20 Hilarious Misunderstood Song Lyrics Of All Time

It’s happened to you at some point. You’re driving along the highway with your best friend, belting out the lyrics to your favorite song when your friend gives you the WTF-did-you-just-say face. Then you start back-peddling as you rack your brain trying to figure out the correct lyrics, but to no avail. Soon, you’re both in hysterics and never again will you and your friend hear the song the same way. Here are some of the most hilarious misunderstood song lyrics of all time and maybe one will make you want to pick up the phone and call your best friend!

Robert Palmer ‘Addicted to Love’

Robert Palmer’s Addicted to Love is as famous for its video of supermodels as is its catchy melody. Funny enough, many misunderstood the famous chorus “might as well face it, you’re addicted to love” to be “might as well face it, you’re a dick with a glove.” Now seriously, wouldn’t we see at least half a smile from one of those stone-faced supermodels in his music video if that were the case?

Madonna ‘Like a Virgin’

It only makes sense that one of the most misunderstood pop stars of all time would have some misunderstood song lyrics. Many thought that when Madonna was crooning her controversial lyrics “like a virgin, touched for the very first time,” she was singing “like a virgin, touched for the thirty-first time.” Leave it to Madonna to maximize her controversy!

One Republic ‘Too Late to Apologize’

Maybe someone was attempting the In-N-Out Burger drive-through after hours when they heard One Republic belt out “it’s too late to order fries.” The actual lyric is the name of the song, “it’s too late to apologize.”

Elvis Presley ‘Hound Dog’

One of the most famous Elvis songs of all time, Hound Dog also has one of the most misunderstood lyrics of all time too. “You ain’t never caught a rabbit and you ain’t no friend of mine” is often heard as “you ain’t never pornographic and you ain’t no friend of mine.” Good thing, either way.

The Clash ‘Rock the Casbah’

Here’s a great tune to play when dieting. The famous song title, “rock the Casbah” is belted out repeatedly throughout the song, but it’s often heard as “drop the pasta!” Are you hips getting slimmer yet?

Bryan Adams ‘Summer of 69’

Bryan Adams was innocently reminiscing about his first guitar when he sang the lyrics “I got my first real six-string,” but it’s been misunderstood many times to be “I got my first real sex dream.” Based off the second line, “over at the five and dime,” aren’t you glad he was singing about his guitar.

Whitney Houston ‘Saving All My Love For You’

Oh the romance of this sweet song, especially when she belted out “I’m shaving off my muff for you.” Wait, what? No, she did not sing that. Whitney sang, “I’m saving all my love for you.” Whew!

Sir Mix A Lot ‘Baby Got Back’

Oh yes, twenty years later and anyone who lives above ground (or on earth for that matter) knows Sir Mix A Lot’s opening line, “I like big butts and I cannot lie.” What’s hilarious is the misunderstood version, “I like big butts in a can of limes.” Now that, we’d like to see!

Journey ‘Don’t Stop Believin”

Steve Perry might have one of the most recognized voices around the world, but it’s not always the most easily understood. When he belted out “Don’t stop believin’, hold onto that feelin’,” many people heard “Don’t stop believin’, hold onto that fetus.” Okay then. Weird.

Monkees ‘I’m a Believer’

Still famous all these years later, but one of the sweetest lyrics in the song, “Then I saw her face, now I’m a believer” has been misunderstood by many. They often hear, “Then I saw her face, now I’m gonna leave her.” Ouch!

The Police ‘Message in a Bottle’

Good thing the good-looking front man Sting was singing “A year has passed since I wrote my note,” and not the often misunderstood version, “A year has passed since I broke my nose.” Now that would be a shame.

Aretha Franklin ‘(You Make Me Feel) Like a Natural Woman’

This song comes from one of the greats. So why would anyone on earth think the Queen of Soul would be singing “You make me feel like a rash on a woman” when the lyric matches the title of the song? Alas, some must really be hard of hearing.

Starship ‘We Built This City’

Although the original lyrics are “We built this city on rock an’ roll,” the mistaken ones are so much more fun to sing! It’s often heard, “We built this city on sausage rolls” (yum!), or “We built this city on logs and coal” which is probably more truthful than the original.

Bob Dylan ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’

No Bob Dylan is not buddies with critters. The commonly misunderstood lyric “These ants are my friends, they’re blowin’ in the wind” is actually “The answer my friend is blowin’ in the wind.”

Abba ‘Dancing Queen’

It could be one of the most famous Studio54-era songs. However, the second line of the chorus, “See that girl, watch that scene, digging the dancing queen” is often misunderstood to be the hilarious “See that girl, watch her scream, kicking the dancing queen.”

REM ‘Losing My Religion’

Michael Stipe has a very recognizable voice and usually easy to understand which is why this misheard lyric is even funnier. “That’s me in the corner, that’s me in the spotlight” is often heard, “Let’s pee in the corner, let’s pee in the spotlight.” Let’s not though.

Bee Gees ‘Stayin’ Alive’

Did you think they were just hungry when they wrote this famous song? Many have heard, “Steak and knives, steak and knives” when the actual lyric is “Stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive.” But back to that steak part…

Jimi Hendrix ‘Purple Haze’

“Scuze me while I kiss the sky” was so often misunderstood that supposedly Jimi Hendrix adopted the misheard lyric. The way it sounded to most was “Scuse me while I kiss this guy.”

Bon Jovi ‘Livin’ On a Prayer’

When Bon Jovi belted out “It doesn’t matter if we make it or not,” many heard “It’s doesn’t matter if we’re naked or not.” Oh, but it does matter, Jon. It does.

The Beatles ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’

A list about music would not be complete without the Beatles. And fortunately, when they sang about “the girl with the kaleidoscope eyes,” they weren’t singing the mistaken version, “the girl with colitis goes by.” Yea, too much information.