How often do you find yourself driving along in the car singing at the top of your lungs to the radio? I would say it is a pretty common thing that people do in the safety of an enclosed vehicle. I was recently in the car with my husband and we got into the funniest conversation about song lyrics. We were discussing just having some fun with music.

About a year ago I learned the actual lyrics to a song I have been singing in the car since the mid-80s! Rick James sang a song called “Super Freak”. There is a line I have always sung as, “She had intertwining candles…” and the actual line is “Incense, wine, and candles…” My husband was dying laughing at me for my interpretation of the song. How could I have sung it so wrong all these years?

Fun With Music

So, this began a conversation with my husband and that was continued with a couple of friends. We laughed about the words we always heard in certain songs. We love Stevie Nicks’ music. One song in which she says, “Just like the white winged dove…” my husband has always heard as, “white ranger”. I still can’t hear it that way. In more recent years Arianna Grande lyrics sound like she is saying “bacon and eggs” when in reality it is “Thank U, Next.” If you are like most people once you hear lyrics a certain way it is difficult to unhear them that way, even when you know the actual words.

When we asked our friends if they had any such experiences with lyrics they told us the story of a young girl they knew who would sing along to Rolling Stones’s “Beast of Burden” and say “I will never drive in your big Suburban.” It makes total sense because why would a child have any concept of being a beast of burden? What is the context within which you first hear a song? I believe that forms our perception of what is being said.

My youngest daughter has always been very aware of being nice to people. She once commented on the theme song for the Oprah show. At that time it was “I’m Every Woman.” My daughter asked me why Oprah would have a song saying she is a heavy woman. She then told me that wasn’t nice because it didn’t matter what size she was.

Word Challenges

I challenge you to think about the songs you enjoy. Are you really hearing the words correctly? How many times have you found yourself singing along and then it ends up being “blah, blah, blah” because you can’t understand the lyrics? There is one song I like now that has a great beat but for the life of me, I have no idea what the singer is saying. I actually laugh each time I hear the song. I end up singing nonsensical words. I also have no idea who sings it or the name of the song. I just recognize it when it comes on the radio because it makes me want to dance.

Joy in the Music

Find your joy in music. Have some fun with music. It is a great way to lift your mood. Just like on Grey’s Anatomy when Meredith and Cristina would “dance it out” I want you to SING IT OUT. No matter if you are singing the right words, enjoy the moment of the wind in your hair, the radio blasting, and singing your heart out.

Please let me know some of your lyrical moments. I would love to hear from you!