Mis-Heard Lyrics and Other Adventures

I listen to a lot of music. Ev.Ry. Day. And because I work in radio, I hear a lot of the same music every day. So explain to me how it is that after I hear the same song 800 times, I still can't understand some of the words?

It's surely not that I'm old.

No.

That's definitely not it.

Can't be.

Maybe I'm just losing my hearing prematurely??

At any rate, here are some of my favorite mis-hearings as of late.

A few weeks ago in church, Sara {who was in our wedding} sang this song called Worn, by Tenth Avenue North. She had me in tears by the end of the song. The song, by the way, is played multiple times a day on our station. I hear it all the time. But apparently when she sang it, it was the first time I'd ever actually heard the words. Because it turns out the song does not say, I wanna know a pumpkin ride.

It never did make a lot of sense to me, but it's what I heard every time the song played. Turns out that line actually says I wanna know the sun can rise. That makes a lot more sense.


And it really is a great song. One of my favorites now that I know the words. If you've not heard it - take a listen:




Mom called me one day and said, "WHAT is this song your station plays about a wine glass?" I had no idea what she was talking about. So I asked a few questions...and it turns out she was hearing the Passion song "White Flag" - which features Chris Tomlin, and when he sings, "We raise our white flag," she was hearing, "We raise our wine glass."

And that's not the only misheard Tomlin lyric to hit our family. His own new song called "Whom Shall I Fear" has a line that says "The God of angel armies is always by my side..." But you know what I have always heard and still continue to hear? The God of Asian armies is always by my side. I've even taught my version to Ryan and every time we sing it in church, I watch to see if he messes that one up from stage.

I love Kari Jobe's music...but when her song "We Are" came out - I had to look up the words to find out what she was actually singing, because I knew she couldn't really be saying "Wake up, Creeper, lift your head." Yep. Creeper is actually SLEEPER. That sounds better.

And then there's this one, which my ears TOTALLY butchered. Sanctus Real's song Promises. Here's a peek at my ears vs real lyrics:

Me: He's alive, not dead, could separate us. (Good theology, bad sentence structure.)
Actual words: Neither life, nor death could separate us... (That makes a lot more sense.)

Me: Jesus is alive so hope has died. (HUH??)
Actual words: Jesus is alive so hold tight. (OHHHHHHHHHH.)

Maybe I really am old. Anyone else mis-hear lyrics like this?