The Times They Are A'changin'

Hollies · Other Songs - Hollies

Come gather 'round people wherever you may roam

Admit that the waters around you have grown

Admit that soon you'll be drenched to the bone

If your time to you is a savin'

Well, you better start swimmin' or you'll sink like a stone

For the times they are a changing



Come writers and critics who prophecize with your pen

Keep your eyes wide the chance won't come again

Don't speak too soon for the wheels still in spin

And there's no tellin' who that it's namin'

For the loser now will be later to win

For the times, they are a changing



Come sailors and congressman, please heed the call

Don't stand in the doorway, don't blacken the hall

For he who has lost is he who has all

There's a storm outside and it's ragin'

It'll soon shake your windows, it'll rattle your walls

For the times, they are a changing



It'll soon shake your windows and it'll rattle your walls

For the times, they are a changing



Come mothers and fathers throughout the land

Don't criticize what you can't understand

Your sons and your daughters are beyond your command

And your old road is rapidly agin'

So get outta here or if you can lend a hand

For the times they are a-changing



Come gather 'round people wherever you may roam

Admit that the waters around you have grown

Admit that soon you'll be drenched to the bone

If your time to you is a savin'

Well, you better start swimmin' or you'll sink like a stone

For the times they are a changing

For the times they are a changing

The Times They Are A'changin' - Hollies

Hollies' 1964 recording of 'The Times They Are A'changin'' stands as a pivotal moment in British rock history, marking the group's transition from their earlier doo-wop and R&B influences to a more polished, mainstream pop sound. While the song's composition is a classic American folk-rock staple, the Hollies' interpretation features their signature tight vocal harmonies and driving rhythm section, recontextualizing the material for the British Invasion era. Released during a period of significant artistic evolution for the band, the track exemplifies their ability to adapt American classics while maintaining their distinct British identity. The recording captures the optimism and social consciousness of the mid-1960s, serving as a bridge between the group's earlier hits and their later, more sophisticated pop endeavors. It remains a defining example of how British bands of the time absorbed and transformed American musical traditions into their own unique style.