Changes (Song Lyric Sunday + Blogtober #31)
The Saxophone Player’s wife has posted prompts throughout October which has helped me change my sporadic posting regime. Today’s prompt is ‘what we learnt in 2020’ – Thanks Caroline! To complete the challenge I have chosen Changes by (as most Song lyric Sundayist will know is by my all time fav artist) David Bowie.
My first Bowie LP purchase was ChangesOne – the eclectic compilation intrigued me – I got hooked. The song marked the first instance of Bowie playing the saxophone on one of his recordings. It’s a mesmerising rift, as the saxophone, plays the final notes, fading into the distance.
In the 60’s Bowie had experimented with numerous musical styles, all of which failed to earn him stardom. The lyrics of “Changes” reflect this, with the first verse focus on the compulsive nature of artistic reinvention and distancing oneself from the rock mainstream.
The second verse concerns clashes between children and their parents, urging them to allow their children to be themselves as teenagers. This is reflected in the line “Time may change me, but I can’t trace time”. Bowie had previously spoken about this issue in an interview with The Times in 1968: “We feel our parents’ generation has lost control, given up, they’re scared of the future. I feel it’s basically their fault that things are so bad.”
And so forty + years on … “Everything has changed but nothing has changed” – Mark Hamill.
Source: Wikipedia
Changes
I still don’t know what I was looking for
And my time was running wild
A million dead-end streets
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
Of 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 stranger)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don’t want to be a richer one
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the stranger)
Ch-ch-Changes
Just gonna have to be a different one
Time may change me
But I can’t trace time
I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence
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
Their immune to your consultations
They’re quite aware of what they’re going through
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the stranger)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don’t tell them to grow up and out of it
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the stranger)
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 fascination, fascinating me
Changes are taking the pace I’m going through
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the stranger)
Ch-ch-Changes
Oh, look out you rock ‘n rollers
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the stranger)
Ch-ch-Changes
Pretty soon you’re gonna get a little older
Time may change me
But I can’t trace time
I said that time may change me
But I can’t trace time
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: David Bowie
Changes lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management
Post inspired by Jim’s Song Lyric Sunday – , This week’s prompts are: Songs that feature wind instruments which includes Brass instruments (horns, trumpets, trombones, euphoniums, and tubas) and Woodwind instruments (recorders, flutes, oboes, clarinets, saxophones, and bassoons) suggested by Maggie From Cave Wall. Click through for the rules if you too would like to join in …

PS – Tis the final day of #Blogtober so linking with Caroline, The Saxophone Player’s Wife’s troupe, for extra encouragement!


Thanks for including this song!!! One of my favorites ❤
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Me too, Janis, me too. 🤗
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Laura it seemed like Bowie was constantly reinventing himself and this gave us a lot of great music to listen to. Thanks for joining in again with this classic song.
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What a classic! He was so talented and played so many instruments.
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Yep! I’m not entirely convinced he played them all well but he was incredibly ‘creative’ 😉
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Thanks for the great prompts and … the heads up. I decided upon this choice, last weekend. It took ages – as usual! 🤣
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Thanks for this Laura. I never knew about the sax on that song, let alone Bowie was playing it! ☺️
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Excellent song. Perfect for the prompt!!
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Can’t beat Bowie..soooo sexy!💜
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Indeedy!
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💜💜
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