Comments: 92

• Sanjiv from Albany NyI’ve always interpreted the lyrics as conservative. Especially the “tax the rich, feed the poor, til there are rich no more”. My mind goes on to say “and who will you tax then?” And freaks and fairies comment followed by “where is sanity?”
• 1962 from Philly BurbsI think a lot of the younger generations misunderstand this song. I am a true child of the 70s. That doesn’t mean I’m the only one who’s right but I believe I have a good handle on the atmosphere of that time.
  
  “Everywhere is freaks and hairies, Dykes and fairies”
  These lines would’ve been a recitation of disturbing things that the songwriter heard from the adult world around him. Many of the parents would have been the greatest generation: they grew up in the depression, spent their early adulthood at war, and they just wanted peace and by peace I mean the kind of peace that surpasses all understanding. The last thing they wanted was a cultural revolution and many of them were probably too tired to try. Those two lines are a description of what was going down – not his personal opinions.
  
  “I’d love to change the world, but I don’t know what to do.“
  The 1960s thought LOVE was the answer and culminated in Woodstock, three assassinations, and a disillusioning war. By the 1970s innocence had been stripped away and their eyes were opened to a complicated, overwhelming miasma with no easy answers.
  
  The song goes on to cover other equally
  intractable problems in the world. The song, like others of its time, reflect an awareness of and a deep concern for what was happening in the world around them but honestly admitting that they don’t have any easy answers.
• Mike from GeorgiaI don't see how anyone could interpret this song as expressing anything other than a conservative viewpoint. The tone of the singer's voice in the "Tell me where is sanity?" line indicates a genuine lament that the world is filled with "dykes and fairies, freaks and Haris? (hairies)." The "tax the rich, feed the poor until there are no rich no more" statement expresses the obvious logical contradiction in the liberal ideology of massive taxation. If there were in fact no more rich, who would you then tax to feed the poor? The anti-war statement "Stop the War" is actually a conservative viewpoint when you think about it. Conservatives like Charles Lindbergh tried to keep the U.S. out of WWII, and the conservatives of today are vehemently against the cycle of neverendng wars. There is nothing in the song anywhere to indicate that the narrator is mocking the conservative worldview. I would point that out in a second if it were there, but it's not. There was no requirement that every song from that era had to take a leftist viewpoint. People back then were considering lots of different political and philosophical viewpoints. I think "I'd Love to Change the World" is at least toying with the idea that the counterculture was not a good thing.
• Keylan from Southern Oregonmany of the comments suggest this song is from a conservative perspective making fun of the leftist perspective. I personally disagree with this. the first two lines of “freaks and harries” and “dykes and fairies, tell me where is sanity” in my opinion suggests that he wants a sanity-less society. they wanted everyone that mainstream society wasn’t. they wanted queers and weirdos, they wanted the rich to be poor, and senators to stop the war and such. i believe this song is a very liberal song. that’s atleast how i interpreted this as a left leaning gen Z.
• Independent Jones from WaThe lyrics suggest certain lamentations from BOTH sides of the political spectrum, i.e, "Everywhere is freaks and hairies, dykes and fairies, tell me where is sanity?" which sounds like what a social conservative my remark at the time; while the very next line is "Tax the rich, feed the poor, till there are no rich no more" -- a socialist mantra often parroted by left-wingers. Enter the man in the middle -- Alvin Lee. "Hey man, everybody thinks the world gots problems, I'd love to come to a consensus on solutions but I dunno wtf to do; I'm just a dude with a guitar." That theme runs through every bar in the song. It's not one side or the other, it's all THREE sides -- left, right, and center; the extremes think they have all the answers, the only honest one in the bunch is the guy in the middle saying he doesn't have ANY answers.
• Still A Hipppie from CaliforniaMy take on the lyrics is that he is talking from a conservative point of view about how crazy things are, but the protagonist has no earthly idea how to change things for the better (I’d love to change the world but I don’t know what to do) and they are leaving it up to the younger generation.
• Tom from PhoenixThis is what I love about art. So many minds, so many interpretations. To each, it means precisely what they need it to, and it’s thrilling to think of a form of expression that can be all things to all people. When I find a piece that has inspired such a debate; I know it’s a masterwork:
• Nobody82762So is the "Dykes and fairies" part talking about homosexuality or homophobia? If it was talking about homosexuality that's horrible. If it were talking about the phobia that was bad (displayed by the insults) that's ok
• The Modern Right Is So Pathetic from N.j.Hard to fathom how desperate you have to be to turn a hippie anthem in to an embrace of right wing ideology.
• Chris from TexasI cannot listen to this song just once. When I start playing it, it's going on a loop. And I cannot NOT play air guitar after the "Oh yeah!" I'm sure I look like a fool driving down the highway steering with my knee so I can free up my hands to do the important stuff.
  
  As for the meaning, who can tell? The one thing that we can probably all agree on is that we would all like to change the world and are all helpless to do so. Perhaps the "you" in '"leave it up to you" is God. It's in your hands God and I'll trust that you have a plan that will work out in the end. Just a theory. But it fits.
• Captain from Socalinequality? back in the 70s protests it was a rare word.
• Jeff from OkIt is one of my fav songs of all time. I grew up in the 70's, Ten Years After was one of my fav bands, there with the Dead and the Band
• Jay from UsaThe year is 2022 and these lyrics are even more relevant today than they were then.
• Crime Victims Matter from OregonThe beginning lyrics are clearly against what's called "woke" in the 2020s. I can't see how they can be interpreted as anything but cynical about leftist revolutions. It's good that he throws in the overpopulation reference, truer than ever but you're not supposed to be candid about it.
  
  Too bad Lee passed away in 2013. I would be good to see him interviewed on the meaning of those lyrics as they apply today.
• Red Hoss from Leesburg, FloridaI’ve loved this song since I first heard it back in early 70s. It says a lot and has always prompted some deep thought. Just as; Pride of man by Quicksilver Message Service.
  Humans seem to create the problems we have to live with from generation to generation.
• Englishjello from OntarioWritten at the time of hippies ("Freaks and hairies"), sexual revolution ("Dykes and fairies"), consumerism ("Tax the rich") and the Vietnam war ("Stop the war"). Could be a conservative view of how out of control the world was becoming. Musically it's really a folk song but with a blues rock influence layered over top with a heavy backbeat and a distorted guitar. It's quite remarkable how it's message still holds true today. That is what you call a timeless classic!
• Cappotra from CnyA lot of opinions and interpretations are here, but seems like no one really knows what was meant. Obviously there is a highlighting of the (apparent) dichotomy of the era.
  
  My interpretation is either it is basically conservative, or at the very least maybe expressing disillusionment with answers and behaviors of the left counterculture.
  Or
  You can read those first lines as being in quotation marks “freaks and haries / hares, dykes and faeries” - tell me where is sanity?
  The sanity line and chorus makes it open to maybe say these types of views and judgements, seeing things in this way, where is the sanity? I’d love to change this shallow viewpoint.
  
  Who can know.
  It’s definitely highlighting dichotomies, and maybe extreme concerns of the era.
  I prefer to think that chorus negates the verses in question. Like “this is how people see things” where is the sanity?
  That may be wishful thinking. But it’s a great song, so I’m tying to not see the lyrics as short sighted or close minded.
• Alwaysright from UsofaI was a "hairy" '70s kid, and a soldier, and someone Churchill would have decribed as too smart and (incorrectly as)too unempathic to be a young Lefty(which I NEVER was), and I LOVE this song.
  
  Anyone who thinks this is an overt Lefty anthem need only examine this line: "tax the rich, feed the poor, 'til there are no rich no more..." Albert must've been laughing his ass off as stoned, naked hippies were cheering this line, because they lacked the brain power to comprehend that the elimination of the rich wouldn't result in an elimination of poverty, just as an elimination of beauty doesn't make the ugly any more aesthetic -- although, it might possibly make them feel better about themselves; feeling better about yourself never filled an empty belly, though.
  
  The only thing that ends hunger is work(someone's work) or death, and the Communist nations of the 20th century(and apparently the CCP of today, if the Wuhan lab "leak" means anything to you) seemed to prefer to solve the problem of mass poverty and hunger by feeding their own poor into mass graves.
  
  No, making everyone poor doesn't solve poverty, and this song isn't a "call to action," but a plea to re-THINK hackneyed, knee-jerk Lefty "solutions," which ultimately only amplify the suffering of the masses...or end that suffering in horrific ways, in which the solutions are far worse than the problems they're meant to address. Food for thought...
• Scott M. from Denver, Colorado, UsaOne of my favorite albums off all-time and I've been listening to this album for well over 40 years now and I swear Alvin says "Senators stop the war". Anyone else have the same interpretation?
  
  Also, At the end of the song I hear Alvin whisper "so, what you gonna do?" This follows the end of the final chorus "... I'll leave it up to you".
• Gregory L. Belinger from Missouri UsaI always liked Ten Years After. My favorite songs I know are "I'd Love To Change The World and Religion.
• Paul Lindholdt from Spokane, WashingtonEdit "Albert Lee" in the penultimate paragraph to "Alvin Lee."
• Syberson from Dallas, TxGreat song. Great Album. Great Band. This song can mean whatever the listener wants. That's the beauty. It has something for everyone. Thanks Alvin!
• Thipdar from Sf Bay AreaYeah, a lot of the "freaks" were hairy, but I don't think that's the "hairy" that the song is referring to.
  I think they were referring to the "Hares" - after the Hare Krishna movement.
• Lorna Bennet from Vancouver Island Bc CanadaThis song is as relevant today as it was 50 years ago when I was 21. I love it as much as I did then - an all time favourite.
• Chris From Illinois from Beach Park, Illinois UsaOh my God, how people love to parse things apart, give meanings where there aren't any, and point fingers. As a person who actually lived through this period, actually experienced things as they happened, and a great lover of this song, let me explain. As we all recognized at the time when the song was released, Alvin Lee framed the lyric in the context of the turmoil of the 60's and the 70's - and echoed many of the thoughts back then from a multitude of voices, and showing excesses on both sides - he uses both progressive and conservative tropes of the time, if you examine without prejudice yourself. It displays and considers our confusions and frustrations of the period, and a feeling of helplessness after the assassinations of Jack & Bobby Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King. And in a very succinct, compact way. Alvin Lee used a folk chord progression and acoustic guitar base - reminiscent of the folk and protest song movement of the 60's, finishing off with a brilliant (perhaps Mr. Lee's best) wailing, soulful electric solo expressing our communal societal pain. He ends with a demand to 'stop the war' - which could apply to many social levels as well as Viet Nam. This song is just plain brilliant - and sadly, still relevant now. We've made less progress as a society than we thought. We have work to do - and you can't just leave it to someone else. This is what we should focus on.
• Rodrigo from Argentina"Ben from Zurich" should read a bit about how the rich get rich and how the poor get -and keep being- poor.
• Chris M from Pittsburgh, PaDespite the slurs I LOVE this song and interpret it as the struggle between young and old, conservatism and liberalism, the rich and the poor as well as the helplessness that we all feel when we don't know where to begin or how to make change.
• Pajaru3339 from New Orleans, LaTo me, the song depicts the back and forth sparring between two sides of the generation gap of the time. I can just hear the "grown-up" establishment bigots of the day angrily and accusingly using exactly those words and more--and how the younger generation, including myself, tried to hold our own in escalating shouting matches, when we yelled back at our elders with fury and indignation (what the guitar solos express far better than words ever could)--"Stop the war!" Sadly, my generation grew older and decided they just didn't know how to change the world, or just didn't care to anymore. That apathy is coming back to bite the whole world.
• Jack C. from Portland, OrI agree with those who say this song is NOT liberal. It reminds me of the 2020 BLM riots and pointless blaming of police while overpopulated criminals and freaks won't hold themselves personally accountable for bad behavior. Very little has changed over time.
  
  Regardless, the whole tune and guitar-work is superb. It stands on its own without the lyrics.
• Tom K from UsaIn a radio interview Alvin Lee said that he whispered something at the end of this song. Anyone know what it was?
  Also, I'd change a lyric: "Tax the rich, feed the poor, until there are no poor no more."
• Ben from ZurichLove the songe, despite its lyrics. Great guitar, great vocals.
  For the lyrics only that: "Tax the rich (...) till they're rich no more". Who will then feed the poor?
• Peter from TorontoThe conclusion is "but I don't know what to do" which sums up the skepticism of the simplistic ideals of late sixties pop music. Alvin Lee's "So I'll leave it up to you" expresses his sarcastic rejection of idealists who claim to have all the answers. This was welcome relief to the bromide sophistry being pedalled in the bubble gum idealism of pop music, like the Beatles "All You Need Is Love".
  
  I was finishing high school when Ten Years After was becoming popular. A time when some students rejected AM fluff for the more intellectually rigorous skepticism of FM. Fifty years later, having also followed an alternative path through university of reading the works of Enlightenment empiricists like Diderot, D'Alembert and Condorcet, instead of the more popular Postmodern romantic idealism, this song continues to be inspiring. Thank you Alvin Lee. Not all rock stars were self righteous airheads.
• Dawson from Macon Georgia Grew up in this era and by far one of my favorite songs. Pass thru Byron Ga every day, home of the Atalanta pop festival. Ten years after may be the only band that played at both Woodstock and Byron. Check it out
• More I Read The Less I Know from Old Time Usa I hit this blog by accident
  After reading a few comments.
  I just had to post one and
  become a idoit like most
  Poor people are poor because they don't know how to handle money or make money.
  Most people if you give them 100,000 dollars they won't have any think to show for it after the car they buy goes to the junk pile.
  
  Has a poor person gave you a job?
  Get real look in the mirror.
  All of your problems come from yourself .
  Choices we make .
  
  Eat that you entitlements
  Go out and earn it.
  The terrible four letter word WORK
• Bev from Anywhere In The World Okay guys, look at the first line of the song then look at the picture on the album... they were obviously the freaks and fairies. This was the establishments way to describe the counterculture of the day. It's a song about us vs them and not knowing what to do about it. It's not anti gay. Dykes (lesbians) fairies (gay men) were finally able to show themselves in society and the establishment hated it. In 1971 I was 11 years old and didn't understand much about those things but loved the song and their music.
• Humberto Veras from Recife - BrazilHumberto Veras Recife-BR
  Really we cannot hide the sun with a sieve. That music is really criticizing to great amounts of gays, Freaks" e "hairies" that already in that time it was invading London and other great cities. The critic is direct and very objective.
• Pablo from ArgentinaTj from Boston, Ma
  You're ABSOLUTELY WRONG. Firstly, I'm a gay man, and let me tell you something: what you just said's not true. I was also wondering what the true meaning of "dykes" in this song meant, but I concluded they didn't say it in a pejorative way; on the contrary, they exposed that because of what people used to think by then. Mind you, this song's played in "Sense8", created by two trans women. I think what they tried to do was actually criticize the politics by then. And, one more and important thing: you wrote, "Also, please consider this.... most good porno movies have lesbian scenes.. and often times, seeing two ladies make it in a movie is is the best part of the video.". That's so NOT TRUE. I'm gay, therefore, I love and only love MEN. But what you wrote was ridiculous and untrue. Straight women LOVE gay male sex (even when they deny it; check what women buy in Japan, for example: Yaoi... ALL THE TIME); gays, ofc, LOVE gay sex and it's sort of "weird" porn pages informed the huge amount of "straight men" searching for gay porn. Fine if you like lesbian sex, I'm totally ok with it; but please, don't you say, "most good porno movies have lesbian scenes". That's a complete lie. It all depends on what we feel, and again, fine if you like two women having sex, cool. But don't say that because it's not true. Check it out by yourself and you'll find out I'm not lying: people LOVE seeing two men having sex, even if they repress themselves and don't say it. Most of good porno films have gay male scenes. Gay sex, in general. I don't like this kind of comments. Truly.
• Martinj from PennsylvaniaI'm sorry but disagree will all who said this was not a "conservative song" to use ones previous words. This was 1971, most who have posted their opinions of the real meaning of this song weren't even born (1952 me). The country was far less progressive, less tolerant of gays (dyke reference), mention of hari's (Hare-Kristnas were everywhere panhandling), populations breeding ( third world countries) and so forth, I'm not going to reference all. This was a song about the degeneration of our world in 1971.
• Yarnspinner from UsWhat music genius, what unfathomable talent! As for the lyrics to ILTCTW, I like the "get off my lawn" theory and I wish I had thought to share this one with my John Bircher father before he died... maybe we could've listened to it together! I'm not sure I understand the gripe I'm hearing about taxing the rich "til there are no rich no more" (though if it is indeed written in the voice of a McCarthy-ite Archie Bunker that would make sense as part of the in-character rant... (and I totally agree with the 'haris' being the Hari Krishnas). But in any case, just as a matter of principle, I imagine he meant the phrase to involve an alternate interpretation that if we fix the tax structure then there will be more 'sanity' (eliminating the obscenely-rich, not completely redistributing all the wealth). In other words, Gloria and Mike could find their perspective in the lyrics as easily as could Archie.
  
  Oh, that reminds me... Bernie Sanders (cough Elizabeth cough Warren cough) 2016!! (You know he'd love to change the world, and as you can see at www.BernieSanders.com he DOES know what to do!). Sorry - couldn't resist!! :-)
• Generalthc from Fort Worth, Texas"Tax the rich, feed the poor, 'till there are no rich no more."
  
  I fail to see how anyone can interpret this as anything but good advice--unless you're fine with the minority controlling the majority. Split the pie evenly and we wouldn't need to tax anyone.
• Mike from Columbus, OhI love the guitar in this song.
• Josh from Pittsburgh, PaThe reason I ended up on this site is because I wanted to see what the general consensus was about the meaning of the lyrics. I was afraid that I was rocking out to a homophobic song that supported capitalist greed. I was pretty sure I wasn't but I wanted to make sure TYA wasn't just a bunch of guys who grew long hair to fit in with the "freaks" and push "good christian" morals on them. After finding out they played Woodstock it is pretty obvious that the chorus refers to changing the intolerance and backwards thinking that is spoken of in the verses.
• Joseph from New York City, United StatesThis song from 1971, "I'd love to change the world" written by Alvin Lee, leader of the great rock band Ten Years After, is one of the - if not THE - greatest anthem type / message songs that were ever written. Yes there are other songs that have been written along the same lines as this But in a way none so daring as ALVIN LEE'S message. He actually names types of bad people in the lyrics, as well as mentions all the odd type people that surfaced during the period of time circa 1969-1970-1971 in what I call the hey day of great world changing music. So in a way Ten Years After did in fact CHANGE THE WORLD, just by making mention of all the bad people... bad scenes... bad things that were going on.
  
  As time goes on I feel that this song is TIMELESS in that it has to do with mishaps that take place in life. Life really never changes no matter when it is.
  
  Alvin Lee has finally done what he had said so many, many times before in his song: "I'm going home." Alvin Lee has gone home. He has gone home to heaven. I feel that he did change the world in that he let us hear his feelings on what was going on in the world back then in those wondrous years of sanity - and insanity - which I remember well. Well enough to say that I am glad that I was there to actually see Ten Years After perform onstage. It was incredible.
• J from Galt, CaThe song is universal to any political viewpoint. People who try to slant it one way or the other miss the point of songwriting genius. It is to be timeless and universal. Anyone who thinks that the song is "Anti Gay" or "Anti Lesbian" simply because of certain words used also miss the meaning by a long shot (like a distance from another galaxy). A songwriter can take on ANY personality and use any words they like. It doesn't mean they personally believe or advocate any of the lyrics. Trying to demonize the lyrics to a song (yes, even ones that have blatant hatred or racism) is akin to burning books. We have a basic human right to express our opinions, write them down, or ignore those of others, but not to destroy or nullify any of those rights...even if I cant stand an S.O.B. - they are free to be one as long as it does not PHYSICALLY hurt anyone (meaning you do NOT have any right to not be offended or have your feelings hurt. We are adults and can deal with hurt feelings).
• Dan from Lamonte, MoIve listened to Ten Years After since I'd Love to Change the World first came out, its always been one of my favorite songs. Alvin Lee is one true rock and roller.The album " Rock and Roll Music to the World" has to be one of the best rock albums ever, almost every song on it has the same type guitar playing as on I'd Love to Change the World. You really need to listen to this album,I never get tired of the real rock guitar on this album!
• Brian from La Mesa, CaI agree with most of what Marion of Eugene said. Her analysis wins.
• Glenn from Minneapolis, MnA conservative song? Not!
  
  From the Alvin Lee website:
  
  
  R&F: Great songs here ("I'd love to change the world", "Over The Hill") - Do you realise "I'd love to..." has turned into a peace anthem these days ? The peace sign was on your guitar - were you into that "make love not war thing" ? Had it anything to do you with the fact you were playing the USA a lot at a time when the anti-Vietnam war thing was going on ??
  
  
  AL: Yes, Yes and yes. I was totally involved in all that and very frustrated that I could not do anything about it hence the words I'd Love to Change The World but I don't know what to do, so I'll leave it up to you; and the best of luck.
• Marion from Eugene, OrI should add that blues rock musicians like them were the epitome of "freaks and hairies" and they'd scarcely be attacking themselves or virtually all their fellow musicians, in case people want to insist on a literal interpretation. In fact, the 1970s was after Stonewall and the start of glam rock which introduced lots of "fairies" as well as New Wave which had its fair share of "dykes."
• Marion from Eugene, OrThe chorus is not ironic, nor is the song a conservative rant. It's a viewpoint song, in the same sense that Harry Chapin neither neglected his son nor shot people from a tower, and PJ Harvey did not drown her child. The viewpoint is clearly an older person, perhaps the WW II generation, and it's addressed to the younger generation. In 1970 the oldest Boomers were 25 or so and the youngest were 10. The old person is saying "What kind of world are you kids building? I don't understand it, all these hairy freaks, men with men, women with women, drugs, wild living! It's crazy! You think anarchy is the answer? And you're always talking about taxing and redistributing, but what are you gonna do when you've gotten rid of all the rich people and we're all poor like Red Russia? Who will you have left to tax then?" But it's not all "get off my lawn!" stuff. The older person is genuinely troubled, and acknowledges there are problems in the world that seem too big and bewildering to solve. The chorus makes PERFECT sense. The older person realizes the world is being handed off to these kids, and maybe it's a good thing, since he's overwhelmed. He'd love to change the world, he thinks their solutions are simplistic and wrong-headed, but he's not entirely devoid of faith that they'll muddle through, and he's "leaving it up to you."
• Francisco from Sto Dgo, Dominican Republicin the song you can clarly hear two guitars. who plays the electric one with the high notes? if you like at the video in youtube you can't see who it is
• Tj from Boston, MaI think it is ironic that Michael Moore used this song in his movie. The true message of this song is contrary to his liberal philosphy. Just by using the word "dyke" in the song, TYA are stirring up prejudicial sentiments. ... and by suggesting that lesbians are not sane clearly puts TYA in the intollerant camp that is the territory of many conservatives. "Tell me where is sanity" ? Are Dykes insane ? I think not. As a matter of fact, Dykes are more sane than most women. If I was a woman.. I would love to have sex with other woman. Would I be insane then ? No .. I'd be a man trapped in a woman's body having sex with a hot lady....trying to pop a nut the best way I know how. Also, please consider this.... most good porno movies have lesbian scenes.. and often times, seeing two ladies make it in a movie is is the best part of the video. Insane ? I think not.
• Jimi from Seattle, Wa"Tax the rich, feed the poor, til there are no POOR no more"... That I could have gotten behind. But hey, he knew his audiences. Socialist Hippies and Music Lovers. I used to be both, now I'm just the latter... and it's Em/G/Am/C/B7.
• Mendi from Tirana, AlbaniaThis song is amazing, the guitar's sound is captivating and mesmerizing!
  I wonder why it is not that famous, it really does deserve to be.
  This is used as a soundtrack in the Jan. 2010's advertisement of AMC (Albanian Mobile Telecommunication). That's where I started to love it.
  Alvin Lee really rocks in this song!
• Marc from Gent, BelgiumTYA was the band that opened my eyes for 'good' music. I only listened to popular radio stations, but after hearing their first album I became addcited to blues, rock, guitar solos, jazz, and later even classical music.
  TYA was the gate to everything I'm still listening to now.
  Thank you Alvin and Co.
• Anthony from Morton, Pawho else agrees that Alvin Lee is underrated and this solo is probably one of the best ever
• Akston from Nunyabusiness, SeychellesI interpret this song as a staunch pro-capitalism message. A very brave and controversial stance to take considering the period in which it was written. Love it.
• Rick from Wichita Falls, TxHey, pardon me or don't, I don't give a flip. But "tax the rich, feed the poor, til there are no rich no more" means Exactly what it says. No hidden message. Like the Beatles' Taxman, these people knew that the road to socialism was a road to making us all equally miserable. (And the Beatles' Revolution debunked the 'Chairman Mao BS.) ...That the greed of the have-not's could be solved if they'd get off their butts and Do Something, Like Make Great Music!
• Bob from Pittsburgh, PaI was in college when this song came out, so I've had a lot of time to think about it. I think it reflects the frustration, exhaustion and confusion felt by many at that time (1971) who really wanted the peace and equality movements to work but were disappointed that all of the energy seemed to be expended for naught. The song drips with irony but it is heartfelt.
• Claude from Denver, CoI saw Ten Years After at the Denver coliseum in Denver, Colorado in 1971. It is amazing how their music effected me then and how when I here their music today it takes me back to that place and time.Their music will truly touch your soul.It is amazing again how thirty eight years later this song fits the mess we are in today.
  Claude,San Diego, CA.
• Wayne from Salem, VaFrom the album "A Space In Time"-1971. It is pretty sad that this is their only song listed on this site. I first heard Ten Years After on a 45 single. It was "Baby Won't You Let Me Rock And Roll You" backed by "Once There Was A Time". I didn't know what to expect. I was only 12 and had read an atricle about them in a rock and roll magazine. I loved it from the start. The two songs I've listed are also on "A Space In Time'. "I'd Love To Change The World" is a very good song. A good message and great musicianship. They were a great band who could really rock out! I had most of their albums in the 70's. And now I have all of them on cd. I saw Alvin Lee in 1980. He had Mick Taylor touring with him. Most of the songs they did were Ten Years After songs. Two years ago the new group with Joe Gooch plus Leo Lyons,Chick Churchill and Ric Lee came to my town. I didn't go because Alvin Lee wasn't there. I was foolish. Because I could have said that I'd seen all of the original members. A friend of mine went. Said it was great! Plus they signed autographs. They are one of my all-time favorite rock and roll bands. I don't know if they are even in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame yet? I don't think they are. And yet alot of people are in,who don't even deserve to be. And Alvin Lee does not get his due credit for being one rock's greatest guitar players!
• Doug from Lafayette, LaWow. This song rocks and stirs big time
• Glenn from Austin,I've always felt that the chorus was meant to sound like - and may have been a dig at - John Lennon and the Beatles.
• Geo from Altoona, PaAlvin Lee rocks...!!!
• Larry from Norman, OkAlvin Lee has a special place in my life, I saw this great guitarist in Oklahoma City in 1974 just before I was transferred to Schofield Barracks on Oahu,Hawaii. Then I got to see him in Honolulu in 1975 just before I was getting out of the Army. The guy is one of the top 10 rock'n roll guitarist ever. I'm so glad I got to live in this era, there are no guitar players these days that can even come close to Alvin Lee, Johnny Winters, Jimmy Paige, Jimi Hendrix.
• Steve from El Cerrito, CaI grew up with TYA in the late 60's. This has always been a favorite. Alvin Lee was replaced by a guy named Joe Gooch, who is also very good. There is a video on YouTube, recorded at BB Kings in 2007, doing this song. Poor acoustics but amazing fingerwork on guitar. Check it out!
• Kevin from Syracuse, UtGreat period song! Pay close attention to the opening lyrics: "Everywhere is, freaks and hari's, dykes and fairies, tell me where is sanity?" What is a "hari"? It's a reference to devotees of hare-krishna, e.g., saffron robes, shaved heads, handing out copies of the Bhagavad Gita. If you were alive then, you know what I'm talking about. Em walk up to G, A walk up to C to B7 back to Em. Repeat. A psychedelic stroll through Haight-Ashbury or Soho or a hundred other counterculture enclaves. Alvin Lee's lead guitar work in this comprises some of the finest phrasing ever put to vinyl (older fans know what vinyl was).
• James from Tracy, CaI don't think the chorus is ironic at all. He's not saying he won't do anything; he's saying he doesn't know how to go about doing it.
• Ray from Bonneville Salt Flats, UtLeo Lyons (bassist) has been the driving force behind TYA...even before Alvin Lee left. I had the privilege of covering them in a photo shoot in 69 or 70. They were and still are an awesome group. Their earliest stuff is their best.
• Mark from Concord, NhI think the last line of the last verse of the song would make more sense if it were one of the following: "Senators, stop the war!" meaning that the Congress could stop the Vietnam war or, "them and us, start the war" meaning the underground youth movement should start a war against the establishment.
• Fred from Renton, WaMusically, this song kicks ass! Voice of the theater K-Horns on a sunny day. A great conservative message too!
• Hanoi from Caracas, South AmericaThe 'chorus' in the song is pretty ironic, IMO. I'd love to change the world but, I won't do anything?
• Chelsea from Spring, TxThis song is AWESOME! Heard it for the first time, maybe 3 weeks ago, I had no idea about Ten Years After, they ROCK!!
• Bob from Austin, TxGood song, but one part always annoys me.
  
  Tax the rich/Feed the poor/Til there are no/rich no more
  
  This shows that the writer is more obsessed with other people having money than making sure everyone gets fed. If everyone has enough to eat, shelter, etc, what does it matter that there are some people richer than others?
• Matt from Raleigh, NcI'm glad someone agrees he is severely underrated. Their earlier live stuff ("I'm Going Home", "Woodchopper's Ball") is sick! His tone is wicked. It sounds like machine guns being fired when he plays. One of his guitars is in the Hard Rock Cafe in D.C.
• Lester from New York City, Ny'About Time' is a great, generally unrecognized album by Ten Years After
• Mike from Pittsburgh, PaAlvin Lee played this song live at the Syria Mosque in Pittsburgh back in the early seventies, the rest of the band was snowed in and did not make the show.
  Alvin pulled up a stool, stuck his cigarette in the neck, played this tune unplugged by himself.
  He was one on one with us that night. I love him for that.
  Alvin Lee is a whole lotta jam, by himself nobody was cheated out of a concert.
  They should give him the first unplugged award.
  I can tell you.... that when the show was over, noboby gave a rats ass that the band did not show.
• Alan from London, England10 years after is a great band, and this is a great song to thier credit. Unfortunately it was used in farenheit 9/11 and that really makes me upset. But I can't take away the greatness of the song from Ten Years After.
• Doug from Pittsburgh, PaAnother fact about this is that Alvin Lee's Ten Years After has NEVER ONCE played the song live. Alvin wasn't commercail like that. However, Ten Years After recently reformed without Alvin Lee and now adays they do a rip-roaring live version of the song.
• Slim from Champaign, IlAlvin lee was a god back in the day.
  "fastest fingers in rock" quoted by frank zappa.
  I've had the privilege of seeing tya a few times and can say its too damn bad you kids missed it....
• Johnny from Los Angeles, CaYeah, I agree with pretty much everything here. Unfortunately, i am 13 and didn't see woodstock and now concert prices are so damn expensive.
• Ben from Madison, WiThis song to me has a lot deeper meaning then most people think. I think it has a lot to do with the underground revolution of this nation's youths during this time. I also believe it is about american society in general.
• Kevin from Cincinnati, OhGreat song,pretty good album too.They jam in the Woodstock movie.
• Matt from Downey, CaThis songs about Nazi's and WWII.
• Nepps from Marietta, MsI watched Ten Years After for the first time today on the movie "Woodstock" and they are some of the best I have ever imagined. I did not grow up with TYA so I really missed a lot.
• James from Westchester, EnglandA completely underrated guitar masterpiece. It's there the whole time, of course, but the guitar completely rules this song from about the 2:09 minute mark (where the singer goes "Who yeah!")on. Even the vocals (usually the centrepiece of a popular rock song) take a back seat.
• Jane from Ann Arbor, MiI think this is an amazing song with an amazing message that still holds decades later-- too bad it hasn't happened (yet?)
• Kevin from Brooklyn...houston Last 30 Yea, TxSeen them several times...I beleave that they were one of the tightist playing...sound, timing, etc.....Alvin Lee is one of the most underrated & underplayed guitarist (besides Jeff Beck) out there amoung the "classic" rock guitarist
• Phil from San Jose, Ca10 years after is just more proof that today's music, well good bands are few and far in between!
• Steve from Troy, Ny10 Years After were awesome at Woodstock.
• Phil from San Jose, CaThis was pretty commerical for 10 years after, Alvin Lee is a great guitarist, check out Alvin and 10 years after at Woodstock. Great blues rock. They had some awesome albums.
• Marlon from Nyc, NyWhat a great song, not just the lyrics. The guitar is good too.
• James from Minneapolis, Mnten years after is a great band

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