The music legend re-recorded his hit, with lyrics which have been misheard over the years, including, "you wouldn't catch nits from any other guy", and "your aunt's been naked", as part of a campaign from Specsavers, encouraging people who notice any changes to their hearing, which may have been ignored over the years, to get it checked.
Released in 1987, research has found that Astley's 'Never Gonna Give You Up', is one of the nation's most lyrically misheard tracks, with thousands of music lovers admitting to singing the wrong words.
One in ten have even admitted to thinking that Astley was ‘Never Gonna Run Around with Dessert Spoons’ in the song.
Further findings from this test reveal that 43% of people admit that they never got their hearing tested, while 17% have blamed mishearing song lyrics on struggling to hear properly.
29% have also admitted to being unable to hearing the TV or radio properly. It also emerged that 51% have said that they find it difficult to have a conversation with background noise.
Other studies also showed that people often wait 10 years, before getting their hearing checked, with coping mechanisms including saying 'yes' even though they were unsure about what was being said, leaning their ears closer, or frequently asking people to repeat themselves.
Commenting on this, Specsavers Ireland Audiology Chairperson Martina McNulty said, “Hearing loss affects millions of people worldwide, but often goes undiagnosed and untreated and that is a terrible shame because it often leads to social isolation. If you notice any changes in your hearing, don’t wait 10 years to get checked. Hearing change is completely normal and is nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed about".
Adding, “Specsavers understands that we all hear differently because we care for more ears across Ireland than anyone else. We believe that everyone deserves to hear life in their own unique way and we are determined to help close the 10-year gap that exists currently".
"The quicker we understand the way that we hear, the quicker we can act when we notice changes which will help minimise any long-term impact.”
Speaking about re-recording this track, which you can check out below, Rick Astley has said that he had a lot of fun doing this, while emphasising the importance of raising awareness of the stigma surrounding hearing loss.
“I had great fun re-recording the song with Specsavers and discovering the amusing ways people have misheard my song. It felt weird singing different lyrics but I’m pleased to be raising awareness of hearing loss, as there is still a stigma around this", Astley revealed.
The singer also explained that he has been suffering with some hearing loss himself, and required some hearing aids.
“I’ve noticed my hearing changing over time so recently had a hearing test at Specsavers. It showed I have some hearing loss, which I was not fully aware of. It’s probably a result of playing the drums as a kid and working in the music industry, so they’ve given me my first hearing aids", he stated.
He added, "It’s important to remember that everyone’s hearing is different. Some people lose high notes, others lose low frequency sounds. I’d encourage anyone to get their hearing tested if they notice any changes, so they don’t lose the sounds or music they love".
