Misinterpretation

This article is about YTMNDs with song or phrase misinterpretations that do not fall into the Dew Army or Interpretation categories.

Misinterpretation is the act of interpreting songs or phrases in English in an alternative and usually humorous fashion. While not a popular fad, many misinterpretations have been remade. For example, songs featuring the word "walkin'" can easily be misinterpreted as "Walken"; these sites may subsequently feature an audio sample of the song and an image featuring Christopher Walken.

History

In May 2005, YTMNDer barenholtzd made a site, Always Shake A Baby, based on the classic 1960's song "Twist and Shout" covered by The Beatles. The YTMND poked fun at the line, "Well shake it up baby now. (Shake it up baby)", misinterpreting it as "shakin' a baby, now". [1] It received little attention, but inkdrinker's Shakin' a Baby would revisit the idea (and supply an actual interpretation of the line) a week later.

The fad supposedly began when MasterSitsu created the site Walken on the Sun, September 2005. Ironically, the site has no vocals; it's up to the viewer to know the song name and understand the joke.

Examples

Christopher Walken

• Believe It Or Not by Joey Scarbury:
  • Misinterpreted as Believe it or not (I'm Walken on Air). (originally "I'm walking on air")
• These Boots Were Made For Walking by Nancy Sinatra:
  • Misinterpreted as ...these boots were made for Walken....
• Winter Wonderland by Bing Crosby:
  • Misinterpreted as Walken In A Winter Wonderland. (originally "walking in a winter wonderland")
• Walkin' In L.A. by Missing Persons:
  • Misinterpreted as Walken in LA.
• Walkin' In Memphis by Marc Cohn:
  • Misinterpreted as Walken In Memphis.
• Walkin' On The Sun by Smashmouth:
  • Misinterpreted as Walken on the Sun.

Muffin

• Walk This Way by Aerosmith:
  • Misinterpreted as Download a Muffin!. (originally "down on a muffin")

Iran

• I Ran by A Flock Of Seagulls:
  • Misinterpreted as Iran's so far away.

Batman

• Behind Blue Eyes by The Who
  • Misinterpreted as "No One Knows What It's Like To Be The Batman" on No one knows what it's like. (originally, "No one knows what it's like to be the bad man.")

Snakes on a Plane

• It's The End Of The World (And I Feel Fine) by R.E.M.:
  • Misinterpreted as "Snakes on a Plane" on REM correctly predicts the end.... (originally, "...birds and snakes, an aeroplane...")

Michael Richards

• Thriller by Michael Jackson:
  • Misinterpreted as "Mike Richards Caught In The Death Star" on Mike Richards!. (originally, "Night Creatures call and the dead start...")

Windows XP Taskbar

• Rock the Casbah by the Clash
  • Misinterpreted as "Lock the taskbar" on Lock the taskbah!. (originally, "Rock the Casbah")