24 hit pop song lyrics you're almost certainly getting wrong

Kids learning the national anthem could be forgiven for hearing the lyric "by the dawnzer lee light"—even though the latter doesn't make any sense, in any language. The actual line is "by the dawn's early light." Author Beverly Cleary immortalized this mistake in her children's book"Ramona the Pest."

Misheard lyrics from iconic pop songs

Misheard lyrics are known asmondegreens, a term that dates back to 1954. American author Sylvia Wrightcoined it in Harper's Magazinewhile recounting a ballad that had confounded her as a child.

But this misfiring of the connections between the ears and the brain can plague anyone of any age. A study from Preply, updated in April 2026, found that Manfred Mann's 1976 track "Blinded by the Light" ranks as themost easily misheard song. Elton John is the most frequently misheard musical artist, with over 2,500 reports of misunderstood lyrics. The phenomenon of mondegreen is so common that it's been the subject ofacademic studyandserious journalism. Researchers found that people sing the "wrong" words to a song due to an illusion of sound; it could indicate what we hope to hear,as reported by New York magazine.

If nothing else, mondegreens are almost always funny (if not a bit embarrassing), soStackercompiled a list of some of the most humorous misheard lyrics from popular music over the last 70 years. To qualify its popularity, each song on this list had to spend time on the Billboard Hot 100 chart—and many became #1 hits. This collection comes from pop culture references, news articles, music publications, social media posts, and community forums on the internet.

'Purple Haze' by Jimi Hendrix

- Misheard: "'Scuse me while I kiss this guy"- Correct: "'Scuse me while I kiss the sky"

This song lyric in Jimi Hendrix's most popular record was so famously misheard it spawned a series of books by author Gavin Edwards, including his "'Scuse Me While I Kiss This Guy and Other Misheard Lyrics," published in 1995. What Hendrix is actually singing in his seminal guitar anthem "Purple Haze" is the lyric, "'Scuse me while I kiss the sky"—not "this guy."

'Tiny Dancer' by Elton John

- Misheard: "Hold me closer, Tony Danza"- Correct: "Hold me closer, tiny dancer"

Even though the correct lyric is contained in the song's name—"Hold me closer, tiny dancer"—there's a long tradition of mishearing Elton John's 1972 single "Tiny Dancer" as an ode to actor Tony Danza (even though his first Hollywood credits didn't come until 1978). This auditory misfiring even made its way ontoan episode of "Friends,"during which Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow)explains that she hearsJohn crooning to the "Who's the Boss?" sitcom star.

'Billie Jean' by Michael Jackson

- Misheard: "Billie Jean is not my mother"- Correct: "Billie Jean is not my lover"

You'd think that after over 40 years since Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean"went #1 in 1983, hardly anyone could doubt that the woman referenced in the song's title is whom the line "not my lover" refers to. But one of the most commonly mistaken lyrics still today is "Billie Jean is not my mother."

'Louie Louie' by The Kingsmen

- Misheard: "Louie, Louie, grab her way down low"- Correct: "Louie, Louie, me gotta go"

One of the characteristics of the Kingsmen's 1963 hit "Louie Louie" is its garage rock sound—with distorted vocals that have created so much confusion over the years, the issue was taken up by the feds. Anow-debunked rumorstated that the song was full of concealed obscenities that could only be heard if you played the vinyl recordat a slower speed. There's no consensus as to whatthose "dirty" lyricsactually are, though—and the FBI never found any proof, despite investigating them for over two years.

'Bad Moon Rising' by Creedence Clearwater Revival

- Misheard: "There's a bathroom on the right"- Correct: "There's a bad moon on the rise"

Creedence Clearwater Revival was at its peak in 1969 when it released "Bad Moon Rising," a country-tinged rock tune that asks listeners to heed its warning: "There's a bad moon on the rise." But many fans have thought the band's lead singer, John Fogerty, was giving directions: "There's a bathroom on the right." In fact, it's such a long-running gag that the vocalist (and the song's lyricist) told New York City radio station Q104.3 he sometimesintentionally sings the wrong words now too.

'Rock and Roll All Nite' by Kiss

- Misheard: "I wanna rock and roll all night and part of every day"- Correct: "I wanna rock and roll all night and party every day"

With their theatrical makeup, wild costumes, and pyrotechnics-filled stage shows, members of the band Kiss seem like the ultimate rock stars. So fans might be surprised to hear Gene Simmons sing that he wants to "rock and roll all night" and only "part of every day." But the truth is, as explained inan episode of Disney's "The Muppets Mayhem,"it's "party every day"

'Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)' by Eurythmics

- Misheard: "Sweet dreams are made of cheese"- Correct: "Sweet dreams are made of this"

The 1980s duo Eurythmics exploded onto the American pop music scene with its first U.S. single, "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)." The song's popularity launched largely thanks to an iconic music video featuring singer Annie Lennox in a bright red buzz haircut and a suit. But there must not be too many lip-readers out there, because there are plenty of fans who've mistaken the lyric "sweet dreams are made of this" for "sweet dreams are made of cheese"—probably because of Lennox's pronunciation of "this," which sounds more like "these."

'Blinded by the Light' by Manfred Mann's Earth Band

- Misheard: "Blinded by the light, wrapped up like a douche"- Correct: "Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce"

"Blinded by the Light" is one song your ears might have a hard time hearing correctly—even when you know the real lyrics include "blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night."According to the song's lyricist, Bruce Springsteen, it references the car known as theLittle Deuce Coupe—but even knowing that, it may still sound like "wrapped up like a douche."

'Loser' by Beck

- Misheard: "So open the door"- Correct: "Soy un perdedor"

No one probably expected the California-born, '90s alternative musician Beck to be singing in Spanish in his debut hit song, "Loser." So instead of the lyrics "soy un perdedor" (which simply translates to mean "I'm a loser"), some listeners have filled in the blanks with more likely—and perhaps more expected—lines, like "So open the door."

'Blank Space' by Taylor Swift

- Misheard: "All the lonely Starbucks lovers"- Correct: "Got a long list of ex-lovers"

In 2014, Taylor Swift's lead single from her album "1989" was "Blank Space," which percolated at the top of the charts and brewed up some controversy when fans heard the line, "All the lonely Starbucks lovers." The lyric Swift had really written was "got a long list of ex-lovers." Still, some listeners were unconvinced, includingSwift's own mother, according to a now-deleted tweet posted by the singer.

'Don't Bring Me Down' by Electric Light Orchestra

- Misheard: "Don't bring me down, Bruce"- Correct: "Don't bring me down, groose"

If you were wondering who "Bruce" is in the Electric Light Orchestra song "Don't Bring Me Down," lead vocalist and songwriter Jeff Lynne couldn't tell you—because the shoutout isn't actually a man's name, but a nonsense word made up on the spot: "groose." Though, ina 2016 Rolling Stone article, Lynne confessed to sometimes giving up his original lyric, giving into the widely held misconception, and just singing "Bruce" in concert.

'Africa' by Toto

- Misheard: "I miss the rains down in Africa"- Correct: "I bless the rains down in Africa"

Advertisement

Toto'sbiggest hit song—and the band's only #1 record—is the mysterious and exotic-sounding "Africa," which actually contains multiple misheard lyrics. In the chorus, some fans hear "I miss the rains down in Africa" instead of "I bless the rains." What's more, the confusion deepens when the line in one of the verses, "As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti," sounds like "rises like a lepress" (that is, a woman leper).

'My Type' by Saweetie

- Misheard: "Eight-inch bagel… that's good pipe"- Correct: "Eight-inch big, ooh, that's good pipe"

Rapper Saweetie burst onto the mainstream music scene in 2019 with her single "My Type," which sounds a lot like an ode to a New Yorker's favorite grab-and-go breakfast. In a sultry growl, she says, "Eight-inch bagel… that's good pipe"—or does she? Turns out, the actual lyrics are "Eight-inch big, ooh, that's good pipe." What the "ooh" is referencing, however, is left to our imagination.

'Rock the Casbah' by The Clash

- Misheard: "Sherry don't like it"- Correct: "Sharif don't like it"

"Sherry don't like it" isn't how the chorus of the Clash's "Rock the Casbah" begins. Instead, the British punk rockers are singing, "Sharif don't like it"—a response to the news that Ayatollah Khomeini hadbanned all Western music in Iranin 1979, according toAmerican Songwriter magazine's explanation of the song's meaning.

'Oh Sherrie' by Steve Perry

- Misheard: "Cinnamon buns"- Correct: "You should've been gone"

Steve Perry has one of the most distinctive singing voices of any man in the rock 'n' roll era—even if his diction isn't the clearest. In his first solo hit after departing the band Journey, "Oh Sherrie," it's the very first line that trips upsome listeners, who thought he was calling out, "Cinnamon buns!" The real first line? "You should've been gone."

'Thunder' by Imagine Dragons

- Misheard: "Fun Dip"- Correct: "Thunder"

Sometimes the lyrics that are heard incorrectly tell us more about the person listening to the song than the song itself. Case in point: Imagine Dragons' "Thunder," one ofBillboard's best songs of 2017. Some hungry fans with a sweet tooth have insisted the word "thunder"—again, right in the song title—sounds just like the candy product "Fun Dip." It's even spawned numerousparody videoson social media.

'I'd Really Love to See You Tonight' by England Dan & John Ford Coley

- Misheard: "I ain't talkin' 'bout the linen"- Correct: "I ain't talkin' 'bout movin' in"

In the 1970s, England Dan & John Ford Coley were known for their romantic, soft rock sounds that dominated the adult contemporary airwaves. And their biggest hit, "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight," was no exception—but they did not sing the line "I ain't talkin' 'bout the linen." The correct lyric is: "I ain't talkin' 'bout movin' in."

'Evil Woman' by Electric Light Orchestra

- Misheard: "Medieval woman"- Correct: "Evil woman"

In the Electric Light Orchestra song "Evil Woman," lead vocalist Jeff Lynne sings the word "evil" with three syllables, drawing out the "ee" sound over the course of two notes. The result? A mistaken title (and lyric) that brought the song into an entirely different era: "medieval woman."

'Cold Heart' by Dua Lipa and Elton John

- Misheard: "Well, I farted, but I kept it hid"- Correct: "Well, I thought it, but I kept it hid"

The 2021 pop hit "Cold Heart" is actually a mashup of classic Elton John songs, remixed together by EDM trio Pnau and featuring rerecorded vocals by Dua Lipa. One line, in particular, which originally appeared in John's record "Kiss the Bride," trips up those who try to sing along: "Well, I thought it, but I kept it hid." Some internet users have suggested Lipa is singing something entirely different: "Well, I farted, but I kept it hid."

'Bette Davis Eyes' by Kim Carnes

- Misheard: "Haul the bathtub just to please you"- Correct: "All the better just to please you"

Kim Carnes was one of the biggest pop singers of the early 1980s, known for her distinctively raspy vocal style—one that could've enunciated just a bit better. In her Grammy Award-winning chart-topper "Bette Davis Eyes," it might sound like she's singing, "Haul the bathtub just to please you," but the real lyrics are: "All the better just to please you."

'It's Gonna Be Me' by 'N Sync

- Misheard: "It's gonna be May"- Correct: "It's gonna be me"

One of the most widespread misheard lyrics in the modern age is alsoone of the most celebrated—every year, just beforeMay Day, on April 30. That's because when Justin Timberlake sings, "It's gonna be me," in the 'N Sync song of the same name, hepronounces "me" like "may"—andin 2012(12 years after the song was released), the internet exploded with"It's Gonna Be May" memes.

'Rolling in the Deep' by Adele

- Misheard: "Go ahead and sell me out, and I'll lay your s--- bare"- Correct: "Go ahead and sell me out, and I'll lay your ship bare"

According to the authoritative music magazineSPIN, Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" contains the line "Go ahead and sell me out, and I'll lay your ship bare." So why is the word "ship" censored in versions played by some radio stations and streaming services?

According to theNational Coalition Against Censorship, it's because it sounded too much like a bad word with the same first three letters—which is a case of music execs either mishearing the lyrics themselves or anticipating audiences mistakenly hearing an expletive. (For what it's worth, Adeleclearly sang the word "ship"during her 2020 appearance on "Saturday Night Live.")

'Glycerine' by Bush

- Misheard: "Listerine, Listerine"- Correct: "Glycerine, glycerine"

It sounds like it could be a hit parody by "Weird Al" Yankovic—but fans imagined Gavin Rossdale, the lead singer of '90s grunge rock band Bush, is singing "Listerine" instead of "Glycerine." In reality, he's not urging for daily dental care when he sings, "Don't let the days go by…"

'Forever in Blue Jeans' by Neil Diamond

- Misheard: "Reverend Blue Jeans"- Correct: "Forever in blue jeans"

If you've misheard Neil Diamond's "Forever in Blue Jeans" as "Reverend Blue Jeans," you're not the only one. Comedian and former talk-show host Conan O'Brienconfessed in a 2023 podcast episodethat he's among the throngs of fans who thought Diamond was paying tribute to a man of the cloth who took Casual Friday very seriously.

Data reporting by Lucas Hicks. Story editing by Chris Compendio. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Abigail Renaud.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

May 03, 2026

24 hit pop song lyrics you're almost certainly getting wrong

Kids learning the national anthem could be forgiven for hearing the lyric "by the dawnzer lee light"—even though the latter d...

Read More

Migrant in New York suspected of killing roommate and Wendy’s coworker within hours of each other

A migrant is accused of stabbing his roommate to death and then killing a coworker - both within hours on the same night.

Rony Yahir Alvarenga Rivera, 22, was charged with one count of first-degreemurderand two counts of second-degree murder in Nassau County,New York, according toABC 7. Officials say the suspect is from El Salvador and has been in the U.S. illegally since he was 12 years old.

A 32-year-old woman was found dead at the Valley Stream, New York, home that she shared with Rivera, according to police. Her name has not been released.

Investigators say that the killing happened around 9 p.m. Thursday.

Around midnight, authorities responded to a nearby Wendy’s for a report of a person with a knife, according to ABC 7. When police arrived, they found a 42-year-old mother of two dead at the fast-food restaurant. That victim’s name has not been released but she was a coworker of Rivera at the Wendy’s.

Advertisement

The two victims had multiple stab wounds to the neck and torso.

As police investigated the Wendy’s homicide, a person called 911 saying a man needed help at a nearby 7-Eleven.

Officers responded to the store and found Rivera, who told them he had killed someone, according to the report. Investigators arrested the suspect and linked him to both murders.

Police have not released a motive, but described Rivera’s mindset on that night.

“To sum it up in one word, angry,” said George Darienzo, the Nassau County Police Department’s commanding officer of the homicide unit, according to ABC 7.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

May 03, 2026

Migrant in New York suspected of killing roommate and Wendy’s coworker within hours of each other

A migrant is accused of stabbing his roommate to death and then killing a coworker - both within hours on the same night. Rony Ya...

Read More

Row over Starmer’s call to ban some pro-Palestine protests

Keir Starmeris facing a backlash after he called for a ban on some pro-Palestine protests as part of a crackdown onantisemitism.

The prime minister suggested there were “instances” where it was appropriate to prevent suchmarches happening on UK streets– as they have done in France – as he said he would fight “with every breath I have” for a diverse and tolerant Britain following a series of attacks on Jewish communities in recent weeks, including theGolders Green terror attack.

But even his government’s own independent adviser onantisemitismsaid it would be “unconscionable” to outlaw peaceful pro-Palestine protests opposing Israel’s actions in the Middle East.

Lord Mann led a chorus of voices who rallied against the idea, including Green Party leader Zack Polanski who accused the Labour leader of threatening “further authoritarian restrictions on peaceful protest".

Sir Keir’s independent adviser on terrorism Jonathan Hall called for a pause on pro-Palestinian marches this week, as did the chief rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, who said they had contributed to a "tone of Jew hatred".

Lord Mann toldThe Independent: “There are multiple small anti-Israel (or similar) protests every week. Usually involving a tiny number of people.

“If they are not calling for violence… then it is unconscionable in a democracy that any such concept could be acted upon. The safety and security of the Jewish community requires effective strong leadership – not gestures.”

Mr Polanski accused the prime minister of "using the pain and fear of Jewish people to threaten further authoritarian restrictions on peaceful protest".

"This would be the worst response to the attacks in Golders Green and would just produce more division when it's the job of responsible leaders to bring people together," he added.

Meanwhile, Labour peer Shami Chakrabarti, the former director of Liberty, the civil liberties and human rights group, warned: “It’s perfectly reasonable for political leaders to urge sensitivity and restraint around protests in the wake of terrorist violence and the fear it breeds. But it is quite another thing to equate protest with violence or to clamp down on peaceful dissent even further.

“I urge the government to lead by example and demonstrate the balanced judgment they recommend to others.”

Organisers of pro-Palestine marches also hit back at the PM.

Protest group Defend Our Juries responded to Sir Keir’s comments on X, saying: “End the genocide, not our freedoms to oppose it.”

John Rees, the co-founder and national officer for the Stop The War coalition, warned against striking “at the root of free assembly and free speech” in the UK.

Police in England and Wales can restrict protests, and even ban them outright, under some circumstances.

The row came as the head of theMetropolitanPolice warned British Jewsare facing their greatest ever threatin the wake of the terror attack in north west London.

Advertisement

SirMark Rowleysaid Jews were facing a “ghastly Venn diagram” of hate from all sides. Asked if the threat to the Jewish community was greater than it had ever been before, he said that polling suggesting the prevalence of antisemitic views showed "that has to be true" in an interview with The Times newspaper.

Britain’s terror threat has been raised to severe, meaning authorities believe an attack in theUKis “highly likely” in the next six months,after the stabbing of two Jewish men in north London.

Sir Keir’s call came in an interview with the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, just days after he was heckled during a visit to Golders Green, where he was met by a group of protesters holding signs and chanting: "Keir Starmer, Jew Harmer".

Asked if he wanted a crackdown on the chants or to stop some protests altogether, he told the BBC: “I think certainly the first, and I think there are instances for the latter.”

He indicated that he wanted “tougher action” over some elements of the marches. “I don't want to get involved in operational policing, but I think when you see, when you hear some of those chants, ‘globalise the Intifada’ the one that I would pick out, then clearly there should be tougher action in relation to that,” he said.

He went on: “In relation to the repeated nature of the marches, many people in the Jewish community have said to me ‘it's the repeat nature, it's the cumulative effect’. Now I accept that, which is why we intend to deal with cumulative effects.”

He urged “some people protesting to just reflect on what the Jewish community is going through and the overall impact that this is having.” The PM also called for a “whole of society response” saying that “too many people are not seeing antisemitism or they don't want to see it.”

He said: “We all have to fight for this together because it is about the sort of country that we want to live in. I want to live in the Britain that I love, which is a decent, tolerant, live and let live, diverse Britain. But that is contested now in a way that it hasn't been contested in my lifetime.

“We have to fight for the Britain that we believe in with those values. That is who we are. That is what it is to be British. And I will fight for that with every breath I have.”

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the interview showed the PM did not “seem to know what to do about” antisemitism in the wake of the terror attack.

“There are things that we can do,” she added. “We can ban hate preachers from this country, stop them from coming in. We can remove visas from those people who are not British, who are here spreading hate and antisemitism. But we need to do more. Enough with the platitudes, we need action. We need to shame people who think antisemitism is acceptable.”

Lord Walney, the government’s former adviser on political violence, said: "The prime minister sounds committed and sincere but he’s not offering anything different - he needs to stop refusing the law changes that would genuinely reduce the harm being caused by these hate-infested marches."

But Your Party Chair Jenn Forbes said her party condemned “all attempts to link the safety of Jewish communities with restrictions on protests for Palestine”.

The Golders Green stabbings are the latest in a series of attacks on Jewish sites since the outbreak of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu’s war on Iran and haveprompted accusations that the UK government has not done enough to tackle antisemitism.

The Heaton Park synagoguein Greater Manchester was targeted in a terror attack in October last year. In March, four Jewish community ambulances were set alight in Golders Green. There has also been an attempted arson at Finchley Reform synagogue in north London, among others.

On Friday, SirMarkcalled for 300 extra officers to tackle the growing pandemic ofantisemitismin the UK.

He also said he was considering whether police powers should be used to limit two upcoming protests in London later in May – one a pro-Palestine march and the other a rally led by the far-right activist Tommy Robinson.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

May 03, 2026

Row over Starmer’s call to ban some pro-Palestine protests

Keir Starmeris facing a backlash after he called for a ban on some pro-Palestine protests as part of a crackdown onantisemitism. T...

Read More

Court issues nationwide order blocking distribution of abortion pill by mail

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in Louisiana issued a nationwide order Friday barring dispensation of the abortion pill mifepristone by telehealth providers and distribution of the medication by pharmacies and mail.

The order takes effect immediately.

Advertisement

The case is bound for the Supreme Court.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

May 03, 2026

Court issues nationwide order blocking distribution of abortion pill by mail

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in Louisiana issued a nationwide order Friday barring dispensation of the abortion pill mifepristone b...

Read More

Kentucky Derby 2026 purse: How much does the winning take home?

TheKentucky Derbyisn’t just a Run for the Roses. There’s also a lot of money to be made.

The 2026 race will have a $5 million purse for the third year in a row. About $3.1 million goes to the winning horse and its teams.

Here’s a rundown of the payouts for the top-five horses:

• First: $3.1 million

• Second: $1 million

• Third: $500,000

• Fourth: $250,000

• Fifth: $100,000.

Of that $3.1 million for the winner, 80% goes to the horse’s owner. The trainer gets 10% and the jockey gets the last 10%.

And while the winning jockey would then technically collect $310,000, they share that with their valet and agent.

What about a trophy?

Yes, there is a trophy, aptly named The Kentucky Derby Trophy. It’s 22 inches tall and made of 14-karat gold. That trophy goes to the winning owner, while the horse’s connections — trainer, jockey and breeder — receive a half-sized replica made of silver.

Kentucky Derby 2026 current odds

(Post number; odds as of Saturday afternoon)

1. Renegade 6-1

2. Albus 44-1

3. Intrepido 47-1

4. Litmus Test 25-1

5. Right to Party 26-1(Scratch)

6. Commandment 5-1

7. Danon Bourbon 14-1

8. So Happy 5-1

Advertisement

9. The Puma 8-1(Scratch)

10. Wonder Dean 26-1

11. Incredibolt 24-1

12. Chief Wallabee 7-1

13. Silent Tactic 38-1(Scratch)

14. Potente 19-1

15. Emerging Market 9-1

16. Pavlovian 47-1

17. Six Speed 34-1

18. Further Ado 6-1

19. GoldenTempo24-1

20. Fulleffort 19-1(Scratch)

21. Great White 22-1

22. Ocelli 78-1

23. Robusta 77-1

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

May 03, 2026

Kentucky Derby 2026 purse: How much does the winning take home?

TheKentucky Derbyisn’t just a Run for the Roses. There’s also a lot of money to be made. The 2026 race will have a $5 million pur...

Read More