For some songs, the lyrics are futile and pointless, as the groove, rhythm, and beat of the song take over and make everything else irrelevant. That being so when a song like this comes around every so often, the lyrics are often misinterpreted. Not in a subtextual and poetic manner, but in a manner that is simply just mishearing what the lyrics are stating.
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And hey, there is nothing wrong with that, because it means your body has taken control and you’re simply belting out some semblance of the original lyrics. Frankly, it’s a gift and a testament to the song’s musical structure and appeal. Furthermore, when one screams the wrong lyrics, it makes for a pretty comical “mistake”. So, here are three famous songs and their misheard lyrics.
“Money For Nothing” by Dire Straits
Dire Straits’ 1985 hit, “Money For Nothing,” is iconic and one that has cemented itself in everybody’s brains for decades. Another part of the song that has done the same is the line Money for nothin’ and chips for free. Don’t lie, you’ve certainly caught yourself making this mistake before. If you haven’t, well, here is your eye and ear-opening moment.
Written by Mark Knopfler and Sting, the correct lyric is actually Money for nothin’ and your chicks for free. Now, this isn’t too stark of a difference and doesn’t result in too large of a blunder. Nevertheless, when you think about the lyric, why in the world would Knopfler and Sting write about chips? Food for thought.
“Dancing Queen” by ABBA
ABBA has numerous songs and lyrics that have been misheard and misinterpreted. However, the most notable lyric is from their all-time biggest hit, “Dancing Queen.” Released in 1975, the ABBA classic is one of those songs where the music comes first and the lyrics second. Hence, the main chorus line is often recited and sung the wrong way.
The correct lyric is See that girl, watch that scene, dig in the dancing queen. What people frequently believe it to be—See that girl, watch her scream, kicking the dancing queen. Unlike Knopfler’s song, this misunderstanding completely alters the meaning of the song, and quite hilariously at that.
“Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” is one of the most famous psychedelic rock ‘n’ roll songs of all time. So, it comes as a surprise that to this day people are still singing the lyrics wrong. Although, it does make for a rather humorous mishearing as the original and wrong lyric could not juxtapose each other more.
When Jimi Hendrix reaches the crescendo of his song he sings out, Excuse me while I kiss the sky. However, some people allegedly hear, Excuse me while I kiss this guy. Again, not a horrible mistake, but one that does in fact change the tone and meaning of the song’s intended message. But, hey, the beauty of art is the freedom to interpret it in any way you see fit.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archive
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