Up, up and away in my beautiful baboon

This is what I thought was being played on the radio back when I was about 8 years old. “Wouldn’t you like to ride in my beautiful baboon?” I would fall into hysterical laughter every time it was played.

I think we’ve all been victim to misinterpreting a song. A friend of mine used to sing the 80s hit, “Everytime you go away, you take a piece of MEAT with you.” I’m not sure if he thought the song was about a butcher or arguments at the dinner table. Either way, his interpretation ruined the song for me.  Well, maybe it’s not the greatest song. In fact, I take that back. I think it improved it.

My children are now the ones who ruin songs for me. Last week “Under the Boardwalk” somehow turned into “I am a Glorblock.” I was told this was some sort of space worm by my confused children who couldn’t figure out why a space worm would be singing.

But the worst was in the car this weekend. As Dean Martin crooned out “Sway,” my 8 year old started to giggle madly.  By the third time, we had to ask and then received the line, “Other dancers may PEE on the floor, dear but my eyes will see only you.”

I’ll never get that picture out of my head the next time that song plays. I guess it’s just payback from my mom not being able to listen to “My Beautiful Balloon” without picturing a lot of small people riding on the back of a giant baboon.