Most of us can relate to turning on the radio, finding some groovy tunes, and singing along to our favorite tracks. But we don’t always sing the same lyrics, do we?
Back in the 1980s, long before the internet, it was quite common to never know exactly what your favorite artists were singing about. Yes, you might love the song, but was Stevie Nicks singing about a “one-winged dove” or a “white-winged dove?”
If you’ve ever misheard this ‘80s song, rest assured you’re not alone. We asked our Weird History readers which songs from the ’80s they always sing wrong. Vote up the ones you personally relate to.
‘Edge of Seventeen’ – Stevie Nicks (1981)
“Edge of Seventeen” – I always thought the lyric was “Just like a one wing dove.” Funniest part is I thought it was a genius lyric
Actual Lyrics: “Just like the white winged dove / Sings a song, sounds like she’s singing…”
‘Voices Carry’ – ‘Til Tuesday (1984)
“Voices Carry.” “Oh touch, keep it brown now, Mrs. Carey…”
I thought is was, “Hush, hush, keep it down, down, this is scary…”
I used to think it was “even downtown, this is scary.” Now for some reason I always hear “this is Gary…”
Actual Lyric: “Hush hush, keep it down now, voices carry / Hush hush, keep it down now, voices carry…”
‘Glory Days’ – Bruce Springsteen (1984)
“Glory Days” by Bruce Springsteen… Thought for years the “make you look like a fool boy” line was “making love like a pool boy.” Think most people thought that.
Actual Lyrics: “I had a friend was a big baseball player / Back in high school / He could throw that speedball by you / Make you look like a fool boy…”
‘Sunglasses At Night’ – Corey Hart (1983)
I sang: “Don’t be afraid it’s a crying shame”
Real lyrics: “Don’t be afraid of the guy in shades”
From the song “Sunglasses At Night” by Corey Hart
Actual Lyrics: “Don’t be afraid of the guy in shades, oh no / It can’t escape you / ‘Cause you got it made with the guy in shades, oh no…”
‘Every Breath You Take’ – The Police (1983)
The Police’s “Every Breath You Take.” I always thought the lyric was “I’m a pool hall ace,” only to realize decades later it was “How my poor heart aches.”
From Peggy Potten:
My daughter sang the same words.
Actual Lyrics: “Oh, can’t you see you belong to me? / How my poor heart aches / With every step you take?”
‘Dude (Looks Like A Lady)’ – Aerosmith (1987)
“Do the Funky Lady.” Lol for “Dude (Looks Like a Lady).”
From Lisa Flynn:
I always thought it was “Do it like a lady.”
Actual Lyrics: “Dude looks like a lady / Cruised into a bar on the shore / Her picture graced the grime on the door…”
‘Panama’ – Van Halen (1984)
“Panama.” I always thought it was “Animal!”
From Stephanie Schram Hull:
Same!!
From Teyenoh Marketos:
ENEMA.
Actual Lyrics: “Don’t you know she’s coming home to me? / You’ll lose her in the turn / I’ll get her, ah! / Panama / Panama / Panama / Panama…”
‘Break My Stride’ – Matthew Wilder (1983)
From Facebook commenter Becky Sherman:
“Nobody’s gonna break my spine, nobody’s gonna slow me down oh no
I got to keep on movin”
Actual Lyrics: “Ain’t nothin’ gonna to break my stride / Nobody gonna slow me down, oh no / I got to keep on moving…”
‘I Melt With You’ – Modern English (1982)
Modern English, “I Melt with You.” When he sings, “The future’s open wide…” I thought he was saying, “If you’d just open wide.”
Actual Lyrics: “There’s nothing you and I won’t do (Let’s stop the world) / I’ll stop the world and melt with you / The future’s open wide…”
‘You Give Love a Bad Name’ – Bon Jovi (1986)
From Facebook commenter Lori Stromecky:
Bon Jovi, “You Give Love a Bad Name…” My little son thought it was “you give love a bandaid.” lol.
Actual Lyrics: “Shot through the heart / And you’re to blame / Darlin’, you give love a bad name…”
‘Orinoco Flow’ – Enya (1988)
From Facebook commenter Jeff Garner:
I thought she was saying… “save the whales, save the whales, save the whales.”
Later I was informed it was “Sail Away… Sail Away… Sail Away”
Actual Lyrics: “Sail away, sail away, sail away / Sail away, sail away, sail away…”’
‘Footloose’ – Kenny Loggins (1984)
From Facebook commenter Matthew Schmiesing:
“Footloose”:
Actual line -“kick off your Sunday shoes!”
What I sang- “drink up your Sunday juice!”
Actual Lyrics: “Tonight I gotta cut loose, footloose / Kick off your Sunday shoes / Please, Louise / Pull me up off my knees…”
‘Smooth Operator’ – Sade (1984)
Moose Alligator… AKA “Smooth Operator.”
From Kimberly Jo:
I thought she was saying “Soon Barbaretta.”
Actual Lyrics: “No need to ask / He’s a smooth operator / Smooth operator / Smooth operator…”
‘Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ – Michael Jackson (1982)
That Michael Jackson song “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” when he says “Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa,” I thought “I’m gonna stand on the side of Microsoft…”
Actual Lyrics: “Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (hoo-hoo) / Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (hee-hee-hee) / Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (hee-hee-hee)…”
