MGMT's "Nothing Changes": A Bittersweet Struggle Against Life's Shifts
MGMT's return with their album Loss of Life features a standout track, "Nothing Changes," that captures the bittersweet struggle against inevitable shifts in life. The song washes the listener in a blend of 80s-inspired synths and a steady, driving beat that contrasts against the melancholic lyrics. The track explores the frustration of desiring change, attempting to force it, and ultimately facing the relentless reality that some things will always slip out of one's control.
Acceptance in the face of Impermanence
The chorus rings with a bittersweet acceptance: "Nothing changes, nothing ever will." This seeming resignation doesn't equate to utter defeat, but rather a sense of maturity in facing life's unpredictable currents. While the song offers no easy solutions, there's a subtle shift from fighting change to existing alongside it, a nuanced form of surrender.
Introspective and Existential Themes
While musically upbeat, "Nothing Changes" carries a weight of introspection. The lyrics contemplate loss and the impermanence of circumstances sparking existential reflection. The song resonates with anyone who has experienced significant life changes or battled to hold onto something fleeting.
A Nuanced and Empowering Exploration
MGMT delivers a nuanced exploration of a universal human experience with "Nothing Changes". It's a simultaneously melancholic and subtly empowering piece –a poignant reminder that even amidst uncontrollable change, finding ways to persist is its own quiet victory.
Listen to MGMT Nothing Changes
MGMT Nothing Changes Lyrics Meaning
The meaning of "Nothing Changes" by MGMT is a confrontation with the frustrating reality that some aspects of life remain beyond our control. The song explores the internal struggle of desiring change, attempting to force it, and ultimately facing a sense of resigned acceptance in the face of its impossibility.
The speaker begins with a sense of divine disillusionment, as if 'the gods' revealed a hard truth about the futility of fighting for change. This is reinforced by images of falling and vulnerability, conveying a desperate desire for a way out of a difficult situation. The chorus emphasizes feeling out of place, along with the belief that the speaker is destined to remain in their current state because "nothing's gonna change."
Further verses highlight missed warnings and the pain of pretending change was possible. The repeated chorus drives home the theme of powerlessness in the face of life's shifts, with a growing sense of frustration. An instrumental break emphasizes the raw emotion of this struggle, followed by a bridge that references mythological portrayals of endless, futile labor. This, paired with a series of "la-la-la"s, signifies a bittersweet decision to retreat from the battle and almost embrace the absurdity of their circumstance.
The song's final repetition of "nothing changes" reinforces the message. "Nothing Changes" ultimately delves into existential questions of individual control and the search for meaning within a world where so many things feel unchangeable.
MGMT Nothing Changes Lyrics
[Verse 1]
This is what the gods must have been talking about
When they told me, "Nothing changes"
Falling through the Pleiades straight into a cloud
Wishing all the stars could save me
[Chorus]
And I feel strange, like I shouldn't be here
Let me know if you receive me
If I could change, then I wouldn't be here
Oh, nothing's gonna change, believe me
So don't lead me on
[Verse 2]
This is what the birds must have been squawking about
Right before the dream was ending
And maybe you'd have heard if you'd stopped fucking around
When it was time to stop pretending
[Chorus]
That I could change and I wouldn't be here
Oh, when did all the gods deceive me?
I should change, I shouldn't be here
But nothing's gonna change, believe me
Believe me
[Instrumental Break]
[Bridge]
Thrust the dagger into the night, valiant flailing
Sisyphean daily life, but endless straining
Fortify the curtain walls, but nothing's storming
Push the boulder off to the side
La-la, la-la, la, la, la, la-la, la-la
La-la, la-la, la, la, la, la-la, la-la
La-la, la-la, la, la, la, la-la, la-la
La-la, la-la, la, la, la, la, la-la
[Outro]
And this is what the gods must have been talking about
When they told me, "Nothing changes"