Mondegreen better than actual lyrics

Subject: Mondegreen better than actual lyrics
From: Mrrzy
Date: 15 May 20 - 02:41 PM

There are many threads on mondegreens but none ask this question...

If you find out you had the lyrics wrong, but you like what you heard better, what do you sing?

This came up in my brain as I was singing along, loudly, to Hair (The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical) and suddenly remembered that, long ago, I had looked up some of the lyrics I knew I was missing, and discovered that where I sing Peace! Power! Freedom! Happiness! the artists actually wrote Beads! Flowers! Freedom! Happiness! ...

I still sing it my way. I hear it my way, too, unless specifically listening *for* the right line.

But what about y'all?

Subject: RE: Mondegreen better than actual lyrics
From: JHW
Date: 15 May 20 - 04:05 PM

The version you know first always seem right.

I thought the line was 'strumming my fate with his fingers' but its actually 'strumming my pain'. Perhaps the variant is what I actually heard, subconsciously

Subject: RE: Mondegreen better than actual lyrics
From: Mrrzy
Date: 15 May 20 - 05:04 PM

But now that you know, which do you sing?

Subject: RE: Mondegreen better than actual lyrics
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 15 May 20 - 05:17 PM

"Peace" certainly fits with "freedom" and "happiness" but "power" is out of place to me. It seems too self-centred for the Peace and Love generation. "Flowers" embodies the spirit of the times. I actually think that "peace" sounds better than "beads" and I would be tempted to sing "Peace! Flowers! Freedom! Happiness!" even though I knew it was wrong.

I spend a lot of my time looking for obscure verses of 1920s and 30s blues songs. It is surprising how different the various recorded versions are. The well-known choruses tend to be much the same but verses may be added, left out, re-ordered or rewritten. I reckon that if others can do it then so can I. I start with the oldest version and then pick and choose the verses I want from the later versions until I have a version of my own.

DC

Subject: RE: Mondegreen better than actual lyrics
From: JHW
Date: 16 May 20 - 05:22 AM

Answer to 15 May Q. I still sing 'fate' if I (rarely) sing it.
Not unusual for 'folk singers' to change words even without realising. Songs will have been misheard or misremembered for a very long time and as post above deliberately re-ordered. Done that too.

Subject: RE: Mondegreen better than actual lyrics
From: Mrrzy
Date: 16 May 20 - 09:50 AM

I thought is was about the power people united for peace, freedom and happiness could bring to bear!

Subject: RE: Mondegreen better than actual lyrics
From: Mr Red
Date: 18 May 20 - 04:27 AM

folk process.

The only problem is if you are trying to sing a chorus song and the audience do go your way.

Subject: RE: Mondegreen better than actual lyrics
From: Mrrzy
Date: 18 May 20 - 09:02 PM

Right, some neighborhood folks needing to borrow a shopvac offered to pay with music, and I asked for songs I could sing along to but he'd updated some of the lyrics so oops. But I liked the update, and I don't, usually. And they were kind enough to say they liked me singing along.

Subject: RE: Mondegreen better than actual lyrics
From: JHW
Date: 19 May 20 - 02:07 AM

Fellow Mummers team member JS has response to the old 'sing us something we know' plea.
It'll be better if I sing something I know.