Compiled by Ben Taylor
(Last updated: 28 December 1997)
Jon Carroll, columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, periodically runs a story about "Mondegreens" which are mishearings of the lyrics of popular songs. The name itself comes from Carroll's mishearing of a line in a song from his youth about a valiant man who villains killed "and laid him on the green". He heard this as "Lady Mondegreen". And the rest, as they say, is history.
About a year ago (!), Christian Zeiser wrote to report another source for the term "mondegreen" as detailed on something called "Adam's Mondegreen Page". In a 1954 Atlantic article, Sylvia Wright wrote (sic!) of a folk song she thought contained the lyrics "They had slain the Earl of Moray/And Lady Mondegreen." It took her years to discover that she had been wrong; the lyrics had actually been "They had slain the Earl of Moray/ And laid him on the green."
25 additions since last update (28 May 1996):
Slow Train (3), Precious Angel (2), Visions of Johanna (2), Abandoned Love (1), Abandoned Love (2), Stuck Inside of Mobile (2), Love Minus Zero, Changing of the Guards (5), Meet Me In The Morning, Mr Tambourine Man (6), The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll, Tangled Up In Blue (4), Tangled Up In Blue (5), Tangled Up In Blue (6), Idiot Wind (2), Man of Peace (2), Man of Peace (3), Man of Peace (4), Lenny Bruce, Tombstone Blues (2), Never Say Goodbye, Shelter From The Storm (4), Ballad of a Thin Man, Foot of Pride (5), Highway 61 Revisisted,
Song title Lyric: Mishearing: Source:
10,000 Men (1)
Lyric: Ten thousand women all sweepin' my room,
Spilling my buttermilk, sweeping it up with a broom.
Mishearing: Spilling my buttermilk, sweetened with perfume
Source: Ron Mura (rmura@world.std.com)
10,000 Men (2)
Lyric: Ten thousand women all sweepin' my room Mishearing: Ten thousand women all sleep in my room Source: Michael Shafto
Abandoned Love (live 3 July 1975) (1)
Lyric: I can't play the game no more, I can't abide Mishearing: I've can't play the game, the moral I can't abide Source:
Abandoned Love (live 3 July 1975) (2)
Lyric: I can't play the game no more, I can't abide
By their stupid rules which kept me sick inside
Mishearing: By their stupid rules which get me circumscised
Source: Adam
All Along The Watchtower (1)
Lyric: "No reason to get excited," the thief, he kindly spoke, Mishearing: "No reason to get excited," the T.V. kindly spoke, Source: John R. Weikart
All Along The Watchtower (2)
Lyric: Businessmen they drink my wine, ploughmen dig my earth Mishearing: Businessmen they drink my wine, ploughmen dig my herb Source: Sadie Jane
Angelina
Lyric: Beat a path of retreat up them spiral staircases Mishearing: Need a panther retreat up them spiral staircases? Source: common
Lyric: Well, you walk into the room
Like a camel and then you frown
Mishearing: ...light a Camel and then you frown
Source: Hans
Black Diamond Bay
Lyric: And the lava flowed down from the mountain high above Mishearing: And the lava flowed down from about a mile above Source: "The Telegraph"
Blind Willie McTell (1)
Lyric: Seen the arrow on the door post Mishearing: Seen the arrow on the dump post Source: David P. Jacobs
Blind Willie McTell (2)
Lyric: I can hear that hoot owl singin'
As they were takin' down the tents
Mishearing: I can hear that hoe down singin'
As they were taken down The Thames
Source: common
Blind Willie McTell (3)
Lyric: Them charcoal gypsy maidens
Can strut their feathers well
Mishearing: Instruct their feathers well
Source: Gordon Smith/Patrick?
Blind Willie McTell (4)
Lyric: Well God is in His heaven, and we all want what's His Mishearing: Well God is in His heaven, and we all once was His Source: Joseph Cliburn
Blowin' In The Wind (1)
Lyric: The answer my friend, is blowin' in the wind. Mishearing: The ants are my friends, they're blowin' in the wind. Source: Jon Carroll's "Mondegreen" article in the San Francisco Chronicle
Blowin' In The Wind (2)
Lyric: Yes, 'n' how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
Mishearing: Before they're four rubber bands?
Source: John R. Weikart
Blowin' In The Wind (3)
Lyric: Yes, 'n' how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
Mishearing: Yes n'how many times must the candy bars flat
Before they're forever bent
Source: Rodrigo Couto
Brownsville Girl
Lyric: She said, "Even the swap meets around here are getting pretty
corrupt."
Mishearing: She said, "Even the swat teams around here..."
Source: John R. Weikart
Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window? (1)
Lyric: Their religion of the little ten women Mishearing: Their religion of the lilting women Source: "The Telegraph"
Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window? (2)
Lyric: Their religion of the little ten women Mishearing: Their religion of the little tin women Source: common
Changing Of The Guards (1)
Lyric: Sending his thoughts to a beloved maid
Whose ebony face is beyond communication
Mishearing: Whose heaven he faced...
Source: common
Changing Of The Guards (2)
Lyric: Gentlemen, he said,
I don't need your organization, I've shined your shoes,
I've moved your mountains and marked your cards
Mishearing: I've moved your mountains and parked your cars
Source: Maximilian Zvttl
Changing Of The Guards (3)
Lyric: My last deal gone down Mishearing: But I still don't know Source: John R. Weikart
Changing Of The Guards (4)
Lyric: Gentlemen, he said Mishearing: Geraldene, he said Source: John H Rickman
Lyric: The palace of mirrors where dog soldiers are reflected
The endless road and the wailing of chimes
Mishearing: ...where dark soldiers are reflected ... and the wayladen chimes...
Source: John Hawn
Chimes Of Freedom (1)
Lyric: Far between sundown's finish an' midnight's broken toll Mishearing: Far between sundown's finish an' midnight's broken toe Source: common
Chimes Of Freedom (2)
Lyric: Far between sundown's finish an' midnight's broken toll Mishearing: Far between sundown's headache and midnight broken toe Source: John R. Weikart (jweikart@utxvms.cc.utexas.edu) ["from the Byrds' version which I heard before Dylan's. I thought, 'man, this guy's had a rough evening!']
Don't Fall Apart On Me Tonight (1)
Lyric: Where you blew Jackie P.'s Mind Mishearing: Wear your blue jacket please/here's mine Source: Paul Gross
Don't Fall Apart On Me Tonight (2)
Lyric: No more mud-cake creatures lying in your arms Mishearing: No more murky creatures lying in your arms Source: Paul Gross
Down Along The Cove
Lyric: Ev'rybody watchin' us go by
Knows we're in love, yes, and they understand.
Mishearing: Ev'rybody watchin' us goodbye
Source: common
Every Grain Of Sand
Lyric: Like every sparrow falling, like every grain of sand Mishearing: Like every spear or folly, like every grain of sand Source: common
Foot Of Pride (1)
Lyric: And the preacher talked about Christ betrayed Mishearing: And the preacher talked about Crosby trait Source: common
Foot Of Pride (2)
Lyric: And your fall by the sword love affair with Errol Flynn Mishearing: And your fall by the sorded love affair with Errol Flynn Source: unknown
Foot Of Pride (3)
Lyric: She'll do wonders and works with your fate Mishearing: She'll undress and works with your fate Source: common
Foot Of Pride (4)
Lyric: Eat your coconut bread,
Spiced buns in bed
Mishearing: Did you cook enough bread?
Source: common
Lyric: Well, there ain't no goin' back when the foot of pride comes down
Ain't no goin' back.
Mishearing: Well, there ain't no goin' back when your pretty pride comes down
Source: Matthew Zuckerman
Golden Loom (1)
Lyric: Smoky autumn night Mishearing: Smokey's got a knife Source: Prashant Andrade
Golden Loom (2)
Lyric: Across the bay go buy Mishearing: Across a bagel buy Source: Prashant Andrade
Lyric: Well Georgia Sam he had a bloody nose
Welfare Department they wouldn't give him no clothes
Mishearing: Tail-feathered partners wouldn't give him no clothes
Source: Richard Hart
I Shall Be Free
Lyric: He said "My friend, Bob, what do we need to make the country
grow?"
I said "My friend, John, Brigitte Bardot,
Mishearing: ...Rigid bar door
Source: Jim Higdon
Idiot Wind (1)
Lyric: Idiot Wind... Mishearing: Lady Edwin... Source: DOUGSTRAW
Lyric: Their minds are filled with big ideas, images and distorted facts Mishearing: ...even Jesus had distorted facts Source: Glenn C.
Is Your Love In Vain?
Lyric: Do you need me half as bad as you say
Or are you just feeling guilt?
Mishearing: Or are you just feeling ill?
Source: "The Telegraph"
It's All Right, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)
Lyric: I've got nothing, Ma, to live up to Mishearing: I've got nothing more to live up to Source: common
Joey
Lyric: King of the streets, child of clay Mishearing: King of the streets, child of pain Source: Jeff Haferman
Jokerman
Lyric: With a small dog licking your face Mishearing: With a small dark look in/on your face Source: common
Just Like A Woman (1)
Lyric: Nobody feels any pain, tonight as I stand inside the rain Mishearing: Nobody feels any pain, to lie in exhaustion inside the rain Source: Bill Tanona
Just Like A Woman (2)
Lyric: Nobody feels any pain, tonight as I stand inside the rain Mishearing: Nobody feels any pain, tonight is last night inside the rain Source: Stephen Scobie
Just Like A Woman (3)
Lyric: Nobody feels any pain, tonight as I stand inside the rain Mishearing: Nobody feels any pain, tonight is just like lost inside the rain Source: Eugene Koontz
Just Like A Woman (4)
Lyric: Queen Mary, she's my friend Mishearing: We ain't married, but she's my friend Source: Bob Gill
Lyric: Never did get any Golden Globe award, never made it to Synanon Mishearing: ...never made it to cinema Source: Rod Stark
Lily, Rosemary And The Jack Of Hearts (1)
Lyric: Rosemary combed her hair and took a carriage into town, Mishearing: Rosemary combed her hair and took a cabbage into town Source: "The Telegraph"
Lily, Rosemary And The Jack Of Hearts (2)
Lyric: The Drillin' in the wall... Mishearing: A Dylan in the wall... Source: "Oh No! Not Another Bob Dylan Book", by Patrick Humphries and John Bauldie.
The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
Lyric: And high office relations in the politics of Maryland Mishearing: ...politics of Marilyn Source: Pete West
Lyric: The bridge at midnight trembles Mishearing: Every jack midnight trembles Source: Duane Richards
Man Of Peace (1)
Lyric: Well, the howling wolf will howl tonight, the king snake will
crawl
Mishearing: Well Hollywood will howl tonight, Kent State will crawl
Source: Michael Rothbaum
Lyric: Could be the fuhrer, could the be the local priest Mishearing: ...could be the look of peace Source: Glenn C.
Lyric: Both hands can be full of grease Mishearing: Both hands can be hard to please Source: Glenn C.
Lyric: Sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace Mishearing: Sometimes Satan comes through the mantelpiece Source: Hans
Lyric: Well, you know I even outran the hound dogs
Honey, you know I've earned your love
Mishearing: Honey, you know I'm Old Yeller
Source: Stasia
Mr Tambourine Man (1)
Lyric: I promise to go under it Mishearing: I promise to go wandering Source: common
Mr Tambourine Man (2)
Lyric: Silhouetted by the sea, circled by the circus sands Mishearing: Silhouetted by the sea, circled by the circus signs Source: unknown
Mr Tambourine Man (3)
Lyric: Take me on a trip upon your magic swirlin' ship Mishearing: Take me on a ship, upon your magic swirlin' ship Source: unknown
Mr Tambourine Man (4)
Lyric: With all memory and fate Mishearing: With all memory and feet Source: Keith Roberts
Mr Tambourine Man (5)
Lyric: Yes to dance beneath the diamond sky, with one hand waving free,
silhoutted by the sea, circled by the circus sands...
Mishearing: To be wetted by the sea
Source: Patricia Jungwirth
Lyric: Vanished from my hand Mishearing: Banished from my land Source: B John
My Back Pages
Lyric: Half-racked prejudice leaped forth Mishearing: Half-racked fridgedaires leaped forth Source: William Williams
Lyric: You've turned your hair to brown
Love to see it hangin' down
Mishearing: You turned your hair to around
It's a cathedral hanging down
Source: Thalia Thomas
North Country Blues
Lyric: And my schooling was cut
As I quit in the spring
To marry John Thomas, a miner
Mishearing: To marry John Thomas, 'A' minor
Source: common
Precious Angel (1)
Lyric: You're the lamp of my soul, girl, and you touch up the night Mishearing: You're the lamp of my soul, girl, and you torture the night Source: "The Telegraph"
Lyric: You're the lamp of my soul, girl, and you touch up the night Mishearing: ...and you torch up the night Source: Robert Adamson
Romance in Durango
Lyric: Past the Aztec ruins and the ghosts of our people Mishearing: Pasiastic ruins and the ghosts of our people Source: John R. Weikart
Sad-Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands (1)
Lyric: My warehouse eyes, my Arabian drum Mishearing: My warehouse ice, my Arabian drum Source: Michael Shafto
Sad-Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands (2)
Lyric: My warehouse eyes, my Arabian drum Mishearing: My warehouse hides my Arabian drum Source: Jennifer J Curtis
Senor (Tales Of Yankee Power)
Lyric: Do you know where she's hidin'? Mishearing: Do you know where she is, Haydn? Source: Mark Kaunisto
Seven Days
Lyric: My beautiful comrade from the north. Mishearing: My beautiful comrade's on the lawn! Source: John R. Weikart
She's Your Lover Now
Lyric: Pain sure brings out the best in people, doesn't it? Mishearing: Angel brings out the best in people, doesn't it? Source: Mitch Gart
Shelter From The Storm (1)
Lyric: And the one-eyed undertaker, he blows a futile horn Mishearing: And the one-eyed undertaker, he blows a feudal horn Source: "The Telegraph"
Shelter From The Storm (2)
Lyric: In a world of steel-eyed death and men who are fighting to be
warm
Mishearing: In a world of steel-eyed, deafened men who are fighting to be
warm
Source: Ron Mura
Shelter From The Storm (3)
Lyric: In a world of steel-eyed death and men who are fighting to be
warm
Mishearing: In a world of steel-eyed death and men who are fighting to be
born
Source: common
Lyric: And the one-eyed undertaker, he blows a futile horn Mishearing: ...blows a fluegel horn Source: Hans
Simple Twist Of Fate
Lyrics: He hears the ticking of the clocks
And walks along with a parrot that talks.
Mishearing: And walks along with a pair of their tocks.
Source: Chris Kruell
Slow Train (1)
Lyric: But it sure do bother me to see my loved ones turning into
puppets
Mishearing: But it sure do bother me to see my loved ones turning into
puppies
Source: Tim Lundgren
Slow Train (2)
Lyric: I had a woman down in Alabama
She was a backwoods girl but she sure was realistic
Mishearing: She was a backwards girl but she sure was realistic
Source: Ed Trzeciak
Slow Train (2)
Lyric: I had a woman down in Alabama
She was a backwoods girl but she sure was realistic
Mishearing: She was a backwards girl but she sure was realistic
Source: Ed Trzeciak
Lyric: But it sure do bother me to see my loved ones turning into puppets Mishearing: It sure do bother me to see my loved ones turning into puppies Source: Draala
Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again (1)
Lyric: When I asked him why he dressed
With twenty pounds of headlines
Stapled to his chest
Mishearing: With twenty pounds of headlights
Source: Michael Shafto
Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again
(2)
Lyric: Now the (?)preacher looked so baffled Mishearing: Now the tea creature looked so baffled Source: John Erlinger
Subterranean Homesick Blues (1)
Lyric: Wants eleven dollar bills / You only got ten Mishearing: Wants eleven dollar bills / You only got tens Source: Geoffrey Meyer - he wants 11 dollar bills (not a denomination of U.S. currency, hence funny money) but you've only got 10 dollar bills (a common denomination, legal tender). Ie. you're playing by the rules but they've changed the game.
Subterranean Homesick Blues (2)
Lyric: Don't try No Doz Mishearing: Don't tie no bows Source: John R. Weikart (jweikart@UTXSVS.CC.UTEXAS.EDU)
Tangled Up In Blue (1)
Lyric: Split up on a dark sad night Mishearing: Split up on the docks that night Source: common
Tangled Up In Blue (2)
Lyric: Keep on keepin' on, like a bird that flew,
Tangled up in blue.
Mishearing: Just keeps on keepin' on like a virilent flu,
Source: Anthony Kapolka
Tangled Up In Blue (3)
Lyric: She lit a burner on the stove and offered me a pipe
Mishearing: ...and offered me a crepe
Source: Dvasa ("you know, she was by the stove, a nice thin
pancake to snack on...")
Lyric: I heard her say over my shoulder,
"We'll meet again someday on the avenue,"
Tangled up in blue
Mishearing: "I heard her say, "Oh, my, sho' 'nuff
We'll meet again someday on the avenue"
Source: Chris
Lyric: "She was standing there in back of my chair
Said to me, "Don't I know your name?"
Mishearing: Said, "Jimmy, don't I know your name?"
Source: mjmj
Lyric: Working for a while on a fishing boat right outside Delacroix Mishearing: ...on a fishingboat outside with Dan Akroyd Source: Hans
Tell Me
Lyric: Are you anybody someone prays for or cries Mishearing: Are you anybody's someone... Source: common
Tombstone Blues (1)
Lyric: Ma Raney and Beethoven once unwrapped a bed roll Mishearing: My Iranian Beethoven once unwrapped a bedroll Source: "The Telegraph"
Lyric: The ghost of Belle Starr she hands down her wits Mishearing: ...hands down her whips Source: Tricia Jungwirth
Trouble
Lyric: Drought and starvation, packaging of the soul Mishearing: Down in South Asia, packaging of the soul Source: "The Telegraph"
Visions Of Johanna (1)
Lyric: She's delicate and seems like the mirror Mishearing: She's delicate and seems like veneer Source: common
Lyric: She's delicate and seems like the mirror Mishearing: seems like vermeer Source: common
Visions of Johanna (3)
Lyric: Ain't it just like the night to play tricks when you're trying
to be so quiet?
Mishearing: Images like the night...
Source: John R. Weikart
Watered-Down Love
Lyric: I got to go where at least you've got a chance to reach me Mishearing: I got to go where Lisa's got a chance to reach me Source: common
Wedding Song
Lyric: You're the other half of what I am, you're the missin' piece Mishearing: You're the other half of what I am, you're the mess 'n' peas Source: "The Telegraph"
Bring It All Back Home
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