When we used to listen to pop songs on crappy transistor radios it was easy to
mishear the lyrics. The best-known example has to be Purple Haze by Hendrix who
(apparently) sang: "Scuse me, while I kiss this guy". When we saw him perform
on TV we looked at each other with raised eyebrows to say - did he just sing
what I thought he sang? Of course, the correct lyric was "Scuse me, while I
kiss the sky" but it seems Hendrix latched on to the joke and in his live
concerts would actually sing the "guy" version as an in-joke.
My own favourite misunderstanding was the McCoys Hang On Sloopy track. I
really thought it was about Charlie Brown's dog Snoopy. I liked the bubblegum
sound but it did seem an odd subject for a pop song, a cartoon character - but
what the hell, that was Americans for you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlTKhPkZSJo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlTKhPkZSJo
