Change
John Waite Lyrics

People talking
There are people who are talking.

And they're saying that you're leaving
These people are saying that the person being referred to in the song is leaving.

So unhappy
These people believe that this person is unhappy.

With the way that you've been living
This unhappiness is related to the way that this person has been living.

Oh oh oh
This is an interlude in the song, there are no words being said.

We always wish for money
As humans, we have a tendency to want more money.

We always wish for fame
Similarly, we also have a tendency to want to be famous.

We think we have the answers
We often believe that we know what's best for ourselves and don't need others to tell us what to do.

Some things ain't ever gonna change (change)
Despite our wishes and beliefs, some things are simply never going to change.

It doesn't matter who you are
These things are immutable for everyone.

It's all the same (change)
The fact that these things won't change is the same for everyone.

What's in your heart will never change
What a person truly believes in their heart will remain constant throughout their life.

Look in the mirror
If you look in the mirror, you'll see yourself.

And you see how you've been taken
You'll see how you've been affected by your circumstances.

You won't surrender
Despite these circumstances, you won't give up.

But now your heart is breakin'
Nevertheless, you're experiencing pain in your heart.

Do you remember
The song now shifts to a new topic, asking if you remember something.

When you got your lucky break
The thing being asked about is a time when you had a stroke of good luck.

You're looking back now
Now, after some time has passed, you're reflecting on that lucky break.

And it seems like a mistake
In hindsight, you're not sure if that lucky break was actually a good thing for you.

It's only change (change)
This chorus repeats part of the earlier chorus, emphasizing that change is inevitable.

What's in your heart will stay the same
Despite change, what you believe in your heart will remain constant.

You ain't gonna
This is a shortened version of 'you are not going to.'

Never (it doesn't matter)
This line repeats the idea that some things are simply never going to change.

You ain't gonna change (what's in your heart)
Your beliefs and values will remain constant, no matter what occurs.

Doesn't matter who you are
This is another restatement of the idea that some things are immutable for all people.

It's all the same (what's in your heart)
No matter what your circumstances are, your internal beliefs and values will be the same as they've always been.

It's only
This is another interlude without any words being sung.

It's only change
This line and the previous line express that change is the only constant in life.