-21 13:47:26

Bohemian Raspsody ....just gotta right out of Mia .
A hymn at school always confused me. The lyric was 'nobody knows the trouble I see'. I heard it as 'nobody knows the trampoline sea'.

mrsba Thu 20-May-21 13:44:05

I'm a Surviver by Destineys Child. It always sounds as if they are singing about a Bus Driver at one point.

Soroptimum Thu 20-May-21 13:42:17

My husband has absolutely loads of lyrics he’s got wrong over the years!
All sing Matilda - Waltzing Matilda
I’m a Thai girl - I’m a tiger (Lulu)
The night has a thousand knives - The night has a thousand eyes
And perhaps the best one
Apollo dives to her - apologise to her (She loves you, The Beatles)