Changes -David Bowie (1972) 8/7/22

I've said this before, but it bears repeating: chart position is only ONE indicator of a "Great Song."

Sometimes it has no bearing whatsoever, and with "Changes" by David Bowie, we have a perfect example.

In 1972, David's first wife, Angela was about to give birth to their first child (Duncan), and David was excited by the prospect of being a father. It made him quite introspective... and inspired his penchant for reinvention, which was a hallmark of his entire career.

He began to write songs using the piano, which opened up some new musical avenues in the way of style and structure.

The immediate result was "Changes." It started out as a parody of a nightclub song...but at the same time, it was a reflective song about defying your critics and stepping out on your own.

At first, David was surprised to hear crowds chanting it at his concerts, but he quickly realized that his young audiences were relating to the lyrics--especially the following section:

"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."

(Note: These lyrics were later used to great effect to open the film "The Breakfast Club." It was also used in "Shrek 2")

Interestingly, David played saxophone on the track, with his guitarist Mick Ronson on strings, and Rick Wakeman, soon to be a member of the group Yes, played keyboards.

There was a definite disconnect between the actual popularity of the song, and the charts. When "Changes" was released in 1972, it peaked at just #66 on the Hot 100. When it was re-released in 1975, it did a little better, peaking just under the Top 40 at #41.

It took David's death in 2016 for the song to re-appear and reach #10 on Billboard's Rock Chart.

By then however, it had already garnered some impressive accolades:

It appeared on Rolling Stone's list of The Top 500 Songs of All Time (#128 in 2010, and #200 in the 2021 update).

It's listed in the the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

In 2016, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

So forget the charts. "Changes" by David Bowie is a "Great Song of the '70s...and of All Time," without them!