There is a category of sounds called "Lady Mondegreens", defined by the American linguist (and also political commentator under his other hat) William Safire. "They have killed the Earl of Murray, and laid him on the green". Another in that group is "Gladly the cross-eyed bear" (Gladly the Cross I'd bear). There are many more, but I'll leave them to you all.
And I do resent that I can no longer call myself a gay bachelor without implying something I'm not. My late mother had one, her own childhood sounding - "Our father who art in heaven, Harold be thy name". Best, Jon > Stewart McCoy Wrote > > >I confess to being shocked the first time I ever heard Purcell's ode > >for Queen Mary, "Come, come ye sons of art." I didn't know the words > >then, and I certainly didn't hear "of art". Would Purcell have dared > >to do something like that? Bearing in mind his catches, I believe he > >might well have done. > > > > > > > My favorite example is the Madrigal "Weep O mine eyes and cease not" > which is almost impossible to sing without making it "Weep O mine eyes > and see snot". > Of course current usage will often add or delete these double meanings. > Who knows, in 100 years, old songs with the word "gay" in them might > revert to their original intent. > > Marcus > > -- > //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// > // Marcus Merrin PhD. > // EmptyAir Consulting > // Linux/Unix-platform database and custom server technology > // [EMAIL PROTECTED] |||||||| http://emptyair.com > // (902)225-5188 (Mobile) |||||||||| (902)455-2284 (Office) > ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// > > > > >
