20 Best Song Lyrics Everyone Misheard, Ranked

Published Oct 2, 2026, 3:20 PM EDT Lloyd 'Happy Trails' Farley: the man, the myth, the legend. What can be said about this amazing - and humble - man that hasn't been said before? Or, more accurately, what can be said in public? Born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Lloyd is a master of puns and a humorist, who has authored one pun book to date - Pun and Grimeish Mint - and is working on a second. His time with Collider has allowed Lloyd's passion for writing to explode, with nearly 1,000 articles to his name that have been published on the site, with his favorite articles being the ones that allow for his sense of humor to shine. Lloyd also holds fast to the belief that all of life's problems can be answered by The Simpsons, Star Wars, and/or The Lion King. You can read more about Lloyd on his website, or follow his Facebook page and join the Llama Llegion. Happy trails! Far too often, we as a society tend to focus on our differences, instead of concentrating on those things that we share. The air we breathe. The things that we feel. The knowledge that nothing we do, hear, or say can stop our impending, eventual demise. The eye-opening revelation that the lyrics we've been using to sing along with our favorite songs are not even remotely close to what they actually are. While we can't do anything to stop your path to an inevitable and finite end, we can bring you a list of misheard lyrics we've come across to make the journey far more enjoyable. 20 20. Stevie Nicks Wings It in "Edge of Seventeen" We begin with Stevie Nicks and what is arguably her best solo venture, "Edge of Seventeen." The misheard lyric is actually the very first line in the song, which actually goes: "Just like the white winged dove sings a song, sounds like she's singin' 'Ooh, ooh, ooh'" The misheard lyric, however, kicks the song off with a slightly more horrifying vibe: "Just like the one-winged dove sings a song, sounds like she's singin' 'Ooh, ooh, ooh'" Of course it's a white winged dove. A one-winged dove wouldn't be singing. It would be screaming bloody murder. 19 19. ABBA Gets a Vibe from Citrus Fruit in “Dancing Queen” One of ABBA's biggest hits, "Dancing Queen" is a celebration of being young and carefree, owning the dance floor like a boss to the beat of the music: "You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen Dancing queen, feel the beat from the tambourine, oh, yeah" What it most certainly is not is an endorsement to bring citrus fruit to the dance floor: "You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen Dancing queen, feel the beat from the tangerine, oh, yeah" 18 18. Selena Gomez Has Gastric Issues in “Good For You” Selena Gomez's "Good For You" sees a confident Ms. Gomez singing about her devotion to her partner, making herself look fabulous for a night of knockin' boots: "14 carats, I'm 14 carat, doing it up like Midas, mmm" The misheard lyric would suggest that she should see a gastroenterologist as soon as possible: "Farting carrots, I'm farting carrots, doing it up like Midas, mmm" On the plus side, she could make a delicious salad for her lover out of her butt veggies. Mmm . . . butt veggies . . . 17 17. The Wiener Takes It All in Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" Celine Dion's contribution to the Titanic soundtrack, "My Heart Will Go On," was a mega-hit that really captured the essence of the heartrending film and the perseverance of love: "Near, far, wherever you are, I believe that the heart does go on" But if they ever make a movie about competitive eater Joey Chestnut, she could make the cut for that soundtrack with this misheard lyric: "Near, far, wherever you are, I believe that the hot dogs go on" 16 16. Urine Trouble, R.E.M., with “Losing My Religion” R.E.M. is well known for their cryptic, poetic lyrics, and "Losing My Religion" is a perfect example. As Michael Stipe tells it, "losing my religion" is an old southern expression for being at the end of one's rope, an expression that he gave a "poetic facelift" to, with lyrics like: "That's me in the corner, that's me in the spotlight" Less abstract and far more vulgar is the misheard version: "Let's pee in the corner, let's pee in the spotlight" It's another one that makes sense once you hear it – you'd have to have some pretty wicked force behind that steam to hit a spotlight. 15 15. Taylor Swift Gives a Shout-Out to Lonely Coffee Shop Patrons in "Blank Space" Taylor Swift used "Blank Space" as a clever dig at the media and their fake news about her being a manipulative, serial-dating man-eater, who keeps adding men to her list and crossing them off one by one: "Got a long list of ex-lovers, they'll tell you I'm insane" The misheard lyrics, though, could also be true: "All the lonely Starbucks lovers, they'll tell you I'm insane" Lonely coffee shop patrons do have their opinions, but they've met their matcha with Ms. Swift. Better latte than never. 14 14. Lil Nas X Can Kiss the Damage Deposit Goodbye in “Old Town Road” Few debut singles are as unique, and popular, as "Old Town Road," the country-rap song that saw Lil Nas X explode onto the scene. It's an allegory likening Lil Nas X's journey to stardom to a lone cowboy, who starts with nothing but his horse and the clothes on his back, who is going to see where the road takes him: "Yeah, I'm gon' take my horse to the old town road, I'm gonna ride 'til I can't no more" The misheard lyric is, shall we say, a little more disturbing: "Yeah, I'm gon' take my horse to a hotel room, I'm gonna ride 'til I can't no more" 13 13. The Monkees Are Picky About Their Women in "I'm a Believer" True love can make even the most cynical of us change their tune and believe in it, which is exactly what The Monkees' "I'm a Believer" is about: "Then I saw her face, now I'm a believer" A far more shallow version, one that might be more at home on Seinfeld, accompanies this misheard lyric: "Then I saw her face, now I'm gonna leave her" In other words, Monkee see, Monkee don't. 12 12. Sting Can't Let Go of an Old Injury in The Police's "Message In a Bottle" The life of an island castaway is a lonely one, and "Message In a Bottle" by The Police uses it as a metaphor for the feeling of isolation, with the narrator coming to realize so many others feel isolated too. But in the narrative, he sent out an S.O.S. via a "message in a bottle" a year ago, and still no response: "A year has passed since I wrote my note" We're assuming that the S.O.S. was the only thing on the note, but if this misheard lyric is any indication, he may have needed medical attention: " A year has passed since I broke my nose" 11 11. For Bon Jovi, Clothing Is Optional in "Livin' On a Prayer" Poor Tommy and Gina. Tommy's lost his job and Gina's working long hours at the diner just to make ends meet. But, dammit, they've got love, and that's enough to persevere through whatever comes their way, as per Bon Jovi's "Livin' On a Prayer": "We've gotta hold on to what we've got. It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not" The misheard lyric has the same sentiment, only a little more R-rated: "We've gotta hold on to what we've got. It doesn't make a difference if we're naked or not "