A new book is coming out soon by Brent Mann titled “BLINDED BY THE LYRICS: Behind the Lines of Rock and Roll’s Most Baffling Songs”, a goofy romp through rock’s history and the song lyrics that have had music fans scratching their heads …over lines such as:
…“Some people call me Maurice 'cause I speak of the pompatus of love” …(Steve Miller)
What other lines have you not understood or misinterpreted or heard incorrectly?
[quote=“lane119”]A new book is coming out soon by Brent Mann titled “BLINDED BY THE LYRICS: Behind the Lines of Rock and Roll’s Most Baffling Songs”, a goofy romp through rock’s history and the song lyrics that have had music fans scratching their heads …over lines such as:
…“Some people call me Maurice 'cause I speak of the pompatus of love” …(Steve Miller)
What other lines have you not understood or misinterpreted or heard incorrectly?[/quote]
The song your book was named after:
“Blinded by the light. Wrecked off like a douche and a runner in the night. . .” :s
These are some of my favorite actual Grateful Dead lyrics that often are misunderstood:
[quote=“Grateful Dead in China Cat Sunflower”]
Look for awhile at the China Cat Sunflower
proud-walking jingle in the midnight sun
Copper-dome Bodhi drip a silver kimono
like a crazy-quilt stargown
through a dream night wind
Krazy Kat peeking through a lace bandana
like a one-eyed Cheshire
like a diamond-eye Jack
A leaf of all colors plays
a golden string fiddle
to a double-e waterfall over my back
Comic book colors on a violin river
crying Leonardo words
from out a silk trombone
I rang a silent bell
beneath a shower of pearls
in the eagle wing palace
of the Queen Chinee[/quote]
[quote=“Grateful Dead in The Eleven”]
Eight sided whispering hallelujah hatrack
Seven faced marble eye transitory dream doll
six proud walkers on jinglebell rainbow
Five men writing in fingers of gold
Four men tracking down the great white sperm whale
Three girls wait in a foreign dominion
Ride in the whale belly
Fade away in moonlight
Sink beneath the waters
to the coral sand below
Now is the time of returning[/quote]
[quote=“Grateful Dead in Dark Star”]
spinning a set the stars through which the tattered tales of axis roll about the waxen wind of never set to motion in the unbecoming round about the reason hardly matters nor the wise through which the stars were set in spin[/quote]
Steve Miller had an earlier song where he says, “My dearest darling, come closer to Maurice so I can whisper sweet words of epismetology in your ear and speak to you of the pompitous of love.”
He also had another song called Gangster of Love.
He is left-handed and, like Hendrix did, plays a right-handed guitar with the strings reversed. [Edit: I might be wrong about that. never mind]
He is also a midnight toker.
Years ago there was a book about misheard lyrics. Favorites included Jimmy Hendreix: Scuse me while I kiss this guy. The Beatles: The girl with colitus goes by. And Van Morrison: Hey there amigo (from Brown Eyed Girl).
Mother Teresa, I always thought the line was “Wrapped up like a douche…”
Has to be “Louie Louie” by the Kingsmen. 
I used to mishear the Beach Boys’ “I Get Around”.
Real lyric: “I’m a real cool head, I’m making real good bread.”
I misheard it as: “I’m a real cool kid, I’m making real good grades.”
I also misheard that line about “miniature golf” in “All Summer Long” as “wanna jerk off”.
Jethro Tull’s AquaLung…always thought it was “5 little girls with padded tits”… 
I always liked[quote]
“Solar Prestige A Gammon”
By Elton John
Oh ma cameo molesting
Kee pa a poorer for tea
Solar prestige a gammon
Lantern or turbert paw kwee
Solar prestige a gammon
Kool kar kyrie kay salmon
Har ring molassis abounding
Common lap kitch sardin a poor floundin
Cod ee say oo pay a loto
My zeta prestige toupay a floored
Ray indee pako a gammon
Solar prestige a pako can nord[/quote]
By the way, I know what this means, too. 
Procol Harum’s A Whiter shade of Pale seems to defy explanation. Some people suggest it’s about getting boozed up, others about an acid trip and other about snorting coke.
procolharum.com/awsoplyrics.htm
As Fisher, the BBC2 DJ says:
[quote]I don’t know what they mean. It’s never bothered me that I don’t know what they mean. This is what I find rather hard, that, especially in America, people are terribly hung up about lyrics and they’ve got to know what they mean, and they say, “I know, I’ve figured out what these lyrics mean.” I don’t give a damn what they mean. You know, they sound great
[quote=“Nik Kershaw in ‘The Riddle’”]i got two strong arms
blessings of babylon
with time to carry on
and try
for sins and alarms
so to america the brave
wise men save
near a tree by a river
there’s a hole in the ground
where an old man of aran
goes around and around
and his mind is a beacon
in the veil of the night
for a strange kind of fashion
there’s a wrong and a right
but he’ll never, never fight over you
i got plans for us
nights in the scullery
and days instead of me
i only know what to discuss
of for anything but light
wise men fighting over you
it’s not me you see
pieces of valentine
with just a song of mine
to keep from burning history
seasons of gasoline and gold
wise men fold
i got time to kill
sly looks in corridors
without a plan of yours
a blackbird sings on bluebird hill
thanks to the calling of the wild
wise mens child
[/quote]At the time there was supposed to be a competition to decode this. But the truth is, there is no answer, it’s just a bunch of gibberish he wrote temporarily to fit the tune, but they couldn’t come up with any better lyrics, so they stuck.
[quote=“monkey”]As Fisher, the BBC2 DJ says:
He does have a point 
[/quote]
People (spaced-out Deadheads) frequently informed members of the Grateful Dead that they “understood” the meaninigs of the lyrics to various Grateful Dead songs and that they had gained this insight from many different dubious sources (such as their rocking chairs, pets, etc…). The Dead wrote a song in response to these folks:
[quote=“Grateful Dead in Estimated Prophet”]My time coming, any day, don’t worry bout me, no
Been so long I felt this way, ain’t in no hurry, no
Rainbows end down that highway where ocean breezes blow
My time coming, voices saying, they tell me where to go
Don’t worry bout me, no no, don’t worry bout me, no
And I’m in no hurry, no no no, I know where to go.
California, preaching on the burning shore
California, I’ll be knocking on the golden door
Like an angel, standing in a shaft of light
Rising up to paradise, I know I’m gonna shine
My time coming, anyday, don’t worry bout me, no
It’s gonna be just like they say, them voices tell me so
Seems so long I felt this way and time sure passin’ slow
Still I know I lead the way, they tell me where I go
Don’t worry bout me, no no, don’t worry bout me, no
And I’m in no hurry, no no no, I know where to go
California, a prophet on the burning shore
California, I’ll be knocking on the golden door
Like an angel, standing in a shaft of light
Rising up to paradise, I know I’m gonna shine
You’ve all been asleep,
You would not believe me
Them voices telling me,
You will soon receive me
We’re standing on the beach,
The sea will part before me
(Fire wheel burning in the air)
And you will follow me,
And we will ride to glory
(Way up the middle of the air)
And I’ll call down thunder
And speak the same
And my word fills the sky with flame
And might and glory gonna be my name
And men gonna light my way
My time coming, anyday, don’t worry bout me, no
It’s gonna be just like they say, them voices tell me so
Seems so long I felt this way and time sure passin slow
My time coming, anyday, don’t worry about me, no
Don’t worry about me… [/quote]
Damn, I still don’t know if Jimi is singing “Scuse me while I kiss this guy” or “the sky”.
Query for the Brits - what does “PVC” mean? There’s a Kinks song that uses that word.
All are examples of attempting to write lyrics while stoned!
“Today they’ll just swear that the man was shot dead by a gun that didn’t make any noise.
But it wasn’t the bullet that laid him to rest–was the low spark of high heel boys.”
[quote=“Traffic in Medicated Goo”]
Pretty Polly Possum what’s wrong with you?
Your body’s kind a weak
and you think there’s nothing we can do
Good Golly Polly shame on you
Cause Molly made a stew that’ll make a newer girl out of you
So follow me, its good for you
That good old fashioned Medicated Goo
Ooo, aint’ it good for you?
My own homegrown recipe’ll see you thru
Freaky Freddy Frolic had some, I know
He was last seen picking green flowers in a field of snow
Get ready Freddy, they’re sure to grow
Mother nature just blew it
and there’s nothing really to it I know
Aunty Franny Prickett and Uncle Lou
They made some Goo
Now they really sock it to their friends
Frantic friends and neighbors charge the door
They caught a little whiff
Now they’re digging it and seeking more[/quote]
PVC is Polyvinyl Chloride, an essential component of the 1970s miniskirt!
Black or brown PVC with a grainy appearance was developed as a leather lookalike you Americans know as “pleather.”
“Either light up or leave me alone.”
Without googling it, who can name the song or at least the album that these lyrics came from? And who, other than Sandman, knows what the hell they’re talking about?
[quote]Aye an’ a bit of Mackeral settler rack and ruin
ran it doon by the haim, 'ma place
well I slapped me and I slapped it doon in the side
and I cried, cried, cried.
The fear a fallen down taken never back the raize and then Craig Marion,
get out wi’ ye Claymore out mi pocket a’ ran doon, doon the middin stain
picking the fiery horde that was fallen around ma feet.
Never he cried, never shall it ye get me alive
ye rotten hound of the burnie crew. Well I snatched fer the blade O my
Claymore cut and thrust and I fell doon before him round his feet.
Aye! A roar he cried frae the bottom of his heart that I would nay fall
but as dead, dead as 'a can be by his feet; de ya ken?
…and the wind cried Mary.
Thank you.[/quote]