Misheard Lyrics

 Someone save my life tonight

Sugar bear

Okay, what is he saying, really? I have no idea, but as far as I'm concerned, it's all about the cereal.

 

Which is kind of weird, because who sings about Sugar Crisp? And why? 

I don't blame myself. I blame Elton. Elton John is known for creating a bit of mystique with his singing style, which is rather awesome, because that allows listeners to essentially "write" their own songs. Not that those songs make any sense. Try singing any Elton John song; I dare you. You are going to get it wrong. 

There it is -- sugar bear! C'mon, you heard it, too. If not, then you tell me what he's singing.

The funniest incorrect interpretation of lyrics I've heard came courtesy of Jimmy Fallon:

Kiss This Guy is the premiere site for insane interpretations of actual lyrics. It says more about the listener than the singer. The site is a window into a disturbed soul. 

And that's what's I like.

I Like Elton John, But....

(I never, ever thought he was saying, "Tony Danza".)

 

 

I like Elton John's music a lot.  The trouble has always been that I never knew what the hell he was singing.

At first, I just assumed it was Bernie Taupin's lyrics that didn't make sense, so I looked those up.  They're not that bad ~ semi-cohesive, at least.  No, it's just the way Elton sings.

For example, Bennie and the Jets.  This is what I hear.  I will then look up the actual lyrics and compare.

What I hear:

 

Hey kids

Chainin' things together

As far as somethin' somethin'

We know will change the weather

Well, California called

So might as well stick around

You gotta hear electric music

Solid balls of sound

Say, turn 'em around

Have you seen 'em yet

Ooh, but they're so fazed out

B-b-b-Bennie and the Jets

 

Actual lyrics:

 

Hey kids! 

Shake it loose together,
The spotlight’s hitting something
That’s been known to change the weather;
We’ll kill the fatted calf tonight –
So stick around,
 

You’re gonna hear electric music,
Solid walls of sound.
Say, Candy and Ronnie 

Have you seen them yet?
Wow, but they’re so spaced out 

Bennie and the Jets 

 

See, the actual lyrics sorta make sense, but I don't sing those lyrics, when I'm singing along.  I sing mine.  

 

 

See, I'm right.

 

 

I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues (I'm thinking I did fairly well on this one; we'll see.  I highlighted the lines I'm pretty sure are wrong.)

 

What I hear:

 

Don't wish it away

Don't look at it like it's forever

Between you and me

I could honestly say

That things can only get better

 

And while I'm away

Dust our payments in site

And it won't be long

Before you and me run

To the place in our hearts

Where we hide

 

.... (more stuff)

Without me girl
Cry in the night if it helps
But more than ale
I simply love you
More than I love life itself

Actual lyrics:

Don’t wish it away
Don’t look at it like it’s forever
Between you and me
I could honestly say
That things can only get better

And while I’m away
Dust out the demons inside
And it won’t be long,
Before you and me run
To the place in our hearts
Where we hide

......

Wait on me girl
Cry in the night if it helps
But more than ever

I simply love you
More than I love life itself

 

 

Okay, Bernie's lyrics make way more sense than mine.

 

Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me

 

What I hear:

 

I can't lied no more of the darkness

All my pictures seem to fade to black and white

I'm growin' tired and time stands still before me

Frozen here on the ladder of my life

 

It's too late; to save myself from foalin'

I took a chance and changed the way of life

But you misread my meanin' when I met you

Close the door and let me lie there by the light

 

Don't let the sun go down on me

Although I search myself, there's always someone else I see 

I'm a light segment of my life you wanna free 

And losin' everything is like the sun goin' down on me

I can't find all the racks of mighty lime

See me once and see the way I feel

Don't discard me just because you think I mean ya harm

But these cuffs I have made you love to help you see

Actual lyrics:

 

I can’t light no more of your darkness
All my pictures seem to fade to black and white
I’m growing tired and time stands still before me
Frozen here on the ladder of my life.

Too late to save myself from falling
I took a chance and changed your way of life
But you misread my meaning when I met you
Closed the door and left me blinded by the light.

Don’t let the sun go down on me
Although I search myself it’s always someone else I see
I’d just allow a fragment of your life to wander free (oops, missed that one entirely)
But losing everything is like the sun going down on me.

I can’t find Oh, the right romantic line
But see me once and see the way I feel
Don’t discard me just because you think I mean you harm
But these cuts I have, Oh they need love to help them heal
(ooh, another bad interpretation, I see)

 

 

I'm feeling pretty good about that one.  I only had a few nonsensical lines

 

 

Listening to Elton John is a lot like reading for context.  As long as you catch the important words, you can just kind of fill in the blanks for the rest.

 

It struck me that the Elton John song for which I (almost) completely understood the lyrics was the first song I ever heard by him, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.  I'm not going to check, because I may end up disappointing myself.

I am a huge admirer of Elton John (truthfully, he could sing anyone's lyrics and I'd most likely love the song ~ it's the melody and the voice; much more than the lyrics).

Face it, we've all sung along to songs using nonsensical words.  And we're not alone.  Check the Kiss This Guy website and prove it to yourself. 

I actually enjoyed singing the wrong words of songs more; and when I learned what the real lyrics were, I was sort of disappointed.

Got this one down, though: