Harry Chapin - Changes Lyrics
I was cramped into a coffee house pew
Two dollar coke in my hand
Listening to the music run
Through and out of a drowning man.
Ten years ago I first heard him singing
Now there's thirteen loyal people
Trying to sound that loud.
And I wonder as I watch him now
Why his songs don't turn me on.
He got me into music
Where has the fragile magic gone?
And all the changes
Keep on changing
And the good old days
They say they're gone.
And some new born fools
Say they know what's going on.
But I sometimes think the difference is
Just in how I think and see
And the only changes going on
Are going on in me.
There was you and Fifth avenue
Before there were lies
And all my hot blood schemes
And teenage dreams
Flashed before my eyes.
I did not think I had a chance
You had to prove me wrong
It took a year and a half
Of tears and laughs
Before you moved along.
And now these long years later
When I see you once again
I wonder what you saw in me
When you loved me way back then.
There I was in you Air Force
Uncle Sam, you owned my brain.
I tried to see myself as a sex mad savior
Sailing on a silver plane.
I started out to do my duty
Ended up just doing time.
What is it about you
My mother of a country
That makes so many change our minds.
You had me on your honor roll
For your dream I would die
Now I would not even cross the street
To help you live a lie.
Other Lyrics by Artist
- Harry Chapin - Bluesman
- Harry Chapin - Why Do Little Girls
- Harry Chapin - Flowers Are Red
- Harry Chapin - Somebody Said
- Harry Chapin - Stranger With The Melodies
- Harry Chapin - Copper
- Harry Chapin - The Day They Closed The Factory Down
- Harry Chapin - Pretzel Man
- Harry Chapin - If My Mary Were Here
- Harry Chapin - Old Folkie
- Harry Chapin - Get On With It
- Harry Chapin - We Were Three
- Harry Chapin - Poor Damned Fool
- Harry Chapin - Flowers Are Red
- Harry Chapin - It Seems You Only Love Me When It Rains
- Harry Chapin - Jenny
- Harry Chapin - Country Dreams
- Harry Chapin - I Do It For You, Jane
Rand Lyrics
- Gil Scott-Heron - The Bottle
- Gil Scott-Heron - Johannesburg
- Gil Scott-Heron - Winter In America
- Gil Scott-Heron - It's Your World
- Gil Scott-Heron - Home Is Where The Hatred Is (Live)
- Gil Scott-Heron - Racetrack In France
- Gil Scott-Heron - We Almost Lost Detroit
- Gil Scott-Heron - Angel Dust
- Gil Scott-Heron - Madison Avenue
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Harry Chapin Changes Comments
Still relevant today. We miss you Harry.
a superbly unique, [more often than not] gentle storyteller and humanitarian, who continues to be grossly under valued and appreciated. those of us who discovered and HEARD him are better off for doing so. a man TRULY deserving of a biopic
Are there any live versions of this song out there? I can't find any. I saw a clip of him playing this acoustic on the Capital steps on Behind the Music, and it was sublime.
Miss ya, Harry.
always loved this song think hes talking about legendary folk singer Phil Ochs in the 1st verse
Yes, titling the song "Changes," after Phil's most successful song, would be a clue. Poor Phil was certainly a "drowning man" due to his alcoholism when he took a rare gig or two at Gerdes in his last days. Maybe Phil's condition led to Harry's remark about no longer being turned on. Interesting about "fragile magic," as Nanci Griffith would later write a song about Phil called "Radio Fragile." Phil's songs remain, like so many of Harry's, as vibrant and meaningful now as ever. I got to see Harry in concert at Alice Tully Hall, and he was tremendously charismatic. A memorable show.
"But I sometimes think the difference is just in how I think and see... and that the only changes going on are just going on in me" It's always been that way... it's merely your realization.... Now that you know don't waste your time worrying about it... the evil people were there and still are and will be to come. it's made very little difference in your life. Just be better than them, make a better America by making better Americans and helping others and yourself become so.
SongsofHarry very moving and true