Change
Big Thief Lyrics
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Change, like the wind
Like the water, like skin
Change, like the sky
Like the leaves, like a butterfly
Would you live forever, never die
Would you smile forever, never cry
While everything you know passes?
Death, like a door
To a place we′ve never been before
Death, like space
The deep sea, a suitcase
Would you stare forever at the sun
Never watch the moon rising?
Would you walk forever in the light
To never learn the secret of the quiet night?
Still, like a stone
Like a hill, like home
Still, what I find
Is you are always on my mind
Could I feel happy for you
When I hear you talk with her like we used to?
Could I set everything free
When I watch you holding her the way you once held me?
Change, like the sky
Like the leaves, like a butterfly
Death, like a door
To a place we've never been before
Would you live forever, never die
While everything around passes?
Would you smile forever, never cry?
The song "Change" by Big Thief is a thought-provoking reflection on the nature of change and mortality. The opening lines compare change to the natural elements of wind, water, and skin, as well as the sky, leaves, and a butterfly. Through these images, the lyrics suggest that change is an inevitable part of life, as natural and fundamental as the air we breathe.
The second stanza then takes on the theme of mortality, imagining what it would be like to live forever while everything around us passes away. The lyrics pose challenging questions about the trade-offs between immortality and the experience of life - would we really want to stare forever at the sun, never watching the moon rise? Would we want to walk forever in the light, without ever knowing the secrets that the quiet night holds?
The final stanza of the song shifts into a more personal tone, with the lyrics focusing on the theme of heartbreak and lost love. Here, the stillness of a stone or a hill symbolizes a sense of grounding and home, but the lyrics reveal that despite this sense of stability, the singer's thoughts are consumed by their former lover. The closing lines once again return to the themes of change and mortality, asking whether we can ever truly let go and set everything free when faced with the inevitability of death.
Line by Line Meaning
Change, like the wind
Change can be as unexpected and uncontrollable as the sudden gust of wind.
Like the water, like skin
Change can also be fluid and integral to our being, like the water we need to survive and the skin that holds us together.
Change, like the sky
Change can be vast and all-encompassing, like the ever-changing sky that towers above us.
Like the leaves, like a butterfly
Change can also be subtle and small, like how leaves change color with the seasons or how a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly.
Death, like a door
Death can be seen as a gateway to a new unknown realm or dimension that we may never fully understand or experience.
To a place we've never been before
This new realm or dimension is unknown and unfamiliar to us, much like how we've never been there before.
Death, like space
Death can also be seen as vast and expansive, much like the infinite expanse of outer space.
The deep sea, a suitcase
Similarly, death can feel like a vast and unexplored ocean, or like closing up a suitcase full of memories and experiences that we can no longer access.
Would you stare forever at the sun
Is it worth sacrificing everything to pursue an unachievable goal or ideal, like staring at the sun forever?
Never watch the moon rising?
Would we miss out on the beautiful and simple things in life while fixating on something impossible?
Would you walk forever in the light
Is it worth ignoring or denying the darker, more complex aspects of ourselves and the world in order to maintain an idealized version of reality?
To never learn the secret of the quiet night?
Would we miss out on the mysteries and deeper truths of life by avoiding the quiet, introspective moments that allow us to learn about ourselves and the world around us?
Still, like a stone
Even with all the unpredictability and chaos in the world, some things remain constant and unchanging, like a stone monument that stands the test of time.
Like a hill, like home
Other things can be dependable and familiar, like returning to a childhood home or seeing the same hill every day.
Still, what I find
Despite all the changes and losses in life, there are some things that remain constant and unyielding.
Is you are always on my mind
For the singer, this person they're thinking about is one of those things that withstand the test of time.
Could I feel happy for you
Is it possible to be genuinely happy for someone you care about even if they have moved on from you and are with someone else?
When I hear you talk with her like we used to?
Even if hearing them reminisce about your shared past is difficult, can you still find joy in their happiness in the present?
Could I set everything free
Is it possible to let go of your attachments and desires in order to find peace and acceptance, even if it means you may never experience them again?
When I watch you holding her the way you once held me?
Even if seeing them together is painful, can you still find the strength to wish them well and let them go?
Change, like the sky
Once again, change is compared to the vast and ever-changing sky.
Like the leaves, like a butterfly
And once again, change is compared to the subtle and fleeting transformation of leaves and butterflies.
Would you live forever, never die
Is immortality something that we should aspire to, even if it means avoiding the natural cycle of life and death?
While everything around passes?
Would living forever actually be worth it if everything and everyone we know is constantly changing and eventually leaving us behind?
Would you smile forever, never cry?
Is constant happiness an achievable (or even desirable) goal, or do we need sadness and pain in order to appreciate and understand joy?
Contributed by Caleb O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Rachel M
Lyrics:
Change, like the wind
Like the water, like skin
Change, like the sky
Like the leaves, like a butterfly
Would you live forever, never die
While everything around passes by?
Would you smile forever, never cry,
While everything you know passes?
Death’s like a door to a place we’ve never been before
Death, like space, the deep sea, a suitcase
Would you stare forever at the sun,
Never watch the moon rising?
Would you walk forever in the light,
To never learn the secret of the quiet night?
Still, like a stone, like a hill, like home
Still, what I find, is you are always on my mind
Could I feel happy for you when I hear you talk with her like we used to?
Could I set everything free when I watch you holding her the way you once held me?
Change, like the sky, like the leaves, like a butterfly.
Death, like a door to a place we’ve never been before.
Would you live forever, never die, while everything around passes?
Would you smile forever, never cry?
Kevin Kerpe
Thank you Adrianne Lenker; you might enjoy this. I was born and live in Duluth, MN. I posted this following section on Facebook (FB) on September 14, 2019, and it was (and still is) special to me:
Kevin Kerpe:
Without thinking about it, I said something like: “he knew your grandfather who passed” a little later I realized, and thought about what I had said.
My advice to you, when talking about those who have “passed” leave out, and don’t say the word, or think, “away”... ... ...
Kevin Kerpe:
Ha, I can ‘like’ my own post. And comment. So silly. Silly
Kevin Kerpe:
But worth it silly, says me for us
Emily Spinach:
i don't get it, why not
Kevin Kerpe:
Because they passed
They did not fail
Emily Spinach:
Ohhhhhh I honestly thought you meant someone that died, and I was like, what's the problem? Lol
Kevin Kerpe:
Emily Rose didn’t I mean that. Lol. Pass it on.
don’t read this part:
I just edited this post to combine those two thoughts into one. Next, I will delete the other unnecessary post stating “didn’t I mean that. lol”
I just did. Now it’s gone. Now I will put a space above to make this more understandable and add the comment, “don’t read this part:”
I just re-opened the Facebook app on my Apple SE iPhone at 11:37 a.m. CST I’m the USA. It is now 11:38 a.m. here. This will be my final revision to this post. However, I’ve forgotten but then now just remembered what I wanted to say. This is it, “It’s okay if you didn’t follow my request or command above that stated ‘don’t read this part:’”
Emily Spinach:
You're a silly goose
Smoky Clap
Change, like the wind
Like the water, like skin
Change, like the sky
Like the leaves, like a butterfly
Would you live forever, never die
While everything around passes?
Would you smile forever, never cry
While everything you know passes?
Death, like a door
To a place we've never been before
Death, like space
The deep sea, a suitcase
Would you stare forever at the sun
Never watch the moon rising?
Would you walk forever in the light
To never learn the secret of the quiet night?
Still, like a stone
Like a hill, like home
Still, what I find
Is you are always on my mind
Could I feel happy for you
When I hear you talk with her like we used to?
Could I set everything free
When I watch you holding her the way you once held me?
Change, like the sky
Like the leaves, like a butterfly
Death, like a door
To a place we've never been before
Would you live forever, never die
While everything around passes?
Would you smile forever, never cry?
beefslop
After my grandma died, I moved out of state to look after my grandpa who had failing health. Watching him, at first gradually, and then sharply decline was such a rough and painful experience that only now, 7 months after his passing, am I able to start opening myself back up to feel the weight of what happened. I'm not normally one to get sappy and make a big deal about stuff like this, but this song helped me a lot with that today and I'm grateful for that.
"Would you live forever, never die
While everything around passes?
Would you smile forever, never cry
While everything you know passes?
Death, like a door
To a place we've never been before
Death, like space
The deep sea, a suitcase"
emanuela schera vanoli
Big Thief CHANGE
Okay
Change, like the wind, like the water, like skin
Change, like the sky, like the leaves, like a butterfly
Would you live forever, never die
While everything around passes?
Would you smile forever, never cry
While everything you know passes?
Death, like a door to a place we've Beverly been before
Death, like space, the deep sea, a suitcase
Would you stare forever at the sun
Never watch the moon rising?
Would you walk forever in the light
To never learn the secret of the quiet night?
Still, like a stone, like a hill, like home
Still, what I find is you are always on my mind
Could I feel happy for you
When I hear you talk with her like we used to?
Could I set everything free
When I watch you holding her the way you once held me?
Change, like the sky, like the leaves, like a butterfly
Death, like a door, to a place we've never been before
Would you live forever, never die
While everything around passes?
Would you smile forever, never cry?
Tony Miller
Mom had been battling cancer for a long time and this song has been a big part of my coping with that. She died this morning, and this afternoon the mailman delivered my copy of this album, which was a nice comfort. This song means so much to me and I hope it can help others like it’s helped me.
Alzheimer
Hope time and music eases your pain, everything changes !
Joe Kiddy Shaw
God bless x
S E R A
Sorry man! ❤️
Jacquelyn Rutchik
My condolences for the death of your mother, wishing you support and comfort in your grief. I’ve lost two dads. Hugs to you ❤
Johnny Manc Spice
Ah Tony I know what you’re going through man.
Ingest it, be angry, be confused but try and remember there’s always someone having a worse time.
Works for me anyway
💜
The Dad Fighter
Quit my job, splitting with my girl of 4 years, moving home, lots of change all at once; needless to say this song hit me hard dude. Really good stuff
Anthony Wallace
Hope everything is going okay, both for you and your ex. Take care!
Adderon
It gets a bit easier as the days go on. You're on your way
CapoeiraAstronaut
like space, the deep sea, a suitcase..