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About This Quiz
Most people know the correct lyrics to "Happy Birthday," and that's about it. Can you finish these next lyrics correctly? Don't disappoint your favorite recording artists!
Taylor Swift sings about how, "they'll tell you I'm insane" in her hit "Blank Space." Who is she referring to?
the lonely Starbucks lovers
a long list of ex-lovers
Many, many people out there think that Swift is singing about Starbucks lovers. We kind of like it better that way. And reportedly, Starbucks was bummed when it turned out not to be true. The correct line is "Got a list of ex-lovers."
a long line of ex-Starbucks lovers
"Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen is full of lyrics most people can't understand. Which of these is the real thing?
"Beelzebub has a devil for a sideboard."
"Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me."
Beelzebub is another biblical word for Satan. As to what devil he put aside for Freddy Mercury, you'll just have to guess.
"Beelzebub has a devil motorcycle."
One of ABBA's biggest hits is widely misunderstood. What are the correct "Dancing Queen" lyrics?
"See that girl, watch her scream, kicking the dancing queenâ€
"See that girl, watch that teen, she is the dancing queen"
"See that girl, watch that scene, dig in the dancing queenâ€
Apparently, many listeners really think the dancing queen in question is under assault by some girl who's kicking her.
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Johnny Nash can see clearly now because who or what is gone?
Lorraine
the rain
All the Lorraines out there do a triumphant fist pump. The lyric actually goes, "I can see clearly now the rain is gone."
the pain
What's the correct lyric in Toto's hit song, "Africa?"
"I guess it rains down in Africa"
"I left my brains down in Africa"
"I bless the rains down in Africa"
If it doesn't make sense, don't sweat it. The rest of the chorus doesn't, either, but everyone still likes the tune.
Finish the "Purple Haze" lyric: "'Scuse me, while I..."
"kiss the sky"
Although many people will fight you on it, Hendrix isn't singing about kissing a guy, but the sky in the iconic song. This misheard lyric is so well-known, it inspired the name of a misheard-lyric archive called kissthisguy.com.
"kiss this guy"
"go get high"
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"Summer of '69" literally starts off with an often misheard lyric. What did Bryan Adams get?
"my first real sex dream"
"my first real six-string"
Thank goodness the song turned out to be about a guitar ("Got my first real six-string"), because no one wants to think about buying a sex dream or a G-string at the five-and-dime.
"my first real G-string"
In "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" The Beatles sing what?
"The girl with colitis goes by"
"The girl with cold eyes goes by"
"The girl with kaleidoscope eyes"
"Lucy" has the feel of a drug trip, so a girl with colitis makes just as much sense as a girl with kaleidoscope eyes. Though John Lennon always said the title was inspired by a picture his little son Julian did at school of his friend Lucy, rather than, you know, LSD.
Which is the correct line in "Desperado" by The Eagles?
"You've been out riding fences for so long now"
Since a desperado is a reckless person by definition, it makes since that one might ride fences.
"You've been outright offensive, for so long now"
"You've been fighting against us, for so long now"
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"Smells Like Teen Spirit" is arguably Nirvana's most famous song. What's the lyric?
"Here we are now, in containers"
"Here we are now, entertain us"
Most people think Kurt Cobain is singing "in containers." The chorus is actually pretty easy to understand, but the first four lines are not. Here you go, and you're welcome! "Load up on guns, bring your friends/It's fun to lose and to pretend/She's over-bored and self-assured/Oh no, I know a dirty word."
"Here we are now, entertainers"
You Got:
/10
Rich Fury/Getty Images for Billboard