Saturday, August 15, 2009

Opeth, the king of misheard lyrics

Since the dawn of musical recordings, lyrics have been misheard. Without those trusty liner notes, we'd all think that Jimi Hendrix was excusing himself to kiss some guy, Bruce Springsteen was lit up like a douche, and Elton John was embracing Tony Danza ever so gently.

However, the progressive death metal band Opeth takes the cake. When deadly badgers aren't making his weed and he isn't fixing his pants, Mikael Akerfeldt and his thick Swedish accent make their best effort to make growling vocals sound discerable. The result is almost always an uncanny valley of lyrical hilarity.

Here's the song Bleak from the Blackwater Park album. I'm going to write out the lyrics as I hear them.


Bleak

Beating,
Hearts still beating from the claws
Teeming,
Self defeating of the laws
Aching,
Ribs are aching from the blood
Fading,
You are fading from my sight

Rancor morning, coldness lingering in sun
Shrouding to nightmares of the sun

Moving
I am moving closer to your side
Luring
You are luring me into the night
Crying
Who is crying for you? I am.
Dying
I am dying fast inside your tears.
Rancid towards the reament faster yet
Clearing thoughts, my mind is set

Devious movements in your eyes
Lead me from the hills
Reconcile white clouds with your lies
And fills them with me
You're closer to final will
You're staring right past me in dismay
A liquid seeps from your chest
And drains me away
Mystery conshrouds your thin white man
and draws me without
Coping this mop this diamond veil
It's splendor is might

Help me cure you
Atone for all you've done
Help me lead you
A sonic taste of gum

Devious movements in your eyes
Lead mefrom the hills
Reconcile white clouds with your lies
And fills them with me
You're closer to final will
You're staring right past me in dismay
A liquid seeps from your chest
And drains me away
Mystery conshrouds your thin white man
and draws me without
Coping this mop this diamond veil
It's splendor is might

Let's all see David
tainting a phantom

Tried shrill
shivering claws
I hated with words and a feast to come
Crabs in my way sparked tradition
This is all you need

***

Here are the real lyrics.

What are your favorite misheard lyrics?

1 comment:

Si said...

Third line of Leper Affinity: "We've got our Daleks tucked away!"