WATCH | How Usher bungled his own lyrics and 6 songs you sang wrong

Since his debut in 1997, Usher has been a favourite for many R&B fans who've followed his evolving career. However, in a social media post where he sang one of his earlier jams, Usher ruffled feathers when he changed the lyrics to Nice and Slow.

Rather than the well-known lyrics “cruising the streets” the award-winning singer played around and swapped it with “whose in the streets”, causing a viral uproar among fans of the tune who worried they were singing the lyrics wrong.

Speaking to Today, Usher said the lyrics were “cruising” and didn't quell frustrations as to why he switched the lyrics in his TikTok version.

While the confusion over Nice and Slow has been solved, there are still a lot of songs people often misinterpret or get wrong. Here's a look at the top 5 local and not so lekker lyrics we keep getting wrong.

MALAIKA — DESTINY

The smash hit that put the trio on the map remains a favourite for many South Africans. While it's a great singalong song, not a lot of people have got the “you were and you and will be” line, instead mumbling the last five words of the line or replacing it with the now viral “Llewelyn, Llewelyn”.

TOTO — AFRICA

While Californian band Toto has no known roots in Mzansi, their ode to the continent is still a top pick for some come karaoke nights. While many of us have belted along to the jam, the chorus is often misunderstood. Rather than the official “I bless the rains down in Africa” many have misheard it as “I miss the rains” or “I guess it rains”.

BOOM SHAKA — IT'S ABOUT TIME

While Thembi Seete has become an accomplished actress and singer, for more than 30 years she caused nationwide confusion with her MC style of rap in It's About Time. One of the lyrics many get wrong is “you got to sneeze the disease with ease” which was not too far from the truth as she said, “you got to cease the needs that disease with ease”, and if that doesn't make sense, you are not alone. Seete took to her social media platforms last year to break it down further, where she explained it was reprimanding young and old folk to stop stealing (the disease) from each other.

THE LION KING — HAKUNA MATATA

THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

While our national anthem does not feature the treacherous key changes that have made the American one a laughing stock for whoever dares sing it, the multilingual lyrics of Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrica have long been a bane for those not familiar with certain lines of the song. Look no further than Ras Dumisane's butchering of the Sotho, Afrikaans and English lyrics at a 2009 rugby match between France and the Springboks (which the latter lost and all the blame lay on Dumisane).