Ten Years After — I'd Love To Change The World
Album: A Space In TimeAvg rating:
Your rating:
Total ratings: 698
Length: 3:40
Plays (last 30 days): 0
share
tweet
Everywhere is freaks and hairies
Dykes and fairies, tell me where is sanity
Tax the rich, feed the poor
Till there are no rich no more
I'd love to change the world
But I don't know what to do
So I'll leave it up to you
Population keeps on breeding
Nation bleeding, still more feeding economy
Life is funny, skies are sunny
Bees make honey, who needs money, monopoly
I'd love to change the world
But I don't know what to do
So I'll leave it up to you
World pollution, there's no solution
Institution, electrocution
Just black and white, rich or poor
Them and us, stop the war
I'd love to change the world
But I don't know what to do
So I'll leave it up to you
Dykes and fairies, tell me where is sanity
Tax the rich, feed the poor
Till there are no rich no more
I'd love to change the world
But I don't know what to do
So I'll leave it up to you
Population keeps on breeding
Nation bleeding, still more feeding economy
Life is funny, skies are sunny
Bees make honey, who needs money, monopoly
I'd love to change the world
But I don't know what to do
So I'll leave it up to you
World pollution, there's no solution
Institution, electrocution
Just black and white, rich or poor
Them and us, stop the war
I'd love to change the world
But I don't know what to do
So I'll leave it up to you
Comments (72)add comment
treatment_bound wrote:
Yeah. I'd love to change the words, but...
So, sadly (since the rest of the song is great) no more airplay on RP.
There's two (2018) homophobic slur words in the opening verse which I guess weren't considered so unacceptable 47 years ago.
Yeah. I'd love to change the words, but...
So, sadly (since the rest of the song is great) no more airplay on RP.
treatment_bound wrote:
Or now.
You need a hug?
There's two (2018) homophobic slur words in the opening verse which I guess weren't considered so unacceptable 47 years ago.
Or now.
You need a hug?
For me only 7 - Quite Likeable
There's two (2018) homophobic slur words in the opening verse which I guess weren't considered so unacceptable 47 years ago.
Aged like a fine wine...beautiful today as it was when it was written.
In high school I made a film using this as background music. In Chicago, going from slums to wealthy neighborhoods, still a classic, Alvin Lee jams!
This song is great musically but not politically correct these days (first few lines)...
I don't think it would get a pass or airplay if it were to come out today. At least there would be some push back.
I don't think it would get a pass or airplay if it were to come out today. At least there would be some push back.
still zesty !Wow, I used to listen to this album over and over and over.
idiot_wind wrote:
Segue wrote:
Corporations.
Dispersion and the expansion of musical styles in the R&R space. Back in the day you had one, maybe 2, radio stations. Popular music was not as culturally pervasive either. So everyone following R&R was continually fed these artists thru a limited number of channels. There were many bands but nowhere near as many as today as well. So many more types of music grew out of rock (punk, wave, prog, grunge, etc...) as well, each with their own following, further breaking fans into camps.
Besides: Mayer, Clark Jr., Auerbach, White, Trucks, Yorke, Bonamassa, Anastasio, Dickenson, Haynes, Homme, Brownstein, Howard is a pretty mighty (albeit incomplete) list.
Wow!
As a teen, we use to have arguments about who was the best guitar players: Alvin Lee, Allman, Hendrix, Page, Richards, Townsend, Clapton, Santana, Walsh, Beck, Betts, Garcia, Gallagher.
God almighty...can you think about doing this today? What happened to RnR in the 21st century?
Corporations.
Dispersion and the expansion of musical styles in the R&R space. Back in the day you had one, maybe 2, radio stations. Popular music was not as culturally pervasive either. So everyone following R&R was continually fed these artists thru a limited number of channels. There were many bands but nowhere near as many as today as well. So many more types of music grew out of rock (punk, wave, prog, grunge, etc...) as well, each with their own following, further breaking fans into camps.
Besides: Mayer, Clark Jr., Auerbach, White, Trucks, Yorke, Bonamassa, Anastasio, Dickenson, Haynes, Homme, Brownstein, Howard is a pretty mighty (albeit incomplete) list.
idiot_wind wrote:
Corporations.
Wow!
As a teen, we use to have arguments about who was the best guitar players: Alvin Lee, Allman, Hendrix, Page, Richards, Townsend, Clapton, Santana, Walsh, Beck, Betts, Garcia, Gallagher.
God almighty...can you think about doing this today? What happened to RnR in the 21st century?
Corporations.
11.
not 
From Moby's Everloving to this. You need a real DJ for that segue. Ain't no random shuffle on that move. Tip o' the hat RP.
I think this song is used to define 'classic' in the dictionary of music.
idiot_wind wrote:
HA! What happened to RnR in the 21st Century!? Oh that one's easy to answer. It became.....classical. The rage kind'a melted away...for the most part. Primal styled music is always hard to sustain in a creative fashion.
Don't get me wrong there's still some great RnR going on out there today. But for the most part the genre is very well defined by a set of formulaic rules. There are exceptions, of course. A lady calling herself St. Vincent, a scathingly good guitar player, kind'a defies those rules, which is the whole point of RnR. But she's more the exception proving the rule. She is worth a listen (imo).
But if you're a music lover, as I am, I say don't grieve for the genre. There was a line in a song I heard once that rings true. I paraphrase a bit...well...a lot. Music high. Music low. Music, like love, goes on forever. It's what makes life bearable. It just changes to suit the times.
And so it always goes.
Highlow
American Net'Zen
Wow!
As a teen, we use to have arguments about who was the best guitar players: Alvin Lee, Allman, Hendrix, Page, Richards, Townsend, Clapton, Santana, Walsh, Beck, Betts, Garcia, Gallagher.
God almighty...can you think about doing this today? What happened to RnR in the 21st century?
HA! What happened to RnR in the 21st Century!? Oh that one's easy to answer. It became.....classical.
The rage kind'a melted away...for the most part. Primal styled music is always hard to sustain in a creative fashion.Don't get me wrong there's still some great RnR going on out there today. But for the most part the genre is very well defined by a set of formulaic rules. There are exceptions, of course. A lady calling herself St. Vincent, a scathingly good guitar player, kind'a defies those rules, which is the whole point of RnR. But she's more the exception proving the rule. She is worth a listen (imo).
But if you're a music lover, as I am, I say don't grieve for the genre. There was a line in a song I heard once that rings true. I paraphrase a bit...well...a lot. Music high. Music low. Music, like love, goes on forever. It's what makes life bearable. It just changes to suit the times.
And so it always goes.
Highlow
American Net'Zen
baylees wrote:
Indeed. I think the late, great, George Carlin summed it best.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lMDbYZ26rg
To paraphrase.
"We American's (must) love war. We're a war-like people. We've only been in existence for ~200years and already we've had 10 major wars. That's one every 20 years. "
And with talks of resurrecting waterboarding, etc., I don't see anything to indicate that this is going to change any time soon. This song is still so relevant...sad to say...
So it goes.
Still relevant. STOP THE WAR. I am old enough to remember viet nam. It seem our nation is constantly at war.
Pollution electrocution.... I'd love to change the world but I don't know what to do.
Pollution electrocution.... I'd love to change the world but I don't know what to do.
Indeed. I think the late, great, George Carlin summed it best.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lMDbYZ26rg
To paraphrase.
"We American's (must) love war. We're a war-like people. We've only been in existence for ~200years and already we've had 10 major wars. That's one every 20 years. "
And with talks of resurrecting waterboarding, etc., I don't see anything to indicate that this is going to change any time soon. This song is still so relevant...sad to say...
So it goes.
Still relevant. STOP THE WAR. I am old enough to remember viet nam. It seem our nation is constantly at war.
Pollution electrocution.... I'd love to change the world but I don't know what to do.
Pollution electrocution.... I'd love to change the world but I don't know what to do.
Ah, 1971....my senior year in high school....must have listened to this album a million times that year....a year later I was playing bass in my first rock band and covering several tunes from this one....Alvin Lee, RIP....
ScottishWillie wrote:
What do you expect from people who come in ten years late ?
This band didn’t do anything particularly new. But what they did was so good that for me they represent the epitome of English blues rock.
What do you expect from people who come in ten years late ?
This band didn’t do anything particularly new. But what they did was so good that for me they represent the epitome of English blues rock.
STOP THE WAR!!
wore this record out...... brilliant!
squidish wrote:
Dykes and Fairies - where is sanity? Well, that is sounding pretty dated and discriminatory now. Glad we are past those times.
Alvin Lee is GOD, no argument there.
Alvin Lee is GOD, no argument there.
Squidish, or is that Squidward? 
. Yes indeed we thankfully seem past those times. Then again... Tax the rich, feed the poor
Till there are no rich no more
.
.
.
.
Population keeps on breeding
Nation bleeding, still more feeding economy
Life is funny, skies are sunny
Bees make honey, who needs money, monopoly
.
.
.
World pollution, there's no solution
Institution, electrocution
Just black and white, rich or poor
Them and us, stop the war.
Then again some things never seem to change, eh?
So it goes.
I'm reposting from long ago........
This was never my favorite song of their's however....albeit their most commercially successful....probably explains why I didn't like it much. Cricklewood was my FAVE album. Back during that time I was a young lass....14 probably the 1st time I saw TYA in concert. Back then you were allowed to roam around free. I roamed to the side steps at side stage where the band came and went. Later I was allowed backstage...they were all really funny, great guys and every one of them a gentleman. A young girl like myself could have EASILY been swayed by these men but they were sweet and nice to me. The drummer had a pet ferrett backstage...never forget it. I was in love with you Alvin; a crush that has never gone away. See ya on the other side. Love, Cheri
This was never my favorite song of their's however....albeit their most commercially successful....probably explains why I didn't like it much. Cricklewood was my FAVE album. Back during that time I was a young lass....14 probably the 1st time I saw TYA in concert. Back then you were allowed to roam around free. I roamed to the side steps at side stage where the band came and went. Later I was allowed backstage...they were all really funny, great guys and every one of them a gentleman. A young girl like myself could have EASILY been swayed by these men but they were sweet and nice to me. The drummer had a pet ferrett backstage...never forget it. I was in love with you Alvin; a crush that has never gone away. See ya on the other side. Love, Cheri
My fav song and album that year thanks Bill
Alvin Lee!
i still remember seeing Alvin Lee at Woodstock !
great guitar player
great guitar player
squidish wrote:
Ha. Reminds me of a drinking game we had that required this comment. Most folks didnt even know who he was...which of course made it sillier.
Dykes and Fairies - where is sanity? Well, that is sounding pretty dated and discriminatory now. Glad we are past those times.
Alvin Lee is GOD, no argument there.
Alvin Lee is GOD, no argument there.
Ha. Reminds me of a drinking game we had that required this comment. Most folks didnt even know who he was...which of course made it sillier.
Dykes and Fairies - where is sanity? Well, that is sounding pretty dated and discriminatory now. Glad we are past those times.
Alvin Lee is GOD, no argument there.
Alvin Lee is GOD, no argument there.
Nice album!
After all these years - still gives me goosebumps!!
Alvin Lee, RIP
70's just rock
Man, after the last one (P. Tree's "Last Chance to Evacuate..."), this one isn't much more positive, but it's sure a gas to listen to. Hail, hail, rock'n'roll.
idiot_wind wrote:
Too many poseurs
Wow!
As a teen, we use to have arguments about who was the best guitar players: Alvin Lee, Allman, Hendrix, Page, Richards, Townsend, Clapton, Santana, Walsh, Beck, Betts, Garcia, Gallagher.
God almighty...can you think about doing this today? What happened to RnR in the 21st century?
Too many poseurs
By all means, listen to the fantastic guitar work, but the lyrics make the song what it is
Wow!
As a teen, we use to have arguments about who was the best guitar players: Alvin Lee, Allman, Hendrix, Page, Richards, Townsend, Clapton, Santana, Walsh, Beck, Betts, Garcia, Gallagher.
God almighty...can you think about doing this today? What happened to RnR in the 21st century?
Andy_B wrote:
Agreed. Right there with ya. Bumping it to a solid TEN!
One of the few 10s I've given. You just can't get any better,...beautiful melody, well sung with meaningful lyrics.
Agreed. Right there with ya. Bumping it to a solid TEN!
Lonestar wrote:
Cut your damn grass!
-- sincerely the HOA
Get off my lawn you dirty hippies!
Cut your damn grass!
-- sincerely the HOA
One of the few 10s I've given. You just can't get any better,...beautiful melody, well played and sung with meaningful lyrics.
Tax the rich...what a novel idea!
Get off my lawn you dirty hippies!
For a while I owned a 1989 Honda CRX Si with a really killer stereo. This tune sounded great on it. I don't see how you could improve this song. It's perfect.
Wow '71. I was a senior in high school - my bud Mike S. had cool parents and a basement bedroom complete with black lights & Hendrix posters, et al...my policeman dad gave me some rein (I found out later from mom) to hang there a bit and escape the discipline of home...Mike's parents were way cool...big memories flood my head....
This song is a timeless reminder that honey is in fact, made by bees.
Some music becomes timeless, always relevant, because it reflects an aspect of humanity that never changes. This is one of those songs.
Highlow
American Net'Zen
Highlow
American Net'Zen
How long has it been since I've heard this? Too long.
Ya can't beat ten years after forty years later I say
love this song...
foolsparadise wrote:
Well said... time flies when we're having fun...
RIP mr Alvin Lee. This was a great album. One of my favorites.
Well said... time flies when we're having fun...
Just rumbling around and stumbled on this song and was going to ask again for a dust off.
Happy to see it getting some overdue spinning.
The lyrics could have been written yesterday.
Worthy of more play if for nothing else but to remind us that more things change,
the more they remain the same ...
R I P Alvin ...
Hope I get to catch it the next time around.
Happy to see it getting some overdue spinning.
The lyrics could have been written yesterday.
Worthy of more play if for nothing else but to remind us that more things change,
the more they remain the same ...
R I P Alvin ...
Hope I get to catch it the next time around.
Excellent song of despair and hopelessness...
Yup, this is a good one...and Alvin Lee exhilarated our ears often at E-School parties; each one of my upperclassmen had this among the records in their collection, and it usually wound up being played at some point during every occasion. Saw Alvin and a couple of his mates rock out one incredible night at The Rainbow in Denver in Fall of '83, too...he was absolutely stellar on his "Woodstock Guitar!" JAM ON!
RIP Alvin Lee——Play Woodchopper's Ball
Cruising to Phoenix listening to Cricklewood Green for the first time on my 8 track tape player. What great guitarist. I just learned today where their name came from, 10 years after Elvis Presley hit the big time or something like that. Going home, going home estilo Dvorzak.
Beautiful! It's been a long time since hearing this song. Enjoyed it immensely. Thanks RP.
Forty years after still a great tune, still one of my favorites!
This was never my favorite song of their's however....albeit their most commercially successful....probably explains why I didn't like it much. Cricklewood was my FAVE album. Back during that time I was a young lass....14 probably the 1st time I saw TYA in concert. Back then you were allowed to roam around free. I roamed to the side steps at side stage where the band came and went. Later I was allowed backstage...they were all really funny, great guys and every one of them a gentleman. A young girl like myself could have EASILY been swayed by these men but they were sweet and nice to me. The drummer had a pet ferrett backstage...never forget it. I was in love with you Alvin; a crush that has never gone away. See ya on the other side. Love, Cheri
RIP mr Alvin Lee. This was a great album. One of my favorites.
.
Randomax wrote:
Just heard the news here. One of my Guitar Heros. shocked
He went home.
At last you're playing TYA....RIP Alvin.....you were the BEST
Just heard the news here. One of my Guitar Heros. shocked
He went home.
RIP Alvin Lee
RIP Alvin Lee - what an AMAZING guitar player!! 
At last you're playing TYA....RIP Alvin.....you were the BEST
Put it back in Rotation, Please!
C'mon, lets let this song be heard again, soon, please.
There are other, much better songs on this album than this over-played, classic rock ditty. How about playing the lead-off track \'One of These Days\' instead? Much better IMO.
Originally Posted by rolo:
:D ... ALRIGHT BILL !*!*!*!*! I saw 10YA several times at the Warehouse in New Orleans back in the early 70's .... I've got some GREAT pictures from the shows .... I wonder who uploaded this to you !?!?!?! :D
the lead in reminds me of walking through the French Quarter 
...Great tune though
:D ... ALRIGHT BILL !*!*!*!*! I saw 10YA several times at the Warehouse in New Orleans back in the early 70's .... I've got some GREAT pictures from the shows .... I wonder who uploaded this to you !?!?!?! :D
Yeah. I'd love to change the words, but...
So, sadly (since the rest of the song is great) no more airplay on RP.
A Woodstock: I'd like to play a song called Helicopter!!!