Oh man. This is such a fun song to sing. I think probably the fact that there’s such a driving rhythm for the whole thing is one factor of its fun-ness. The verses are wordy and tricky to sing because the phrases are longer than one might expect. But once you get the hang of it, it’s an awesome feeling to take a deep breath and sing about all the incredible things that have happened to us because of Jesus.
One thing that I really appreciate about “Changed” is the shift from “I” to “we” between verses one and two. It moves from “But how can I show You that I’m grateful?” and “I have been blessed – now I want to be a blessing” in the first chorus to “We want to show You that we’re thankful” and “We have been blessed – now we’re going to be a blessing” in the second chorus. The fact that we all have been blessed, loved, and changed is an important aspect of this song – just as much as the fact that I myself have been blessed, loved, and saved. And I feel that as I listen to and sing this song. My mind really does shift from “I” and “me” to including the other folks I’m with and pondering what it that means to us as a congregation of people. It just makes what Jesus did that much more incredible – it was for everyone, not just a select few and certainly not just me.
When we get right down to it, this song is a song of thanksgiving. The climax of the piece (in my mind, anyway) is the bridge: “Thank You for this new life, thank You for the invitation”. There might be a lot of words in the song as a whole, but its message is actually quite clear. We really have been changed and we are bursting at the seams to sing about it and to share that with other people.
Okay, so what about the music? I’ve been kind of beating around the bush, but here’s the deal. It is indeed, I think, a more difficult piece. The range is possibly slightly more extended than other worship music, being at an octave and a step, but is certainly not unmanageable. The rhythms of the melody are actually pretty simple. The chords themselves are not difficult, but where I think the challenge lies is in the beat. Aaron Niequist leads “Changed” from the piano and, if it’s a possibility in your particular situation, that might be the best way to prepare this song. I’ve led it with a guitar and it worked alright. We all got through it, but I was pounding out eighth notes for the verses and quarter notes for the bridge and then was never really able to settle into a strum that seemed to work well for the pre chorus and chorus, so I felt like it was sloppier than I would have liked for it to have been. But the piano works well for Niequist and then a guitar or two as well as some fairly hefty drums would be a nice addition to the more driving parts, especially the quarter note rhythms during the bridge.
On the website for music at Mars Hill (musicatmars.com), you can listen to some of the tracks off the album called “Worship in Every Direction”. And there’s a recording of “Changed” where the bridge is sung with some super tight harmonies. The singers are all singing together for “Thank You for this new life…” and then it’s almost like it just blooms into harmony on the word “invitation”. And I just thought about how cool it would be for a brass group to be involved with that as well, hammering out the quarter note pulse and then bursting into harmony on the end of that line. Wow. That’d be something else, wouldn’t it? There’s all this about what Jesus has done for us and what we’re going to do in return and then the bridge just comes right out with it and says “Thank You”. We are who we are because of Him and we recognize that. And so, in addition to adding instruments and harmonies to make it exciting and really expressive of our deepest thanks and our most heart-felt praise, I think it should be okay to linger a while on this part of the song for as long as is necessary. Don’t feel like you have to sing it twice and move on.
Anyway, I think this piece could present something of a challenge to groups trying to pull it together, but it’s definitely worth working at. This is a piece of music that can be used in a lot of settings. The song in its entirety could make for a great sending, but even just using one of the choruses in worship could be really effective, too. I can see it being really striped down (like maybe just piano) and even taken at a slower tempo and then maybe used as an offering song or a song during or after communion.
Where to find it:
- musicatmars.com
Notable recordings:
- Aaron Niequist – With Broken Fists
- Mars Hill Community – Worship in Every Direction
Hear it now:
Download on iTunes
I love this one. A lot.
hey, thanks for the kind words about “Changed”! it’s fascinating to hear your thoughts and perspectives…which are very insightful.
my friend Troy (the worship leader at Mars Hill) slowed it down and did an acoustic guitar driven version that worked pretty well, but you’re right, it usually works best with piano. but let me know if you ever come up with a great guitar arrangement…I’d love to pass it on.
also, if you’re interested in something a bit ridiculous, another friend of mine did two 80s dance remixes of “Changed”. quite silly, but entertaining. the remix EP is free and available tomorrow at aaronniequist.com.
anyway, thanks again for sharing this song with people. I’m thrilled to know it’s connecting!
-Aaron
We do this song a little stripped down at Jacob’s Porch. We only use the chords G-C-D, and with a good lead singer, and taking a moment to teach it, I find it goes over well. Once the community adopts the song (and brother, ours has) it leads itself. I like the Mars Hill version as it is a very simple arrangement, just piano and a driving bass drum and crash on the chorus, that’s it. It seems most powerful as a thanksgiving hymn when it is led by the community. That is what brings out the “we.”