The Word Worst Mistakes chart in the current issue got me thinking of things written in reviews that were just plain wrong. Things that a bit of close listening might have avoided.
A couple of things have stuck with me over the years. In a review of John Cale's album Slow Dazzle (in Sounds I think) the reviewer stated that opening track Mr Wilson was about our then Prime Minister, Harold W. When I got the album I recall trying to work out how the lyrics related to the PM. How was "And you know it's true Wales is not like California in any way and when I listen to your music you're still thousands of mile away" associated with Downing Street? The final line being "California wine is fine" repeated a number of times. How did that relate to the Huddersfield born Pipe Smoker Of The Year? After a few listens it clicked that this song was of course not about Harold, but was about Beach Boy Brian. A very bad mistake for a music journalist, especially with the Beach Boy harmonies in the background.
I also remember an article in some magazine about drug references in song. The author asserted that The Byrds' song Chestnut Mare was a paean to brown heroin, on the basis that horse was slang for heroin. I believe the same reasoning did see the then South African government slapping a very unlikely ban on Crazy Horses by The Osmonds. For my part I cannot link the lyric "Always alone, never with the herd, prettiest mare I've ever seen, you'll have to take my word" with images of street corner drug dealing. Or "I was up on the stony ridge, chasing after this chestnut mare, been chasing her for weeks" in a drug song would suggest that it was very difficult to get hold of, so why would you bother? While The Byrds had undoubtedly taken a few drugs in their time, Roger McGuinn was by this time immersed in his religious cult and had eschewed drugs.
Anyone else with memories, or current examples, of sloppy journalism, be it related to music, films, books or whatever?