Mondegreens
I love a good mondegreen.
For those who are not familiar with the term, it was invented by US writer Sylvia Wright, who had misheard a 17th century ballad. The final two lines of a verse were:
They hae slain the Earl Amurray,
And laid him on the green.
Sylvia thought it was
They hae slain the Earl Amurray,
And Lady Mondegreen.
Other famous mondegreens include Excuse me while I kiss this guy, and There’s a bathroom on the right.
My first mondegreen:
Tis the season to be Charley [jolly].
You can blame my Disney Christmas tape for that.
My most recent mondegreen:
Lips parted like a fraggle unfurled [a flag all unfurled]
From The Decemberists’ Summersong.
My favourite mondegreens:
Our land abounds in nature strips [nature's gifts]
-Australian National Anthem
Hold me closer Tony Danza [tiny dancer]
-Tiny Dancer, Elton John
You’d think that I could rustle up a little soft-shoe Dennis Quaid [gentle sway]
-I Don’t Feel Like Dancing, Scissorsisters
What are yours?