Pop Song 374 of 500 'Bittersweet Symphony' The Verve 1997

Pop Song 374 of 500 'Bittersweet Symphony' The Verve 1997

"Bitter Sweet Symphony" is based on a sample from a 1965 version of the Rolling Stones song "The Last Time" by the Andrew Oldham Orchestra. The Verve added strings, guitar, percussion and vocals. They obtained rights to use the "Last Time" sample from the copyright holder, Decca Records, but were denied permission from the Rolling Stones' former manager, Allen Klein. Following a lawsuit, the Verve relinquished all royalties and the Rolling Stones members Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were added to the songwriting credits. In 2019, following Klein's death, Jagger, Richards, and Klein's son ceded the rights to the Verve songwriter Richard Ashcroft.

'Cause it's a bitter sweet symphony, that's life
Tryin' 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
No change, I can change, I can change, I can change
But I'm here in my mold, I am here in my mold
But 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?)
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
No change, I can change, I can change, I can change
But I'm here in my mold, I am here in my mold
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
Tryin' to make ends meet, tryin' 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
You know, I can change, I can change, I can change, I can change
But I'm here in my mold, I am here in my mold
And I'm a million different people from one day to the next
I can't change my mold, no, no, no, no, no
I can't change my mold, no, no, no, no, no
I can't change my mold, no, no, no, no, no
It's just sex and violence, melody and silence
It's just I can't change my violence, melody and violence
I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down (sex and violence, melody and silence)
It's just I can't change my violence, melody and silence
I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down (sex and violence, melody and silence)
Been down
Ever been down
Ever been down
Ever been down
Have you ever been down?
Have you ever been down?
Have you ever been down?