Okay, so the other day, I was in the car with a friend listening to the ICONIC “Potential Breakup Song” by Aly & AJ. That song has been out for 11 years now, I’ve listen to that song for ELEVEN. YEARS. And I JUST realized, after more than a decade, that the song says, “This is the potential breakup song / Our album needs just one.” LIKE WHAT????? I don’t know WHAT I’ve been singing all these years, but it definitely wasn’t that.
So, we got on the topic of commonly misheard lyrics, and realized there are really lots of songs we’ve been singing wrong. Here’s a list of some of the songs YOU might have been singing wrong with us.
“Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix
What you sang: "Excuse me while I kiss this guy"
What the lyric ACTUALLY says: "Excuse me while I kiss the sky"
"The Heart Wants What it Wants" by Selena Gomez
What you sang: "What the Farquaad, what the Farquaad" [No, the song is not about Lord Farquaad from Shrek.]
What the lyric ACTUALLY says: "What the heart wants, what the heart wants"
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana
What you sang: "Here we are now, in containers"
What the lyric ACTUALLY says: "Here we are now, entertain us"
“It’s Gonna Be Me” by *NSYNC
What you sang: "It’s gonna be May" [I still sing this every April 30th]
What the lyric ACTUALLY says: "It’s gonna be me" [hence the title of the song, people!]
“24K Magic” by Bruno Mars
What you sang: "Tonight, I just want to take you higher, throw your hands up in the sky, let's set this party on fire"
What the lyric ACTUALLY says: "Tonight, I just want to take you higher, throw your hands up in the sky, let's set this party off right"
“Tiny Dancer” by Elton John
What you (and Phoebe Buffay) sang: "Hold me close, young Tony Danza"
What the lyric ACTUALLY says: "Hold me closer, tiny dancer"
“Work From Home” by Fifth Harmony
What you sang: "I ain't worried 'bout nothin', I ain't worried ‘bout nada"
What the lyric ACTUALLY says: "I ain't worried 'bout nothin', I ain't wearin' na nada"
What you sang: "I want your love and I want your revenge, you would make a really bad romance"
What the lyric ACTUALLY says: "I want your love and I want your revenge, you and me could write a bad romance" [either one works in context though!]
“Work It” by Missy Elliot
What you sang:A whole bunch of gibberish tbh
What the lyric ACTUALLY says: "Ti esrever dna ti plif nwod gniht ym tup I" (which is "I put my thing down, flip it and reverse it”... flipped and reversed. YUP. The more you know.)
“679” by Fetty Wap ft. Remy Boyz
What you sang: "I’m like, yeah, she’s fine, wonder when she’ll be mine, she walk past, I press rewind, to see that a** one more time, and I got this SODA"
What the lyrics ACTUALLY say: "I’m like, yeah, she’s fine, wonder when she’ll be mine, she walk past, I press rewind, to see that a** one more time, and I got this sewed up"
And finally, one of the most iconic misheard lyrics of all time:
“Blank Space” by Taylor Swift
What you sang: "All the lonely Starbucks lovers, they’ll tell you I’m insane"
What the lyric ACTUALLY says: "Got a long list of ex-lovers, they’ll tell you I’m insane"
Are there any other misheard lyrics you can think of? Well, here’s hoping this list taught you some fun facts (like how freaking smart Missy Elliot is) and helps you sing these songs CORRECTLY next time! Until then, peace out to all my Starbucks lovers.
(Image via Taylor Swift/YouTube)
- Brooke Sharland, YH Contributing Writer