Changing Opinion
Philip Glass Lyrics


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Gradually
we became aware
of a hum in the room
an electrical hum in the room
It went mmmmmm

We followed it from
corner to corner
We pressed out ears
against the walls
We crossed diagonals
and put our hands on the floor
It went mmmmmm

Sometimes it was
a murmur
Sometimes it was
a pulse
Sometimes it seemed
to disappear
But then with a quarter-turn
of the head
it would roll around the sofa
A nimbus humming cloud
mmmmmm

Maybe it's the hum
of a calm refrigerator
cooling on a big night
Maybe it's the hum
of our parents' voices
long ago in a soft light
mmmmmm

Maybe it's the hum
of changing opinion
or a foreign language
in prayer
Maybe it's the mantra
of the walls and wiring
Deep breathing




in soft air
mmmmmm

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Philip Glass's song Changing Opinion paint a picture of people becoming aware of a hum in the room, which seems to be coming from all around them. As they try to follow the hum, they press their ears against the walls, cross diagonals, and even put their hands on the floor in an attempt to locate the sound. Sometimes it's a murmur, sometimes a pulse, and sometimes it seems to disappear. But then, with just a slight turn of the head, the hum rolls around the sofa, creating a "nimbus humming cloud."


Throughout the song, Glass offers up several possibilities for what the hum might be, including the hum of a calm refrigerator cooling on a big night, the hum of parents' voices long ago in a soft light, and even the hum of changing opinion or a foreign language in prayer. The hum could also be seen as the "mantra of the walls and wiring," a representation of deep breathing in soft air. The ambiguity of the lyrics allows for multiple interpretations, leaving it up to the listener to decide what the hum represents to them.


Overall, the song is a meditation on sound and its effects on the human psyche. The hum represents the ways in which we are affected by the world around us, whether through the steady rhythms of everyday life or the more ephemeral echoes of memory and emotion.


Line by Line Meaning

Gradually
We started examining surroundings in detail


we became aware
We started noticing something unusual


of a hum in the room
There was a low-frequency sound that was very evident


an electrical hum in the room
The sound was similar to electricity running through equipment


It went mmmmmm
The sound was consistent


We followed it from
We traced it throughout the entire room


corner to corner
From every single angle


We pressed out ears
We listened carefully


against the walls
To the surfaces near us


We crossed diagonals
We moved in a pattern of intersecting lines


and put our hands on the floor
To feel vibrations


Sometimes it was
At times the hum was


a murmur
A soft sound


Sometimes it was
Other times the sound was


a pulse
Pulsating in nature


Sometimes it seemed
Occasionally it felt like


to disappear
It wasn't always audible


But then with a quarter-turn
When we slightly adjusted


of the head
Positioning our head


it would roll around the sofa
The sound changed direction and travelled across the room


A nimbus humming cloud
A captivating and continuously sounding phenomenon


mmmmmm
Emanating the same humming sound


Maybe it's the hum
Perhaps the sound originates from


of a calm refrigerator
A peaceful hum of a fridge


cooling on a big night
Functioning at full capacity


Maybe it's the hum
It could also be caused by


of our parents' voices
An echo of cherished memories


long ago in a soft light
From a distant and happy time


mmmmmm
The same soothing hum


Maybe it's the hum
Another plausible source of sound is


of changing opinion
A hum that comes with a shift in perspective


or a foreign language
A sound that's unfamiliar and hard to understand


in prayer
Perhaps a spiritual hum


Maybe it's the mantra
It could be a sound that's constant and repetitive


of the walls and wiring
A vibration from the room's structure


Deep breathing
Slow and meditative respiration


in soft air
The calm atmosphere that surrounds us


mmmmmm
The constant background noise




Contributed by Camilla C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@estebanposadaduque6415

Gradually
we became aware
of a hum in the room
an electrical hum in the room
It went mmmmmm

We followed it from
corner to corner
We pressed our ears
against the walls
We crossed diagonals
and put our hands on the floor
It went mmmmmm

Sometimes it was
a murmur
Sometimes it was
a pulse
Sometimes it seemed
to disappear
But then with a quarter-turn
of the head
it would roll around the sofa
A nimbus humming cloud
mmmmmm

Maybe it's the hum
of a calm refrigerator
cooling on a big night
Maybe it's the hum
of our parents' voices
long ago in a soft light
mmmmmm

Maybe it's the hum
of changing opinion
or a foreign language
in prayer
Maybe it's the mantra
of the walls and wiring
Deep breathing
in soft air
mmmmmm

Lyrics by Paul Simon



@Paco430

[lyrics by Paul Simon]


Changing opinion

Gradually
we became aware
of a hum in the room
an electrical hum in the room
It went mmmmmm

We followed it from
corner to corner
We pressed out ears
against the walls
We crossed diagonals
and put our hands on the floor
It went mmmmmm

Sometimes it was
a murmur
Sometimes it was
a pulse
Sometimes it seemed
to disappear
But then with a quarter-turn
of the head
it would roll around the sofa
A nimbus humming cloud
mmmmmm

Maybe it's the hum
of a calm refrigerator
cooling on a big night
Maybe it's the hum
of our parents' voices
long ago in a soft light
mmmmmm
Maybe it's the hum
of changing opinion
or a foreign language
in prayer
Maybe it's the mantra
of the walls and wiring
Deep breathing
in soft air
mmmmmm



@aitaitxebe

Cambio de opinión.
Poco a poco nos dimos cuenta de un zumbido en la habitación
Un zumbido eléctrico en la habitación
Se fue mmmmmm
Lo seguimos de esquina a esquina
Presionamos nuestras orejas contra las paredes
Cruzamos en diagonal y pusimos nuestras manos en el suelo
Se fue mmmmmm
A veces era un murmullo
A veces era un pulso
A veces parecía desaparecer
Pero luego, al girar la cabeza, rodaba alrededor del sofá
Un zumbido de un halo de nube mmmmmm
Tal vez sea el zumbido de un refrigerador enfriándose en una gran noche
Tal vez es el zumbido de las voces de nuestros padres hace mucho tiempo en una luz tenue mmmmmm
Tal vez es el zumbido de cambiar de opinión o un idioma extranjero en la oración
Tal vez es el mantra de las paredes y el cableado
Respiración profunda en aire suave mmmmmm



All comments from YouTube:

@Holoverse718

A perfect song and one of my all time favorites

@jorgecarbonell4802

An atemporal song an a gift for the humanity. So deep an beautiful. Thanks.

@CHOP194

Merci Anthox

@1986kikoolol

La même, quelle claque.

@estebanposadaduque6415

Gradually
we became aware
of a hum in the room
an electrical hum in the room
It went mmmmmm

We followed it from
corner to corner
We pressed our ears
against the walls
We crossed diagonals
and put our hands on the floor
It went mmmmmm

Sometimes it was
a murmur
Sometimes it was
a pulse
Sometimes it seemed
to disappear
But then with a quarter-turn
of the head
it would roll around the sofa
A nimbus humming cloud
mmmmmm

Maybe it's the hum
of a calm refrigerator
cooling on a big night
Maybe it's the hum
of our parents' voices
long ago in a soft light
mmmmmm

Maybe it's the hum
of changing opinion
or a foreign language
in prayer
Maybe it's the mantra
of the walls and wiring
Deep breathing
in soft air
mmmmmm

Lyrics by Paul Simon

@silvia5595

Best written Paul Simon song of all time.

@53mileswestofvenus

From one of my favorite albums--thank you for posting this. The album is a masterpiece, and this song is a good example of that. Sheer brilliance.

@CheckersSpeech

Ha ha, a person after my own heart: Philip Glass and B52s lol ...

@PeppermintTwyst

@@CheckersSpeech Thanks--we're a rare breed! (I'm "53mileswestofvenus", that was my handle years ago on YouTube.) Nice to meet you, fellow Philip Glass and B-52's lover!

@michaliskonstantinidis8926

masterpiece

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