Monday, December 26, 2016

TO KILL A WORM

First off, I hope your holidays were splendid and that the New Year will deliver your highest expectations. 

Secondly, I apologize for the formatting of this post. Blogger is trying to show me who is boss.  In a battle of wills, blogger has won--for now. 
   
Cranky Old Man recently did a fun post about misinterpreting song lyrics and this post falls into a similar category.

I was driving down the road recently and only half ways paying attention to the songs playing on the radio. I had the volume turned low since I was in a fade out area and didn't want to be annoyed.

Then I heard a lyric I could swear was, "If I could kill a worm". Ok it was country music so that phrase wasn't all that far fetched. However I then heard snatches of words like "watch it die, shoot, choke, hate, break bones, black and blue, hostile and vile."  Whoa!!

What on earth kind of music was this especially in today's climate when it takes so little to rile folks up?

I never heard the whole song but when I got home I Googled "If I could kill a worm." Well Google politely corrected me and produced the lyrics to "If I could kill a word."

Yes this song had all those words I had heard but in a totally different context.

This is a portion of the song.

"If I could kill a word and watch it die
I'd poison "never, " shoot goodbye
Beat "regret" when I felt I had the nerve
Yeah, I'd pound "fear" to a pile of sand
Choke "lonely" out with my bare hands
I'd hang "hate" so that it can't be heard
If I could only kill a word"

Ok, I could live with that version much better than my original one of brutalizing a poor worm and pushing folk's anger buttons.

Have you ever misunderstood or given your own interpretation to words in a song only to be shocked when you learned the real ones. Worse, have you belted out your wrong interpretation in a car full of people and been busted? Sure glad I Googled the song before I burst out with "If I could kill a worm" in the company of others. 


40 comments :

  1. I love the Fight Song by Rachel Platton. When Hillary was campaigning, it was often played as she walked onto the stage. A beautiful, powerful song, I loved to sing along in the privacy of my car.

    One line in particular really bothered me. I thought it said "I don't care about nobody else but me". I remember thinking that this wasn't charitable, and certainly not a message a presidential candidate should be sending. I finally googled the words, and the correct words are "I don't care if nobody else believes, 'cause I still got a lot of life left in me". Whew!

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    Replies
    1. Carole,
      I LOVE that song also. Thank goodness for Google. He saved the song for you. It is my cancer support group's theme song.

      Delete
  2. Frankly, I wish that I did misunderstand some of the words I hear on the teen pop station my grand kids like to listen to in the car. Fortunately as driver, I get to quickly turn the radio off sometimes!

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    Replies
    1. Olga,I know what you mean. I can't stand the often vulgar, mean and violent lyrics out there. What are they thinking?

      Delete
  3. Quite often the drums and guitar over power and muddy the singer so much I'm lucky to recognize any lyrics at all. But I can so relate to your misinterpretation. Ha! This phenom accounts for a large part of my entertainment. Thank you for my morning chuckle, Patti.

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    Replies
    1. Out to Pasture,
      So glad you got a smile. I guess sometimes we are lucky when the lyrics get muddied.

      Delete
  4. Once as a child my best friend and I were given the opportunity to sing a duet in church. We stood together proudly and belted out "Bringing in the Sheep,..." etc. The words were Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves, we shall come rejoicing bringing in the sheaves." We saw all the smiling faces and just knew we were hot singers:-)

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    Replies
    1. Annie,
      That is just too funny. And you thought you were wowing the crowd. Sorry someone burst your bubble.

      Delete
  5. Can you try a different server for your blog> When Safari and Blogger decided to stop coexisting I downloaded Chrome. Problem solved.
    Loved the post!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. smartcat,
      Sadly, I do have Chrome. This just started today. Hopefully it will go away tomorrow.

      Delete
  6. I remember when I misunderstood the lyrics in a Jimi Hendrix song, where he sang, "excuse me while I kiss the sky," and I thought for years he was saying "excuse me while I kiss this guy." :-)

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    1. Djan,
      Ha ha, I did some checking and you weren't the only one to hear that. I always feel better when I find out I am not the only one.

      Delete
  7. There are lots of funny stories involving misunderstood song lyrics. One current example is using the song "Hallelujah" as a Christmas song. "I saw her bathing in the roof" is not talking about the Virgin Mary, folks.

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    Replies
    1. Linda R,
      Well that certainly isn't about Mary but it is old testiment as he was referring to David and Bathsheba. You are right, not Christmas.

      Delete
  8. I had no problem enlarging the print, so no problem here.

    No one knows the lyrics of "Louie Louie" it all depends on how dirty you are feeling at the moment.

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    Replies
    1. joeh,
      Ha ha, I once mentioned on a first date that I liked the song "Louie Louie". I never could make out the words but I liked the beat. My date however lit up thinking he had a hot ticket for the night:))

      Delete
  9. I tend not to sing because I have mangled the words more than once. I can't share any because I don't really know the words. :)

    However I do recall a time when I hollered "boom goes the dinosaur" when my favorite team scored. It was supposed to be "boom goes the dynamite". Ooops!

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    Replies
    1. Eileen,
      He he, and everyone heard you right?? Funny how it works out like that.

      Delete
  10. Funny! I had not heard that song... BUT--we don't listen to much of the newer music these days --or newer TV shows, etc....Guess I'm old enough to admit that I still like the oldies but goodies.... BUT--I'll agree. Sometimes, it's NO TELLING what some of these songs are really saying!!!!!

    Happy New Year.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Betsy,
      Yes, there is nothing wrong with being blissfully ignorant. My favorite state of being.

      Delete
  11. My kids thought the line in John Denver's "Annie's Song" was "Let me drown in your bathtub" instead of "Let me drown in your laughter"!!

    I know the lyrics to almost every song ever written, but I can't carry a tune.

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    Replies
    1. Fran,
      It is always fun to get people together discussing lyrics. It is amazing the different versions you hear.

      Delete
  12. I misinterpret most of the stuff that claims to be music in these days ... just can't seem to get it! Not like in the Good Old Days when we had classics like Marezie Doats that made sense !

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    1. Ginnie,
      Ha ha, did you ever take me back with that one. I use to sing that song as a youngster.
      "Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey" I got that part fine.
      This was the part that would have explained it all but I never got.
      "Mares eat oats and does eat oats and little lambs eat ivy" Sure wish we would have had Google then.

      Delete
  13. What a funny post! Oh yes so many lyrics, so many possibilities. There's a word devoted to this phenomenon and a wikipedia page. It's called Mondegreen. Love the worm/word! Check this out:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mondegreen

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    Replies
    1. robin,
      Thanks for the link. Doubt I will ever forget Lady Mondegreen now. That was funny.

      Delete
  14. I'm glad to know I am not alone. I remember stories of me coming home from Sunday school sing, "Bing, bang, bing." The words were "Bring them in." I actually like the song you quoted. I agree some of those words and their accompanying feels should be squashed and crushed.

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    1. Sally,
      We all have those in our memory banks. I agree also that the song actually makes really good sense. I think "hate" is the one I'd like to do damage to.

      Delete
  15. I'm often glad to have forgotten my hearing aid when people have rap or talk radio on...:)

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    1. TB,
      Ah there are times I really wish I could tune out what I am hearing.

      Delete
  16. When I first saw the title I thought it might be a health related post. I have been researching human parasites. I was delighted to learn it was music and lyrics instead and very amusing.
    As we age and hearing goes I find myself and others too not getting words right and thus h
    Not getting the speakers intended point. While often amusing at times it is darn frustrating. Thanks for this post. .

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    Replies
    1. Heidrun,
      Ha ha, I am sure some of the hits I got were looking for health news also.

      Delete
  17. I don't think I have heard that one, but I do like the real version better I belive...than the kill the worm one. I have to turn the radio up loud to hear, but only when I am alone.

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    1. Terri,
      Me too. I was quite relieved to hear the right words and that it wasn't a song meant to incite.

      Delete
  18. I've noticed that little kids provide a lot of entertainment by singing the wrong words to songs. I imagine it's because they are learning English and just try to copy the sounds they hear....like your "worm." hahaha

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    1. Belva,
      Yes---I remember a niece singing about the nativity bodygaurd--"round John Virgin" after a Sunday school class at Christmas time.

      Delete
  19. Hahaha. That is so funny. I remember so many songs from my heyday but I don't always remember the choruses in the right order. So yes, I do burst out in song but find I'm singing a different lyric. Hahaha.

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    Replies
    1. Barbara,
      Join the club. Sadly it isn't very exclusive but we share good company.

      Delete
  20. That is funny sweet Patti. I have not heard that song, don't like very much of the music today so when I want to listen to music I play my favorite oldies. Happy New Year, we hope for all wonderful things to come your way in 2017. Hugs and nose kisses for you and the sweeties from Pooh, Chancy and me.

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    Replies
    1. Maggie,
      Oldies are my favorites also but every now and then something new becomes a favorite.
      Happy New Year Maggie.

      Delete

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