In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Is happiness real?
Or am I so jaded
I can't see or feel, like a man been tainted
Numbed by the effect, aware of the muse
Too in touch with myself, I light the fuse
I'm the changingman, built on shifting sands
I'm the changingman, waiting for the bang
As I light a bitter fuse
Our time is on loan, only ours to borrow
What I can't be today, I can be tomorrow
And the more I see, the more I know
The more I know, the less I understand
I'm the changingman, built on shifting sands
I'm the changingman, I'm waiting for the bang
To light a bitter fuse
It's a bigger part
When our instincts act
A shot in the dark
A movement in black
And the more I see, the more I know
The more I know, the less I understand
I'm the changingman, built on shifting sands
(I don't have a plan)
I'm the changingman, waiting for the bang
As I light a bitter fuse
Built on shifting sands
I'm the changingman, I'm waiting for the bang
As I light a bitter fuse
Or am I so jaded
I can't see or feel, like a man been tainted
Numbed by the effect, aware of the muse
Too in touch with myself, I light the fuse
I'm the changingman, built on shifting sands
I'm the changingman, waiting for the bang
As I light a bitter fuse
Our time is on loan, only ours to borrow
What I can't be today, I can be tomorrow
And the more I see, the more I know
The more I know, the less I understand
I'm the changingman, built on shifting sands
I'm the changingman, I'm waiting for the bang
To light a bitter fuse
It's a bigger part
When our instincts act
A shot in the dark
A movement in black
And the more I see, the more I know
The more I know, the less I understand
I'm the changingman, built on shifting sands
(I don't have a plan)
I'm the changingman, waiting for the bang
As I light a bitter fuse
Built on shifting sands
I'm the changingman, I'm waiting for the bang
As I light a bitter fuse
Lyrics submitted by onearmedscissor
The Changingman Lyrics as written by Paul John Weller Brendan Lynch
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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wellers daughter was carrying around a toy and he asked her what it was and she said 'the changingman'
thats where he got the title from
Clearly about his life up to that point how he's clearly evolved, as we all do.
I'm only 21 and I still relate to some of this already. I'm not the same person who I was 5 years ago, or maybe even two years ago for that matter to some degree, That's probably growing up for you, but we all continute to change and learn and discove I guess.
Like the line "The more I see, the more I know, the moer I know, the less I understand". Chidlhood seems simple in comparison to now. I might know more things, but really, I feel thta sometime I'm just more confused and it's more stuff simply to have an opinion on, I guess.
I'm 21 too! It's beautiful to be 21!
Bit on teh personal side, but just thought I'd add that I heard this song on shuffle at the time I split up from my girlfriend. It was of course one of those times where the temptation's there to try and ring up to fix what went wrong, even though I surely knew deep down that it wouldn't work whichever way you look at it.
This is kind of a different interpretation, but it was sort of telling me that there's a life beyond what I had, and that it'll be different, better and it's just what I was looking for anyway. It gave me a clear-cut direction at a very confusing time. I knew it was something that i wanted, that it was only the inital shock of what ahd happened that was causing any confusion I guess.
Mind you Weller himself was splitting up from DC Lee when he wrote this though eh?
I think this is a song about the changes he goes through each time he hits the floor. It takes all his energy and most importantly "belief" to get out of it. Each time he does he comes out resurrected and different in some way. Sorrow is better than laughter, it may sadden the face but it sharpens the understanding.
He thinks so much during this time and sees so many things/situations that he can interpret in a 100 different ways that he says 'the more I see, the more I know, the more I know, the less I understand" - he's confused.
He goes into these states because he knows the muse and knows how to control it but not when he lights a bitter fuse. All because he is too in touch with himself and what he is capable of.