Hold me close, young Tony Danza
Do you get a kick out of misheard song lyrics?
Whether it’s “I set fire to Lorraine” instead of Adele’s, “I set fire to the rain” or the more salacious “Lookin’ for a lover who won’t blow my brother” instead of “Lookin’ for a lover who won’t blow my cover” in The Eagles’ “Take it Easy,” misheard lyrics can be highly entertaining.
The fun, of course, is in how dramatically one word or one phrase can change the meaning. It’s why we get obsessive about our writing and our editing. We know every word counts.
Interestingly, a misheard lyric is rockin’ my Etsy store right now. Yep, I have some fun with tee shirts and the like over on Etsy (diversification, amiright?). And this one has a tie-in to storytelling.
Bruce Springsteen’s music often tells a very distinct story and has a gritty, atmospheric feel to it. His fans adore the journey of his lyrics and his leave-it-all-on-the-stage performances.
His enunciation, however? Meh.
For years, there had been debate over the first couple of lines in the song Thunder Road. The debate had two camps: “A screen door slams, Mary’s dress sways,” and “A screen door slams, Mary’s dress waves.”
In 2021, the debate was rekindled on Twitter. And writer David Remnick of The New Yorker endeavored to settle it.
Obviously a dress sways, said some. It doesn't wave. People wave.
But the flag waves, one person countered.
Mary herself would sway, but even then her dress would wave, Remnick quoted someone as tweeting, a comment that ended with, "and this is an established fact I will fight you over."
It didn't help that Springsteen's website and the album lyrics use "waves," while his memoir and handwritten lyrics use "sways."
Personally, I'd go with flutters. But then we'd have a cadence problem AND a rhyming problem because the next line goes, "Like a vision she dances across the porch as the radio plays."
This of course adds to the original argument. Sways and plays rhyme nicely. No matter, counters Team Waves, it's a near rhyme.
Remnick emailed Springsteen's manager, Jon Landau, who said the word is sways and always has been. And that any typos would be corrected.
"And by the way," his email to Remnick added, " 'dresses' do not know how to 'wave.' "
I agreed. And then I saw an opening. I’d make a simple tee shirt that would let people take a stand.
I made this one.
And then I had so much fun, I made another.
Fast forward to 2023 and concerts are back in swing. Some of Bruce’s fans have found my little place on Etsy . . . and they are getting a kick out of (and buying) my shirts. It’s been so fun to get their messages and hear some of their fan stories. This week someone said she wanted to make a tattoo inspired by my door-and-dress graphic.
How about you? Do you have a favorite misheard lyric? And how often do you obsess over finding one perfect word in something you’re writing? Let me know!
Photo of the week
It was my sister Kelly’s birthday this week. I like to post old photos of us on Facebook each year, and this is one of my favorites. It reflects our personalities and it’s a perfect time capsule (Pac-Man shirt? Shiny jacket with rainbow accents? Early ‘80s, check and check!).
