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I've just found out this minute that one of my favourite bands The Cocteau Twins actually had full lyrics for their songs. I've been listening to them since I was found under a basket on the Nile and I always thought that bar the odd dictionary-proof phrase here and there the gorgeous voice of our Liz breathed heavenly Elfish. Or something. And I used to sing along like. In full nonsense-language!
So, admitting that I don't really listen to lyrics, am I the only one to have the Idiot-Eureka moment years down the line and finally realise that I've been mouthing or singing the wrong gibberish?
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
I used to love the Cocteau Twins and still have a soft spot for them. I saw them when they were first starting out and it was quite a sight watching Liz beating the side of her threepennys whilst warbling a track from Garlands.
Their early guitar sound used to remind me of Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Yeah I'm having a Clash afternoon in the office. That album really swings - it's a wonderful thing.
My favourite album, got a gold disk of it on my wall. Good story about it's release. Band wanted to release a double album for the price of a single one. Record company said No. So band asked if they could include a free 12" ep single with it. Record company agreed and Clash added a few extra tracks to the ep and switched the speed at the last minute. Thus, a double album. Record company pissed off, so their next release was a triple album !!
My favourite album, got a gold disk of it on my wall. Good story about it's release. Band wanted to release a double album for the price of a single one. Record company said No. So band asked if they could include a free 12" ep single with it. Record company agreed and Clash added a few extra tracks to the ep and switched the speed at the last minute. Thus, a double album. Record company pissed off, so their next release was a triple album !!
And they kept adding them! Train in Vain never even made the packaging.
I think that Oberstein liked them though (CBS chief) and they probably got away with a blind eye or two from him. He was a hoop too - racing colours were blue and white (proper) hoops and I think that his ashes were scattered half at Cheltenham racecourse and half at Loftus Road, if you want some really useless info. Was probably a typical record industry chief, but I'm not sure that London Calling would have been the same without him.
I'm not sure if this counts as misheard lyrics so much as misunderstood lyrics but back in the 80's I used to stand on the Loft and sing happily along to "Spunky, Spunk, Spunky..." as we greeted our goalie. Took me fuggin' ages to connect the words "Spunky" and "Seaman". Had to have a big chat with myself after that one.
Ah. Always wondered why you used to shout 'spunky, spunky, spunky'at tony roberts.
For those of a certain age who could only listen on small transistor radios or worse on Radio Luxembourg, but I heard this one this morning and it reminded me:
Sam Cooke Twistin' the night away - includes "he's dancin' with the chicken sacks"
Used to love dexys saw them a few times, but still had to spend hours learning wtf he was singing at times. A lot of too rye ay was unintelligible and without the lyrics being on the inner sleeve I would have idea what poor old johnyray was on
I was in tears when I watched this sketch originally on TV. The one that always makes me laugh even when I hear it now on the radio is from Shania Twain's "That don't impress me much" at the end of the sketch.
She certainly seems to sing "I can't believe you kiss your cock at night" - classic.
Bruce Springsteen: Everybody's got a Hungry Horse.
Not exactly misheard, but I always think of The Passions' one big hit as I'm In Love With a German Sheepdog.
The Cocteau's were always incomprehensible even when you knew the lyrics. I swear to God that on Song To A Siren she sings "long afloat on shapeless oceans" (instead of "afloat on shipless") and "Were you here when I was false,oh" instead of "hare when I was fox". I've actually seen the second phrase given as "When I was full sail" on a youtube, whatever that would mean.
You are not alone on this one Brian. Weller's lyrics are often hard to decipher and are best left alone to your own interpretations. Not that he's a bad songwriter, it's just he sings many of them with little clarity. That goes for loads of other musicians as we have already seen on this funny thread.
Another one that got me for ages was Desmond Dekkers 'The Israelites'. The opening line for me was 'Get up in the morning wait for my breakfast', when old Des in his Jamaican Patois was warbling 'Get up in de morning, slave for my bread sir.'
When my younger Bro (the one Brian used to know back in the 80's) was in his teens he thought he was Paul Weller (which continued until he was 40) and was big in to the Jam. My dad who was more into Neil Diamond, Glen Campbell and The Eagles always used to take the piss out of Weller's voice and diction any time Neil mentioned the Jam at home, Dad would do a non flattering Weller impression.
"Who's that rubbish, Paul Bloody Weller? - eee ouuu eye ouuu, eee ouuu eye ouuu," (Eton Rifles)
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