Originally written as a nightclub parody, this track evolved into a cornerstone of 1970s art-pop and a symbolic anthem for Bowie's chameleonic career. Featuring sophisticated piano work and bold string arrangements, it serves as a rallying cry for a generation defying the status quo.
Art RockGlam RockClassic RockPiano PopAnthem
Musical Analysis
The harmony of 'Changes' is highly sophisticated, blending Tin Pan Alley songwriting traditions with early 70s glam-rock ambition. It avoids standard pop tropes by using a descending chromatic bassline in the verse and a sequence of parallel major/minor 7th ch…
Chords
intro:Cmaj7 - Dbmaj7 - Dm7 - Eb7
verse:C - Cmaj7/B - Bb6 - A7 - Dm7 - F - G
chorus:C - F - C - F - D7 - G7 - C
History
The song originally started as a parody of a nightclub or cabaret-style song. Bowie considered it a 'throwaway' track and did not expect it to be a hit, but he changed his mind after seeing the enthusiastic reaction from audiences who began chanting for it dur…
“Rick Wakeman, later of the band Yes, played the distinctive piano parts on the track.”
Full Musical Analysis
The harmony of 'Changes' is highly sophisticated, blending Tin Pan Alley songwriting traditions with early 70s glam-rock ambition. It avoids standard pop tropes by using a descending chromatic bassline in the verse and a sequence of parallel major/minor 7th chords in the intro. The use of the bVII (Bb) and bIII (Eb) chords provides a sense of constant movement and 'shifting' tonal centers, which directly reinforces the lyrical theme of personal evolution and the fluidity of identity.
The song originally started as a parody of a nightclub or cabaret-style song. Bowie considered it a 'throwaway' track and did not expect it to be a hit, but he changed his mind after seeing the enthusiastic reaction from audiences who began chanting for it during his live performances.
Originally written as a nightclub parody, this track evolved into a cornerstone of 1970s art-pop and a symbolic anthem for Bowie's chameleonic career. Featuring sophisticated piano work and bold string arrangements, it serves as a rallying cry for a generation defying the status quo.
Deep Analysis Available
Detailed analysis of this section is not yet available for this song.
