Buddy Miles - Them Changes

First performance: 07/12/1972


Coverinfo

Bruce covered the song only once and once as a snippet:
 
 
 
One early afternoon show for inmates of 'Sing Sing Prison', with Springsteen and the boys the sole act on the bill. This nearly two hour show was held in the Prison Chapel. Apparently Mike Appel organized this as a bit of publicity stunt, and it did indeed attract reporters from Crawdaddy Magazine. A performance at this prison isn't as bizarre as it may seem, as there had been a similar concert on November 22 starring Joan Baez and BB King that was filmed and is available on video. Setlist-wise this has to rank (along with February 23, 1974) as the most unique show ever performed by Bruce and the band since it featured nearly all cover material, including a Clarence Clemons vocal rendition of Buddy Miles' "Them Changes”. Greetings Tour Sound Manager Albee Tellone has commented that an inmate with a saxophone was invited onstage to play with the band on a blues number in the key of C (possibly "Secret To The Blues”). The inmate was playing a small "C Melody" saxophone tuned to the key of C. It was the only key he could play in, so Bruce accommodated his presence by playing in C. Albee recalled that one of the lines in the tune said, "she had limousine legs" - which brought a cheer from the crowd on inmates. Springsteen made reference to this gig in a 1973 Columbia Records media release. Of the inmate audience he comments: "They're tough dudes. They got nobody to impress at all. It was good that they liked us”. Albee received a call from photographer Eric Meola (of Born to Run fame) asking about this show and the inmate with the sax. He was trying to track him down because he had taken a photo of him playing on that same stage with BB King and Joan Baez a few months before Springsteen performed there. Meola later told Tellone that the man was located but was uncooperative. Following this show Springsteen and the band made the 90 minute drive to New York City to play two further shows that evening at Kenny's Castaways.
 
 
 
 
  • Snippet 
1999-07-18 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ

U.S. tour premiere of "Trapped". "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" includes "It's All Right", "Move On Up", "Red Headed Woman", and "Rumble Doll", plus Steve playing a snippet of "The Godfather Love Theme" and Garry playing a snippet of "Them Changes" for their solos. "Light Of Day" includes "I Hear A Train" and "I've Been Everywhere", plus a snippet of the "Peter Gunn Theme".
  

Songinfo

'Them changes' is the first track, taken from the album Them Changes, an album by American artist Buddy Miles, released in June 1970. It reached number 8 on the 1970 Jazz Albums chart, number 35 on the Billboard 200 and number 14 on the 1971 R&B albums charts.
 
 
 

Bruce on the artist

17.12.72 Sing Sing Prison, Ossining, NY
 
"When this is over you can all go home !"
 
(Taken from Racing in the Street - The Bruce Springsteen Reader)

Lyrics

Well my mind is goin' through them changes
I feel just like I'm in the time
Every time you see me goin' some where
I feel like I'm going out of my mind, yeah
Oh, my baby she left me the other day
And we were have so much fun yeah, yeah
Oh, my baby she stepped out on me
And that's the reason why she had to part
It's alright yeah yeah
It's alright
What I say
It's alright
Ooo hooo
Well my mind is goin' through them changes
I think I'm goin' out of my mind
Every time you see me goin' some where
I think I could commit a crime know
She had me runnin'
She had me cryin'
She had me runnin'
She had me had me had me cryin'
She had me runnin'
She had me cryin'
She had me runnin'
Had me cryin'
It's alright yeah yeah
It's alright
Clap your hands
Go clap your hands
Can you clap a little louder
It's alright
It's alright
Everything goin' to be alright
It's alright
It's alright
It's alright
It's alright
It's alright
Yeah
Yeah
Everybody yeah
Yeah
Yeah
Yeah
Yeah
Yeah!
Yeah!
Yeah!
Yeah!
Yeah!
Yeah!!!
Yeah!!!
Yeah!!!
Oh no
I want my love
I want my love
I want my love
It's alright
Whaa
It's alright he he
It's alright