I thought it might be fun to get past our embarrassment and share some of our mis-heard Great Big Sea lyrics. I've had some doozies but I figured I'd start with my most recent discovery.

This past week I was in the kitchen listening to my dish-washing music (CD's I kind of like but not enough to listen to at any other time). That day it was Omar Blondahl, a man from a time when lyrics were not drowned out by music. I got to Jack Hinks and heard "Like a ramblin' true-blue when the reckoning's due.." and the light bulb went off. So that's what Alan's saying, "When the reckning comes due" all this time I've been singing "when the rent becomes due" because, after all, old Jack has to sleep it off somewheres.

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"I see you in the front row, bouncing up and down, you're ripped and ready for a night downtown." ~ Margarita
What's wrong with a little flirtation?

Monster Tee

Don't feel bad Fran. I thought those were the words for years!

Anne

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And when the winds of change begin to blow,
I'll whisper, "You're my lighthouse" in case you didn't know.

Sons of Maxwell

visit my website!:
Anne's Philly Phan Site at http://www.gbsfanatic.com

Nice to know I'm not completely crazy. The worst part is I've sang it like that for so long, I'll probably never sing it right.

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"I see you in the front row, bouncing up and down, you're ripped and ready for a night downtown." ~ Margarita
What's wrong with a little flirtation?

Monster Tee

I was genuinely baffled by the UFO regulations cited in Fisherman's Lament.  "Is there ANYONE Canada hasn't sold us out to?"

Love, Columbine 

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*L* UFO Regulations? I never heard of that before....Col, i believe the words are 'DFO Regulations.' I'm sure you know what DFO stands for.

For the uninitiated, DFO stands for Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

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If Great Big Sea had a soul, Its name would be Alan. Unfortunately, a degree in religious studies has evidently done little to prevent him from dealing with the devil... Either way, wherever he goes, I'll be right there behind him. -Sean McCann

Sure, I know that now!  But it's not hard to imagine Canada turning a blind eye to illegal Martian fishing in exchange for cheap tech workers...

Love, Columbine (who has not yet been hit by a truck full of Mex - erm, I mean a Mexican truck) 

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In 'Goin Up' I always thought Alan was saying 'Grab a chair and mason jar' when in all reality he was really saying 'Grab a chair and raise a jar' It definitely makes more sense. I mean, why would they want to raise a mason jar?

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If Great Big Sea had a soul, Its name would be Alan. Unfortunately, a degree in religious studies has evidently done little to prevent him from dealing with the devil... Either way, wherever he goes, I'll be right there behind him. -Sean McCann

alan-rocks:

I mean, why would they want to raise a mason jar?

Because it was full of a tasty beverage!  A pub I used to go to after work in Berlin, NH served pints in Mason jars.  This was a LONG time ago, though.

Love, Columbine (off to grab a pillow and raise her feet) 

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Columbine:

Because it was full of a tasty beverage!  A pub I used to go to after work in Berlin, NH served pints in Mason jars.  This was a LONG time ago, though.

Love, Columbine (off to grab a pillow and raise her feet) 

Ahh the memories....My friend and I frequented a bar in Eau Claire, WI named "Clancy's" that served their beer and mixed drinks in mason jars.  It was a great little spot, but then again I was biased as all hell...who can resist hanging out in a pub named after the significant other in your life?  *lol* 

My lyric snafu....In "jolly rovin tar"  I always thought they were singing, "get up jack, john's in town"...I just assumed John was the guy everyone wanted to party with.  *lol*

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Even the largest, grandest oak tree in the forest was once just a nut who held its ground.

Mason jar seemed so reasonable so I never questioned it until I saw the words in print.

I thought the whole line was "Got my chair and mason jar."  It made sense then and still does.  Fits well with the song.  But I have been corrected since then.

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But I know I'm going to do it again!
Oh Yeah!
Robbie

Let me preface by saying that I thought Jack was settling up when the rent becomes due until I read Fran's post. 

My two faves:  Ah ha, me boys, I need a latte.

and, courtesy of my then 5 year old:  My wife she is a pirate.

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In the social order, I accept the bottom rung, until the wine is pouring and the Lord commands a song!

Just in case you haven't figured out the lyrics yet, the line is "Get up Jack, John sit down."

I really don't want this to sound like I'm bragging or nerdy or anything, but I can't recall a time where I ever misheard lyrics.  If I ever had a problem hearing the lyrics and they weren't in the liner notes of the album, I just looked them up online as soon as I could to avoid any bad habits when I would sing 'em.  It's just something I do.

 

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Half an hour of sunshine is worth a week of rain.

"Libraries have always been home to me. They have seemed not inhibiting, not scary, but veritable lighthouses of Utopian order and generosity amid the clutter and ignorance and selfishness of so much of the life that is lived in this world."

Robert Hughes
Time Magazine

processman06:

If I ever had a problem hearing the lyrics and they weren't in the liner notes of the album, I just looked them up online as soon as I could to avoid any bad habits when I would sing 'em. 

 Sometimes the lyrics websites are wrong.  I actually sent in a correction to one of them because they had "mason jar" instead of "raise a jar."  I had always sung "raise a jar" and I laughed when I saw "mason jar."  Shortly thereafter, we went to the "Hoop De Doo Review" in Disney World, where they serve beer in mason jars and I started to doubt myself! 

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~Life will be all that you make it~

Come and I Will Sing You has some interesting potential screwups.

"Five firemen under the bush"

"Three limo drivers"

... the list just goes on. Poor Bob.

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Great Big Stuff!


"I'm still in diapers, actually." - Ron Hynes

"Any people from Newfoundland? Whaddya doin' here?! Taking all the jobs?! REVENGE!" - Ron Hynes

"You're like Bob with tits." - Candace

Sharneliz:

Let me preface by saying that I thought Jack was settling up when the rent becomes due until I read Fran's post. 

My two faves:  Ah ha, me boys, I need a latte.

and, courtesy of my then 5 year old:  My wife she is a pirate.

There was a very long pause there for a second as I tried to remember what exactly the wife is. I've always sung tyrant (managed to get that one right) but your 5 year old's pirate blends right in. ARG!

I'm thinkin' me B'ys need to learn to enunciate. Bob's the worst of all & Come and I Will SIng You is the worst of the lot. 7 senators under the sky (?), 5 fair men under the bush (if they're so hot, why are they hiding?) 4 are gospel creatures (I swear I heard Bob say this once or twice) Coated all in green-o (why did they paint themselves green? Is it St Patrick's?)

 I never can remember the correct words wile I'm singing along, (I  just checked them and have already forgotten them) a problem compounded by the book of the same name that lists a different version. What exactly are Bright-eyed Shiners anyway? (I forgot one, I once slipped up while singing and Shriners came out.)

Helmethead: "I was rival with the daughter of the coach". Figured the daughter was hot for the same girl as Ol' Helmethead.

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"I see you in the front row, bouncing up and down, you're ripped and ready for a night downtown." ~ Margarita
What's wrong with a little flirtation?

Monster Tee