Sam Phillips (born January 28, 1962 as Leslie Phillips) is a singer/songwr… Read Full Bio ↴Sam Phillips (born January 28, 1962 as Leslie Phillips) is a singer/songwriter from Glendale, California, United States.

Phillips began her musical career as a vocalist in the early 1980s, singing background parts for Christian artists such as Mark Heard, Randy Stonehill, and others. After a short time, Phillips was signed to a solo contract with Myrrh Records (under her given name) where she went on to record four Christian pop albums: Beyond Saturday Night, Dancing with Danger, Black & White in a Grey World, and, The Turning, which teamed her with producer and future husband T-Bone Burnett. Throughout the Myrrh period, Phillips wrote more and more of her own songs and several were Top 10 singles on Christian radio.

Since Cyndi Lauper was popular at the time and also had an high-pitched, idiosyncratic vocal style, Myrrh insisted on promoting her as "the Christian Cyndi Lauper." Phillips was never comfortable with this image, and it was a bone of contention between her and the label. She began using the name "Sam" professionally in 1988 when she left Myrrh Records and signed with Virgin Records, partially in order to distance herself from her somewhat embarrassing Myrrh-imposed persona.

Like many Christian artists before her, she expanded into more secular content at the new label. She released The Indescribable Wow, which featured the orchestrations of Van Dyke Parks. Cruel Inventions, which was released in 1991, included a guest appearance from close friend Elvis Costello, and she (with her husband) supported Costello on his 1991 tour. 1994's Martinis & Bikinis was widely praised by music critics and was even nominated for a Grammy Award; this was Phillips' first nomination.

In 1995, Phillips made her silver screen debut in the Bruce Willis blockbuster Die Hard With a Vengeance, in which she played a mute terrorist. She was originally supposed to have a speaking part in the film but it was decided that her character would be silent, since it made her appear much more imposing and lethal, although it also placed her in a more stereotypically femme fatale role at the same time.

In 1996, Phillips released Omnipop (It's Only a Flesh Wound Lambchop), which was more experimental musically and ended up being her worst-selling album to date. After releasing a contractual obligation "best-of" album for Virgin in 1999, the label dropped Phillips from their roster.

In 2001, Phillips signed with Nonesuch Records and released a stripped-down acoustic album called Fan Dance, which featured some of the most critically acclaimed songwriting of Phillips' career. Van Dyke Parks contributed string arrangements for a track or two. Phillips also began writing music for and scoring the television series Gilmore Girls, and even appeared on-screen during the final episode of season six, performing Taking Pictures. In 2004 she released A Boot and a Shoe, another collection of acoustic cabaret songs in the same vein as her previous album.

Sam returned with a new album don't do anything in 2008. In October 2009 Sam launched Long Play, an exclusively web-based membership site which promised subscribers 5 digital EPs and 1 full-length digital album over the course of about one year. A physical "best of" compilation of Long Play songs, titled Solid State, was released in June 2011.

Same Changes
Sam Phillips Lyrics

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The camera angles and the name campaigns
The stare cuts and the latest extremes
The way we sell ourselves they way we spend our greed
How long it takes hear our dreams

Circle of change the world around you
The same changes
Hold on to the voice inside you

The same changes

The borders and the flags how far our guns can shoot
Fascist slogans and the movie of the week
Popular opinions cars that drive you mad
What they pass assassins and a lucky streak

How much time is wasted how much time is left
What to censor
What to read
How hot the sun burns

What does love require
How we run from the things we need

Overall Meaning

Sam Phillips's "Same Changes" is a song about the state of society and how it is changing. The song critiques how we sell ourselves and how we spend our money. Phillips alludes to technology and how it has influenced our daily lives with lines like "the camera angles and the name campaigns." She also references political issues, such as borders and flags, and the media's influence, with the phrase "fascist slogans and the movie of the week." The song asks the listener to question popular opinions and think for themselves.

Phillips offers the idea that change is natural in this world with lyrics like "circle of change the world around you, the same changes." The chorus encourages the listener to hold onto the voice inside them, which suggests that our inner selves are the key to navigating these changes. Phillips questions the time we waste and what we prioritize in life with lyrics like "how much time is wasted, how much time is left, what to censor, what to read." She also alludes to the importance of love and the things we need but may run from.

Overall, "Same Changes" invites the listener to contemplate the state of our society and to question the values we uphold. It offers an optimistic perspective that change is inevitable and encourages the listener to hold onto their inner voice to navigate through these changes.

Line by Line Meaning

The camera angles and the name campaigns
The way we spin things in commercials and political ads

The stare cuts and the latest extremes
How far we go to shock and grab attention, leaving little to the imagination

The way we sell ourselves they way we spend our greed
How we view our image and wealth as products, constantly buying and selling to keep up with the crowd

How long it takes hear our dreams
How much effort it takes to get people to pay attention, understand and support our aspirations

Circle of change the world around you
The ever-shifting sphere of influence that shapes our lives

The same changes
Everything is evolving, but the fundamental themes and issues persist

Hold on to the voice inside you
Stay true to your values and beliefs, even if others try to drown them out or silence you

The borders and the flags how far our guns can shoot
How nationalistic symbols and military might define our sense of power and identity

Fascist slogans and the movie of the week
The influence that propaganda and popular culture have on shaping people's perceptions and attitudes

Popular opinions cars that drive you mad
The pressure to conform to peer expectations and societal norms, which can stifle individuality and creativity

What they pass assassins and a lucky streak
How arbitrary fate and unexpected events can have profound impacts on our lives

How much time is wasted how much time is left
The preciousness of time and the importance of making the most of every moment

What to censor
The challenge of deciding what information is appropriate or acceptable for public consumption

What to read
The abundance of information and media, and the challenge of filtering through it all to find what's worthwhile

How hot the sun burns
The intensity and unpredictability of nature and the environment

What does love require
The complexity and depth of human relationships, and the sacrifices and compromises required to make them work

How we run from the things we need
How we often avoid or ignore the things that would bring us true happiness or fulfillment

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: T-BONE BURNETT, LESLIE A PHILLIPS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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