It looks like the “misunderstood songs” thread is in danger of turning into the “misunderstood lyrics” (or mondegreens) thread.
There are a bazillion of these on the net - much of them very contrived. So try to keep fairly original.
Miss A_T when she was very young thought we sang in our national anthem:
“… We’ve golden soil and wealth for toys”.
(and for the record, the mondegreen in the thread title is from a song by one of the greatest musos from the last century, Jimi Hendrix).
Ah Purple Haze. Reputed to be the only song Hendrix played at every concert from the days of The Experience onwards.
The irony that the misunderstood songs thread has (possibly) been misunderstood, according to its author.
As a kid I used to think the line in Help!, by the Beatles was:
‘my independence seems to vanish in the hay.’
Of course it is actually ‘haze’.
My uncle thought Flashdance was an inappropriate song for kids to sing because of the line,
‘Take your pants down, and make it happen.’
Marry him, or marry me
I’m the one who loves you baby can’t you see
I ain’t got no future or a family tree but
I know what a prison lover ought to be
I know what a prison lover ought to be say
If you, want to call me baaay-beh…
My uncle thought Flashdance was an inappropriate song for kids to sing because of the line, 'Take your pants down, and make it happen.'
Your uncle, eh?
My uncle thought Flashdance was an inappropriate song for kids to sing because of the line, 'Take your pants down, and make it happen.'Your uncle, eh?
Well, that’s what he told me to call him…
I always thought the opening line on UB40’s Food for Thought, was ‘I’m a Prima Donna’, not ‘Ivory Madonna’
I always thought the line in “I was only 19” was “And an AGENT ORANGE sunset through the scrub”.
It’s actually “And an Asian orange sunset through the scrub”.
Damn. (My line is better…)
“Don’t wanna be your monkey wrench
My morning tea’s an accident”
Sung loudly in front of a guy I had a crush on who was a huge Fooey fan 
One of my younger bros thought the line from the old Juice Newton song, Angel of the Morning, went:
“Just catch my teeth before you leave me…”
He must have thought it was about granny love, or somefinks.
Bee Gees - ‘Inside & Out’
I ain’t no pigeon, I’m the man, who, loves you, Inside & out!
Some of the verses on The Cult’s, She Sells Sanctuary, are as incomprehensible as any James Reyne song. I come up with a new interpretation every time I listen to it.
Freddy Mercury: “Ooooooooooooooooh, All love must die.”
Me “Ooooooooooooooooh, I love my style.”
Queen, Who Wants To Live Forever.
To be fair, both versions work for Freddy.
"Don't wanna be your monkey wrench My morning tea's an accident"Sung loudly in front of a guy I had a crush on who was a huge Fooey fan
I still don’t know what the right lyrics are.
"Don't wanna be your monkey wrench My morning tea's an accident"Sung loudly in front of a guy I had a crush on who was a huge Fooey fan
I still don’t know what the right lyrics are.
The bright blessed day
The dogs say goodnight
I only figured that out about a week ago when I was listening to the song 
My little 5 yo thought the nat anthem started… Australians on an ostrich horse for we are hide and seek… cant think of it any other way now!
My favourite was from Addicted to Love, some guy thought the song was about Michael Jackson, the misheard line was, “Might as well face it, you’re just a di.ck with a glove.”
I used this site in my TEFL training classes. For ESL teachers thrown into a class at short notice, get students to read the wrong lyrics, then listen to the song and correct it. It improves students; listening in a hurry, as their concentration on task goes up rapidly.