Ever heard of the Mandela Effect? This old internet conspiracy describes the phenomenon of large groups of people incorrectly remembering historical events, pop culture, films, books, etc. It was born from the widespread misbelief that Nelson Mandela died in prison. (Spoiler: He did not, in fact, die in prison.) The Mandela Effect can cross over into music, too. Some of the biggest songs of all time are misremembered, at least in terms of who the artists behind those songs actually are. Let’s look at just a few songs that have been touched by the Mandela Effect. A few of them might just surprise you.
1. “A Horse With No Name” Was Released by America, Not Neil Young
The hit 1971 song “A Horse With No Name” is commonly misremembered as a Neil Young classic. It certainly makes sense, considering it sounds like the kind of song he would write. The song even stirred some controversy back in the day, with some critics claiming it was a ripoff of Young’s sound. Either way, this classic tune was actually produced by the folk-rock band America.
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2. “All The Young Dudes” Was a Mott the Hoople Release, Not a David Bowie Release
I know I’m not alone with this entry on our list of Mandela Effect songs. I could have sworn “All The Young Dudes” involved David Bowie’s voice in some way. It actually did involve Bowie, but he wasn’t the voice behind the tune. The Thin White Duke wrote and produced the glam rock song back in 1972, and the band Mott The Hoople recorded it.
3. “Somebody’s Watching Me” Wasn’t Actually Michael Jackson’s Song
Don’t worry, you’re not crazy. That is definitely Michael Jackson’s vocal track in the chorus of “Somebody’s Watching Me”. However, that track, contrary to collective memory, wasn’t a Michael Jackson release. He simply provided guest vocals to the song, and it was released by a musician called Rockwell. In fact, Randy and Jermaine Jackson also provide backing vocals to this memorable tune.
4. “What I Like About You” Was by The Romantics, Not The Ramones
This entry on our list of Mandela Effect songs is cemented in the punk rock public’s consciousness as a Ramones tune. It doesn’t actually involve The Ramones at all. “What I Like About You” was a pop-rock release from a band called The Romantics. Some have also mistaken it for a Cheap Trick song as well.
Photo by Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns
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