When I was 20, one of my my girlfriend's favorite songs was Elton John's "Someone Saved My Life Tonight". I just called it the "Sugarbear Song", because that was the only lyric I ever really picked up on. I thought it was funny. "Someone saved my life tonight...SUGARBEAR." She would laugh and tell me, "That's not what he's saying. He says someone saved my life tonight, didn't they." That made no sense and it wasn't what I heard, but I accepted it because she listened to the song more than I did.
Recently, I was talking to my friend Edwin about Elton John. He's a big fan of his. I told him that story and said, "It really sounds like he says Sugarbear. That's weird." And he replied, "That IS what he says in the song. Someone saved my life tonight, sugarbear." And again I laughed and thought it was a silly song lyric. I also felt validated. So if you're reading this, ha! I was right! Sugarbear.
On the other hand, for years I thought ZZ Top sang that every girl was crazy about a SHOTGLASS MAN. I just thought they were saying that girls liked guys who could handle their liquor and do shots. It never even occured to me for many years that the title of the song was "Sharp Dressed Man" and that every girl was crazy about a stylish dresser and NOT a drunk. Boy was I misled.
When I was a kid, I thought Aerosmith sang, in "Sweet Emotion", "A month on the road and not a Geatin from your hand" I had no idea what a Geatin was and even tried to look it up. Eventually I settled on the idea that they were singing "Not a guitar from your hand" like he was complaining that this girl was on the road with them and wouldn't even pick up a guitar to help out the band. The real lyric, "A month on the road and I'll be eatin' from your hand" made a lot more sense, but was also disappointing in some respect. I had for many years thought the girl in the song was a lazy, non-guitar-playing hanger on. And that was an interesting dynamic.
I am glad I am not alone in thinking Nelly Furtado was singing "Hung like bird" instead of "I'm like a bird".
Ah...creative listening. I mishear things all the time. I'm getting old.
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2 comments:
Ah, you're not alone. I always thought instead of "beast of burden" they were singing "pizza burner" and instead of " bad moon on the rise" they were saying " bathroom on the right." It wasn't until I sang these songs loud and proud in the car with my boyfriend that he corrected me on these lyrics. We must have a hearing disorder which probably started with Dad's TV being way too loud.
-- Sam
Blinded by the Light.... "wrapped up like a douche" is a classic.
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