Stewart's music career began in 1962 when he took up busking with a harmonica. In 1963, he joined The Dimensions as a harmonica player and vocalist. In 1964, Stewart joined Long John Baldry and the All Stars before moving to the Jeff Beck Group in 1967. Joining Faces in 1969, he also maintained a solo career releasing his debut album that year. Stewart's early albums were a fusion of rock, folk music, soul music, and R&B. His third album, 1971's Every Picture Tells a Story, was his breakthrough, topping the charts in the UK, US, Canada and Australia, as did its ballad "Maggie May". His 1972 follow-up album, Never a Dull Moment, also reached number one in the UK and Australia, while going top three in the US and Canada. Its single, "You Wear It Well", topped the chart in the UK and was a moderate hit elsewhere.
After Stewart had a handful more UK top ten hits, the Faces broke up in 1975. Stewart's next few hit singles were ballads with "Sailing", off the 1975 UK and Australian number-one album, Atlantic Crossing, becoming a hit in the UK and the Netherlands (number one), Germany (number four) and other countries, but barely charting in North America. A Night on the Town (1976), his fifth straight chart-topper in the UK, began a three-album run of going number one or top three in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia with each release. That album's "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" spent almost two months at number one in the US and Canada, and made the top five in other countries. Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977) contained the hit "You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)" as well as the rocker "Hot Legs". Blondes Have More Fun (1978) and its disco-tinged "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" both went to number one in Canada, Australia and the US, with "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" also hitting number one in the UK and the top ten in other countries. Stewart's albums regularly hit the upper rungs of the charts in the Netherlands throughout the 70s and in Sweden from 1975 onward.
After a disco and new wave period in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Stewart's music turned to a soft rock/middle-of-the-road style, with most of his albums reaching the top ten in the UK, Germany and Sweden, but faring less well in the US. The single "Rhythm of My Heart" was a top five hit in the UK, US and other countries, with its source album, 1991's Vagabond Heart, becoming, at number ten in the US and number two in the UK, his highest-charting album in a decade. In 1993, he collaborated with Bryan Adams and Sting on the power ballad "All for Love", which went to number one in many countries. In the early 2000s, he released a series of successful albums interpreting the Great American Songbook.
In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked him the 17th most successful artist on the "Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists". A Grammy and Brit Award recipient, he was voted at No. 33 in Q Magazine's list of the Top 100 Greatest Singers of all time. As a solo artist, Stewart was inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and he was inducted a second time into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of Faces.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Stewart
Studio albums
An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down (1969)
Gasoline Alley (1970)
Every Picture Tells a Story (1971)
Never a Dull Moment (1972)
Smiler (1974)
Atlantic Crossing (1975)
A Night on the Town (1976)
Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977)
Blondes Have More Fun (1978)
Foolish Behaviour (1980)
Tonight I'm Yours (1981)
Body Wishes (1983)
Camouflage (1984)
Every Beat of My Heart (1986)
Out of Order (1988)
Vagabond Heart (1991)
A Spanner in the Works (1995)
When We Were the New Boys (1998)
Human (2001)
It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook (2002)
As Time Goes By: The Great American Songbook, Volume II (2003)
Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III (2004)
Thanks for the Memory: The Great American Songbook, Volume IV (2005)
Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time (2006)
Soulbook (2009)
Once in a Blue Moon: The Lost Album (2010)
Fly Me to the Moon... The Great American Songbook Volume V (2010)
Merry Christmas, Baby (2012)
Time (2013)
Another Country (2015)
Blood Red Roses (2018)
The Tears of Hercules (2021)
I Wouldn't Ever Change A Thing
Rod Stewart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ah listen
It's funny you know when you sit down
And think about what you had
About the friends you used to know
What happened, where did they all go
Can you remember happy hours
We thought we could change the world
And we never, never, never, never, never
Never thought we could get much older then
We were the ones who loved to love the right to love
We'd bring it on home with the right song
Played at the right time
What happened to the girl that you loved once and left
Young man did you break her heart
Did she live, and did she marry,
Did she ever think on your face again
Ah now hold on a minute
I wouldn't change a thing if I could live it all again
Ah yeah
I think what you say is all so right
But I find it hard to jog my memories
Don't worry Lou you may never get another chance yeah
Yes I think what you say is all so right
But I find it hard to move my memories
Say it again with a lot more feelin'
And I think what you say is all so right
But I find it hard to find my memories
Don't sing so serious you make me feel so sad
But if I was true to myself
I would probably find it was a tear in my eye
That stopped me from believing you
Don't worry, don't worry, don't worry don't worry
You know my tongue gets tired
When I think back on all of the things we do
But I wonder if I'll remember these few precious things
As years pass me by
Ah when young bodies that've grown older
And mind's become dimmer
I'll point the finger back in time
I said I wouldn't change a thing if I could
If I could, if I could live it all again, yeah
The song "I Wouldn’t Ever Change a Thing" by Rod Stewart is a reflective piece about appreciating the past and the memories that come with it. The opening lyrics convey the message that the singer would not change anything if they had the chance to go back in time to relive their past. They are nostalgic about the friends they used to know and the happy times they spent together.
He reminisces about how they thought they could change the world when they were younger but never thought about aging. The singer mentions how love was an essential aspect of their lives, how they loved to love and appreciated the right song played at the right time. Moreover, the song wonders about the lives of people around him, especially the girl he loved once, and wants to know if she ever thinks of him, probably longing to see her again.
The chorus reflects the singer's contentment with his past, indicating that he wouldn't change anything about his life if he could live it all again. He acknowledges his memories' importance and realizes that as time goes by, those memories become even more valuable.
Overall, "I Wouldn’t Ever Change a Thing" is a nostalgic song that encourages listeners to appreciate and cherish the past and the memories that come with it. The song focuses on relationships and the importance of love, friendship, and memories.
Line by Line Meaning
I wouldn't change a thing if I could live it all again
I am content with the way I've lived my life and wouldn't want to change anything even if I had the chance to relive it.
It's funny you know when you sit down
It's amusing how things become clearer when you take a moment to reflect.
And think about what you had
When you reminisce, you tend to focus on what you've lost or left behind.
About the friends you used to know
Memories of your past friends can be bittersweet, especially when you've lost touch with them.
What happened, where did they all go
It's natural to wonder about the people who were once important in your life and where they are now.
Can you remember happy hours
Reflecting on the joyful moments of your past can be uplifting and help you appreciate how far you've come.
Spent drinking and thinking
Drinking and contemplating life with friends was a common pastime in the past.
We thought we could change the world
When you're young, you're filled with idealism and believe you can make a difference in the world.
And we never, never, never, never, never
We never considered the possibility of getting old or losing touch with our friends.
Never thought we could get much older then
Old age was never a concern when we were young and carefree.
We were the ones who loved to love the right to love
We had a strong desire for love and believed that everyone had the right to love.
We'd bring it on home with the right song played at the right time
Music played a significant role in our lives, and the right song at the right moment could evoke powerful emotions.
What happened to the girl that you loved once and left
Looking back, we may wonder what happened to the people we once loved and left behind.
Young man did you break her heart
We may feel regret for hurting someone we once cared deeply about.
Did she live, and did she marry,
We may be curious about the lives of those we once cared about and what paths they took.
Did she ever think on your face again
We may wonder if the people we left behind remember us or think about us from time to time.
But I find it hard to jog my memories
It can be difficult to recall specific details of our past, especially as we age.
You may never get another chance yeah
We should cherish the memories we have because we may not have the opportunity to relive them or create new ones.
Say it again with a lot more feeling
Sometimes, repeating something with more emotion can help us remember it better and evoke stronger sentiments.
Don't sing so serious you make me feel so sad
Music is often an emotional trigger, and singing with too much seriousness can make someone feel melancholic.
But if I was true to myself
Being honest with ourselves can help us understand why we may feel a certain way about our past.
I would probably find it was a tear in my eye
We may feel emotional when we reflect on our past and the memories we cherish.
That stopped me from believing you
The emotions we feel can sometimes cloud our judgments and prevent us from seeing things clearly.
Don't worry, don't worry, don't worry don't worry
It's natural to feel anxious or worried about the future, but it's important to remain optimistic and positive.
You know my tongue gets tired
Sometimes, we may feel exhausted from talking or reflecting on the past for too long.
When I think back on all of the things we do
Memories of our past can be overwhelming and hard to process.
But I wonder if I'll remember these few precious things
We may fear that some of the details of our past may fade away over time or be forgotten.
As years pass me by
The older we get, the more our memories of the past may seem like a distant dream.
Ah when young bodies that've grown older
As we age, we may feel disheartened by the realization that our once youthful bodies are now aging and growing old.
And mind's become dimmer
Our minds may become clouded with age, making it harder to recall specific memories or details.
I'll point the finger back in time
Our past can provide us with valuable lessons and insights that can help us navigate the present and future better.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROD STEWART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jeff Krezel
2:20-3:09 😊
It's nice hearing Keith Emerson play organ on this track. In 1969, he did an album with his band The Nice (their self-titled album) released in September. "An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down" was released in the U.S. in November.
PAUL JACKSON
ONE OF BEST ROD STEWART SONGS AND VOCAL PERFORMANCE.THE 1969 TO 1970 PERIOD IS CLASSIC ROD.
Hann Chris27
Wot a fantastic track just love it rock on rod
Ned D.
The vocalist at 2:21 is Lou Reizner, who produced Rod's first two albums.
Rob Scalise
Keith Emerson said in his book that Rod Stewart may have never paid him for this session LOL. What’s a freebie between good friends and musicians way back then considering what their future held in store for them both. The lyrics have a deeper meaning all these years and lives later. I was a big fan of The Nice back then and a good buddy handed me this LP and said bet you haven’t heard this one with Keith. Rare and very cool.
The Hot Young Grandpas
Keith Emerson on keyboards!!!
Carlos Alberto Teixeira
GREAT
GOODNESS!! Wow!
Michael Soto
Emerson's organ work reminds me a lot of his style from the Nice era.
Ypsi
bloody awesome..... awesome...
Hann Chris27
Rod at his best