Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Leslie, Albuquerque — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 14:24:41 GMT

When I was a kid, every time we sang "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" I was singing, "Ohh tidings of comforters and joy." I guess I assumed it was a song about bed accessories.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Katie, Hendersonville, NC — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 14:56:29 GMT

My son sings "We wish for a Merry Christmas." I don't have the heart to correct him. I was kind of sad when he realized it was "in a one-horse open sleigh" instead of "with one horse on a sleigh," too.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Chris, Denver, CO — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 14:57:37 GMT

My favorite comes compliments of my daughter, who used to gleefully sing along to O Christmas Tree. The only problem was she thought they were singing "How lovely are thy Grinches".

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Lin Lewis, Charleston, SC — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 14:58:04 GMT

Not a Christmas song, but I thought the last line of America the Beautiful was "from sea to Chinese sea."

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Gary, Boise — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:00:06 GMT

My grandfather told me that when he was a kid, when they sang: Noel, Noel, he thought it was: Oh well, Oh well. So he sang The First Noel that way.

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Ohioniece, Cleveland, OH — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:01:35 GMT

My husband has always thought that "Feliz Navidad" was "Maurice Habidaad" -- figure that one out! Hilarious!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Lori G. Birmingham, AL — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:03:09 GMT

My 4 year-old sings Jingle Bells like this "Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, jingle all the way. No ones fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh."

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Debi C., Queensbury, NY — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:12:48 GMT

Let's not forget "Olive, the other reindeer" which was enough to inspire the children's book (now also a Christmas special)of the same name. As a former kindergarten teacher, I used to hear a lot of strange lyrics.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Megan (Boston, MA) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:16:18 GMT

They made a whole movie out of "Olive, the other reindeer". I don't think one about Round John Virgin would work out as a family film though.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Mike Tully, Parsippany, NJ — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:16:23 GMT

Not a song lyric.....but, in reciting the Lord's Prayer as a child, I thought it went." Our Father who 'art in heaven Howard be thy name ". I thought God's first name was Howard.....

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Russ Hanchin — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:18:51 GMT

When I was a kid, I thought sure "O tannenbaum" was "O atomic bomb!"
...this was in the late 50's.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

RK — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:19:05 GMT

The Eagles - Lyin' Eyes/ for years I thought they were saying, Hawaian Eyes

Bob Seger - Old Time Rock and Roll - Call me a relic call me what you will / I always thought he was saying, call me a rabbit call me what you will.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Jane, Omaha, NE — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:26:20 GMT

Not a Christmas song, but when I was younger I thought that the line from the Lord's Prayer "and lead us not into temptation" was "and lead a snot into temptation." It made sense to me, all those little snots were not going to heaven anyway, why wouldn't you lead them into temptation.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

KT — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:30:00 GMT

For years I thought the line was "...we'll perspire as we lay by the fire..." I was probably in my teens before I finally heard it the correct way

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Scout in Nebraska — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:30:48 GMT

My friend Maria, leaning/clinging on a speaker at a Creighton frat party singing 'big ole jet got a light on' instead of 'big ole jet airliner' courtesy of Steve Miller Band.

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Karen, Maryland — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:31:28 GMT

My daughter's favorite "Mark the Herald Angel sings!"

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Colleen, New York, New York — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:32:42 GMT

I teach nursery school and had the children singing "Away In A Manger." I could hear certain children sing louder than others - one of whom sang "The little George Jesus asleep on the hay."

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Amy, WV — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:39:26 GMT

I once heard a Christmas song parody (sung by a man) that instead of going "walking in a winter wonderland..." went "walkin' 'round in women's underwear." Still makes me giggle when I hear "Winter Wonderland." :)

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Jennifer, Columbia, Sc — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:45:05 GMT

Not christmas related, but my husband sang his heart out, "i get knocked down, by an elephant..." instead of "i get knocked down, but i get up again."

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Stephanie, Missouri — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:47:24 GMT

My daughter keeps singing the 12 days of Christmas with "portrait of a gingerbear tree" instead of partridge in a pear tree.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Rick B., Austin, Texas — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:49:21 GMT

Here is an example of getting lyrics wrong becoming apart of Christmas. The song "The Tweleve Days Of Christmas" is usually sung as "my true love sent to me, 4 calling birds," but the actual line is "4 colly birds". "Colly" is an English dialect word for coal dust. Black birds were hence known as colly birds.

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Renee — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:49:57 GMT

I used to think that on the theme song for "Good Times" that they were singing "chicken baby laid off" instead of temporary lay-off!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Scout in Nebraska — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:52:01 GMT

Jane, I thought that in the 23rd Psalm when it says, "Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow you, all the days of your life..." that those were three girls. Three chics named Shirley, Gooness and Mercy that would follow you around in heaven.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Lynne, Indianapolis — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:54:53 GMT

As a kid,I thought at the end of Silent Night, it said "Sleep in heavenly peas" & it would make me laugh. Sort of like "visualize whirled peas"

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dana, crete, il — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:55:04 GMT

My daughter sang the other verse of Joy to the World as ..."the wonders of his GLOVE" instead of "wonders of his love"

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

V, Vermont — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:58:49 GMT

I thought angels were hairy after thinking the song was "Hark, the Hairy Angels"

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Heather, Conway, Arkansas — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:01:24 GMT

Not Christmassy, but my son (almost two) sings along when we sing "Eidelweiss" as a lullaby - "Hey, We White - Hey, We White...", and when I was younger, I sang that great ol' hymn as "Bringing in the Cheese" (instead of "sheaves").

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

dee dee — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:09:33 GMT

(NOT HOLIDAY RELATED) My Two year old son sings
" Happy Birthday Cake to you!" instead of the traditional " Happy Birthday to you"

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Barbara D, Little Rock, Arkansas — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:10:05 GMT

My son used to pray before meals, "Bless us oh Lord, for these thy gifts which we are about to receive from thy Mountie." It conjured up visions of a Canadian Mounted Police Officer galloping up to our table with a tray of food. He also prayed," Hail Mary....and blessed is the Fruit of the Loom, Jesus."

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Bertrand, McKinney TX — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:12:47 GMT

True story...as a child my brother would sing "release my peanut!" (Feliz Navidad)! We still remind him of that every Christmas.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

James, PA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:14:53 GMT

In the original song rocking around the christmas tree, it sounds as if she says "and we'll eat some f-ing pie" instead of pumpkin pie. I have even some heard some radio stations bleep it out.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Rachael, AR — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:15:47 GMT

When I was a kid, my parents liked the Beach Boys, and I used to think the words were "my little loose toot, you don't know what it's like" instead of "my little deuce coupe, you don't know what I got"!! They STILL give me a hard time!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Christine, Waynesville, Missouri — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:18:21 GMT

When I was a child, I used to think that Feliz Navidad went "Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad, potato, lasagna and a piece o' pie..."

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Matt - San Antonio — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:18:38 GMT

Sitting at church one Christmas morning a few years ago, The choir was singing selections from Handel's Messiah. They started singing "Oh Comfort Ye" and you could hear a small child say, "Daddy, why does that man want us to 'come for tea'. They had to stop the song due to the laughter.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Linda, Blackwood, NJ — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:20:32 GMT

My son, when he was about 4, used to think that it was "Lasagne in the highest" instead of "Hosanna in the highest" in church. Also, when he got a little older, the song by Heart, "How Can I Get You Alone", he though was "how can I get to a phone" - cracks me up whenever I hear the song, and he's now 32!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

K, Dallas, TX — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:20:52 GMT

we always sang "police want your dad" for feliz navidad.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Lil — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:23:35 GMT

I used to sing "You give love a band aid" rather than "You give love a bad name".

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Jen Howard, Eugene, Oregon — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:26:08 GMT

In Hark the Herald Angels Sing, I heard "Cream and Jelly Toast Proclaim" instead of "Three Angelic Hoast Proclaim" :o)

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Meghan, VA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:27:07 GMT

Not Christmas, but when I was younger, I thought Glory Days by Bruce Springsteen was "Oye Ve".

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Bill, New Jersey — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:29:55 GMT

My oldest misheard the line "The Christmas we get we deserve" from Emerson, Lake, and Palmer "I Believe in Father Christmas" as "...it's Christmas now get me dessert!". We all chime in with that line every time we hear the song now.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Janice Hickman, Charleston, SC — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:32:43 GMT

while helping my mother decorate one Christmas, the song, "Feliz Navidad" was on and we were singing. My son who was 11 at the time asked "Mom, who is Maurice Navidad?"

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Chuck, Lynn, MA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:33:58 GMT

My daughter was singing Ho Ho the Missing toe and Walking around the Christmas tree.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

joy, Maui, Hi — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:42:27 GMT

A friend used to sing "Jeff's nuts roasting on an open fire" But she had a brother Jeff, so I think it was intentional.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

August, Seattle WA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:43:14 GMT

In Winter Wonderland I always thought that Parson Brown was a type of brown. I couldn't imagine why people wanted to pretend their snowman was brown though.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

BROOK, NORTH CAROLINA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:45:39 GMT

As a kid I sang "I'm a long dong daddy" rather than "I'm a long gone Daddy in the U.S.A." which made Bruce Springsteens "Born in the USA" seem rather perverted;it didn't occur to me that I could have been wrong and my parents just let me go.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Joy Phoenix Az — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:49:17 GMT

"Hark! the Herold Angels Sing" was always "Part the Hair On Angels Wings" My Brother sang it that way for years before we clued him in.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

E, Phoenix — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:53:24 GMT

This isn't a Christmas song but The Police, Message in a Bottle the line "a year has passed since I wrote my note" I always thought Sting was singing "a year has passed since I broke my nose". I think I was in college before I figured that one out.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Barbara Williams, Washington, DC — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:55:55 GMT

Many years ago an elementary teacher with a piano in her classroom asked the students which Christmas song they wanted to sing. One little boy responded, "The Whale Song". When the teacher indicated she didn't know that one, the little boy sang, "No Whale, No Whale (Noel).

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

St. Louis, Mo — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:57:36 GMT

When I was younger my mom told me I use to sing "Frosty the Snowman was a jolly SOB"..my mom said it was too funny to correct me. She's great!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

BV, Joliet IL — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:57:51 GMT

I have a few Christmas tunes that I've misheard:

-- "Simply having a wonderful Christmas time" (I don't know the song title) used to sound to me like "Simply Allen a one little Christmas time"

-- "Here Comes Santa Claus": "He doesn't care if you're rich or poor" always sounded to me like "He doesn't care if you rinse your floor". Blame my upbringing with a neatnik mom.

-- Not misheard, but misunderstood: "The Little Drummer Boy", "The ox and lambs kept time". Although I first heard it as "odds", I misunderstood the line until just a few years ago. I thought they were magic animals who could read a timepiece, like the man timing the racers in a marathon. I finally figured out in my late 20's that it meant their hoofbeats.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Christmas in Dallas — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:59:03 GMT

In Gloria Estefan's "Christmas Through your Eyes," it sounds like she's saying, "like a bearded child again" when she's saying, "like being a child again." Pretty funny!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Copper's Fox, Texas — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:03:53 GMT

My Husband sings "Fleas on my Dog... I'm going to buy him a new flea collar" (Feliz Navidad). Of course he also sings "There's a Bathroom on the right" to CCRs Bad Moon Rising... My 4 year old says "Very Christmas" instead of "Merry Christmas" and last night was singing "Mary had a little Man"... Of course Row Row Row your Boat goes "Like a spider dream" and then after we tried to correct "Life is but extreme"

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Bob Queen, Winchester, KY — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:05:14 GMT

How about all the poems and stuff written by that famous and prolific writer Arthur Unknown?

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Nancy, Gettysburg, PA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:06:39 GMT

The song from Boy George "Karma Chameleon" really threw my co-worker. She thought it was "Become a comedian"! I thought Paul Simon's "Slip Slidin' Away" was "There's a fly in my way".

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Aimee — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:11:39 GMT

I used to think that the rolling stone's "beast of burden" was "big suburban"!!!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Barb, Fort Collins CO — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:12:38 GMT

My father had a friend nicknamed "Chappy", so my brother thought "As each happy Christmas" was "Happy Chappy's Christmas."

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Melissa, Minnesota — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:20:32 GMT

Not Christmas related, buy my son thought it was "secret asian man", not "secret agent man". It still cracks us up.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

mrsthing, new haven, ct — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:21:35 GMT

My 3-year-old daughter used to sing: "On the 8th day of Christmas my true love said to me,
"IIIII hope
IIIII don't
get into trouble!
I hope bells ring!
Four collie birds
Shriek French sheep
Two turtle ducks
And a partray in a pear tree!"

And

Our God narrow angels sing
Glory to the new more king
Peace on earth, and thirteen miles
Come and see the virgin child

And "This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds, God, and angels sing."

Inexplicably, she insisted that the three wise men were named Marchant, Borfooze, and Cheepy. LOL!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Buffalo, New York — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:22:49 GMT

Whenever my husband lets the dog out to go to the bathroom, he sings "Yellow snow, yellow snow, yellow snow...." (to the tune of "Let it Snow")

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

St. Louis, Missouri — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:24:08 GMT

I had always heard- From Rocking around the Christmast tree: "Later we'll have some f-ing pie and do some caroling"
Realized later it was "pumkin pie" -- OOPS!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

jerseygirl — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:27:16 GMT

When I was younger, I used to the Deck the Hall with Boughs of Holly, was Deck the Halls with Bowels of Holly, I found the song very disturbing...lol I asked my father what a bowel of Holly was and he explained it to me, but til this day, not really one of my favorite tunes...

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Linda P. — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:28:01 GMT

Not a Christmas song, but when my daughter was four years old, she would walk around the house singing along with Barry Manilow's "Copacabana", only it came out "Coco, coco-banana". She's 36 now, and it still makes me chuckle when I think of it, and still makes her roll her eyes when I remind her of it.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Beth, Danville, CA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:30:14 GMT

I used to think the song "Hot Blooded" (was it by Foreigner?) said, "Come on Baby, Do You Do Modern Dance?" (instead of "Do You Do More Than Dance?"). Also, instead of "There's a Bad Moon on the Rise" I thought it was "There's a Bathroom on the Right."

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Lori, Groveport, OH — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:30:31 GMT

I had a girlfriend who thought the words "I want to be your beast of burden" was "I want to see your pizza burning". That still makes me laugh 30 years later.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Peter Fields, Pasadena, CA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:36:55 GMT

Not Christmas related, but I always sang "Bald Headed Woman" for the Bee Gees "More Than a Woman" and I could have sworn Eric Carmen was singing "I'll Bite Myself, Don't Wanna Bleed."

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Jennifer, Chesterfield VA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:37:12 GMT

When I was a little girl, my mom was playing Christmas in Killarney on the piano and we were singing along and when the line "It's nice you know to kiss your bo" I said "It's nice you know to kiss your toe" by mistake and for some reason we thought it was the FUNNIEST thing in the world, laughed so hard we were crying!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:53:37 GMT

I thought that new song "Chasing Pavement" was "Chasing Penguins." I couldn't figure out why she wanted to chase penguins around. :)

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Barb Giannelli, Columbia, SC — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:00:33 GMT

I had a girlfriend in 5th grade that thought Elton John's "Benny and the Jets" lyric was "banging on the desk". I think of that everytime I hear that song...

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Hex, Reno, NV — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:02:01 GMT

I still remember a mental image that I always got, when reciting the Lord's Prayer as a pre-Kindergartener (and maybe post-Kindergarten as well), of lightning bolts and electricity when I got to "for thine is the power ..." I'm pretty sure I had not yet been exposed to the myths of Thor or Zeus; it was just what "power" meant to me at the time.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

J H, Youngstown Ohio — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:02:29 GMT

I was singing Christmas Carols in a quartet, getting paid no less. We were sing "Frosty the Snowman", and
on part after "For when they placed it on his head, he began to dance around", Oh... Rudolph the red nosed reindeer,
That was 30 years ago, and I still can't live it down.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Susan, Wylie, TX — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:03:19 GMT

Not really misheard... but I'm 33 years old and this year is the first time I've heard this one: "Dashing through the snow... on a pair of broken skis... o'er the fields we go... crashing through the trees, OW OW OW!"

:)

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Brian, Philadelphia, PA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:04:19 GMT

In "You're So Vain," my little sister used to sing "Wife of a clothespin..."

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Elaine C . Brewster WA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:05:49 GMT

My son was singing "police stole my car" instead of "Feliz Navidad"

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Amy; Carrollton, TX — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:10:40 GMT

My sister used to sing "Good King Wenses lost his crown" for the first line of "Good King Wenceslas." I still picture Sr. Wences with a tiny, foil-covered crown on.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Roland, Albquerque, NM — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:10:49 GMT

I used to sing "Deck the Halls with wads of money" until I found out it was not like that.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Jami, Philadelphia, PA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:17:29 GMT

"Later on, we'll perspire, while we sit by the fire..."

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Anonymous, Portland — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:18:32 GMT

Also not Christmas, but I always used to hear "All the boys think she's a spazz/She's got Bette Davis eyes". I also heard "She knows just what it takes to make a crow blush".

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Lana, Abita Springs, LA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:27:05 GMT

In a similar vein, I've found that many non-Canadians sing "O Canada" to the tune of "O Tannenbaum."

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Andrea, Lubbock, Texas — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:32:20 GMT

Also not Christmas music, but mine was .."let Milo open the door" instead of "...let my love open the door". Pete Townshend was simply singing about some guy named Milo. And it made MUCH more sense that a person was opening the door. My family rolled with laughter as they tried to tell me the right lyrics. I'm 40 now...and they STILL have a laugh about Milo opening the door to your heart. <sigh>

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:38:32 GMT

In another non-Christmas related one, my sister's middle school teacher learned a new word when reviewing the U.S. national anthem with his class: "donzerly" light.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Noel, East Alton, IL — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:40:31 GMT

When I was a child, I thought that the last line of "Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer" was not "You'll go down in history," but "You'll go down and hear a story." I guess I thought Rudolph liked books.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Anonymous, New York — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:43:34 GMT

Otis Redding - White Christmas

"Mayonnaise, mayonnaise be merry and white"
"May your days, May your days be merry and white"

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Tracie, Jackson, TN — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:47:40 GMT

In Meli Kimikimaka by Bing Crosby --- instead of hearing "Meli Kimikimaka is Hawaii's way to say Merry Christmas to you" I heard "Meli Kimikimaka is the wise way..."

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

AS, DC — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:51:35 GMT

A friend's 4 year old son, instead of saying "Feliz Navidad", says "Puh-leez mommy not"...

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Bonnie Alabama — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:57:27 GMT

Thanks for the laughs. Some of those were hilarious.
When my mother was a little there was a saying some of the older people would say..... "Land of Goshen". She always thought they were saying "Atlantic Ocean".

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Wendi, Sherwood, AR — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:59:25 GMT

My 3 year old son has just learned "Jingle Bells" only instead he sings "Chicken Bells, Chicken Bells." It cracks me up every time.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

P.T., Princeton, New JErsey — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:02:25 GMT

One horse open sleigh, for whatever unknown reason was always "one horse soap and sleigh" for me. Kids? Logic?

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

David Barnett — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:06:48 GMT

This is from the '50's Superman TV show. I thought "able to leap tall buildings in a single bound" was "aching police hall buildings and a singing hound".

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Gretchen — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:19:18 GMT

A friend of ours thought "rockin' the casbah" was "pickin' the cat's butt", which I now hear instead of the real lyrics.

And we sing "fleas never die" instead of feliz navidad.

Also, my brother had a friend names Chris Massouh (sorry if you're reading this, Chris!), but I always thought they were talking about inviting over Christmas Sue - she seemed like a fun gal to have around, I guess.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

K, Cleveland, TN — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:20:52 GMT

My little brother used to say the prayer before dinner wrong. Instead of "Bless us, oh Lord, and these thy gifts" he would say "Bless us, oh Lord, and please digest"

My sister thought "fire all of your guns at once" on Born to be Wild was "buy all of your guns at half price"

My best friend thought the lyrics to "the stroke" where "Something, Something" instead of "Stroke me, Stroke me".

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Conrad, Williamsport, PA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:21:36 GMT

Not mis-heard, but wonderful nevertheless - Walt Kelly's (Pogo) famous Christmas song:

Deck us all with Boston Charlie,
Walla Walla, Wash., an' Kalamazoo!
Nora's freezin' on the trolley,
swaller dollar cauliflower alleygaroo!
Don't we know archaic barrel,
Lullaby Lilla Boy, Louisville Lou.
Trolley Molly don't love Harold,
boola boola Pensacoola hullabalou!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Tom — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:25:02 GMT

Deck the halls with cows & collies, fa la la la la, la la la la.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

SV, Belleville MI — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:26:43 GMT

Lord's Prayer: "Lead A Snot Into Temptation"

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Ginger Vitus — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:27:33 GMT

Don't forget poor old Chet...

"Chet's nuts roasting on an open fire..."

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Pamela, Kenosha WI — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:29:29 GMT

Not a Christmas song, but I was in the choir in a Catholic grade school. Just imagine the fun we had with 'PEACE is flowing like a river'!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Rhonda, Folsom, LA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:35:33 GMT

Not Christmas related, but my daughter, when she was 3 years old thought that the Garthe Brooks song "I'm Shameless" was I'm Shaving. She sang it so loud and clear. "I'm Shaving".

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

D. Wesson, Chattanooga, TN — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:37:47 GMT

In our family, we sing "Release Mommie Dot" instead of Feliz Navidad. Dot is my mother-in-law and even though we now live in separate states and can't get back home as often as possible, simply hearing that song and singing our own lyrics, makes the distance bearable.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Linda Parker — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:38:20 GMT

This is not Christmas but is is funny. I have a friend who sings "My eyes of Georgia" instead of "My eyes adored you"

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

David Yocum Dallas, TX — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:38:29 GMT

What a lame article! Gael Fashingbauer Cooper needs to find more newsworthy things to write about and stop wasting MSNBC time with lousy 239 word crap that nobody really gives a flying f about.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Tim High Point NC — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:38:36 GMT

Rockin' around the Christmas tree, later we'll have some F)(*&^ pie.
I laugh EVERY single time...

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

VWA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:41:16 GMT

My daughter loved to sing Christmas "caramels", one of her favorites being Jingle Bells - "Bells on pop-top ring".

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Kristina, Plano, Tx — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:41:36 GMT

My son used to sing "We're off to see the Lizard, the Wonderful Lizard of Oz"

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Orlando Mustico, Orwell, VT — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:43:15 GMT

"King of wishful thinking". The line "...and pretend my ship's not sinking" I would have bet money that he was singing " ...and pretend my ___t's not stinking". It made for one embarrassing sing-a-long at a party!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Mike, Frederick MD — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:44:14 GMT

Not misheard or misunderstood, but a parody of "We Three Kings" that my brothers and I used to love to sing was:
We three kings of orient are,
smoking on a rubber cigar;
it was loaded,
and exploded;
now we know where we are.
:-)

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Kurt Kammeyer, Denver, Colorado — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:44:48 GMT

Another misheard line in that Olde English carol, God rest ye, merry gentlemen: "The witches' mother Mary" instead of "To which his mother Mary"

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Santa Balls, North Pole, Arctic Ocean — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:46:02 GMT

"...do you smell what I smell?..."

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Pamela, Kenosha WI — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:46:02 GMT

Not a Christmas song, but I was in the choir in a Catholic grade school. Just imagine the fun we had with 'PEACE is flowing like a river'!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Annette H., Mason, MI — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:49:17 GMT

I knew of a child who thought she could never go to Heaven because of the line: "Sleep in Heaven, eat peas," and she didn't like peas!
When my son was a toddler he would cry when I'd sing "Away in a Manger." I asked him why that song made him so sad, and he said, "Because the Lord Jesus doesn't have a crib or a bed." ("no crib for a bed")

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

KT, Falls Church, VA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:51:08 GMT

In one of L.M. Montgomery's excellent "Anne" novels (I think it was "Anne of Avonlea"), a small boy thinks that the part of the Catechism that goes "makes, preserves, and redeems us" means that God makes jam (preserves, get it?) and that jam/jelly is therefore a holy food.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

ktech Nebraaska — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:52:09 GMT

The stars in the sky look down from above, The little lord Jesus asleep in the mud.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

RC, Texas — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:53:41 GMT

As a child, I thought the Christmas lyric was, "Later on, we'll PERSPIRE as we dream by the fire." Pretty hot fire.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

jeanie gallagher — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:54:15 GMT

Oh, come all ye faithful
..was
Oh come all ye hateful
It still works, too..the hateful really do need Him

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Crissy Scott, Bham, AL — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:55:55 GMT

My husband said when he was a boy he would sing Police stole my car instead of Feliz Navidad. Now whenever we hear that some he always has to sing his "revised" version.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

MJ, Fuquay Varina, NC — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:57:31 GMT

from Elton John's Tiny Dancer --"count the head lice on the highway"

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Cathy, Austin, TX — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:57:32 GMT

I have nothing to add to this other than these comments are HILARIOUS and I am choking on my lunch as I read them. Thank you giving me a mid-day giggle fit!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

S., New York — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:58:51 GMT

A few years back,I heard a child reciting the Lord's Prayer. Instead of saying "And deliver us from evil, amen.", the child said "and deliver us some e-mail, amen."

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Charleen Creasy, Opelika, AL — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:59:18 GMT

Also not a Christmas song, but when my daughter was about 4 Flashdance was the big movie. She used to go around the house singing, "Satucci the night" instead of the actual "Seduce me Tonight". Much preferable for a 4 yr. old don't you think?

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

JAM, Denver, CO — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:01:54 GMT

my 5 year old son says (upon folding his hands together): here is the church... here's the Home Depot... i haven't corrected him because it's too cute!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Ellery, Michigan — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:02:23 GMT

not misheard, but misunderstood: in Handel's Messiah the line, "for we like sheep (have gone astray), I always just thought they were saying they like sheep. I was thinking, hey, I like them too - and goats, cows, chickens . . .

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Amy, Lebanon MO — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:03:06 GMT

I was in my early 20's before I realized that in "Winter Wonderland" they were singing about a snowman as aa preacher instead of a skinny (sparse) and suntanned (brown) snowman. Still makes me blush

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

James NC. — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:05:21 GMT

How about a cartrage in a bear tree....

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Tracy — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:07:59 GMT

For Kenny Roger's song "Lucille" I use to think he was singing "with 4 hundred children" instead of "4 hungry children."

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Bonnie, Bloomfield, New Jersey — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:08:06 GMT

The song, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," has a line in it that goes: "You will get a sentimental feelin' when you hear voices singing 'Let's be Jolly,' deck the halls with boughs of holly." It wasn't until I was 21 years old that I learned those were the correct words and NOT: "You will get a Santa-little feelin.'" As in, you'd feel a little like Santa. Makes sense right!?!?! :)

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

LLP monroe ct — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:08:44 GMT

My niece would say instead of "yellow polka-dot bikini" it was Yellow -doppa-stopa-lini go figure

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Sandycs1953 Texas City, TX 77590 — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:09:47 GMT

Not a Christmas song, but the Beatles song, "She's Got a Ticket to Ride", was interpreted by my sister as: she's got a tick in her eye!
I always laugh when I hear her still singing it that way. No WAY an I telling her different!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Ilah, Rhinelander, WI — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:10:03 GMT

My sister thought the line from the song for Flashdance instead of "take your passion and make it happen" was "take your pants off and let it happen." For a long time, I couldn't figure out why she thought it was a dirty song.

My daughter used to have problems with fluid buildup in her ears--that lead to a lot of interesting words and song lyrics: "I will make you fishers of men" was "God made us from sugar and bugs." We had a restaurant near us called "Pizza Pasta" Instead of "I've got the peace that passeth understanding down in my heart" It was "I got the Pizza Pasta down in my heart"

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Carol W Odessa, TX — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:10:10 GMT

When I was in college my room mate sang Foriegner's "Urgent" as Virgin, Virgin, Virgin!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Frank Wilson — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:10:19 GMT

Another not Christmas, but I could never figure out why 'seldom' was a discouraging word (Home on the Range - 'Where seldom is heard, a discouraging word').

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

DMC, Oceanside, CA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:11:09 GMT

This isn't a Christmas song but my kids thought the lyrics in "Bad Moon Rising" was "there's a bathroom on the right" instead of "there's a bad moon on the rise". Hilarious. We now sing it that way every time we hear it.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Elizabeth - Greenville, SC — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:11:14 GMT

Who could forget "She's Got a CHICKEN to Ride" (TICKET) or "Every time you go...away...you take a piece of MEAT with you" (ME)?

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

KW, York ME — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:12:39 GMT

In the poem The Night before Christmas the oft misheard reindeer's name is Donder, German for thunder and not Donner; shame on Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer for getting that wrong.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

ytazsno, Denver, CO — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:13:15 GMT

mcdonald's should be so proud of them selves... my 5 year old son sings: oh, McFun it is to ride, in a one horse open sleigh!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Julian, Los Angeles CA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:13:20 GMT

I was drifting off, and my radio reception was bad, but what I heard instead of "He will bring us beauty and light" was: He will bring us cooties and blight.

Also, one part of Carmina Burana, I always hear as: Fifty-seven, fifty-seven, fifty-seven holidays!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Casey, AL — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:13:58 GMT

Wow. Thanks to this thread, I now know that I have been singing "Meli Kimikimaka" incorrectly. I also thought it was "is a wise way." I knew that didn't sound right...

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Des, Fall River, MA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:14:32 GMT

Tracie, It's actually "Mele Kalikimaka", hehehe :)

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Jeff Weidner, San Clemente, CA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:15:35 GMT

My wife and I were in the car with our 3 year old when he started singing "Sillbrendo, Sillbrendo". After a half-second of confusion, I realized he was singing "Silver and Gold" from the Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer TV special (which we have on DVD). Now THAT was a worthwhile purchase, just for that moment alone.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Mary, Yakima, WA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:17:27 GMT

How about Elton John's "hold me closer tiny dancer", I grew up in the 80's. It was sung as "Hold me closer, Tony Danza".

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Dawn, New York, NY — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:17:43 GMT

In Rolling Stones song "Beast of Burden" I used to sing "I never smell your pizza burning" instead of "I'll never be your beast of burden". My Mom still cracks up.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Deb - Nampa, Idaho — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:18:13 GMT

Not Christmas related, but cute! When my precious younger son was very young, he would sing ‘Purple Haines’ to the Prince song, “Purple Haze” – boy did his older brother give him a hard time for that one!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Deb, Belleville, WI — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:18:21 GMT

"Hail Mary full of grapes, the Lord is Leslie"
My brother is Leslie and he was far from Lord-ish.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Sam, PA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:18:31 GMT

Of course, in the Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On an open Fire), if you are aged 93 or over, the song does not apply to you. (And so i'm offering this simple phrase for kids from 1 to 92!!!)

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Deb, Belleville, WI — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:18:55 GMT

"Hail Mary full of grapes, the Lord is Leslie"
My brother is Leslie and he was far from Lord-ish.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Amanda; Roanoke, VA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:19:44 GMT

Not a Christmas song but,

I had an ex who told me the story of when he was little and "Don't Go Chasin' Waterfalls" had just came out.... he thought it was Go, Go Jason Wonderful.
I can't hear the song without giggling!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Myrrh — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:20:12 GMT

In Winter Wonderland, I always thought it was, "In the meadow we will build a snowman; and pretend that he is parse and brown!"
Like parse was an adjective.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

SM, Chattanooga TN — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:21:09 GMT

When we were little my sister thought the lyrics to Frosty the Snowman stated that he had "a corndog pipe".

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Wil, Portland ME — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:24:37 GMT

I remember when I was a kid asking my mother what a "round yon virgin" was and what it had to do with a silent night.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

JW, Little Rock Arkansas — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:24:49 GMT

"Deck the halls with Boston Charley,
Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-laaaa..."

From the great old comic strip "Pogo" and I just wish I could remember the whole thing.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Sandi SB, CA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:28:33 GMT

Not Chrismtas related but there was a song in the 60's called Paper Roses with a line that said, "like your imitation love for me" and my friend thought Anita Bryant was singing "like the river station loads for free" Go figure!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

P. Murphy — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:31:39 GMT

Eight Days a Week by the Beatles - my uncle thought it was H. A. Louise, we love you.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Debbie, Charleston WV — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:33:08 GMT

I remember my youngest daughter sitting in the back seat singing, "knock, knock, knockin on Kevin's door, instead of Heaven's door. When I tried to correct her...she told me that Heaven did not have a door and it was Kevin's door! We still kid her today at 22.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Robert Wilso , Decorah, IA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:33:09 GMT

When I was in 2nd grade we got our first stereo. One of the albums was a Pat Boone Christmas album and one of the songs was "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". At one point I proudly announced to my mom that I finally knew the last name of Jesus. Perplexed, she asked me what it was and how I knew. I told her it was in the song because the man sang "His mother Mary Kneelingdown", which was obviously her, and therefore his, last name. I still here about it every year after almost 50 years.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Gary Humphrey Sykesville, Maryland — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:34:11 GMT

We used to take turns saying "grace" at the dinner table. My son used to say "Thank you lord for this staley bread."

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Me San Jose, CA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:37:31 GMT

In Church I heard a little boy sing "Bradly the crosseyed bear", instead of "Galdly the cross I'd bear".

While saying The Lords Prayer, My little brother would say "give us the steak, and daily bread" instead of "give us this day, our daily bread."

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Nancy B Granger, IN — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:38:51 GMT

my good friend at work makes up his own little lyrics to songs...some of my favorites are micheal jacskons annie are you ok.....he sings granny can you crochet
and the eagles longrun he sings in my longjohns ohhh im gonna stay warm in my longjohns...

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

LGE, Fort Myers, FL — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:39:07 GMT

from my silly little sister's silly little mind....
"Ain't even done with the night" by John "Cougar" Mellancamp....."Eighty-one dollars a night". I guess she thought it was a prostitute's song.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Val, Little Rock, AR — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:39:18 GMT

On the "Jingle Bells" bridge, my daughter sang "bashing through the snow" instead of dashing.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Cathleen, St. Louis, MO — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:43:03 GMT

My 6 year old just heard the 12 days of Christmas, and he can't wait to have a "party in the pantry" (partridge in a pear tree.)

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Joanne, W. Bridgewater, MA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:44:11 GMT

I'm with KT...........I always thought they were saying "later on we'll perspire"......when my daughter told me they were singing "later on we'll conspire" I thought, what the heck does that mean.

I heard someone making a spoof of Feliz Navidad singing "Fleas on my dog".............I like that one better.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Amy, Columbia, MO — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:45:55 GMT

We sang the one line from Feliz Navidad as "Cause they don't like boys that eat a lot". Still don't know what it really is, didn't pay enough attention in Spanish class. I just don't sing along anymore.
And my daughter (2.5 yrs) sings "Farmer in the Dell" as "A Farmer takes a life." I thinks she knows it, it just comes out wrong, very wrong.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Megan — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:49:47 GMT

It's not a Christmas song, but my big, gay Madonna fan of a friend thought the lyrics to "Express Yourself" were "make you feel like the queen of the prom" instead of "queen on a throne". He's not allowed to live that one down.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Mary Barrie, Chicago, IL — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:50:22 GMT

Not a Christmas song, but I always thought 'surely goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life" was actually "Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy"...I thought they were angels...spooky.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

MPB, Boston, MA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:50:37 GMT

And then there was my 5 year old grandson happily singing"Old King Cole was a VERY old soul". We douldn't convince him otherwise - in his opinion, "Merry" only belonged in Merry Christmas.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

JDA, Los Angeles, CA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:51:40 GMT

I always wanted to know who Richard Stans was....and how he got his own Republic...."I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for Richard Stans......"

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Jodie, Atlantic City, NJ — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:53:18 GMT

A friend told me when she was a kid she used to sing "later on we'll perspire as we steam by the fire" instead of "later on we'll conspire as we dream by the fire".

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Maggie Todd, Hillsborough, NJ — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:04:38 GMT

In the song "The First Noel," I used to think "Noel" was "No Elves" and we were singing because there were no elves to make Christmas presents!!!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Stefanie, Downingtown, PA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:06:06 GMT

Not Christmas related - When my mother-in-law was a teenager she thought in The Who's "Teenage Wasteland" they were singing "Teenage Waitress."

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

L Ruacho — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:08:56 GMT

Not a Christmas song, but my son and I are Japanese and when Johnny Rivers came out with Secret Agent Man, my son, then 4 said, "Mom, there's a song on the radio about us, Secret Asian Man.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Roxanne C. — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:11:07 GMT

My 12 year old daughter was singing along with the radio to the song "fooled around and fell in love", she sang, I fooled around in bed too long. A friend heard the song, "Lonely women make good lovers", she said someone should tell that to a recently outed gay man, she thought the song was Only women make good lovers". Last but not least, there is always the Christmas favorite, "Deck the halls with Buddy Holly"

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Kitkat — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:11:49 GMT

In the Barbara Mandrell song 'I was country when country wasn't cool', I used to think she said she was country from her 'hat down to her boobs'...I never could figure out why she'd say that - it wasn't very far!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Bill, East Falmouth, MA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:11:52 GMT

My 2 favorite are a "one horse soap and sleigh' for a one horse open sliegh.

And in God Bless America, my brother and I always thought as kids it was the "oceans microphone" instead of the oceans white with foam. We still laugh about that now an then.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

GMG — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:12:20 GMT

...and when I was a child and we used to recite the pledge of allegiance before class began every day I always wondered who Richard Stands was...

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Chris, Baltimore, MD — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:13:13 GMT

KT- I just had to look that up...I didn't see what was wrong with that.
Conspire just doesn't seem right.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Jackie Hewitt — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:15:28 GMT

For years I thought Prince's "Little Red Corvette" was "Pay the Rent Collect." I still get gried from friends about that!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

kt, arlington tx — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:16:27 GMT

For years, I thought that in The First Noel, the line that says "was to certain poor shepherds in fields ..." meant that certain was the verb, as if God was making those shepherds certain. I was in my mid-30s before I realized it was just a certain few as opposed to all of them ...

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Sara-Green Bay, Wi — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:24:51 GMT

I think the one we used to sing with gusto during church and our annual christmas program (in front of familys and of course the priests)until we figured out we were wrong was 'deck the halls with balls of holly'. Who the heck holly was we did not know but now we KNOW why the nuns at the catholic grade school turned shades of red until they told us that No it was Deck the halls with boughs of holly. Soon after that they would provide us with the words to the songs. I guess to eliminate embarrassing situations in front of clergy!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Maddy, Oxford, Pennsylvania — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:31:37 GMT

My sister always thought that Hark the Herald Angels sing was Park the Car the angels sing until I corrected her.

She also thought everyday I Write the Book by Elvis Costello was Everyday I ride the Bus, and Sweet Talking Woman by Electric Light Orchestra was Tree Topping Woman.
Now everytime we hear those songs we have to sing the wrong lyrics.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

K C , Phoenix, AZ — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:33:34 GMT

As a child it was "One Horse Soap in Sleigh" for me.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Christine, Boston, MA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:33:46 GMT

I overheard my 5 year-old singing in bed the other night..."Don't tell on the mountain"...

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

LAF, Raleigh, NC — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:35:37 GMT

I thought "Orient Are" was a country with three kings.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Nick Smith, Oklahoma City, OK. — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:35:47 GMT

This famous one was in the Pogo comic strip about 50years ago..... Good King Winceslaus looked out on his feets uneven.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Lynch, Erlanger, KY — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:42:52 GMT

Hey, thanks, Test Pattern....I never understood WHY "Olive the Other Reindeer"....now I get it...clever!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Sid B, sylmar, CA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:45:20 GMT

oh, holy night as sung by the high school choir male voices became, fall on your face. it is hard to this day to sing the correct lyrics.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Jake, Lubbock, TX — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:45:52 GMT

my 5 yr old nephew instead of a one horse open sleigh sings a one more hopen sleigh none of us knows what that is including him but it makes the song more fun

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Skip Senneka, Mound, MN — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:51:21 GMT

During our (then) school Christmas Programs when I was 6 or 7, as we sang Silent Night I was certain the phrase was 'sleep in heavenly pee', which really did make sense if you were talking about a newborn who was the son of God. Oh, and I also thought 'round yon virgin' was a description of Mary . . .

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Kourtnee, Provo UT — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:51:49 GMT

Sadly, this one is also not Christmassy, but nonetheless...

My parents and I were riding in the car one day, and Credence Clearwater Revival's "Bad Moon On The Rise" came on and my father dutifully sang "There's a bathroom on the right!"

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Celina, Mesa, AZ — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:53:40 GMT

When I was little, I sang "Tri-City Mall in Bethlehem" instead of "Christ is born in Bethlehem" during Hark, the Herald Angels Sing. We had a Tri-City Mall where I grew up, I figured they must have had one in Bethlehem, too.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Kelly — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:54:09 GMT

COLBIE CALLIET - It starts in my toes all the way to my nose.... New lyrics... The smell of my toes makes me wrinkle my nose... (thanks Mark)

A cartridge in a bare tree.....(for the hunter in your life)
My candelabra - my kind of lover.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Celina, Mesa, AZ — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:55:40 GMT

Oh! I heard a version of "The Little Drummer Boy" by Jars of Clay and their "pa-rum-pa-pum-pum's" sound an awful lot like "Barack Obama."

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Kirstin, Orlando, FL — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:57:52 GMT

When I was a kid, we sang the song, "Dona Nobis Pacem" (trans: "Lord grant us peace") as "Donuts, No Beets, Pasta, yes Pasta."

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

Matt, Jupiter, FL — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:59:38 GMT

Not Holiday, but a friend of mine sand the Friends theme song as "my love life skiied away" instead of "my love life's D.O.A.". Everytime I hear it I sing it that way for fun.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

ds, Arlington, TX — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 22:07:05 GMT

On Bing Crosby's White Christmas album, there's a song - Christmas in Killarney. There's a line "Father John before he's gone will bless the house and all". As a kid, I thought was "before his gown". Made sense to me, all the priests I knew at that time, wore long robes or gowns!

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

ljc, Amarillo TX — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 22:09:54 GMT

My two sons grew up when Barney the purple dinosaur was so popular. I once heard one of them singing "Oh well, oh well, Barney's the king of Israel." I still kid him about it.

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

JS, Santa Cruz, CA — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 22:11:24 GMT

Not a Christmas tune, but I always heard Elton John's Benny and the Jets line as "She's got electric boobs." (Instead of boots)
Yup, she plugs in and all heck breaks loose...

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

jw, Dallas, TX — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 22:17:23 GMT

Non holiday - my son used sing the last line of Row Row Your Boat as "life is butter cream" instead of "life is a but a dream"

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

David H., Nashville, TN — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 22:24:54 GMT

Remember those young folks in saffron yellow robes at the entrance to airport terminals and shopping malls? The ones that always chanted "Harry Christmas, Harry Christmas"?

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

AK — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 22:26:15 GMT

As a child, my sister assumed a partridge was another kind of fruit, and wondered why it would be growing in a pear tree

Get dressed, ye merry gentlemen

jw, new york — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 22:33:48 GMT

Not a Christmas song either, but when I was a kid (and this sure dates me), I thought Stagger Lee went home and got his volleyball, instead of his 44, because as a kid I had no idea what a 44 was, so I heard volleyball.