Released on this day in 1972: "Changes" by David Bowie

Released on this day in 1972: “Changes” (single) by David Bowie

1972: ‘CHANGES’ (David Bowie)

On January 7, 1972, the single album ‘Changes’ was released, the opening track of David Bowie’s album ‘Hunky Dory’ released a month earlier. Participating in the recording were then-Strawbs keyboardist Rick Wakeman and the musicians who would later be known as the Spiders from Mars: guitarist Mick Ronson, bassist Trevor Border and drummer Mick Woodmansey. It was the first time Bowie played the saxophone on one of his songs. ‘Changes’ is included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s list of ‘the songs that shaped rock and roll’.

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Released on January 7, 1972, as the lead single for his upcoming album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, David Bowie’s “Changes” stands as one of the most self-aware and prophetic anthems in rock history. More than just a hit, it is a manifesto, a career roadmap, and a masterclass in artistic metamorphosis.

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The Story and Context

By early 1972, Bowie had already cycled through several personas—the mod, the folkie, the hippie—with only modest success. “Changes” served as both a look back at that restless journey and a declaration of intent for what was to come. The lyrics are a brilliant, somewhat defiant, explanation of his own chameleonic nature: “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.” He acknowledges the perception of him as a “faker” while simultaneously embracing constant reinvention as his core identity. The iconic, chiding line “Pretty soon now you’re gonna get older” aimed squarely at the rock traditionalists, warned that stagnation was the true enemy. It was Bowie telling the world, and perhaps himself, that change was not just inevitable but his primary creative engine.

The Musicians

The recording featured the nascent Spiders from Mars, the band that would soon become legendary:

David Bowie: Vocals, Saxophone
Mick Ronson: Piano, backing vocals (his elegant piano riff is the song’s bedrock)
Trevor Bolder: Bass
Mick Woodmansey: Drums
The production, primarily by Bowie and Ken Scott, was crisp and dynamic, allowing each element—from the piano to the swooping sax—its own space.

Music Style and Harmony

“Changes” is a sophisticated blend of pop, art-rock, and theatrical glam.

Structure and Harmony: It avoids a standard blues-based rock progression. Built around Mick Ronson’s ascending piano figure (in A major), the verse has an unusual, almost circular chord movement. The chorus modulates dramatically to C major, providing a thrilling lift when Bowie sings the title line. This shift from A to C is key to the song’s feeling of transformation and disorientation.
The “Ch-Ch-Changes” Stutter: The most famous moment is the explosive, stuttered chorus. Bowie’s vocal delivery, breaking the word “changes” into a stammer, is a stroke of genius. It sonically mimics the fracturing of identity and the shock of the new. It’s both a hook and a conceptual statement.
Dynamics and Texture: The arrangement is meticulously crafted, moving from intimate verses (with Rick Wakeman’s Mellotron shadowing Bowie’s sax in the intro on the album version) to the powerful, crashing chorus. Bowie’s baritone sax solo is raw and soulful, a nod to his early influences, contrasting with the song’s art-rock precision.

Influences

The song’s influences are eclectic:

Theatrical Pop and Musical Theatre: The dramatic flair and vocal phrasing owe a debt to artists like Anthony Newley, whom Bowie admired.
Modernist Singer-Songwriters: The self-referential lyricism shares DNA with Lou Reed and Bob Dylan.
Orchestral Rock: The ambitious arrangement hints at the influence of The Beatles’ later work and Scott Walker.

Legacy on Rock and Roll

“Changes” is a cornerstone of rock’s evolution in the 1970s and beyond:

The Anthem for Reinvention: It legitimized and intellectualized the act of artistic persona-shifting. Before Bowie, changing style could be seen as selling out or being inauthentic. After “Changes,” it could be seen as a vital, avant-garde strategy. It paved the way for everyone from Madonna to Prince to Kanye West.
The Glam Rock Cornerstone: Along with “Ziggy Stardust,” it defined the genre’s mix of rock energy, pop melody, and theatrical androgyny. It proved rock could be both intelligent and wildly entertaining.
Enduring Cultural Touchstone: The song became Bowie’s de facto theme song, used in countless films, documentaries, and tributes. Its message only grew more potent with each of his transformations.
Lyrical Blueprint: It introduced a new level of self-referential meta-commentary into pop music. Artists began writing songs about their own careers and public perceptions, with “Changes” as the prime model.
A Unifying Paradox: Despite being about constant flux, it became his most consistent and enduring anthem—the one unchanged fixture in a career defined by change.

David Bowie’s “Changes” is much more than a great song. Released on that January day in 1972, it was a statement of principles from an artist about to alter the landscape of rock. It married melodic pop brilliance with a radical philosophy of identity, creating an anthem that forever champions the courage to never stand still. As both a precise moment in Bowie’s journey and an eternal truth for all artists, its legacy is summed up in its own command: “Turn and face the strange.” Rock and roll has been doing so ever since.