One of my all-time favorite songs, "Let Her Cry," by Hootie and the Blowfish:
What I heard:
"She said there's the one I love the most, this life's not far behind."
What it really is:
"She says Dad's the one I love the most, but Stipe's not far behind."
(The band was good friends with REM at the time, so it was their nod to Michael Stipe.)
Boy, was I way off the mark!