@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
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.
She can do anything at all
Have anything she pleases
The power to change what she thinks is wrong
What could she want with me yeah
Wait just one minute here
I can see that she's trying to read me
Suddenly I know
She's going to change the world
She's going to change the world
She's going to change the world
But she can't change me
No, she can't change me
She has the daylight at her command
She gives the night its dreams, yeah
She can uncover your darkest fears
Make you forget you feel them
Wait just one minute more
I can see that she's trying to free me
Suddenly I know
She's going to change the world
She's going to change the world
She's going to change the world
But she can't change me
No, she can't change me
Suddenly I can see everything that's wrong
With me yeah
What can I do I'm the only thing I really have
At all
But wait just one minute here
I can see that she's trying to need me
Suddenly I know
She's going to change the world
She's going to change the world
She's going to change the world
But she can't change me
No, she can't
Change
Me
Have anything she pleases
The power to change what she thinks is wrong
What could she want with me yeah
Wait just one minute here
I can see that she's trying to read me
Suddenly I know
She's going to change the world
She's going to change the world
She's going to change the world
But she can't change me
No, she can't change me
She has the daylight at her command
She gives the night its dreams, yeah
She can uncover your darkest fears
Make you forget you feel them
Wait just one minute more
I can see that she's trying to free me
Suddenly I know
She's going to change the world
She's going to change the world
She's going to change the world
But she can't change me
No, she can't change me
Suddenly I can see everything that's wrong
With me yeah
What can I do I'm the only thing I really have
At all
But wait just one minute here
I can see that she's trying to need me
Suddenly I know
She's going to change the world
She's going to change the world
She's going to change the world
But she can't change me
No, she can't
Change
Me
Lyrics submitted by mattsaunders
Can't Change Me Lyrics as written by Chris Cornell
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Pretty much I think its what you've all said. It's about a girl that can do everything, succeeded at everything. The "power to change what she thinks is wrong - what could she want with me?" So, obviously he doesn't want to be changed unless he sees the fault, not what someone else does, no matter how great they are.
I don't think he wants to change...period. He sees his own flaws and the necessity for the change even and is still obstinately unable to change at his own personal peril.
@altamber8, the lyrics do admit that he sees everything that is wrong with him, though it has nothing to do with his own personal peril. He may very well feel as though there is something wrong with him, but it's because she makes him feel that way to try and change him. Everyone's got faults, but it appears as though the girl is faultless and never to blame for anything, she's just mrs perfect and he's always at fault so he can't ever change and even so it won't ever please her. She is simply never satisfied, which leads to his song 'What You Are' by Audioslave describing a relationship with a woman who is never pleased by his sacrifices.
@Tricepts sure that may be lots of girls out there...but I don't get the feeling at all by the lyrics that he was talking about just ANY girl here. He was talking about one who was very successful and surely gonna make something very special and profound with her life, and he full well knew it. She had ideas of how to help him too. She din't want to just help and change him, she wielded the power to change the world. That's not just some average chick who thinks she knows everything. I loved Chris Cornell, he was an ultimate talent and poet. But even he with all of his success may have very well had missed opportunities with movers and shakers. You're free to see it through your own eyes, as am I. What I envision is a woman who would go on to work for Greenpeace or Amnesties and really change things literally in the world, but try as she might, she just couldn't succeed at changing them. Obviously that means they weren't compatible, but I think this is his forlorn view for unrequited love because it was still sad to part with someone so special that was destined to do great things and not have felt good enough. I imagine he also dated plenty of women who felt the same about him because he went on to rock stardom and they were just Jan working at Starbucks or something...lol.