Wrong lyrics

[JonW]

Why do the lyrics that appear on CD booklets and album covers rarely tally with the lyrics of the songs themselves? They always seem to miss out bits, get a few words wrong etc. Is this just bad transcribing or is there some other reason?

[andy hughes]

It happens occasionally, although it is by no means in the majority. Usually artwork is processed when saongs are written, but the singer may decide to change words or phrases as vocals are being recorded, and that's where the difference occurs - it's nothing sinister, just artistic licence.

[sft42]

Occassionally the band will give permission for the lyrics to be reproduced and then managment will go ahead and guess at the lyrics themselves......I have to say that I haven't founs it to be that prolific a problem....though it did happen to me once...I was alone, cause I turned around to find you gone...got changed to....I was so cold, cause I bummed about found you out??? Band found it very funny!!!

[Greedyfly]

But if you reproduce a song (do a diffeent version etc) you have to change at least one word in that track!

[sft42]

EH? since when Greedyfly? That's complete nonsense....I have worked in numerous branches of the musical industry and had had strong links with the PRS and have never ever heard anything like this ever mentioned in my life....Can you tell me which words Boyzone or Westlife changed in their many cover versions? Disregard that comment.

[JonW]

Thanks for the answers - they probably explain it - but I don't agree it's in a minority of cases. I'd say it happens more often than not, certainly in the case of my CD collection. I'm not talking massive differences, just the odd word here and there. I would just have thought people might take more care, especially these bands that make such a big deal about remaining in complete artisitic control of everything, including artwork. If I'd written songs I'd want my lyrics printed correctly.

[Robinia]

When my sons lived at home & bought me albums they'd hide the lyrics so that I couldn't sing along!!

[Greedyfly]

OOOOhhhh Handbags!

[Greedyfly]

I apparently apologise for my un-usefull, un-truthfull comment.

[froggequene]

To be Westlife recently released a song called 'Hey, Whatever', it started life as a song called 'Rainbow Zephyr' by another Irish band called Relish, Westlife's version is almost identical except for the change in those two words.

[chimpy]

hey....so that makes greedyfly right and sft42 full of numerous and strong balloney