Changes

Tupac Shakur

-1-
Come on come on
I see no changes wake up in the morning and I ask myself
is life worth living should I blast myself?
I'm tired of bein' poor & even worse I'm black
my stomach hurts so I'm lookin' for a purse to snatch
Cops give a damn about a negro
pull the trigger kill a nigga he's a hero
Give the crack to the kids who the hell cares
one less hungry mouth on the welfare
First ship 'em dope & let 'em deal the brothers
give 'em guns step back watch 'em kill each other
It's time to fight back that's what Huey said
2 shots in the dark now Huey's dead
I got love for my brother but we can never go nowhere
unless we share with each other
We gotta start makin' changes
learn to see me as a brother instead of 2 distant strangers
and that's how it's supposed to be
How can the Devil take a brother if he's close to me?
I'd love to go back to when we played as kids
but things changed, and that's the way it is

Bridge w/ changing ad libs
Come on come on
That's just the way it is
Things'll never be the same
That's just the way it is
aww yeah
Repeat

-2-
I see no changes all I see is racist faces
misplaced hate makes disgrace to races
We under I wonder what it takes to make this
one better place, let's erase the wasted
Take the evil out the people they'll be acting right
'cause both black and white is smokin' crack tonight
and only time we chill is when we kill each other
it takes skill to be real, time to heal each other
And although it seems heaven sent
We ain't ready, to see a black President, uhh
It ain't a secret don't conceal the fact
the penitentiary's packed, and it's filled with blacks
But some things will never change
try to show another way but you stayin' in the dope game
Now tell me what's a mother to do
bein' real don't appeal to the brother in you
You gotta operate the easy way
"I made a G today" But you made it in a sleazy way
sellin' crack to the kid. " I gotta get paid,"
Well hey, well that's the way it is

Bridge

Talking:
We gotta make a change...
It's time for us as a people to start makin' some changes.
Let's change the way we eat, let's change the way we live
and let's change the way we treat each other.
You see the old way wasn't working so it's on us to do
what we gotta do, to survive.

-3-
And still I see no changes can't a brother get a little peace
It's war on the streets & the war in the Middle East
Instead of war on poverty they got a war on drugs
so the police can bother me
And I ain't never did a crime I ain't have to do
But now I'm back with the blacks givin' it back to you
Don't let 'em jack you up, back you up,
crack you up and pimp slap you up
You gotta learn to hold ya own
they get jealous when they see ya with ya mobile phone
But tell the cops they can't touch this
I don't trust this when they try to rush I bust this
That's the sound of my tool you say it ain't cool
my mama didn't raise no fool
And as long as I stay black I gotta stay strapped
& I never get to lay back
'Cause I always got to worry 'bout the pay backs
some buck that I roughed up way back
comin' back after all these years
rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat that's the way it is uhh

Bridge 'til fade


Lyrics submitted by spliphstar

Changes song meanings
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264 Comments

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  • +6
    General Comment
    The analysis in a song is the main point which pushes it forward, making it the song’s most famous component. By including the problem, the song challenges the rules set by culture and works towards justice. In the song “Changes,” by Tupac Shakur, many dilemmas are clearly stated in the lyrics. The first of these issues, racism, is said when he says, “I'm tired of bein' poor and even worse I'm black…Cops give a damn about a Negro? Pull the trigger, kill a nigga, he's a hero (4-6). These show how hard life is to be an underprivileged Black man in the United States, with a kindness on issues with police cruelty. As the song develops, Tupac makes simple as people sometimes wish it could be, and that people must get used to these new environments. During a break in the song, Tupac takes a moment to stop and bring the true purpose of the song. He says; “We gotta make a change... It's time for us as a people to start makin' some changes. Let's change the way we eat, let's change the way we live and let's change the way we treat each other. You see the old way wasn't working so it's on us to do what we gotta do, to survive” (39-44). Through these lyrics, Tupac gives good reasons for the unsafe and dishonest acts that means that unfortunate people must resort to in order to survive. Drug dealing and theft are common themes in his music about thug life and tough neighborhoods that give no opportunities to improve someone’s point of living. In addition to drug related crimes, Tupac also includes the acts of violence in the hoods. “Give 'em guns, step back, and watch 'em kill each other. ‘It's time to fight back’, that's what Huey said. Two shots in the dark now Huey's dead” (9-11), for example, Tupac expresses how simple it is for people to buy weapons and kill other people. In which “Huey” attempted to solve his problems in the song. In doing so it leads to him being dead when the people he wishes to fight against react with gunfire and killing. Clearly Tupac is trying to send a message that this madness is not a good way to find the meanings to an end. If they plan to resolve the hatred, then there must be “changes.”
    papichuloon February 20, 2010   Link
  • +4
    General Comment
    Danny... this song is just for you, I know it was your fave song.... I miss you, Guy... :( but you're in a better place now - see ya again some day.... Love, Sunny
    Sunnyon March 07, 2002   Link
  • +4
    General Comment
    I listen to Punk. Like old, 1977 punk rock, and this is seriosuly one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. It's sad as hell, but it's beautiful because it sheds light on a situation that too many people buy into without realizing the tragic wrongs it's made up of. aranet.org - anti racist action asianmanrecords.com - Mike Park's record label
    Kid.Dynamiteon May 02, 2002   Link
  • +4
    General Comment
    The Huey, Pac is referring to is Huey Newton the co-founder and leader of the Black Panther Party, As for the meaning, racism, how it effects us all, in different ways, and how it all needs to stop and we need to realize that no matter what color our skin is at the end of the day when we go to sleep were all human and instead of fighting eachother and realize that no matter how different we may be were all the same.
    LoverDemonon September 05, 2009   Link
  • +4
    General Comment
    To me this song talks about the life a black male, what he has to go through and all the challenges they have to face. Multiple times during the song he talks about wanting to get out, trying to change his life but the mistakes he made when he was younger will hunt him for the rest of his life.
    rolandoon February 16, 2010   Link
  • +3
    General Comment
    Writing this song took a lot of heart and courage. 2pac Amuru Shakur was full of courage. although there is controversy over whether he is dead or not, he was and will always be one of the best rappers/insipirators to ever be born on this lonely planet. The song deserves a 10!
    Mandy_Snowon April 16, 2002   Link
  • +3
    General Comment
    "We ain't ready, to see a black President" It's too bad he isn't here to see that we finally accomplished that.
    Morder.on May 18, 2009   Link
  • +3
    General Comment
    There are alot of different meaning in Tupacs lyrics. Hes not just like todays rappers he rapped about real life problems. im going to analyze a few lines. I'm tired of bein' poor
    bslate4on August 16, 2012   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    ===to everyone here=== I enjoy this song because it portrays a good message to everyone, but if you people really understood the meaning of the song, you would realize that the cause of all the worlds problems are from people hating each other for stupid reasons, just like you guys are doing by arguing on a forum not meant for Jerry Springer. I hope you guys really take this to heart and smarten up. And when everyone starts swearing like that, all your doing is showing everyone else that you have no class. Think about it. It could influence you for the better.
    SRT10viperon April 17, 2005   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    hey, retard. 3084. take your spam elsewhere. you came here to pick on rap but you're also making metal fans look fucking stupid, also. lol. if you don't have anything semi-intelligent to say with your half functioning brain, shut the fuck up with the spam, bitch. nobody wants to scroll through that mindless 3 year old shit for a whole page......retard.
    binormalon February 19, 2008   Link

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