An Alternative Look at David Bowie's song, Changes

This post was going to be about David Bowie’s song, Changes. I love the song. It’s brilliant how the lyrics are just vague enough to be open to individual interpretation, of which there are many.

Some believe that the Changes lyrics focus on the obsessive nature of artistic reinvention, which Bowie mastered. More common interpretations include taking a hard look at the process of aging and how you’ll handle the changes that go along with it. Even deeper, the lyrics examine a young man's attempt to figure out how he'll react to moving from the ‘cool, hip’ side of the generation divide to the ‘old, outdated’ side.

My plan was to take an excerpt of the Bowie lyrics and wax academic about the primary text and sub texts, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah.  

BUT…

…this is so much more fun. As I was researching the lyrics I noticed some word discrepancies—especially after the Ch-ch-ch-changes hook. I always thought the lyrics were:

> Turn and face the strain
Ch-ch-changes

It turns out, I may not be correct. Here are some of the alternative suggestions:

> Turn and face the strange
As in - move out and face the unknown.

> Turn and face the change
Which is an obvious repeat of the hook

> Turn and chase the grain
Guessing that Bowie drinks whiskey with a beer chaser

> Turn and get my cane
The refrain Bowie will sing when he gets older

Other notable interpretations:

> Turn and take the train
> Turn and face the stain
> Churn your face in Spain
> Turn and face Loraine
> Time to eat chow mein

Okay, I’m easily amused but these are laugh out loud funny to me. Here, take a listen and tell me what you think the mystery lyrics in David Bowie’s song, Changes are.

 ___________________________________________

This post was written for The Writers' Post group on Facebook, and this week’s topic is changes.  If you want to connect with other bloggers and join the fun, go to The Writers' Post Facebook page and request to join the group. Everyone is welcome.

The Power of Words

I love words, I started collecting them when I was little girl. Some girls collect dolls or stuffed animals. Not me. It was all about words.

As a kid, I had 2 notebooks with me at all times. In one notebook, I’d record new words that I heard or read. If I didn’t understand what the word meant, I’d look it up and write down the definition. Then, I’d try to use the new word casually, in conversation. My (mis)use of these oversized words was hilarious to the grown-ups in my life. In fact, we still laugh about a few of the golden nuggets I stiltedly pushed through my kid-mouth to form an awkward sentence. We call those comical phrases ‘quotable quotes.’

Still, I persevered. Words held power. I wanted to know words, to understand them, to use them properly.   

In the second notebook, I collected quotes. I was (and still am) moved and amazed at the power of the right words strung together to express the perfect thought.

My love of words, quotes, song lyrics and poems comes naturally. My paternal grandmother was a published author and poet. Her first gift to me was a rhyming poem. I still have it, in her handwriting. What a treasure.

Now my 11-year old niece is keeping the tradition alive. She uses the funniest words sometimes, struggling to work them into a cohesive sentence. She has her own notebook full of favorite words. When she grows up, I hope we’ll laugh together about her ‘quotable quotes.’ I hope she’ll use the power of words in a positive way.

Even as a kid I knew that words have power. I wanted to understand the power, harness it and use it well. 

I still want all that.

The pen is mightier than the sword. ~Edward Bulwer-Lytton

Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind." ~Rudyard Kipling

___________________________________________

This post was written for The Writers' Post group on Facebook, and this week’s topic is The Power of Words.  If you want to connect with other bloggers and join the fun, go to The Writers' Post Facebook page and request to join the group. Everyone is welcome.

 

L is for Lyrics: Song Lyrics

Song lyrics inspire me. Certain lyricists have an uncanny ability to convey powerful feelings and complex ideas in few words. How do they do that?  How do they register with us on an emotional and intellectual level so quickly.

Due to my fascination with song lyrics, I can't listen to music when I write. I write in complete silence. If there's music playing anywhere, my concentration goes towards the lyrics; studying the phrasing and the word choice, listening to the story.

Do you write with music playing?

Are you distracted by the lyrics?

Even though I am a song lyric junky, music matters. There are songs that I love even though I cannot identify any of the words; Pearl Jam's Yellow Ledbetter springs to mind. By the way, if you've never seen the Misheard Lyrics Guy's YouTube vid, do yourself a favor and watch this. Be prepared to laugh, it's hilarious. 

Granted, this is a subjective topic but here are a few of my favorite lyricists: Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Amy Ray & Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls), Wilco, Joanna Newsom, Paul Simon, James Mercer (The Shins), John Prine, Neko Case, Tom Waits, Issac Brock (Modest Mouse), Bruce Springsteen, Laura Marling, Bright Eyes, PJ Harvey, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Brown, Amy Winehouse, Neal Young, Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, John Lennon... I could go on and on.

Who are your favorite lyricists?