May 30, 2019

B-B-B-Benni and the Jetssss

To celebrate the release of "Rocket Man" in cinemas, NPR's "Fresh Air" replayed Terry Gross's interview with Elton John. It reminded me of a past post on "Bonni Brodnick Blog" which features E.J. and mondegreens. (See "A Mondegreen: 'You Make Me Feel Like a Manchurian Woman," 2/23/13.)

Do you know what a mondegreen is?
PRONUNCIATION:
(MON-di-green) 


MEANING:
noun: A word or phrase resulting from mishearing a word or phrase, especially in song lyrics.

When I was growing up, along with thinking Aretha Franklin's "You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman" was "You Make Me Feel Like a Manchurian Woman," I was also certain "The Girl from Ipanema" was "The Girl with Emphysema."

My other favorite mondegreen is Elton John's "Benni and the Jets." (Click here.) 
Kids can hear the darndest things. Turn up the volume. Feel free to sing along:

Hey Q
Chain the lous together
The spy is hitting zombies
That are known to chafe in leather, 
We'll kill a fatty cop tonight 
So stick around
You've got a hairy leg
Trick music, malt balls of sound,
Oh Kerry and Romney,
Have you seen them yet?
Oooh, cuz they're so spaced out,
B-B-B-Benni and the Jetssss,
Oh the sweet and the wonderful,
Oh man, she's a rent-a-cane,
She's got electric boobs,
My ma has two,
You know I read it in a magazine, oh, oh,
B-B-B-Benni and the Jetssss.
Hey Keys,
Why don't you plan it to the faceless,
Maybe they're blind, but then again they're faceless,
Reach out to take ourselves home alone,
Well, we found a pair of sarongs
In the street, but we couldn't be wrong,

REPEAT
Oh Kerry and Romney,

Have you seen them yet?
Oh, but they're so spaced out, 
B-B-B-Benni and the Jets.
Oh, but the wheels are so wonderful, 
Oh man, she's a rent-a-cane, 
She's got electric boobs,
My ma has two,
You know I read it in a magazine, oh, oh,
B-B-B-Benni and the Jetssss ...
Benni, Benni, yeah, yeahhh, 
Benni, Benni, Benni, oh Benni and the Jets,
Benni, Benni, Benni, Benni, Benni, Benni, Benni, Benni, yeah, yeahh.


Incidentally, I thought Elton John wrote this song for me. (Bonni.)



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