Changes
The Spiders from Mars Lyrics


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Oh, yeah
Mmm

Still don't know what I was waitin' for
And my time was runnin' wild
A million dead end streets and
Every time I thought I'd got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
But I've never caught a glimpse
How the others must see the faker
I'm much too fast to take that test

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-changes
Don't want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-changes
There's gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time

Mmm, yeah

I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence
And so the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're goin' through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-changes
Don't tell them to grow up and out of it
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-changes
Where's your shame?
You've left us up to our necks in it
Time may change me
But you can't trace time

Strange fascinations fascinate me
Ah, changes are takin'
The pace I'm goin' through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-changes
Ooh, look out you rock 'n' rollers
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-changes
Pretty soon now you're gonna get older
Time may change me
But I can't trace time




I said that time may change me
But I can't trace time

Overall Meaning

The song "Changes" by The Spiders from Mars is a reflection on the personal and societal changes that the singer has experienced. The lyrics suggest feelings of confusion and disorientation as the singer navigates through various challenges in his life. The opening lines are particularly reflective of this confusion - "Still don't know what I was waitin' for / And my time was runnin' wild / A million dead end streets and / Every time I thought I'd got it made / It seemed the taste was not so sweet."


The chorus of the song is a call to action to "turn and face the strange" and embrace the inevitable changes that come with living. The repetition of "ch-ch-ch-ch-changes" creates a sense of urgency and emphasizes the importance of not getting stuck in a stagnant state of mind. The lyrics also suggest that financial success is not the ultimate goal, stating "Don't want to be a richer man" and "There's gonna have to be a different man."


The final verse of the song highlights the importance of embracing change and supporting those who are trying to make a difference in the world. The lyrics "And these children that you spit on / As they try to change their worlds / Are immune to your consultations / They're quite aware of what they're goin' through" suggest that societal norms and expectations are often stifling to those who are looking to create change.


Line by Line Meaning

Still don't know what I was waitin' for
I am unsure of what I am waiting for in life


And my time was runnin' wild
I am not managing my time well and it feels out of control


A million dead end streets and
I feel like I have tried many different paths in life, but they all seem to lead nowhere


Every time I thought I'd got it made
I have had moments where I felt successful, but it did not last


It seemed the taste was not so sweet
Even when I had success, it did not bring me the happiness I expected


So I turned myself to face me
I am trying to confront myself and understand who I really am


But I've never caught a glimpse
I still do not have a clear understanding of who I am


How others must see the faker
I am worried that others see me as someone who is not genuine


I'm much too fast to take that test
I am not ready to confront my fears and face my true self


Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Change is happening


Turn and face the strange
I need to face the unknown changes in my life


Don't want to be a richer man
I do not care about wealth or material possessions


There's gonna have to be a different man
In order for me to grow and change, I need to become a different person


Time may change me
As time goes on, I will change


But I can't trace time
I am unable to control or predict the changes that will happen to me over time


I watch the ripples change their size
I am observing the changes that are happening in the world around me


But never leave the stream
These changes are always a part of life and will continue to happen


Of warm impermanence
The changes are comforting in their impermanence


And so the days float through my eyes
Time is passing me by and life seems to be slipping away


But still the days seem the same
Even though time is passing, life feels stagnant and unchanged


And these children that you spit on
These young people who are trying to change the world


As they try to change their worlds
They are trying to make a difference in the world


Are immune to your consultations
They do not need or want advice from those who do not understand them


They're quite aware of what they're goin' through
These young people understand their own struggles and do not need others to tell them what to do


Don't tell them to grow up and out of it
Do not dismiss their struggles and tell them to get over it


Where's your shame?
You should be ashamed of yourself for not understanding or empathizing with these young people


You've left us up to our necks in it
You have caused these struggles and left us to deal with them on our own


Strange fascinations fascinate me
I am intrigued by unusual or strange things


Ah, changes are takin'
Changes are happening


The pace I'm goin' through
The changes are happening quickly and it is hard to keep up


Ooh, look out you rock 'n' rollers
Warning to those in the music industry


Pretty soon now you're gonna get older
Growing older is inevitable


I said that time may change me
I acknowledge that I am not immune to change


But I can't trace time
I cannot control or predict how I will change over time




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: DAVID BOWIE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@Skittenmeow

I was lucky enough to see Bowie in 2004 in my hometown of Perth, Australia.
My best friend and l made it to the front row, centre stage, during China Girl, early in the set. Somehow we didn't get kicked out, whereas everyone else who left their seats wasn't so lucky. The crowd controller for that section happened to recognise us from a 90s goth club where she'd been a bouncer. She said "if he's ok with you being here you can stay."
He was ok with us being there.
During Ziggy Stardust for the line "he bitched about his fans" he pointed at us. So obviously that people were stopping us after the show to say "You're the fans!! You're the girls he pointed at!!" Which kept happening for weeks afterwards in random places.
That afternoon/ evening is still one of the best times in my life.
We called out "Goblin King, Goblin King" and he laughed.

I got to touch him, twice, and briefly held his hand.
He got down on his knees and played guitar right in front of us, more than once, and it was hard to restrain ourselves but then he reached out first.

We both got given a set-list from the stage, I got his guitar pick and a crew tshirt. My friend's set-list was taped to the ground near where we were standing. It was a bit marked up which made it even better. Later when framing it she realised it had one clear perfect Converse shoeprint amongst the other smudges. So she knows his shoe size.

And so Ziggy Stardust is pretty important to my story of myself and my joys.



@astrogoodvibes6164

Here in Australia when Bowie launched Ziggy Stardust, a strange and rather interesting thing happened in the western suburbs of Melbourne Victoria. Somewhere around the beginning of the '70's, a large group of proto punks called sharpies were heavily into bands like the Coloured Balls (with Lobby Loyde) Radio Birdman (out of Sydney), the Saints as well as US bands like MC5, Iggy Pop and the Ramones.
Sharpies were easily identified by their dress.

Girls wore black lipstick, cheap jumpers, tight polyester wide collared blousest or tshirts mismatching short skirts coloured stockings or tight bellbottom poyester slacks, clogs or platform shoes and blunt fringe haircuts cut short around the ears like a mullet usually. The guys wore hand me down cardigans, tight stove pipe or bellbottom slacks or corduroys, similar haircuts to the girls or either clean cut or crew cuts, a beanie and moccasins without socks. To dance like a sharpie you swing your elbows high left to right across your chest in a monkey posture hunched over, shuffling your feet every now and then.

As the storm of Ziggy Stardust hit Australia, the hard rock crowd and the sharpies would come to enjoy the same music in the same way they'd do together for a Slade outdoor concert.

The two groups were mortal enemies, one a misfit cynical disenfranchised generally unemployed pill popping mob and the other greasy long haired and fueled by speed, pot and alcohol.

Whenever the two groups were not enjoying the same music, they were at each others throats much like the mods and the rockers in the UK just prior.
For a brief moment, punks and rockers came together and enjoyed the same music and Bowie was the first to really do that here. It was that mix of fast moving punk and hard rock that united the two.
One legacy left after Ziggy Sardust, glam rock and punk fusion was popular guitar driven glam rock/quasi punk band Skyhooks who were enjoyed by just about everyone.



@coschapman

Metal Box - PIL
Tago Mago - Can
A WIzard A True Star - Todd Rundgren
The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway- Genesis
Another Green World - Eno
No Pussyfooting - Fripp and Eno
Hissing of Summer Lawns - Joni Mitchell
Remain In Light - Talking Heads
Andy Warhol's Velvet Underground Featuring Nico
Hounds Of Love - Kate Bush
Tin Drum - Japan
Kaleidoscope - Siouxsie and the Banshees
Surfer Rosa - Pixies
Piper at The Gates of Dawn - Pink Floyd


You can probably guess my age - we all know the best music is what we listened to before the age of 22! But seriously I can still hear the influence of the above on so much music.



All comments from YouTube:

@Producelikeapro

What albums do you think changed music? Share below

@digitalbrand2930

Abbey Road! Changed me…

@therandomname69420

Sign O' The Times by Prince maybe

@jimp.7286

In the late 70's, for us; vanhalen 1. That a was game changer for guitar and made many a kid want pick up the instrument and other bands suddenly have to step up their game.
On a side note; people have mentioned Keith Moon as a drummer who played to the music and wasn't really thought of as a time keeper. So fun to watch though! Some have said Entiwistle held down time keeping in addition to bass lines. I've been thinking about this topic a lot lately and you nailed it when you said a lot of drums now days just hold drum patterns mostly = boring for some of us. Unless getting the drums out of the way "is" the point! But I love a drummer who plays to the song. Cheers!

@realraven2000

Spirit of Eden by Talk Talk changed it for me :)
Also Alan Parson's "I Robot" and "Tales of Mystery and Imagination".
"Protection" by Massive Attack
"Stop making Sense" by Talking Heads
"Think Tank" by Blur - breaking free from brit pop and into something more experimental
"Plantation Lullabyes" - Me'Shell NdeGeoCello - because it introduced me to Neo Soul
"Maxinquaye" by Tricky

@MyName-pl7zn

Black Sabbath first album
Velvet Underground
The Stooges
Nirvana Nevermind

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@crooner4848

This album didn't just change music, it changed millions of lives, including mine.

@Producelikeapro

Amazing

@Studio31Zero

David Bowie was a God that walked among men. I cannot imagine life without his music.

@F8Lwrld

same

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