The band's biggest hit, "Slight Return", was released in 1996. They have achieved thirteen Top 40 singles and three Top 10 albums in the UK charts.
The Bluetones' commercial success waned after the fall of the Britpop movement, yet they have continued to tour and release new records and are therefore often labelled as "Britpop survivors".
The band's latest album A New Athens was released on 31 May 2010.
Things Change
Bluetones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When your hands are tied and your bridges burned?
When will you get to see that your only option lies with me?
Must you be kicked right down, ripped from limb
Taught to drown, but told to swim
The way to be, the way to act is
Not to preach what you practice
Things change, but a part of its present formula remains
Things needn't be so if you let me through
Things needn't be so if you let me through
It must be true, he said I found you
The lyrics to The Bluetones' song "Things Change" appear to be about a person trying to help another through a difficult time. The opening lines suggest that the person is struggling to learn or move on due to feeling trapped or burned by past experiences. The singer offers themself as an option for a way out, encouraging the person to trust and rely on them to move forward. The lines "Must you be kicked right down, ripped from limb / Taught to drown, but told to swim" paints a vivid and graphic image of someone being held underwater, struggling to survive but not quite drowning. The singer continues to offer a supportive message, telling the person that in order to find a way out, they need to take action and not just preach, but practice as well. The chorus reinforces the idea that things may change, but keeping an open mind and letting others in can lead to a better outcome.
Overall, "Things Change" seems to be a song about hope and perseverance in difficult times. It encourages listeners to trust and rely on others for support, while also taking action to create positive change. It's a reminder that even when things seem bleak or uncertain, there is always a way forward.
Line by Line Meaning
How will you ever learn,
Do you ever feel like you'll never be able to learn from your mistakes?
When your hands are tied and your bridges burned?
When you feel like you're trapped and have nowhere to go because you have burned your bridges with others?
When will you get to see that your only option lies with me?
When will you realize that I am the only one who can help you in this situation?
Must you be kicked right down, ripped from limb
Do you have to suffer extensive losses just to understand the reality of your situation?
Taught to drown, but told to swim
Are you being pressured to sink or swim without any proper guidance?
The way to be, the way to act is
There is a certain way of behaving that is expected of you in this situation.
Not to preach what you practice
Don't simply give advice that you yourself don't follow.
Things change, but a part of its present formula remains
Although things may change, there are still certain elements that will remain the same.
Things needn't be so if you let me through
There's no need for things to stay the same if you allow me to help you.
Things needn't be so if you let me through
There's no need for things to stay the same if you allow me to help you.
Things needn't be so if you let me through
There's no need for things to stay the same if you allow me to help you.
It must be true, he said I found you
You have been found and rescued. It must be fate that brought us together.
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EDWARD DANIEL CHESTER, ADAM PATRICK DEVLIN, MARK JAMES MORRISS, SCOTT EDWARD MORRISS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@roberthavercroft3340
This album is one of the best of the 90s and this song is one of its best.
@StrangeAttractor
I was travelling solo in Japan circa 2010, way up in the mountains on a lake plateau with a couple of guesthouses on the fringes. It was a beautiful early summer's day, I sat on a boulder by the lakeside and put my headphones in and hit shuffle. This song came on as I was tripping out on the light shining on the water, then coming down the road I see this cool looking Japanese guy with a guitar slung over his back. He waved hello, I waved back, we spent the afternoon singing all the British classics he knew. Things change, but a pattern is present, the formula remains...
@sriwilai
This song popped into my head today for the first time in years..
@jameswhittingham8027
And me.
@seanmcgrath9167
today was my day for the pop too
@gutworm45
Haven't heard this in a long time, absolutely love this track. Brings back memories of when I was a kid :D
@iluvmorrissey
Gr8 album cover
@massivemig
Thank´s for the Pavão
@gavinlinehan7536
One of all my all-time favourite songs
@gavinlinehan7536
Incredible album