This month David Bowie
Long gone are the days of Cole Porter and the eloquent singers who could make you actually hear the subtle difference in the song title Begin the Beguine. Belting out rock songs and trying to get lyrics to fit into loud and complex rhythms isn’t easy. Add to that some weird poetry or some substance influence wording and you have the makings of a misheard lyric bonanza.
C-C-Cliché. Yes we all know David Bowie is a chameleon--yawn. From the mod days of the young Davie Jones in 1967 to the modern experimental jazzy rocker of today Bowie has remained reverent and vibrant. Famous albums include Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust, Young Americans, Heroes, Low, Ashes to Ashes and Let’s Dance. He might not hit the charts as often as he did in the 70s and 80s he is still making great music.
Bowie has always been a complex lyricist. Whether charting the rise and fall of a fictional rock band or making observations about Cold War Berlin, scary monsters or scary Americans, Bowie has always been an evocative and insightful writer. He has also used techniques like cutting up book pages and rearranging the text to create obscure and nonsensical lyrics. This has obviously led to a lot of misheard and misunderstood lyrics. Cue ensuing hilarity.
Here are some of Dave’s Best Misheard Lyrics.
Changes (Hunky Dory, 1971)
Misheard Lyric: Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes (Turn and face the strain).
Real Lyric: Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes (Turn and face the strange).
Misheard: Time may change me, but I can chase time.
Real: Time may change me, but I can't trace time.
Misheard: Watch the nipples change the size.
Real: I watch the ripples change their size.
Ziggy Stardust (The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, 1972)
Misheard: Jamming God with Waring Gillow and the Spiders from Mars.
Real: Jamming good with Weird and Gilly and the Spiders from Mars.
Misheard: Just the bearded wife to guide us.
Real: Just the beer light to guide us.
Misheard: Ziggy played the times, driving us that we were voodoo,
the bitch wins his class, he was canast, with God given eyes.
Real: Ziggy played for time, jiving us that we were voodoo,
the kids were just crass, he was the nazz, with God given ass.
Suffragette City (The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, 1972)
Misheard: Another fat chick just put my spine out of place.
Real: This mellow thighed chick just put my spine out of place.
Aladdin Sane (Aladdin Sane, 1973)
Misheard: Motor sensational, Paris or maybe Hull - I'm wading.
Real: Motor sensational, Paris or maybe hell - I'm waiting.
Jean Genie (Aladdin Sane, 1973)
Misheard: He's outrageous, he screams as he balls.
Real: He's outrageous, he screams and he bawls.
Diamond Dogs (Diamond Dogs, 1974)
Misheard: When they pulled you out of the oxygen tank,
You asked for the latest Barbie.
Real: when they pulled you out of the oxygen tent,
You asked for the latest party.
Misheard: Come out of the Garden of Eden, you'll catch your death in the fall.
Real: Come out of the garden baby, you'll catch your death in the fog.
Rebel Rebel (Diamond Dogs, 1974)
Misheard: Rebel rebel, put on your dress.
Real: Rebel rebel, you've torn your dress.
Misheard: Hot pants, I love you so.
Real: Hot tramp, I love you so.
Misheard: You got a few lines, and a handful of blues.
Real: You got ya fuel line and a handful of 'ludes.
Young Americans (Young Americans, 1975)
Misheard: Hit on my bitch, she can take anything.
Real: Heaven forbid, she'll take anything.
Misheard: Sit on your hands on the busses of life just, blushing at all the emerald
stealers.
Real: Sit on your hands on a bus of survivors, blushing at all the
Afro-Sheilas.
Fame (Young Americans, 1975)
Misheard: Is it any wonder, I'll reject your birth.
Real: Is it any wonder, I'll reject you first.
Misheard: Bully for you, bully for me, gotta get original... fame.
Real: Bully for you, chilly for me, gotta get a raincheck on... pain.
Breaking Glass (Low, 1977)
Misheard: Don't look at the carpet, I threw up something awful on it.
Real: Don't look at the carpet, I drew something awful on it.
Boys Keep Swinging (Lodger, 1979)
Misheard: When you're a boy, you can buy an overcoat.
Real: When you're a boy, you can buy a home of your own.
DJ (Lodger, 1979)
Misheard: Humbled by a bit of fruit.
Real: Humble pie or bitter fruit.
Scary Monsters (Scary Monsters, 1980)
Misheard: She asked for my love and I gave her a dangerous mine.
Real: She asked for my love and I gave her a dangerous mind.
China Girl* (Let’s Dance, 1983)
Misheard: I feel erect without my, little China Girl.
Real: I feel a wreck without my, little China Girl.
(*We know... it was written by Iggy Pop)