h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This is the only song I know which has the capability of moving mistaken lyrics entire stanzas. It's far more common, rather than singing the wrong lyrics, to sing the right lyrics in the wrong order or to substitute individual lines for each other, and actual mistaken words seem to limit themselves by attrition to misplaced subsitutions of "to" and "for" and that kind of thing, but nonetheless it remains one of the most popular singalongs ever. Look in there for long enough, however, and you're bound to find some lyric that you can't understand or don't get right as a matter of habit...

Curiously, it's also one of those songs that people who can't sing seem to regard as theirs by right - a sort of tuneless commentary on the modern condition. I suspect, though, that the 21st century, when it arrives, will regard it as a bit of an anachronism, which I think would be a great pity...

When it...?

Isn't this...

How will it be an...

What's wrong w...

It does too have a tune.

...dada DA dadada dadada, da DAda da dadadada da... dadadada... dadada daaaaaaaaa daaaaaaaaaa...

Er, okay, well it has a rhythm.

It does so have a tune!

*fumes with righteous indignation*

da DI di dadida. Da di da dida da da di dadi dadi da di da.

And that's just my interpretation with da and di only. Now, I'm not saying I can carry the tune, but I know it has one. If it doesn't have a tune then you can't get it wrong, and boy can you get it wrong.

I agree that you can completely miss lines and words or substitue whole sections for each other without a hitch. It almost seems like you could pull apart the whole song and reorder it how you please without missing a beat.

Although I can say with a measure of pride that I do know the prelude, the first two verses, and the last verse/ epilogue thingie, and correctly at that. I know because we learned it from the sheet music, but before that I remember I had a whole number of mistaken lyrics, although I don't know what they were now.

Why the hell would "good ol' boys" be "drinking whiskey in Rye"? Where is Rye? And how do you spot a Levy, let alone know that it is dry? And why should it matter? Maybe I need help....Quick nurse, the screens!

Actually it is "whiskey and rye". Rye meaning whiskey made from rye. In the US, whiskey generally means bourbon. In Canada, most whiskeys are made from rye are simply called rye, unless it is American then it is just whiskey. Is it just a North American thing to distinguish rye whiskey, scotch whiskey, etc.?

Why's it hard to find a levy?

It depends on where you are. The word levy I think refers either to a dam kind of thing thats used in Louisiana to hold back the swamp water or a day after party. Like a New Year's Levee. (this from the French verb "to lift - lever" I think that sounds right.

Have you ever tried to count the metaphors in American Pie and figure out what or who they refer to? We tried that one night when I was studying Radio Broadcasting. It isn't easy. I think we lost count after a little too much rye.

Would you believe there's an entire university department with the sole purpose of interpreting that song?

Yeah, I think it's pretty stupid too, but I believe it.

I've read some of their work. Profound stuff, but they would really be better off if they took maths instead.

like the classic Led Zep number "When the Levee Breaks"

I think it's Led Zep anyway.