Say What? 20 Misheard Song Lyrics

30 July 2012, 09:59 | Updated: 4 December 2017, 11:10

From Rihanna to Coldplay, Capital looks at some of our and your favourite misheard lyrics from the biggest hits in music.

Adele singing about hoovers. Coldplay's Chris Martin singing about a pair of tights. Rihanna singing about hot pies.

Everybody - and yes, we mean everybody - mishears song lyrics from time to time, and often the realisation that you've been singing one of your favourite songs incorrectly for weeks, months - even years - can be pretty embarrassing.

Take the following 20 songs, for example. Capital asked our Facebook fans and Twitter followers to use the hashtag #CapitalMisheardLyrics to let us know their best misheard lyrics - and some of them are hilarious.

We've rounded up our favourites replies, along with some of our own embarrassing misheard lyrics, and you can hear them all below now. It is safe to say, you're never going to listen to the following songs in the same way again.

Don't forget to continue the debate by posting your favourite misheard lyrics in the comments section at the bottom of this page.

Rihanna - 'Only Girl In The World'

Capital Twitter follower, Jai Brooks, gave us a fantastic misheard lyric in 'Only Girl In The World' by Rihanna. While most of us hear: "I want you to love me, like I'm a hot guy," Jai actually hears: "I want you to love me, like I'm a hot pie."

DJ Fresh feat. Rita Ora - 'Hot Right Now'

DJ Fresh's 'Hot Right Now' featuring Rita Ora has got to be one of the Summer anthems of 2012, but what do you hear when Rita gets to the chorus? Is it "hot right now" or "half-price now"? Listen to the song below and let us know.

Cheryl Cole - 'Parachute'

Cheryl Cole's 'Parachute' is one of the Girls Aloud star's biggest solo hits to date - not to mention one of her catchiest singles. But what happens if you change the word "parachute" for "pair of shoes". Don't believe us? Listen to the song belong while singing: "I don't need a pair of shoes; Baby, if I've got you, Baby, if I've got you I don't need a pair of shoes. You're gonna catch me, you're gonna catch if I fall, Down, down, down."

Far East Movement feat. Dev - 'Like A G6'

Of the more than three million people who have downloaded Far East Movement's 2010 single 'Like A G6', we wonder how many people hear the lyrics - "Now I'm feeling so fly like a G6, ilk a G6, like a G6" - in the same way as Capital Twitter follower Noah Libson, who thinks it sounds like Dev is singing: "Like a cheese stick."

Ke$ha - 'Cannibal'

As well as featuring on a deluxe edition of Ke$ha's debut album 'Animal', 'Cannibal' was the title track of Ke$ha's 2010 EP. Or should we say, 'Cat Nipple', as it turns out loads of people think the chorus includes the lyric: "I am a cat nipple". It actually really does - listen to the song below.

Coldplay - 'Paradise'

Taken from Coldplay's fifth album 'Mylo Xyloto', the track 'Paradise' has become one of the biggest singles of the summer thanks to its catchy refrain of: "Para-paradise, Para-paradise", as well as one of the stand out songs on their ongoing live tour. But for Lauren Farrier, one of Capital's Twitter followers, the lyric actually sounds like: "Pair of tights." Thanks for the spot Lauren, we're singing about tights all day now!

Adele - 'Chasing Pavements'

The world loves Adele, but it does seem she has a habit for writing lyrics that her fans hilariously mishear - take 'Chasing Pavements' for example. The tender ballad was the second single to be taken from Adele's debut album '19' and features the lyric: "Should I give up or should I just keep chasing pavements." Sadly, Adele's lyrics have gone misheard by dozens of fans, who actually hear: "Should I give up or should I just keep chasing penguins."

The Wanted - 'Lightning'

Released as The Wanted's third single from their second album 'Battleground', 'Lightning' is a firm favourite with the #TWFanmily. But that hasn't stopped many of the group's army of fans pointing out that the lyrics: "You and me and the coats in the back room", actually sounds quite a lot like: "Just you and me and the goats in the bathroom." Don't believe them, listen to the song below.

Katy Perry - 'I Kissed A Girl'

Katy's breakout single has confused a number of people who think the main chorus lyrics: "I kissed a girl and I liked it. The taste of her cherry chap stick" is actually: "I kissed a girl and I liked it, The taste of her cherry chopstick." What do you think?

LMFAO - 'Party Rock Anthem'

LMFAO's party anthem - literally - has become a staple on dance floors over the last 12 months, but what happens when you get the lyrics wrong? Well, according to many of you, they sound a bit like this: "Party rockets in the house, denied; Everybody just have a good tie."

Lady Gaga - 'Bad Romance'

One of Lady Gaga's biggest hits, 'Bad Romance', is a firm favourite with the Little Monsters. But as Mother Monster kicks off the song, what do you hear? Officially, the star sings: "Rah, rah, ah, ah, ah; Roma, roma, ma; Gaga, ooh, la, la; Want your bad romance," but many fans think she actually gives a nod to Torchwood actor John Barrowman. Do you hear this: "Rah-rah, ah aha ah; Roma…row mama; Gaga, ooh, la, la; I want John Barrowman."

Rihanna - 'Don't Stop The Music'

RiRi's 'Don't Stop The Music' was a huge chart hit for the Bajan singer in 2008. The real lyric: "Ma ma say, ma ma sa Ma ma coo sa" is an infectious hook at the centre of the track, but for many it actually sounds like Rihanna is singing: "I'm the same, I'm the sound of Microsoft." Don't believe us, listen to the track below now.

Adele - 'Rumour Has It'

'Rumour Has It' was the last single to be released from Adele's second album, the out-of-this-world successful '21'. It might have been the final track, but it's certainly not forgettable - especially for Capital Twitter follower Lauren Farrier, who instead of hearing the chorus's actual lyric: "The rumour has it," actually hears: "The hoover has it."

Bruno Mars - 'Grenade'

One of the stand out singles from Bruno Mars' first album, 'Grenade's' powerful chorus includes the lyrics: "Throw my hand on a blade for ya." But for many, the lyric they actually hear is: "Throw my head on a plate for ya." What do you hear?

Tinie Tempah feat. Eric Turner - 'Written In The Stars'

Arguably Tinie's most uplifting track, this misheard lyric occurs during Eric Turner's catchy hook: "Written in the stars, a million miles away, a message to the main, ooohhh!" Listen to the song below, but change "a message to the main" to "a message for the mango".

Lady Gaga - 'Poker Face'

In Lady Gaga's 'Poker Face' people think she says "I'm No Lion" instead of "I'm not lying I'm just stunnin' with my love-glue-gunning" during the song's rap. Don't believe us? Listen to the song below.

JLS - 'Beat Again'

The common misheard lyric in JLS' 'Beat Again' happens at the song's most pivotal point - when JLS singer the words, "Beat again". Listen to the song below, but change the words "beat again" for comedian "Peter Kay".

Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys - 'Empire State Of Mind'

Jay-Z's special tribute to New York - his hometown - is one of the most successful and loved songs of the 21st century. So it's probably no surprise that everyone seems to hear something different during Alicia Keys' chorus. Does she sing: "Concrete jungle, where dreams are made of", or: "Concrete jungle, weird dream tomato." Listen below and you can decide - just make sure you sing the American pronunciation of tomato.

Girls Aloud - 'Love Machine'

With Girls Aloud rumoured to be returning at the end of 2012 to celebrate their tenth anniversary, you can be sure fans will be listening to 'Love Machine' again. But you'll probably never hear it in the same way after changing the line: "Your call's late, big mistake" for "You're a cornflake, big mistake".

Can you think of any more misheard song lyrics? What do you think of our list? Post your comments below now.