Lyric Interpretation of "Changes" by David Bowie

When you listen to music, you most likely interpret it in your own way. In this spirit, my wife and I decided to express two different interpretations of the song Changes, by David Bowie. Consider as you read if you agree or if you have yet another idea of what this song means. The link to my wife's take on this personal challenge follows.

A Song of Social Change

The recently departed David Bowie was a chameleon of a character, as distinct as his having one green eye and one blue eye. He donned public personas such as “Ziggy Stardust” and “The Thin White Duke.” Some have posited that, as a shy and private person, he felt more comfortable playing the actor’s role than reveal himself as he really was. In order for him to be comfortable while performing, he would have to develop a persona to protect himself from the glaring eyes of the world. He hid in plain sight. As journalist Drew Wardle asked, “How many different personas did David Bowie have? (faroutmagazine.co.uk).”

So this leads to the plausible conclusion that his classic song Changes is about the various and sundry personalities he created, in part that is accurate, but there’s more.

Here are the lyrics:

Still don't know what I was waiting for

And my time was running 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

Of how the others must see the faker

I'm much too fast to take that test

Ch-ch-changes

(Turn and face the strain)

Ch-ch-changes

(Don't want to be a richer man)

Ch-ch-changes

(Turn and face the strain)

Ch-ch-changes

(Just gonna have to be a different man)

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 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 going through

Ch-ch-changes

(Turn and face the strain)

Ch-ch-changes

(Don't tell them to grow up and out of it)

Ch-ch-changes

(Turn and face the strain)

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

Ah changes are taking the pace I'm going through

Ch-ch-changes

(Turn and face the strain)

Ch-ch-changes

(Oh, look out you rock 'n rollers)

Ch-ch-changes

(Turn and face the strain)

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

So is this song really about Bowie’s personal changes? Or is there more to the story?

The following section broadens the type of change he was writing about:

…And these children that you spit on

As they try to change their worlds

Are immune to your consultations

e quite aware of what they're going through

Ch-ch-changes

(Turn and face the strain)

Ch-ch-changes

(Don't tell them to grow up and out of it)…

This stanza is only partially autobiographical in nature. He was writing about the broader upheaval that was underway. Notice that he did not refer to himself in this lyric.

Although “Changes” was not released until 1972, Bowie penned it in 1969, near the height of the social and political turmoil of the 1960s.

So the timing is correct for the sociopolitical change interpretation. But why would Bowie wander into the sociopolitical arena when Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and many others already had that ground pretty well covered? That is a question we can no longer ask him.

Like his chameleon-like personality, there are many shades of the song Changes. To attribute a single view of the song oversimplifies a classic song.

Here is Julie Lacksonen's take on these song lyrics: