![]() ![]() Wright pointed out the problem in a 17th century ballad, ‘The Bonnie Earl o’ Moray’: “They hae slain the Earl o’ Moray, and Lady Mondegreen” (“and laid him on the green”). The term was coined by Sylvia Wright in an article called ‘The Death of Lady Mondegreen’ (Harper’s November 1954). The fancy name for a misheard lyric is a mondegreen. Singers, beware! We have to pronounce clearly, or confusion will reign (rain?) … I’ve created a list of some these in this article, complete with links to YouTube so you can hear the original performances. ‘Misheard lyrics’ is a great game to play, and the comedian Peter Kay does a wonderful sketch with some. If, as listeners, we can’t make out the words, then we don’t know what the song is about. It is also about good, old-fashioned, clear pronunciation. Jule Styne (writer of ‘Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend’, ‘Three Coins in a Fountain’, and ‘Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!’) famously said: “A song without words is just a piece of music.” The singer’s job is to make sure those words both be heard, and also be understood. ![]()
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