Mondegreen

Mondegreen (MON-de-green)

Noun:

-A misunderstood or misinterpreted word or phrase resulting from a mishearing of the lyrics of a song.

From 1950s: from "Lady Mondegreen," a misinterpretation of the phrase "laid him on the green," from the traditional ballad “The Bonny Earl of Murray.”

Used in a sentence:

“That has got to be the most hilarious mondegreen I’ve ever heard!”

A Mondegreen is a misheard song lyric (or other spoken words). We've all experienced this common phenomenon. A few examples are: ===============

"Gladly, the cross-eyed bear."

"Gladly The Cross I'd Bear."

Traditional Hymn

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"There's a bathroom on the right."

"There's a bad moon on the rise."

Bad Moon Rising, Creedence Clearwater

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"Excuse me while I kiss this guy."

"Excuse me while I kiss the sky."

Purple Haze, Jimi Hendrix

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"Dead ants are my friends; they're blowin' in the wind."

"The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind."

Blowin' In The Wind, Bob Dylan

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