A Look At Some Misinterpreted Classic Rock Lyrics

In this posting, I thought I would clear up some commonly misheard lyrics in songs from the 60s and 70s. Many people (myself included) have constantly misunderstood a part of the lyrics from threee songs from that era.

1. Jimi Hendrix "Purple Haze" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUDbbE1ozBA)

 While many people see this one as a psychadelic number, Jimi has always seen it as a love song.

Purple haze all in my brain
Lately things don't seem the same
I feel funny though I don't know why
'Scuse me while I kiss the sky

 It's that last line in the first verse that throws many off. As for me, I have always thought is as "piss the sky," however many have interpreted as "scuse me while I kiss this guy" (something Hendrix had one in concert while pointing to drummer Mitch Mitchell. (During a Seattle downpur, he even said "scuse me while I f--k the sky)."

2. "Binded by The Light," Bruce Springsteen (later covered by Manfred Mann's Earth Band)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Iaca30QbOo)

Blinded by the light
Cut loose like a deuce another runner in the night (MMEB's version replaced "cut loose" with "reved up)."

It is a knee-jerk reaction to misinterpret deuce for duche. This can especially be heard on the Manfred Mann version. However, this is understood given the complex mix of the song. (Curiously, Manfred Mann's Earth Band covered this and the Boss' "Spirit in the Night," in my opinion these two songs are one of the RARE times when a cover is better than the original).

3 ZZ Top "Tush" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnUFwTn0jeo)

And of course, we cannot forget everybody's favorite. "Tush" by ZZ Top. Let's take a look at teh first verse of this Dusty Hill-penned tune.

I've been up I've been down
Take my way my way round
I aint askin' for much
I said Lord take me downtown
I'm just lookin' for some tush

 Now logically it makes sense to think that it's touch considering that touch rhymes with much. However, the song is called "TUSH" and not "TOUCH." It seems that what bites people is simply the way Dusty ad-libs the end of the last line.

So as you can see these are the top three misinterpreted classic rock songs. There may be more, but these are considered by many to be the highlights. I would love you to comment on any songs you may have personallly misintepreted. Although it's not popularly misinterpreted, I myself have always mistook "peaches" for "beaches" on Steve Miller's 1973 hit "The Joker."


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