Keane and Propertius

Everybody's Changing

(Ancient Text by Propertius, translated by Peter Bing, Rip Cohen) and Everybody's Changing (Contemporary Song by Keane)

ParallelTextLyricsListen

Both Propertius and Keane talk about how people around them have changed.  Propertius talks about this after losing his lover.  He says, “All things change.  And yes, love changes too” (Propertius 2.8, Line 7).  Propertius is conveying that people and their love are constantly changing, that people may not turn out to be who we once thought they were.  Keane’s song “Everybody’s Changing” also talks about this.  Keane sings, “But everybody’s changing and I don’t feel the same.  You’re gone from here, soon you will disappear fading into beautiful light.  ‘Cause everybody’s changing and I don’t feel right”.  Keane is showing that people are constantly undergoing change, and that no one is who they used to be.

One difference between Propertius’ writing and Keane is that Propertius’ writing is clearly about a lover, as opposed to Keane who seems to be singing about people in general who he cares about.  Even though the people that they are talking about may be slightly different, their emotions are still similar.  They both seem to care deeply about them, or at least to the people they used to be, and seem disappointed that the people around them are changing.  Both of them seem to realize that because of the changes, that their relationships with the people they care about are ending.  Keane and Propertius show that people in love are always undergoing constant change.

 

Ancient Text Excerpt:

“All things change. And yes, love changes too”

Key Lyrics:

“But everybody’s changing and I don’t feel the same. You’re gone from here, soon you will disappear fading into beautiful light. ‘Cause everybody’s changing and I don’t feel right”


Click for full lyrics

You say you wander your own land
But when I think about it
I don’t see how you can
You’re aching, you’re breaking
And I can see the pain in your eyes
Says everybody’s changing
And I don’t know why
So little time
Try to understand that I’m
Trying to make a move just to stay in the game
I try to stay awake and remember my name
But everybody’s changing and I don’t feel the same
You’re gone from here
Soon you will disappear
Fading into beautiful light
‘Cause everybody’s changing
And I don’t feel right
So little time
Try to understand that I’m
Trying to make a move just to stay in the game
I try to stay awake and remember my name
But everybody’s changing and I don’t feel the same
So little time
Try to understand that I’m
Trying to make a move just to stay in the game
I try to stay awake and remember my name
But everybody’s changing and I don’t feel the same
Everybody’s changing and I don’t feel the same

Leave a Reply