Tax the rich, feed the poor/
‘Til there are no rich no more.
Ten Years After’s “I’d Love to Change the World” might be one of the first social change songs we’ve talked about on this list. This is a big one. Ten Years After sees themselves as the modern day Robin Hood…kind of. They want to tax the rich and feed the poor, they support the environment, they see racial injustice that needs to be rectified and they think war is out of hand.
Ten Years After have a lot of beliefs similar to the social democrats. The difference is that they’d “like to change the world, but I don’t know what to do… So I leave it up to you.” Well I suppose we need idea people as well as the doers.
The cool thing about this song is that it discusses a serious subject but it still rocks. Traditionally folk music has been where most protest songs have occurred. I love folk music, but not everyone does. We need more songs like this in rock and pop.
It is amazing how similar the message that people were fighting for 50 years ago is still something we are fighting for today. This would be an appropriate campaign song for a Bernie Sanders campaign.
I’d Love to Change the World Lyrics
Everywhere is freaks and hairies,
Dykes and fairies, tell me where is sanity.
Tax the rich, feed the poor,
‘Til 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.
Songwriters: Alvin Lee
Great song both times I got it wrong ,but I was right on my first thought,relief ,for a moment I thought maybe they were Christian music , but I thought different 60/70 revolutionary rock ,bands , by the way who inserted the wax commercial at the end of great lyrics, haha
Social democrats would not appreciate the 1st line of the song. If they were so into social justice why start a long like that. Yes, times were different then but not so different that you name call people. Music lasts forever. I also don’t like the complacency: “I’d love to change the world, but I don’t know what to do, so I’ll leave it up to you.” Having said all that, I love the music.
The lines just dont match up. The first line is so offensive and conservative while the rest of the song is all “peace not war”. Would be a great song if they left that line out because it makes me not want to listen to the song
From what I have read, the band felt they were viewed as “freaks and hairies, dykes and fairies. I don’t think they were making a judgement call on those populations. I think they were pointing out that those ppl are marginalized and they felt the same discrimination against them . They were being lumped with the “despicable ppl”. They are not saying they believe those ppl really are despicable.
I saw Ten Years After in the ’70s and had a front-row seat – actually catching Alvin Lee’s guitar pick at the concert’s end. Alvin was both conservative as well as liberal on some issues. He was good friends with Christian musician Mylon LeFevre and they shared many points of view. They even collaborated on an album together (“On the Road to Freedom” in 1973). The line “dykes and fairies” was definitely a reflection of their shared Christian belief that those were indeed negative lifestyles. To massage this into any other meaning would be incorrect.
Was Alvin speaking with tongue in cheek? Is this satirical?
He seems to point out the hypocrisy of the socialist idea of taking everything from productive or successful folks and giving it all away so that everyone has the same status.
Be unique…just like everybody else.
Socialism has got to be one of the most MISunderstood ideas in the 21st century. Based on the philosophy that the WORKING CLASS is the true source of wealth in our world, Socialism is simply a way for SOCIETY to control resources and means of production, so that ALL of society benefits from them, instead of just of a few individuals.
Socialism seeks undo the uncontrolled greed that Capitalism puts on steroids.
I came to look at the meaning of this song, as I have just about every Ten Years After LP, MANY originals all the way back to 1967 & 1969. I understood freaks & hairies as “Friendly Terms”, as all the “HEADS” back in the 70’s use to refer to themselves as FREAKS & Hippies! SO TYA was reffering to themselves! NOW the Dykes & Fairies seemed offensive, however it is clear to see that they MUST have been lumping that group with theirself! OTHERWISE it would be a contradiction! Referring or Reffering, one is a reference & the other is a hobby! Capitalism is about draining the masses of their money & lowering theie standard of living until it is unsustainable! My parents purchased a home in Virginia Beach in 1964 for $15,000 (tri-level, Kempsville) yes wages were lower BUT then any man could pay for a house, while the wife stayed home an took care of two or three children! The house payment took less of a percentage of a man’s salary! Now it’s hard for two incomes to pay for a house, cars, and food. The percentage of salary for a new car, or gas to put in the car or food to put in the bellies takes a larger percentage! The “working poor” can no longer afford life!