Misheard Lyrics
Re: Misheard Lyrics
The misheard ones just make me laugh. All that time and effort and the thought process of what the artist wants the song to mean is just blown away by mishearing. Especially if it somehow flows with the song.
Dublin 14th June, Manchester 20th June, O2 17th July, Matlock Bandstand Aug 28, O2 14th November, Royal Albert Hall 17th and 18th November 2008, MBW 11th July 2009, Liverpool Echo 14th July 2009
Re: Misheard Lyrics
Bonnie Tyler - Total eclipse of the heart
She sings: "Once upon a time there was light in my life...." (I think)
I heard: "Once upon a time I was riding my bike..."
She sings: "Once upon a time there was light in my life...." (I think)
I heard: "Once upon a time I was riding my bike..."
Re: Misheard Lyrics
It took me ages to make these out:
but not because I heard them as something else. Somehow the expressions were too strange/unexpected to be made out at all. Until
something eventually clicked. Just wondering if anyone heard them as something else entirely.
andthe heart-of-darkness alibi his money hides behind
(both from Death of a Ladies Man)She took his tavern parliament, his cap, his cocky dance
but not because I heard them as something else. Somehow the expressions were too strange/unexpected to be made out at all. Until
something eventually clicked. Just wondering if anyone heard them as something else entirely.
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Re: Misheard Lyrics
Hi Sue,
I always thought it was "cocky stance" which makes more sense than "cocky dance" (even though internet lyric pages use this). I'm unable to get my hands on the book to check this, at present. Can anyone confirm?
All good things, John E
I always thought it was "cocky stance" which makes more sense than "cocky dance" (even though internet lyric pages use this). I'm unable to get my hands on the book to check this, at present. Can anyone confirm?
All good things, John E
Re: Misheard Lyrics
I sang my songs, I told my lies, to lie between your mattress thighs...
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Re: Misheard Lyrics
No, I don't think so! We hear what is uppermost in our minds I think. I miss the days of sitting down to be throughly entertained by a new episode of I Love Lucy, and even watching an old rerun was always great fun. This makes me want to watch VitaVita Vegimin again....I know we have it on an old VHS around here somewhere!friscogrl wrote:Thanks Audrey, i know it is a bit of a stretch.
When I first heard Chelsea Hotel I heard "army bed" instead of "unmade bed". Sheesh!
San Jose - November 13, 2009
- blonde madonna
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Re: Misheard Lyrics
John, The album sleeve lyrics has it as "cocky dance". This is my favourite song but I never bothered to check the lyrics (I thought I knew them so well!) All these years I have misheard 'tavern' as 'tap in'. And really neither of them makes any sense to me.John Etherington wrote:I always thought it was "cocky stance" which makes more sense than "cocky dance" (even though internet lyric pages use this). I'm unable to get my hands on the book to check this, at present. Can anyone confirm?
the art of longing’s over and it’s never coming back
1980 -- Comedy Theatre, Melbourne
1985 -- State Theatre, Melbourne
2008 -- Hamilton, Toronto, Cardiff
2009 -- Rochford Winery, Yarra Valley
2010 -- Melbourne
2013 -- Melbourne, The Hill Winery, Geelong, Auckland
1980 -- Comedy Theatre, Melbourne
1985 -- State Theatre, Melbourne
2008 -- Hamilton, Toronto, Cardiff
2009 -- Rochford Winery, Yarra Valley
2010 -- Melbourne
2013 -- Melbourne, The Hill Winery, Geelong, Auckland
Re: Misheard Lyrics
hiya blonde (not sure how you like to be addressed!)All these years I have misheard 'tavern' as 'tap in'. And really neither of them makes any sense to me.
I have always thought Leonard was describing himself in this line (tavern parliament, cap, cocky dance) and some aspects of his former self that people used to laugh at or find irritating. 'Tavern parliament', in this sense could mean a tendency to hold forth, ramble on in a group of friends in a bar - maybe giving the impression of 'holding court', wanting to show off, be the centre of attention etc. I think there is a film sequence somewhere (is it in 'Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr Leonard Cohen'?) where he is shown doing something similar with a group of fellow poets and drinking buddies.
- blonde madonna
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Re: Misheard Lyrics
Thanks for the explanation Sue, I had never really understood that line, I had some vague picture in my mind of a sea captain dancing on the deck. Tavern is not a word I'm very familiar with (its always 'the pub' or 'the local' here). He has been wearing those caps for a long time hasn't he?
BM
BM
the art of longing’s over and it’s never coming back
1980 -- Comedy Theatre, Melbourne
1985 -- State Theatre, Melbourne
2008 -- Hamilton, Toronto, Cardiff
2009 -- Rochford Winery, Yarra Valley
2010 -- Melbourne
2013 -- Melbourne, The Hill Winery, Geelong, Auckland
1980 -- Comedy Theatre, Melbourne
1985 -- State Theatre, Melbourne
2008 -- Hamilton, Toronto, Cardiff
2009 -- Rochford Winery, Yarra Valley
2010 -- Melbourne
2013 -- Melbourne, The Hill Winery, Geelong, Auckland
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Re: Misheard Lyrics
I, too, always had trouble with that line from A Signer Must Die, and I like "laid" better than "late" there.
One I messed up for a long time was from Field Commander Cohen:
The patron saint of envy, the grocer of despair...
I thought it was patron saint of Indie, like Indie rock. Which probably would not have been a music genre back then. Oh well.
One I messed up for a long time was from Field Commander Cohen:
The patron saint of envy, the grocer of despair...
I thought it was patron saint of Indie, like Indie rock. Which probably would not have been a music genre back then. Oh well.
And quiet is the thought of you
the file on you complete
Except what we forgot to do
A thousand kisses deep...
the file on you complete
Except what we forgot to do
A thousand kisses deep...
Re: Misheard Lyrics
If you enjoy a giggle, listen to the Youtube Pearl Jam (Yellow Ledbetter) lyrics with subtitles and pictures.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLd22ha_-VU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLd22ha_-VU
Re: Misheard Lyrics
Draw a sneer, and bind us tight.
(No, I didn't hear it that way but it was funny to think about.)
(No, I didn't hear it that way but it was funny to think about.)
"In this world of shallow, he is the abyss."~ YouTube commenter greg450318
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Lyon, July 2008 / Oakland x2, April 2009 / San Jose, November 2009 / Oakland, December 2010 / San Jose, November 2012 / Oakland, March 2013
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Lyon, July 2008 / Oakland x2, April 2009 / San Jose, November 2009 / Oakland, December 2010 / San Jose, November 2012 / Oakland, March 2013
Re: Misheard Lyrics
I can't remember any mis-heard lyrics now (I posted on this thread a good few years ago!)
Somehow the expressions were too strange/unexpected to be made out at all.
This is definitely true. Often the lyrics seem paradoxical. Even 'your invincible defeat' from 1000 kisses is just...weird.
Somehow the expressions were too strange/unexpected to be made out at all.
This is definitely true. Often the lyrics seem paradoxical. Even 'your invincible defeat' from 1000 kisses is just...weird.
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Re: Misheard Lyrics
I wondered for a while how hair on a pillow could be compared to a 'sleepy golden stone'
Re: Misheard Lyrics
Nothing weird about an invincible defeat. It has happened to me several times in my life, when you are knocked so low you become invincible as there is nowhere lower to go. You cannot defeat a person who is defeated. Therefore at the moment of defeat he becomes invincible.Rachel wrote:Even 'your invincible defeat' from 1000 kisses is just...weird.
There is also another interpretation - when a person is fighting hard with the objective of being defeated. Suicide is an invincible defeat.
“If you do have love it's a kind of wound, and if you don't have it it's worse.” - Leonard, July 1988