Don’t you hate it when you’re enjoying yourself, singing that new favorite song and the artist has the audacity to sing the wrong lyrics? How could you? This meant something to me. To us! You just had to come and ruin it. With words that…that…make sense! I’m looking at you, Sean Paul! What do you mean you’re actually saying words?
Dramatics aside, this is a list of what I find to be the funniest misheard lyrics ever. I won’t lie, this list is solely inspired by the Meryl Streep memes. But in my old YouTube days, I loved the dumb misheard lyric videos animated with basic Macromedia Flash. It also goes without saying that this is a personal list. Comprising mainly mix-ups from me, my friends and my family.
Honorable Mentions:
1. “Empire State of Mind” – Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys
What it actually is: “In New York/Concrete jungle where dreams are made of…”
What it sounds like: “In New York/I’ve become a wet dream, tomato…”
This isn’t a personal entry, more of a viral sensation that you can’t unhear when you hear it.
2. “Lewwe Ball Up” – Level Vibes
What it actually is: “Sugar looka tamarind/Lewwe ball up”
What it sounds like(to my one friend Shakira): “Sugar looka salt bread/Lewwe ball up”
Through the enchanting elixir of alcohol, we may find ourselves spewing false information. Jesus has to tell me that this verbal typo wasn’t just Shakira not knowing the lyrics. How rough was life for my poor dear Shakira that sugar and salt bread comprised of a meal? I mean, at least a salt bread is round? Still, no Shakira. No forward. None.
2. “Calling In Sick” – King Bubba
What it actually is: “I calling in sick/This is too much vibes to miss”
What it sounds like (to my one friend Shakira): “I calling in sick/This is too much vitamins“
#5. “The Christmas Song” – Luther Vandross (1992).
What it actually is: “A turkey and some mistletoe “
What it sounds like (to my sister): “A turkey is a mistletoe”
This probably isn’t even worth being this high on the list; it’s not that funny to the general public. One magical Christmas, about 3 or 4 years ago, my mother, little sister and I were hanging up the Christmas lights, listening to the soothing sounds of Nat King Cole and Luther Vandross. Of course, The Christmas Song comes on and my sweet little sister, my darling little sister, singing in a sweet voice quite unlike her own, proceeds to sing: “Everybody knows, a turkey IS a mistletoe.” And your boy died. RIP Kofi Jones. Images of my sister all grown up, hanging up turkeys in the doorways of her office’s Christmas party. My poor little sister waiting for her husband under the turkey to steal a kiss one future Christmas night. Forgive my active imagination, but that scenario is infinitely hilarious.
#4. “Chandelier” – Sia (2014).
What it actually is: “I want to swing from the chandelier”
What it sounds like: “I want to swing from the chimney“
This is by far my favorite request of 2017, if not all time. God bless her brave, brave soul to approach me and say: “I wan hear da song daz say ‘I want to swing from the chimney.'” I didn’t mean to laugh in her face but what warped version of a Santa Claus story did she grow up with? Who hurt Santa Claus that homeboy swinging from a chimney? He fell on hard times and working the chimney for money? I need answers!
I can’t blame her really, though, even googling this phrase brings up the same song. So clearly she wasn’t alone in this mistake. And I guess it kinda does sound similar, albeit hilarious.
#3. “Tom Ford” – Jay Z (2013).
What it actually is: “Tom Ford”
What it sounds like: “Come Forward“
Once again, not funny to the general public, but hilarious to me. And this is my list, so fight me. We all have that friend that’s all dance savvy. You know, kind of almost still in the Passa Passa craze, lives in a musical, just always dancing. Trust me this set up is needed. So “Tom Ford” plays, and home girl’s doing this vigorous walk forward and singing ever so sweetly, “come forward.” No baby what is you doing. I don’t think Jay-Z could dance if he tried. Homeboy just paying homage to a designer. I lowkey wish you were right, though. Lowkey.
#2. “Differentology” – Bunji Garlin (2012).
What it actually is: “And the crowd now waking up”
What it sounds like: “And the cow now waking up”
In all seriousness, imagine the opening scene of the movie The Lion King with these misheard lyrics. Magical isn’t it? I guess that’s what was running through the head of this poor, poor Trinidadian. People went to town on memes about this. With an entire parody song being made following the incident. My favorite thing about this mess would have to be the people who continued the lyrics with:
“Look how the sun now raising up,
And the cow now waking up,
The atmosphere has flies.”
If I remember this clearly, the perpetrator defended her stance throughout this entire ordeal, INSISTING that Bunji was for some reason or the other singing about a cow waking up on carnival day ready for the road.
#1. Sean Paul. Just Sean Paul on a whole.
What it actually is: Words I guess.
What it sounds like: ???
I couldn’t pick just one. I really tried. Making fun of Sean Paul lyrics is one of the first internet trends that I remember. For literally YEARS I have had zero idea what he says in the beginning of “Temperature”. But it sounds like “The gal dems kill all tea” and my gran drinks tea, and she’s a girl so…those are the actual lyrics. It’s just a combination of patois and sheer speed Sean Paul chants that cause this phenomenon.
“Just gimme the light and pass the dro
Baka laka laka la mo”
“Just gimme the cheese and mek we smoke it yo”
Just to name a couple of probably actual Sean Paul lyrics.
Have any suggestions for a theme? Want to dispute or add to my list? Want a transition track besides “All I Do Is Win?” Email me at kofi.jones7@gmail.com with SlashSoundz Top 5 in the subject line.
