The 40 Most Misheard Song Lyrics Of All Time – And The Weird Words We Hear Instead

Songwriting is a delicate art-form. A lyricist may spend years pouring their heart and soul into meaningful poetry. Yet when it comes to recording, all it takes is some lousy enunciation on the singer’s part to transform those words into something else entirely. Even the best singers sometimes sound unintelligible – greats such as Freddie Mercury and Elton John were known to slip their diction from time to time. And the results – as in these 40 cases – can be strange, hilarious and wonderful all at the same time.

40. Chic – “Le Freak”

What you hear: “Aww freak cow/Le freak, c’est sheep.”

The actual lyrics: “Aww freak out/Le freak, c’est chic.”

It’s rare to find someone for whom the rhythms of disco conjure up images of barnyard animals. Apparently, though, there are people who believe Chic’s 1978 smash hit’s one big reference to life on a farm. Most a-moo-sing.

39. Cutting Crew – “(I Just) Died in Your Arms”

What you hear: “I just died in your barn tonight/Mustard no mayonnaise instead.”

The actual lyrics: “I just died in your arms tonight/It must have been something you said.”

Here we have an interesting conundrum. Did Cutting Crew’s Nick Van Eede die because of something his lover said? Or was he so shocked at the availability of condiments in a barn that he instantly kicked the bucket? I guess we’ll never know…

38. Europe – “The Final Countdown”

What you hear: “We’re working for peanuts.”

The actual lyrics: “We’re heading for Venus.”

If you hear Europe’s Joey Tempest singing “peanuts” instead of “Venus” on their 1986 chart-topper “The Final Countdown,” then we should probably congratulate you for being so pure of mind. Still, it’s hard to imagine why anyone would picture a bar snack in a song about interstellar travel.

37. Sir Mix-A-Lot – “Baby Got Back”

What you hear: “I like big butts in a can of limes.”

The actual lyrics: “I like big butts and I cannot lie.”

In 1992 Sir Mix-A-Lot’s ode to big booty was considered controversial. Nowadays, the only outcry “Baby Got Back” is likely to stir’s between people disagreeing over whether or not Mix-A-Lot likes his butts packaged with citrus fruits.