Changes by David Bowie

[FAIRLEAD]

Please help me with the lyrics to Changes by David Bowie. It sounds like he's
saying "I can't TRACE time" but that doesn't make sense. "I can't WASTE time
makes more sense, but it doesn't sound like that's what he's saying. Also, can
anyone tell me DEFINITELY whether or not this song was ever released as a
single?
FAIR...@aol.com

[Michelle Joseph]

Here are the lyrics.

michelle

CHANGES
- Album: Hunky Dory
- Lyrics and music by David Bowie

Oh yeah
Mm
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-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-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
So the days float through my eyes
But stil 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-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't tell them to grow up and out of it
Ch-ch-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-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Oh, look out you rock 'n rollers
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Pretty soon now 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

.

[davi...@mb.sympatico.ca]

In article <199804020219...@ladder01.news.aol.com>,
fair...@aol.com (FAIRLEAD) wrote:
>
> Please help me with the lyrics to Changes by David Bowie. It sounds like
he's
> saying "I can't TRACE time" but that doesn't make sense. "I can't WASTE
time
> makes more sense, but it doesn't sound like that's what he's saying. Also,
can
> anyone tell me DEFINITELY whether or not this song was ever released as a
> single?
> FAIR...@aol.com
>

Fairlead, after reading your message I went to listen to Changes at max
volume and confirmed what I thought - I believe he is saying "TRACE time".
I've listened to that song so many millions of times and I always thought
that's what he's saying. If I'm wrong, hopefully someone can enlighten
me.

-----== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==-----
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[Dan]

It's definetely "Trace Time"

Here are the lyrics:

Bowie David
Singles

Changes

=======

I still don't know what I was waiting 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 strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-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-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes

Don't tell t hem to grow up and out of it

Ch-ch-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
Changes are taking the pace I'm going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Oh, look out you rock 'n rollers
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes

Pretty soon you're gonna get a little older

[Dara O'Kearney]

In article <199804020219...@ladder01.news.aol.com>,
fair...@aol.com (FAIRLEAD) wrote:
>Please help me with the lyrics to Changes by David Bowie. It sounds like
he's
>saying "I can't TRACE time" but that doesn't make sense. "I can't WASTE time
>makes more sense, but it doesn't sound like that's what he's saying.

Who says Bowie's lyrics have to make sense? ;-)

It's definitely "I can't trace time". Eminent musicologist Wilfrid Mellers did
a detailed analysis of this song back in the 70s, and his comments on this
were:

"Although time may change him, he can't 'trace' time - cannot accommodate to
it, and so doesn't know where he is."

>Also, can
>anyone tell me DEFINITELY whether or not this song was ever released as a
>single?

It definitely was. It was released in January 1972, in both the US and the UK,
with "Andy Warhol" on the B-side. However, it was never a top 40 hit single
anywhere. It came very close in the US (peaked at #41), but flopped totally in
the UK (didn't make the top 100). That's one of the very few occasions in
Bowie's career when one of his records has done better in the US charts than
in the UK.

BTW, you can find lyrics to all of Bowie's songs at
http://www.etete.com/Bowie/

Slan leat,

Dara (np: The Best Of DAVID BOWIE 1969/1974)