Thursday, April 5, 2012

Book Review: Hold Me Closer, Tony Danza



Mondegreen's are my FAVORITE!!! I'm a lyric looker-upper. I love knowing the lyrics to songs. So when I hear people using the wrong lyrics it makes me smile. When I saw this book, I knew I had to have it! It is hilarious! The title brought back memories of college when my roommate and I would sing this song to each other. Who wouldn't want Tony Danza to hold them closer? I"ll give you a few more excerpts from this book but first, want to know the origin of mondegreen? I did!
Let's start with the definition:
a
 word or phrase that is misinterpreted as another word or phrase, usually with an amusing result
And now the origin:
Coined in 1954 by Sylvia Wright, a writer from the US. It comes from the line laid him on the green, interpreted as Lady Mondegreen from the Scottish ballad 'The Bonny Earl of Murray'.

Some excerpts from the book:
Destiny's Child - 'Bootylicious' (no, that's not the mondegreen, that's really the name of the song):
"I don't think you ready for fish jelly"
Correct: "I don't think you ready for this jelly"

Coldplay - 'Clocks'
"Transfusion that never stops, the closing jaws and chicken pox"
Correct: "Confusion that never stops, the closing walls and ticking clocks"

Britney Spears - 'I'm a Slave 4 U'
"Let's go hide the mayonnaise"
Correct: "Leaving behind my name and age"

Prince - 'When Doves Cry'
"Maybe, I dress like my mother"
Correct: "Maybe, you're  just like my mother"

Lastly, if you love mondegreens, you probably also love this commercial!

3 comments:

  1. This made me smile today. I NEED this book!

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  2. HA! Great book. I think I need it too.
    Our house my daughter miss-heard The Go Go's "Our lips are sealed" as "Alex the seal"! This is perhaps one of the most fitting birthday gifts I can think of for several people.
    Thanks

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  3. this is hilarious. my husband has always said that this is what he hears when he hears this song. one of my fave songs too. the other one that he hears weird. is kelly clarkston's "miss independant" he hears, "what happened to my cinnamone buns?" good thing to know.....he loved cinnamon buns. :)

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