From: genie I agree with Kendall, except I sing "amanita" instead of "emilita": I am inclined to use Maybelle Carter's words--except where they make no sense and appear to be based upon an auditory error. If the song was sung, "...and the pale amanita and islip so blue..." (referring to flowers), it could easily be heard as "...and the pale and the leader and eyes look so blue..." --especially if one heard and learned it as a child!

Everyone will have his or own preference, of course, but the words that make the most sense to me are: "I will twine and will mingle my raven black hair With the roses so red and the lilies so fair The Myrtle so bright with its emerald dew The pale Amanita and Islip so blue."

As an aside: When I was about seven, I lived near Brooklyn, NY, and rooted for the Dodgers. We had just got our first TV and, of course, were glued to the tube for the Dodgers' games. I had never paid any attention to the Star Spangled Banner before hearing it sung before each game. For months--probably until we were taught the words in some school music class--, I thought the words were "Oh, say, can you see by the Dodgerly light ...?"

A guy I heard singing the Eagles' song, "Take It Easy," was singing the line, "...lookin' for a lover who won't blow my brother ...". I asked him about it, thinking he was trying to be cute, but he said he thought that was the real line (which, of course, really is, "...who won't blow my cover...".

This could be an interesting thread, in itself --mis-heard lyrics that get sung in public or printed!