As a child, Sylvia Wright heard the Scottish ballad, "The Bonny Earl of Murray":
Ye highlands and ye lowlands
Oh where hae you been?
Thou hae slay the Earl of Murray
And Lady Mondegreen

But wait, that's not what it really says! That last line should read "and laid him on the green." So, she coined the term "mondegreen" for a misheard lyric.

Here are a few mondegreens people I know have overheard . . . or confessed to committing. For long lists of these, feel free to search the web. . . .

Format:

  1. Listener's Name (Original Source)
    1. The correct line/lyric/saying appears in yellow.
    2. The mondegreen appears in, well, green.

  1. Mrs. Russler (Madonna)
    1. A young girl with eyes like the desert.
    2. A young girl with eyes like potatoes.
  2. Janelle Ball (Edward Mote)
    1. All other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.
    2. All other ground is sinking sandals, other ground is sinking sand.
  3. a Bible class student (Charles Austin Miles)
    1. And He walks with me, and He talks with me . . .
    2. Andy walks with me, Andy talks with me . . .
  4. Tom VK's uncle (Arthur Edward Johnstone)
    1. And I picked all that I could hold.
    2. And a big doll that I could hold.
  5. Jeff Beall (Frederick A. Fillmore)
    1. Are you sowing the seed of the kingdom, brother?
    2. Are you sowing the seed of the king, dumb brother?
  6. Cassy Withrow (John Faw­cett)
    1. Blest Be The Tie That Binds
    2. Blest Be The Tide That Binds
  7. student in Santa Fe, NM (Knowles Shaw)
    1. Bringing in the sheaves . . .
    2. Bringing in the sheets . . .
  8. The Russler (Charles Austin Miles)
    1. But he bids me go, through the voice of woe . . .
    2. Buddy bids me go, through the voice of woe . . .
  9. Mrs. Russler (Rory Michael Bourke)
    1. But tonight your beauty is shining through.
    2. But tonight your booty is shining through.
  10. Mrs. Russler (Credence Clearwater Revival)
    1. Don't go around tonight, for it's bound to take your life. There's a bad moon on the rise.
    2. Don't go around tonight, for it's bound to take your life. There's a bathroom on the right.
  11. Yahya (Richard Leigh)
    1. Don't it make my brown eyes blue.
    2. Doughnuts make my brown eyes blue.
  12. friend of Dennis Chappell (Steven Tyler)
    1. Dude Looks Like A Lady
    2. Do This Like A Lady
  13. Andrea Lowe (David Lee Murphy and Jimbeau Hinson)
    1. Dust On The Bottle
    2. Dust On The Bible
  14. anonymous Harding University student (W. A. Mozart)
    1. Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
    2. Ina Cline Rock Music
  15. friend of Dennis Chappell (Dallas Frazier)
    1. Elvira! Elvira!
    2. Hell Fire! Hell Fire!
  16. Cassy Withrow (Dobie Gray)
    1. Give me the beat, boys, and free my soul.
    2. Give me the Beach Boys and free my soul.
  17. Ruth (Fan­ny Jane Cros­by in "Keep Thou My Way")
    1. Gladly the cross I’ll bear.
    2. Glad Lee, the cross-eyed bear.
  18. Steve Barber (Fanny Jane Crosby)
    1. He hideth my life in the depths of His love, and covers me there with His hand.
    2. He hideth my life in the depths of His love, and clobbers me there with His hand.
  19. Phoebe Buffay (Bernie Taupin)
    1. Hold me closer, Tiny Dancer.
    2. Hold me closer, Tony Danza.
  20. The Russler (Mike D'Abo & Tony Macaulay)
    1. I'll be beside the phone waiting for you.
    2. I'll be the xylophone waiting for you.
  21. The Russler (Kenny Loggins)
    1. I'm All Right!
    2. Am I Right?
  22. an old girlfriend (Neil Young)
    1. I've been in my mind; it's such a fine line.
    2. I've been in Rhine wine; it's such a fine wine.
  23. The Russler (Johnny Cash)
    1. I've been stuck in Folsom Prison . . .
    2. I've been stuffin' folks in prison . . .
  24. Ken Zotigh (James Taylor)
    1. I've seen fire, and I've seen rain.
    2. Obscene fire and obscene rain.
  25. young churchgoer (Clevant Derricks)
    1. Just a little talk with Jesus makes it right.
    2. Just a little chocolate Jesus makes it right.
  26. The Russler (Van Morrison)
    1. Laughing and a-running, hey, hey.
    2. Laughing and a-running naked.
  27. Susan Horsman Nossaman (Robert Lowry)
    1. Low in the grave he lay: Jesus my savior.
    2. Low in the gravy lay Jesus my savior.
  28. John Popper (Edgar Allen Poe)
    1. Once upon a midnight dreary . . .
    2. Once upon a midnight, Dearie . . .
  29. many schoolchildren (Pledge Of Allegiance, before addition of "under God")
    1. One nation, indivisible . . .
    2. One naked individual . . .
  30. a Bible class student (Jesus Christ, quoted by King James)
    1. Our Father, which art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name.
    2. Our Father, which art in heaven. Howard be thy name.
  31. a young child (anonymous)
    1. Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.
    2. Parsley, save Rosemary in time!
  32. Ann Wright (Walter Nims)
    1. Precious and few . . .
    2. Fresh is the dew . . .
  33. The Russler (Steve Barri and P. F. Sloan)
    1. Secret Agent Man.
    2. Secret Asian Man.
  34. Cassy Withrow (Dennis DeYoung)
    1. Set an open course for the virgin sea.
    2. Set an open course full of urgency.
  35. Tim (Carl Smith)
    1. The angels beckon me . . .
    2. The angels picked on me . . .
  36. Cassy Withrow (anonymous)
    1. There is a balm in Gilead.
    2. There is a bomb in Gilead.
  37. young churchgoer (Charles H. Gabriel)
    1. There's a call comes ringing o'er the restless wave. Send the light!
    2. There's a call comes ringing o'er the restless wave. Cindalite!
  38. Mrs. Russler (Stevie Wonder)
    1. They can feel it all o-o-ver.
    2. Naked feeling all o-o-ver.
  39. Sherri Scott (Irving Berlin)
    1. Through the night with the light from above.
    2. Through the night with the light from a bulb.
  40. Fred Moulton (Edwin S. Ufford)
    1. Throw out the lifeline to danger-fraught men . . .
    2. Throw out the lifeline to danger frogmen . . .
  41. a girl watching her mother bake a pie (J. H. Sammis)
    1. Trust and obey, for there's no other way . . .
    2. Crust and dough bay, for there's no other way . . .
  42. twins Pam & Kim (Robert Lowry)
    1. Up from the grave he arose!
    2. Up from the grave on his toes!
  43. The Russler (John H. Sammis and Marc Hedlin)
    1. While we do his good will, he abides with us still.
    2. While we do his good will, he abides with a still.
  44. Sherri Scott (Neil Diamond)
    1. When I needed sunshine I got rain.
    2. When I needed sunshine on my brain.
  45. an old friend (Roger Bowling)
    1. With four hungry children and a crop in the field.
    2. With four hundred children and a crop in the field.
The Russler
Word Wild Web
Dumb Things People Say
Lien À Trois
Elmwood Court
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