Bitter Sweet Symphony Lyrics
'Cause it's a bitter sweet symphony that's life
Trying to make ends meet, you're a slave to money then you die
I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down
You know the one that takes you to the places
Where all the veins meet, yeah
[Chorus]
No change, I can change
I can change, I can change
But I'm here in my mould
I am here in my mould
But I'm a million different people from one day to the next
I can't change my mould
No, no, no, no, no, no, no
(Have you ever been down?)
[Verse 2]
Well I've never prayed, but tonight I'm on my knees, yeah
I need to hear some sounds that recognize the pain in me, yeah
I let the melody shine, let it cleanse my mind, I feel free now
But the airwaves are clean and there's nobody singing to me now
[Chorus]
No change, I can change
I can change, I can change
But I'm here in my mould
I am here in my mould
And I'm a million different people from one day to the next
I can't change my mould
No, no, no, no, no
Have you ever been down?
I can't change it you know, I can't change it
'Cause it's a bitter sweet symphony, that's life
Trying to make ends meet
Trying to find some money, then you die
I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down
You know the one that takes you to the places
Where all the veins meet, yeah
[Chorus]
You know I can change, I can change
I can change, I can change
But I'm here in my mould
I am here in my mould
And I'm a million different people from one day to the next
I can't change my mould, no, no, no, no, no
I can't change my mould, no, no, no, no, no
I can't change my mould, no, no, no, no, no
You've gotta change my mould, no, no, no
(It's just sex and violence, melody and silence)
(It's just sex and violence, melody and violence)
(It's just sex and silence, melody and silence)
(I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down)
(It's just sex and violence, melody and silence)
(I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down)
(It's just sex and violence, melody and violence)
Been down
Ever been down
(I can't change my mould, no, no, no, no, no)
(It's just sex and violence, melody and violence)
Ever been down
(I can't change my mould, no, no, no, no, no)
Ever been down
Ever been down
Have you ever been down?
Have you ever been down?
Have you ever been down?
About
“Bitter Sweet Symphony” is perhaps the most ambitious Britpop hit of the late 90s. It is now absolutely everywhere. It’s lyrically opaque, and it is six minutes long, but that hasn’t stopped it becoming an amazingly popular anthem.
The orchestral arrangement was based on an Andrew Loog Oldham recording of The Rolling Stones’s 1965 hit “The Last Time.” As a result of a series of court cases by hard-nosed and controversial business manager Allen Klein, for almost 22 years The Verve did not receive more than token royalties for their song, with the rest lining the pockets of Oldham, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards (even though Jagger and Richards contributed absolutely nothing to the song). At least Richard Ashcroft managed to retain his writing credit. Finally on May 23, 2019, Ashcroft announced that Jagger and Richards had agreed to unconditionally relinquish their songwriting credits and publishing rights.
The song also received a fairly popular music video homaging Massive Attack’s “Unfinished Sympathy,” where Ashcroft sings the song while he walks along Hoxton Street in North London, bumping into – and ignoring – everything and everyone along the way.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
Richard Ashcroft credited his management team of Steve Kutner and John Kennedy, the Rolling Stones' manager Joyce Smyth, and current ABKCO owner and CEO Jody Klein for negotiating the deal in which Mick Jagger and Keith Richards agreed to unconditionally let go of their songwriting credits and publishing rights. Ashcroft announced the deal via a press release:
It gives me great pleasure to announce as of last month Mick Jagger and Keith Richards agreed to give me their share of the song Bitter Sweet Symphony. This remarkable and life affirming turn of events was made possible by a kind and magnanimous gesture from Mick and Keith, who have also agreed that they are happy for the writing credit to exclude their names and all their royalties derived from the song they will now pass to me.
I would like to thank the main players in this, my management Steve Kutner and John Kennedy, the Stones manager Joyce Smyth and Jody Klein (for actually taking the call) lastly a huge unreserved heartfelt thanks and respect to Mick and Keith.
Music is power.
- 1.Bitter Sweet Symphony
- 2.Sonnet
- 9.Lucky Man
- 10.One Day
- 11.This Time
- 12.Velvet Morning
- 13.Come On
- 14.Deep Freeze