Warren wanted a Beach Boys thing for this one, and Carl Wilson and Billy Hinsche came in, with Carl arranging the vocal parts. The other harmony vocalists (credited as the "Gentlemen Boys") were Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Zevon's longtime backers Waddy Wachtel and Jorge Calderon, and Linda Rondstadt/Stone Poneys guitarist Kenny Edwards.
I was listening to the voices of death on parade
Singin' about conspiracy, wanted me to be afraid
Workin' for a system I couldn't understand or trust
Suffered ridicule and wanting to give it all up in disgust
But you changed my life
Came along in a time of strife
In hunger and need, you made my heart bleed
You changed my life
Talk about salvation, people suddenly get tired
They got a million things to do, they're all so inspired
You do the work of the devil, you got a million friends
They'll be there when you got something, they'll take it all in the end
But you changed my life
Came along in a time of strife
I was under the gun, clouds blocking the sun
You changed my life
Well, the nature of man is to beg and to steal
I do it myself, it's not so unreal
The call of the wild is forever at my door
Wants me to fly like an eagle while being chained to the floor
But you changed my life
You came along in a time of strife
From silver and gold to what man cannot hold
You changed my life
Well, I was eating with the pigs off a fancy tray
I was told I was looking good and to have a nice day
It all seemed so proper, it all seemed so elite
Eating that absolute garbage while being so discreet
But you changed my life
Came along in a time of strife
From silver and gold to what man cannot hold
You changed my life
You were glowing in the sun while being peaceably calm
While orphans of man danced to the beat of the palm
Your eyes were on fire, your feet were of brass
In the world you had made, they made you an outcast
You changed my life
Came along in a time of strife
From silver and gold to what man cannot hold
You changed my life
There was someone in my body that I could hardly see
Invading my privacy making my decisions for me
Holding me back, not letting me stand
Making me feel like a stranger in a strange land
But you changed my life
Came along in a time of strife
You came down the line, gave me a new mind
You changed my life
My Lord and my savior, my companion, my friend
Heart fixer, mind regulator, true to the end
My creator, my comforter, my cause for joy
What the world is set against but will never destroy
You changed my life
Came along in a time of strife
You came in like the wind, like Errol Flynn
You changed my life
Singin' about conspiracy, wanted me to be afraid
Workin' for a system I couldn't understand or trust
Suffered ridicule and wanting to give it all up in disgust
But you changed my life
Came along in a time of strife
In hunger and need, you made my heart bleed
You changed my life
Talk about salvation, people suddenly get tired
They got a million things to do, they're all so inspired
You do the work of the devil, you got a million friends
They'll be there when you got something, they'll take it all in the end
But you changed my life
Came along in a time of strife
I was under the gun, clouds blocking the sun
You changed my life
Well, the nature of man is to beg and to steal
I do it myself, it's not so unreal
The call of the wild is forever at my door
Wants me to fly like an eagle while being chained to the floor
But you changed my life
You came along in a time of strife
From silver and gold to what man cannot hold
You changed my life
Well, I was eating with the pigs off a fancy tray
I was told I was looking good and to have a nice day
It all seemed so proper, it all seemed so elite
Eating that absolute garbage while being so discreet
But you changed my life
Came along in a time of strife
From silver and gold to what man cannot hold
You changed my life
You were glowing in the sun while being peaceably calm
While orphans of man danced to the beat of the palm
Your eyes were on fire, your feet were of brass
In the world you had made, they made you an outcast
You changed my life
Came along in a time of strife
From silver and gold to what man cannot hold
You changed my life
There was someone in my body that I could hardly see
Invading my privacy making my decisions for me
Holding me back, not letting me stand
Making me feel like a stranger in a strange land
But you changed my life
Came along in a time of strife
You came down the line, gave me a new mind
You changed my life
My Lord and my savior, my companion, my friend
Heart fixer, mind regulator, true to the end
My creator, my comforter, my cause for joy
What the world is set against but will never destroy
You changed my life
Came along in a time of strife
You came in like the wind, like Errol Flynn
You changed my life
Lyrics submitted by IDoKnowTheMuffinMan
You Changed My Life Lyrics as written by Bob Dylan
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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He certainly did earn that reputation.
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This song is def a twin to "Unfair" (a song she has been quoted as saying is about falling in love with someone who is already in a relationship) so it is presumably about the same person. Given the references to buying an apartment and not being able to see her love interest "after tonight," it's most likely that she's moving away and she'll "wait a day to break the bad news" (i.e. notifying him that she's leaving once she's already gone).
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Every time I hear Bowie's song "changes" I think of Bob Dylan. He went through so many changes to get to where he is. Jew Atheist/Agnostic Christian (Jew Again?) And now he says that all of his spirituality is "in the songs" But I think he's finally arrived at some sort of peace and understanding.
The lyrics in this song are fantastic.
I'm interested in fellow who calls himself "IDoKnowTheMuffinMan," who transcribed these lyrics, because he left off Bob Dylan's last interesting simile, which I reproduce here (& which is available for you to listen to in the first Bootleg Series release):
"You came in like the wind Like Errol Flynn & you changed my life"
Does it bother someone who may be Christian & wants to believe the Bob feels the same way to compare the savoir of humankind with a philandering Hollywood legend? I have to ask.
Because the fact that the Bob does it is both insults the Christian faithful but also belies his own sense of awesomeness.
Hello there! My apologies! I had no intent to leave out any lyrics. My discovery of this song came from a mix CD given to me a few years ago. The version doesn't have certain lines which I have seen transcribed on other lyrics websites. I would be happy to add any that are missing. I just need to know at which point in the song they are. :-)
The lyrics of the Bootleg Series version are on Dylan's site:<br /> <br /> bobdylan.com/songs/you-changed-my-life<br /> <br /> You can compare & contrast your own there.<br /> <br /> I had thought you left them out because they were awkward!
Thank you for that! Alterations are done and done! There were several verses I didn't include, I see! Not purposeful, I assure you. It is a truly great song. There are so few out there who can measure up to Dylan's writing talents.