Misheard Iron Maiden Lyrics

Everybody has misheard lyrics before, phenomena known as mondegreens. Then they usually keep on singing what they think is being sung, until they pick up the lyric sheet or have somebody embarrassingly correct them! Even Ozzy Osbourne has said that he thought the line in "Purple Haze " was "'scuse me while I kiss THIS GUY"!

But of all the metal bands I've misheard lyrics from, it looks like Iron Maiden tops the list. These are all lyrics which either I actually misheard, or somebody else told me they honestly misheard.

Song Actual Lyric What was Heard
Wasted Years When you can't find the words to say When you're camped by the woods they say...
Infinite Dreams Can it be all coincidence? Caviar, coincidence? (Also, "Cannonball, coincidence")
Fear of the Dark Fear of the dark Fear of the DUCK
Running Free Hit the gas and here I go Hear me dancing, here I go
Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner Back through the north, through the fog and ice ...through the fuckin' ice
Lord of the Flies Saints and Sinners, something within us Same-sex sinners, something within us
Back In the Village Questions are a burden Christians are a burden
To Tame a Land He rules the sandworms and the Freman He moves the asylums in a freighter
To Tame a Land He is the Wizatz Haderach He has this wizard's Cadalac
And some newer ones...
Stranger In A Strange Land all are gone, and their souls departed ...and they're so retarded
(Thanks to Bo for mentioning this one!)
Wicker Man Your time will come Your tongue is cold

If you have any other Iron Maiden Mondegreens, and I mean real ones that don't sound too far fetched, send them to me and I'll try to post them here!

The "Killers" Album

I've owned this album for over ten years, and it's one of my favorites from the band. And I have barely understood any of the words! When the remasters came out, I finally got a copy on CD, and it included the lyrics. So what I did was sit down with the CD, the lyric book completely out of view, and I attempted a transcrition of the lyrics myself. Some of the lines I wrote down and just knew they couldn't be right, because they really made no sense! But if I could really hear it, and made my best guess, I wrote it down.

Needless to say, I was in for quite a surprise when checked the lyric book. Either Paul D'ianno has to speak more clearly, or my ears need serious medical help!

Here is my ever-so-embarrassing transcription of the lyrics from the Killers album, with the real lyrics next to it. I removed whole lines of lyrics that I pretty much got correct.

>

Wrathchild

The Real Lyrics My Transcription

I was born into a scene, of angriness and greed, of angriness and persecuation. [...]

Now I spend my time looking all around, for a man that's nowhere to be found [...]

Some say it shouldn't matter, ain't nothing gonna alter, the course of my destination
But I know I've got to find, some serious peace of mind, or I know I'll just go crazy

Born to a scene, analysts agree, dominatrix prosecution [...]

Now I spend my time getting all around, for a mad-mass nowhere to be found [...]

Safe doesn't matter, ain't nothing going wrong, cause it's only destination
No one into violence, symmetries of mind, I know I just go a-crazy

Murders in the Rue Morgue

The Real Lyrics My Transcription
(I got the first verse almost exactly right!)

Murders in the Rue Morgue, Someone call the gendarmes.
Murders in the Rue Morgue, vite before the killers go free

[...] I can't understand why they're running from me, I never done nothing at all [...]
I can't speak French, so I couldn't explain and like a fool I started running away

Murders in the Rue Morgue, someone call the gendarmes.
Murders in the Rue Morgue, am I ever going to be free

And now I've gotta get away from the arms of the law, all of France is looking for me
I've gotta find a way across the border for sure, Down the South to Italy

Murders in the Rue Morgue, running from the gendarme
Murders in the Rue Morgue, I'm never going home

Well I made it to the border at last, but I can't erase the scene from my mind
any time somebody stares at me, well I just start running blind
Well I'm running through the shadows tonight, away from the staring eyes
Any day they'll be looking for me, 'cause they know I show the signs of...

Murders in the Rue Morgue, running from the gendarmes
Murders in the Rue Morgue, running from the arms of the law

Murders in the Rue Morgue, running from the gendarmes
Murders in the Rue Morgue, am I ever going to be free

It took so long and I'm getting so tired, I'm running out of places to hide
Should I return to the scene of the crime where the two young victims died

If I could go to somebody for help, it would get me out of trouble for sure
But I know that it's on my mind that the doctor's said I've done it before

Murders in the Rue Morgue, they're never gonna find me.
Murders in the Rue Morge, I'm never going home


Murders in the rue morgue, someone call the shotguns
murders in the rue morgue, flee before he kills for free

[...] can't understand what is running from me, I never done nothing un-law [...]
I cuss and cringe, so I couldn't explain, so like a fool I started running away

Murder in the Rue morgue, someone come and talk now
murder in the rue morgue, am I ever gonna be free

and now I gotta get away from me, out from the law, aw, force a-living for me
I gotta find a away, booze a bottle for sure,down sucks it bitterly

murders in the rue morgue, running for the chow now
murders in the rue morgue, i'm never go no more

well I made it to the front of the block, with a carry-over sickle of mine
any time somebody stares at me, well I just start running blind
now I'm rolling through the shadows at night, away from the staring light
any day they'll be looking for me 'cause they know I show the signs. Oh,

Murders in the Rue Morgue, I'm buring from the trap mouse
Muders in the Rue Morgue, burning for me after the law

Murders in the Rue Morgue, defer me from the jailhouse
Murders in the Rue Morgue, am I ever gonna be free

if there's a law, when against the talk, I'm running out of places to hide
should I return to the scene of the crime,where the 2 young bitches died

If I could go just a body for hell, togther yeah I'd total for sure
when I know that inside my mind, that the cops had said I done it before

murders in the rue morgue, they're never gonna find me
murders in the rue morgue, I'm never going no more

Another Life

(No embarrassing mondegreens!)

Innocent Exile

The Real Lyrics My Transcription
My mind is so empty, nothing to live for
My mind is all confusion, 'cause I defied the law
When you weren't there to help me, I lost my mind and ran
I never had no trouble, before this all began, yeah

(repeat)

I'm running away, nowhere to go
I'm lost and I'm tired and I just don't know, yeah


They said I killed a woman, they know it isn't true
They're just trying to frame me, and all because of you, yeah.


Lord I'm running...ow!!
My mind is so empty, nothing to live for
minds of confusion, sanctify the lore,
you weren't there to help me, a lot of my main man
never had no trouble, before this song began, yeah

(repeat)

I'm running away, I've no where to go,
and I spend time, and I just don't know, yeah [though when I was young I think I heard it as "at a disco show"]

They say I killed a woman, but no way, it isn't true,
They're just trying to frame me, and all because of you, yeah


Lord I'm grounded out

Killers

The Real Lyrics My Transcription

You walk throught he subway
His eyes burn a hole in your back
A footstep behind you,
He lunges, prepared for attack

Scream for mercy
He laughs as he's watching you bleed
Killer behind you
His blood lust defies all his needs

[...] I have no one
am bound to destroy all this greed
a voice inside me
compelling to satisfy me

I can see
what a life's meant to be
you'll never know
how I came to forsee

[...] the death call arises
a scream breaks the still of the night
another tomorrow
remember to walk in the light

I have found you
and now there is no place to run
excitement shakes me
oh god help me what have I done,
yeah I've done it again

You walk through the subway,
his eyes burn a hole in your back,
a foot step behind you,
he learned it, prepare for attack

scream for mercy,
and now says he's watching you bleed
killer behind you,
his blood life defies all his need

[...] I, have no one,
about to destroy all his greed
a place, inside me,
compelling to satisfy me

I can see
what it might ask me to be
You'll never know
how I came to forsee

[...] the death call of my "Jesus!"
scream breaks the still of the night
another tomorrow
remember to walk in the light


[OK, I got the last part right]

Prodigal Son

The Real Lyrics My Transcription

Listen to me lamia, listen to what
I've got to say
I've got these feelings
and they won't go away
I've got these fears inside
that bring me to my knees
Oh help me lamia, or I'm sure I'll die oh please

I feel unsettled now
I know that I've done wrong
I've messed around with mystic things
and magic for far too long
I feel I'm being paid with
this Nightmare inside me
the devil's got a hold of my soul
and he just won't let me be

[...] Oh lamia please try to help me
devil's got a hold of my soul
and he won't let me be
lamia I've got this curse
I'm turning to bad
the devil's got a hold of my soul
and he's driving me mad

Listen to me long here, listen to what
I've got to say
I've got these feelings
and they won't go away
I've got these fears inside
that bring me to my knees
oh help me lord here, or I'm sure I've found, oh please

I feel asserted now,
I know that I've done wrong
messed around with mystic things,
and magic for far too long
I feel I'm being papers,
nightmare inside me
Devil's got a hold of my soul
and he just won't let it be

[...] Oh lord here please try to help me,
devil's got a hold of my soul,
he won't let it be
long here I got this curse
I'm toy to ban
devil's got a hold of my soul
he's driving me mad

Twilight Zone

The Real Lyrics My Transcription

She lays in bed at night
and that is when I make my call
But when she stares at me
she can't see nothing at all
because you see I can't take no shape or form
It's been thee long years since I've been gone

I can't get used to purgatory
you know it really makes me cry
I'll never know the reason why I had to

go...I'm crying, deep inside me
can't you see me, can't you see me

I"m looking forward
to her spirit coming over to me
I fell so tempted
to bring her over to see
just what it's like to be
hangin' on the other side
I feel so lonely,
it's a long times since I died

I try to show her
that she's never gonna be alone
because my spirit is
imprisoned in the twilight zone

She left the bed another night
I felt it make my come
When she stares that means
she can't see nothing at all
Because you see I can't no take no shit at all
it's been 3 or more years since I've been gone

I can't confuse the puppetry
you know it really makes me cry
and I know the reason why I have to

Go-o-home crying, oh deep inside me
can't you see me, can't you see me

I'm looking forward
to the spirit coming over to me
I feel so tense
of the thing that I wanted to see
It's not supposed to be
hanging out the other side
I've been so lonely,
it's a long time since I died

I told you that
you're never gonna be alone
because this living is
living in the twilight zone

Purgatory

The Real Lyrics My Transcription

Thinking of an age old dream
Places I have never seen
Fantasies lived times before
I split my brain, melt through the floor

Over clouds my mind will fly
forever now I can't think why
my body tries to leave my soul
is it me, I just don't know

Memories rising from the past
the future shadow's overcast
something's clutching at my head
through the darkness I'll be led

oh another time, another place
oh well another smile
on another face
when you see me, floating up beside you
you get the feeling
that all my love's inside of you

Taking off a major dream
big shot I've never seen
If I could you see in time before
spill a prayer man to the floor

All the cars of mine went wild
for ever and ever kept in vow
But it tries to be my soul
is it me I just don't know

little closet from the past
keeps the shadows overcast
someone clutching right in my head
to the diamonds I'll be lead

Oh another time, another place
don't want another smile
on another face
when you see me walking up beside you
get the feeling
that all my love's inside of you

Drifter


This wasn't too bad either. Besides, I think I've embarrassed myself enough anyway! Why? Well, I still thought it was funny.

Written Feb 2000, last modified 10/00

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