Mondegreens


The word "mondegreen" meaning "misheard lyric" IS a mondegreen, itself!!  Sylvia Wright first used the term in 1954.  She had misheard part of a line in the Scottish ballad, "The Bonny Earl of Murray."  Wright interpreted the lyric as "They hav slay the Earl of Murray/And Lady Mondegreen," when it was actually  as  "They hae slay the Earl of Murray and laid him on  the green."

Thanks to Ed Hughes for the explanation!  


I have been collecting Duran Duran mondegreens from Tiger List and various other places. Thank you to everyone who posted and contributed these!

If you have a mondegreen to add to the list please email it to me.


  Duran Duran songs

A View To A Kill
All She Wants Is
American Science

Be My Icon

Big Bang Generation

Burning The Ground

Careless Memories
Come Up and See Me (Make Me Smile)
Electric Barbarella
Fallen Angel

Fame
Femme Fatale
Girls On Film

Hold Me
Hold Back The Rain
Hungry Like The Wolf
I Take The Dice
I Believe/All I Need To Know

Is There Something I Should Know

Khanada

Lava Lamp

Lonely In Your Nightmare

Meet El Presidente
My Own Way

New Moon On Monday
New Religion
Night Boat
None Of The Above
Notorious
Ordinary World
Out Of My Mind
Planet Earth

Rio

Save A Prayer

Secret Oktober

Sinner or Saint
Skin Trade
Sound Of Thunder
The Chauffer
The Reflex
The Wild Boys
To The Shore
Union Of The Snake
We Need You
White Lines

Who Do You Think You Are


Arcadia songs

Election Day
The Flame


A View To A Kill:

"The fatal kiss is always me."
"The fatal kiss is all we need."

"I see you as the view to a kill.
It's real a shame assassination standing still."

"The choice for you is a view to a kill.
Between the shades assassination standing still."

"Dance into the lier"
"Dance into the fire"

"Feel Nicks for the flame"
"Phoenix for the flame"


All She Wants Is:

"What does your whore say now"
"What does your heart say now"

"You've been pulling 'em by the hand inside Oh...let's see all of your toys"
"You've been pulling 'em by the hand inside Oh...collecting all your toys"


American Science:

"Don't keep me waiting come and lymazine me"
"Don't keep me waiting come and lie beside me"

"Don't keep me waiting for the lovers I've made"
"Dont keep me waiting come and lie beside me"

"Don't keep my waiting, come the madness I've made"
"Dont keep me waiting come and lie beside me"

"An African Lady's down"
"And If we can lay this down"


Be My Icon:

"I know Mrs. Fields and me, we belong together."
"I know this is real. Believe it. We belong together"


Big Bang Generation:

"Big Fat Generation"
"Big Bang Generation"


Burning The Ground:

"presidential suit"
"this is planet earth (backwards)"

"Would you like to see?"
"This is Planet Earth" [backwards]


Careless Memories:

"With a careless samurai."
"With a careless memory."

"and a dance jamboree"
"with a careless memory"

"with a careless memory"
"well look out Cheryl Lee"

"With the girls from Planet Ree"
"With a careless memory"

"With a girl's memory"
"With a careless memory"

"look out planet bee"
"with a careless memory"

"With a girl that's named Marie"
"With a careless memory" 

"with a gas in the rain"
"with a careless memory"

"with a girl thats named marie"
"with a carless memory"


Come Up and See Me (Make Me Smile):

"pulled the lever to the floor"
"pulled the rebel to the floor"


Election Day:

"I got a look to be tamed."
"Wild kind of look to the day."

"All over U.S.S.A"
"All over you as they say"

"Are you aware your bein' an eagle"
"Are you aware your bein' illegal"

"And I pull my shot off the raid"
" I pull my shirt off and pray"


Electric Barbarella:

"Electric pedicure"
"Pro-genetic you"

"Elucidate and tranquilize"
"Hallucinate and tranquilize"

"put on your fake firm balls for me"
"Wear the fake fur and fake pearls for me"

"Don't you electricute Electric Barbarella"
"Pro-genetic you Electric Barbarella"

"Major domo plastic homo..."
"Major Domo Plastic Como..."

"Don't ya never cue eccentric Barbarella"
"Pro-genetic you Electric Barbarella"

"Made you don more plastic armor"
"Major Domo Plastic Como"

"Then we touch, the music made us tranquilized"
"Then we touch(ed?), hallucinate and tranquilize"

"You're mostly cold latex and steel..."
"In ultra cold latex and steel..."

"made you come on plastic, cum on Barbarella"
"Major Domo Plastic Como...Barbarella"

"you know your cold matrix of steel"
"in ultrachrome, latex and steel"

"hyper-viewin'"
"I plug you in"


Fallen Angel:

"Love is flawed now, see the goddess cry"
"Love is flawed now, see the lawless cry"

"I spy you on tiny beaches"
"I spy you all tiny creatures"


Fame:

"fame hurts your brain just a flame a funny tin to dip you insane. actual lyrics: fame not your brain just a flame that burns the change to keep you insane. and..."
"fame not your brain just a flame that burns the change to keep you insane. and..."

"fame the dirty swine it's just his line. he's only trying to drive you to crime"
" fame "nein! it's mine!" is just his line. to bind your time it drives you to ah, crime"

fame, a ticket for you, a ticket for me. i've gotta get to witchitta.
"bully for you, chilly for me, gotta get a raincheck on pain"


Femme Fatale

"She's a paper towel..."
"She's a Femme Fatale..."


Girls on Film:

"waterbaby, smile, and you've just made a million"
"wider, baby, smile, and you've just made a million..."

"Girls are fun"
"Girls on film"

"Cause the crowd all love pulling belly by the hair"
"Cause the crowd all love pulling dolly by the hair"

"Girls on Bill"
"Girls on Film"

"and a sister rhythm humming in a frenzy all the way down her spine"
"and I sense the rhythm humming in a frenzy all the way down her spine"

"gimme a fever"
"see you later"

"She's more than I made her"
"She's more than a lady"

"And a sister with 'em humming in a frenzy of the weight on her spine"
"And I sense the rhythm humming in a frenzy all the way down her spine"


Hold Back the Rain:

"and if the STARS burn out there..."
"And if the fires burn out there..."

"hold me back hold he back"
"hold back hold back"

"And if the flies burn out theres only five to blame"
"And if the fires burn out there's only fire to blame"


Hold Me:

"Does the body you can't see"
"Does the body you conceal"


Hungry Like the Wolf:

"Trapped in the city, night is a wall"
"Darken the city, night is a wire"

"Strut on the line in disco and rhyme"
"Straddle the line in discord and rhyme"

"Smell like a sow, I'm lost and I'm found"
"Smell like I sound, I'm lost in a crowd

"Chatting On line with disco and Rhyme"
"Strut on a line with discord and Rhyme"

"Drugs on the line"
"Discord and Rhyme"

" I had all the wine , I'm after you"
" I howl and I whine , I'm after you"

"I'll be a porcupine by the moonlight shine"
"I'll be upon you by the moonlit side"

"seen in the subway, elephants on fire"
"steam in the subway, earth is afire"


I Believe/All I Need To Know:

"Until the devil makes a plan"
"Until the Devil's makeup ran"


I Take the Dice:

"Hold tight, onto Daddy's braced lips"
"Hold tight, onto Daddy's bracelets"

"Head right into Mother's vapors"
"Headline in tomorrow's papers"

"Headlines, into my rose papers"
"Headlines, in tomorrows papers"


Is There Something I Should Know:

"people staring cross the road from me, and draw your guns, they all clear the way for me"
"people stare and cross the road from me, and jungle drums, they all clear the way for me"

"Don't say you're easy oh man"
"Don't say you're easy on me"
"I made a great guy run out yesterday"
"I made a break, I run out yesterday"
"with broken bats for us to hold"
"with broken glass for us to hold"

"Please please tell me now can you see what makes me blow"
"Please tell me now can you see what makes me glow"


Khanada:

"help me as the rain falls, i might go outside. just because you're with me doesn't mean that i'll be safe"
"heavy as the rain falls, i might go outside. just because you're with me doesn't mean you're not the same."


Lava Lamp:

"Dimes may be right to let go"
"Time may be right to let you"


Lonely in Your Nightmare:

"Because there's heat beneath your window"
"Because there's heat beneath your winter"

"Because your bloney in your rightmare"
"Becuse your lonely in your nightmare"

"Leaves fall gently on the ground when all around you earth turns to fire"
"Please tread gently on the ground when all around you earth turns to fire"


Meet El Presidente:

in russian the first association that strikes your mind is: You may not like it a mina v peske - that means "that even if you don't like it the bomb is already in the sand."
"You may not like it, you may not be scared..."

"Your mother fought some attitude"
"You might adopt some attitude"


My Own Way:

"Running like a f%$# to keep up with me"
"Running like a fox to keep up with me"


New Moon on Monday:

"Breaking away with the best of the muffles"
"Breaking away with the beast of of both worlds."

"I saved the code day with a lonely set of lights."
"I stayed the cold day with a lonely satellite."

"Send me your wallowing silent as I could have a high"
"Send me your wandering siren as if I could ever hide"

"and five days through the night"
"and a fire dance through the night"

"All of Friday through the night"
"And a firedance through the night"

"I like my torture way before the new moon on Monday"
"I light my torch and wave it for the new moon on Monday"

"Breaking away with the Houston Bullfrogs"
"Breaking away with the beast of of both worlds"

"a fire dance through the night" 
"all five days through the night"

"You moved the Monday, and the Friday through the night"
"New moon on Monday, and a firedance through the night"

"New lunar Monday"
"New moon on Monday"

" ....and the FIVE DAYS through the night"
".....and the fire dance through the night"

"New moon on Monday, and a fire dance through the night, i killed your mother with a rusty set of knives."
"New moon on Monday, and a fire dance through the night.  I stayed the cold day with a lonely satellite."


New Religion:

"Bring my diamond in"
"Bring my timing in"


Night Boat:

"purple with the yellows"
"ripple river yellows"

"Headlice flashing on the wall for me"
"Headlights flashing on the water for me"

"Listening to the rising water moan"
"Listening to the rising watermold"


None of the Above:

"I am I myself alone, and realize I never need to use the phone"
"I am I myself alone, and realize I never need to use no-one"


Notorious:

"from the strain in your eyes."
"burns the skin from your eyes."

"you pay the prophets to justify your reasons."
"you pay the profits to justify your reasons."

"Spare your seed adjustments"
"Spare (or bare) your seedy judgements"

"Bare your seat adjustments"
"Bare your seedy judgements"

"Life comes hard to disguise"
"Lies come hard in disguise"

"And who really gives a damn, oh thank you Bandit"
"And who really gives a damn for a flaky bandit"

"Where's the strength in your eyes?"
"Burns the skin from your eyes"


Ordinary World:

"Crazy summer's day"
"Crazy some say"

"But I wont buy for yestery"
"But I won't cry for yesterday"

"Passion or coincidence, what's prompted you to stay?"
"Passion or coincidence once prompted you to say"

"Crazy some are sane" or "Crazy some would say"
"Crazy some say"


Out of My Mind:

"I'm not sure what's left to believe in?"
"Without you, what's left to believe in?"

"Got to bet you loud of my cry"
"Got to get you out of my mind"

"When you just stick close to me"
"When you're just a ghost to me"


Planet Earth:

"My head is stuck on something facist..."
"My head is stuck on something precious.."


Rio:

"At the end of the drive, along for the ride, You make me feel alive, alive, alive"
"At the end of the drive, the lawmen arrive, You make me feel alive, alive, alive"

"Her name is Rio and she's prancing on the ham"
"Her name is Rio and she's dancing on the sand"

"Like a bird of prey or a pretty view"
"Like a birthday or a pretty view"

"I've seen you on the beach , and I've seen you on t.v. To all the billions of stores."
"I've seen you on the beach, and I've seen you on t.v. Two of a billions stars"


Save a Prayer:

"and the lights of passion on your window sill"
"and the lights are flashing on your window sill"

"Don't ask me why, I'll keep my promise, Melt the Ice"
"Don't ask me why, I'll keep my promise, Milky Eyes"

"You don't have to dream at all, drink lemonade"
"You don't have to dream it all just live a day"


Secret Oktober:

"holding your arm in a battered car allnight parties, godd**n bars
smile when the butterfly escapes the killing jaw"

"holding your arm in a battered car allnight parties, cocktail bars
smile when the butterfly escapes the killing jar"

"Your eyes awake before the dancing is over, wives are naked in secret oktober"
"Sure eyes awake before the dancing is over, wise or naked in secret oktober"

"Holding your own in a battered car, allnight parties, cocktail bars and smiles, when the butterfly escapes, the killing joy"
"holding your arm in a battered car allnight parties, cocktail bars
smile when the butterfly escapes the killing jar"


Sinner or Saint:

"Miss December, will you ever really be the same?"
"Mr. Templar, will you ever really be a saint?"


Skin Trade:

"way kill on the weekend baby"
"working on the weekend baby"


Sound of Thunder:

"I've been on this cross here, for the last ten hours.  My clothes are dirty but my mouth isn't dry.  How does it happen?  Does it fly through the air?  Oh I gave a pass key days away.  I gave a passkey.  Days away."
"I've been in this grass here" and "Oh I gave up asking days away.
I gave up asking.  Days away."

"I gave up water skiing days away"
"I gave up asking days away"

"I gave up water skiing days away"
"I gave up asking days away"

"Drudgie Davis is running out, no more heroes to twist and shout"
"Georgie Davis is running out, no more heroes we twist and shout"

"Normal heroes be twist and shout"
"No more heroes we twist and shout"


The Chauffeur:

"And the sun slips dowm very heavy behind."
"and the sun slips down bedding heavy blind."

"Sing...Lucilda"
"Sing...Blue Silver"

"And the sun strips down very heavy behind"
"And the sun slips down bedding heavy behind"


The Flame:

"In smoke he holds, a circled door"
"In smoky halls, a circle drawn"


The Reflex:

"The reflex is a lonely child..."
"The reflex is an only child..."

"I'll punch that bitch, when I find her"
I'll cross that bridge when I find it"

"I sold the wire and the TV set"
"I sold the Renoir and the TV set"

"Oh the reflex what a game deciding all the calls"
"Oh the reflex what a game he's hiding all the cards"

"the reflex is in charge of finding treasure in the gold"
"the reflex is in charge of finding treasure in the dark"

"I saw the red and white TV set"
"I sold the Renoir and the TV set"

"You've got your fathers time but, I'm dancing on the bed of time"
"You gone too far this time, but I'm dancing on the valentine"

"I saw the red wired TV set"
"I sold the Renoir and the TV set"

"Every little finger reflex pulls"
"Every little thing the reflex does"

*"High time is no time for a sandwich"
"High time is no time for deciding"

*"The Reflex is a lonely sound just waiting by the bar"
"The Reflex is a lonely child, he's waiting by the park"

"Night time is no time for recycling"
"High time is no time for deciding"

"The Reflex is an only child waiting by the pork"
"The reflex is an only child he's waiting in the park"

"The reflex is a lonely shadow who's waiting for the dawn"
"The reflex is a lonely child, he's waiting in the park"

"The Reflex is a HOMELY child just waiting to be parked"
"The reflex is a lonely child, he's waiting in the park"

"The reflex is an only child he's waiting in the park"
"To reflex is an only child he's waiting by the park"

"Is in charge of finding Trevor in the dark"
"Is in charge of finding treasure in the dark"

"The reflex is a lonely child waiting by the phone"
"The reflex is a lonely child waiting in the park"

"The reflex is a lonely child sitting in a pub"
"The reflex is a lonely child waiting in the park"

*come from a tape called "Hits Unlimited", with "covers" (note-by-note reproductions) of Duran songs - it's from about 1983/84


The Wild Boys:

"In a so afraid new world."
"In a sore, afraid new world."

"Now the finger heads of hell"
"Now the figureheads have fell"

"Because there's murder by the roadside, and they're so afraid you would"
"Because there's murder by the roadside in a sore afraid new world"

"Breakfast and they're hungered"
"Reckless and so hungered"


To The Shore:

"Blue the poor now"
"To the shore now"


Union of the Snake:

"Oysters in my body coming through on the radio"
"Voices in my body coming through on the radio"

"Telegram for somebody"
"Telegram force and ready"

"The onion and the steak is on the rice"
"The union of the snake is on the rise"

"Elegant force of nature"
"Telegram forced and ready"

"Elegant force I'm ready"
"Telegram force and ready"

"We were young and the snake was on the rise"
"The union of the snake is on the rise"

"American force, baby"
"Telegram force and ready"

"Elephants forced to living"
"Telegram force and ready"


We Need You:

"We lead moose"
"We need you"


White Lines:

"Something of a phenomenon, turn your back and come along"
"Something of a phenomenon, telling your body to come along"

"White Lions"
"White Lines"


Who Do You Think You Are:

"This is not a question of Barbara..."
"This is not a question of my pride..."

"Everybody isn't so impressed"
"Everybody asks themselves the question"

"It is not a question of mine."
" It is not a question of pride."


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