13 popular misheard song lyrics and what they're actually saying
It doesn't matter how many times you hear a song; if you heard the words wrong when memorizing it, you'll likely still sing them wrong after you learn the truth. But that doesn't stop us from wanting to know if we are singing the words to our favorite song correctly. With most people listening to their music digitally, there's no cassette tape or CD foldout for you to read while you sing along, but it's not always the newer songs people mishear.
People have likely been mishearing song lyrics since the first person sang in front of an audience. One of the most amusing parts about finding out the words to a song is discovering the weird combination of things other listeners were hearing. Everyone mishears song lyrics every once in a while. The more popular the song, the more people get a kick out of the misheard lyrics.
One misheard song lyric that will live rent-free in many people's heads for all of eternity is Def Leppard's "Pour Some Sugar on Me," which was misheard as "pour some shook up ramen." There's also the one Justin Timberlake will never live down. Every April without fail, memes saying "it's gonna be May" circulate the Internet because of the way Timberlake sang "it's gonna be me" during his N'Sync days.
Singing about love and ham with passion. 🎤🎶Photo credit: Canva
In a seemingly abandoned Reddit group, r/MisheardLyrics, people shared their musings about songs they've been singing wrong for years. Here's a list of misheard song lyrics that will leave you giggling:
1. "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles
For some reason, I want to hold your hand was misheard as "I want to hold your ham," and seemingly nobody questioned their ears.
2. "You're the One That I Want" from Grease, sung by Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta
Apparently, some people believe that Travolta was singing, "I've got heels, they're made of plywood," instead of the actual lyrics, "I got chills, they're multiplying." Though some heels may actually be made of plywood, the lyrics are incorrect.
Singer belting out notes with passion and wit. Photo credit: Canva
3. "No More Sorrows" by Linkin Park
The correct lyrics are, "no, no more sorrows I've paid for my mistakes," but leave it to listeners, and the band instead says, "I've paid for yummy steaks."
4. "Whatever You Like" by T.I.
Some confused club goers were wondering what the rapper's obsession was with Joe Biden because instead of some people hearing, "I want your body. I need your body," they heard, "I want Joe Biden. I need Joe Biden." That would make for a very uncomfortable song for former President Biden seeing as its about wining and dining a love interest.
5. "Cannibal" by Ke$ha
"I am cat nipple" is nowhere in the realm of what she was actually saying, but now you'll never be able to unhear it. The actual lyrics are, "I am cannibal."
Singer shines in a glittering performance with quirky lyrics.Photo credit: Canva
6. "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" by Aerosmith
"Spoon looks like a ladle," and ya know, a spoon does look like a ladle, just smaller, but that's not what the famous hairband is saying. They were singing the title of the song, "dude looks like a lady."
7. "Paparazzi" by Lady Gaga
Paparazzi follow celebrities around trying to capture their every move. Lady Gaga decided to capture the experience in this song about an invasive fan. "I'm your biggest fan, I'll follow you until you love me, papa... paparazzi" are the lyrics, but some people hear, "I'm your biggest fan, I'll follow you until you love me, purple, purple Roxie."
Singer on stage delivering a humorous misquote with passion.Photo credit: Canva
8. "Venus" by Shocking Blue
In an old Reddit thread, someone admitted that instead of hearing the correct lyrics, "I'm your Venus, I'm your fire," they heard "I'm your penis, I'm your fire." Thankfully, those weren't the lyrics, or a clinic visit might be in order.
9. "Kung Fu Fighting" by Carl Douglas
This misheard lyric actually still makes sense if you're using the slang term "cats" in place of people because people mishear the lyrics as, "everybody was Kung Fu fighting, those cats were fast as lightning." The real words are "everybody was Kung Fu fighting, those kicks were fast as lightning."
Singer humorously reflects on aging with a mic in hand.Photo credit: Canva
10. "Rare" by Selena Gomez
This song narrowly escapes a wellness check after people mishear the lyrics repeated in the chorus as "It sucks getting older, took a bath with a toaster." No, Selena Gomez was not contemplating bathing with a toaster at the thought of growing old. The real lyrics are, "Saw us getting older, burning toast in the toaster."
11. "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen
What is sausage tea? Not sure anyone knows, but some people hear, "saving his life from this warm sausage tea" instead of "spare him his life from this monstrosity." If there's warm sausage tea involved, life-saving just might be in order, so that could make sense.
Singer in red lights with humorous text adaptation.Photo credit: Canva
12. "Monster" by Eminem and Rihanna
"I'm friends with the mustard that's under my bed" is what some people have been belting out. There's no shame if you store mustard under your bed for a midnight snacky-snack, but Rihanna was definitely saying, "I'm friends with the monster that's under my bed."
13. "Losing My Religion" by R.E.M.
"Let's pee in the corner" is what some R.E.M. fans hear when the song plays, but the words to the song are, "that's me in the corner." Probably better that no one is peeing in the corner with their friends. Surely, it smells better.
There are probably hundreds of misheard song lyrics out there, and it will never get old finding out what other people hear versus what the artist is actually saying. What's a song lyric you've always gotten wrong until someone pointed out the real words?