Xiu Xiu's Women Breaks Ground

Lyrics by Lennon, the Boss and others make the list

(NEWSER) - "'Scuse me while I kiss this guy" and other misheard song lyrics, it turns out, are just the tip of the iceberg. List Universe runs down what it calls 10 of the most misinterpreted songs in music. Some highlights to see if you agree:

• "Hotel California": Listeners think devil worship because of the "kill the beast" line, but the Eagles themselves say that's nonsense. It's a reflection of the rock-and-roll lifestyle they were living in Los Angeles at the time.

Handwritten sheet expected to fetch $700K

(NEWSER) - Sotheby's is about to auction off a kind of Dead Sea Scroll for Beatles fans: John Lennon's handwritten—in felt marker and blue ink—lyrics sheet for “Day in the Life,” the revered final track from Sgt. Pepper that, in the words of the auction house's marketing department, “marked the Beatles' transformation from pop icons to artists.” The auctioneers are expecting the sheet, which sadly doesn't include Paul's lyrical contributions to the final track, to sell for $700,000, the BBC reports. Sale is June 18 in New York. More»

CDs showcase Fab Four as they were meant to be heard

(NEWSER) - The Beatles just got better: every one of their original albums and a batch of collected singles has been remastered, boosting the quality to the level “the Beatles themselves would have heard and intended,” writes Matt Hurwitz in the Washington Post. The stereo CDs remind us that the Beatles were a “rock band”: these recordings pack a punch not heard on the older discs. More»

Stephen Merritt makes a glorious return to his indie pop roots

(NEWSER) - The Magnetic Fields have hit the jackpot on their eighth album, Distortion. Frontman Stephen Merritt ignored his penchant for “cleverness and theatricality,” turned up the “1960s pop fetish,” and let the feedback roll. It’s a rebound from 2004’s i, says Pitchfork’s Matt LeMay, which was both flat and stagy. This time around, “a new level of messy” adds depth to Merritt’s talented songwriting. More»