Nothing's Gonna Change My Clothes
Nothing's Gonna Change My Clothes
Every little thing's a domino that falls on different dots.
A smile spreads across my face every time this song starts. The jazzy high hat cymbal slides into my ears and I grin. Nothing’s Gonna Change My Clothes is a no-skip, classic They Might Be Giants track for me. Even just the first line makes me feel understood and connected to the artist and this song in way I can’t really explain. Something about it just hits right for me.
The Spark of Connection
All the people are so happy now, their heads are caving in.
The lyric sounds so happy and upbeat and speaking about everyone around this person are all so happy that their heads are caving. As if he sees that their happiness is shielding them from how miserable they are supposed to be. This is a song I love to sing along to and have often felt connected to the lyrics.
Non-Conformity
For me (and I’m open to hearing your interpretations as well), this is a song about non-conformity, self-assurance, and how someone perceives themselves and others. Hearing this song makes me feel confident in how I decide to be mindful of outside influences on myself and instead opt for being the most “me” that I can be.
As a young teenager it looked like me sticking with theater instead of sports, writing poetry, spending time with my grandma over friends, wearing clothes and shoes that were comfortable or that I thought looked cool instead of what someone else thought I should wear.
Personal Echoes
In high school, I had a girlfriend (yes the one I wrote about for 32 Footsteps) that desperately wanted me to change how I dressed for her. I was into wearing relaxed fit jeans, a t-shirts, and a blazer over it with some Airwalks (think Vans.) She pressured me into wearing GAP clothes or vintage 70’s shirts or leisure suits. Was that trend setting? I didn’t want to wear any of that. I had my own thing going.
Eventually, I caved and spent an entire paycheck on GAP clothes and updated my wardrobe with 70’s thrifted stuff and other shoes that she loved and I hated. I started looking like someone that I feel like I wasn’t inside but the relationship made me happy. Right? I put on the high school boyfriend mask and I played the role of happy guy who wears what his girlfriend wants him to even though my head was caving in.
The break up was tough on me and my best friend and I had a great conversation about how much I changed and how much of my other friendships I was so quick to set aside at her request. I never wanted to do that again.
A Song’s Evolving Impact
From that day forward, this song started hitting a little differently for me. It can’t possible be about a person who literally never changed his clothes no matter how bad he smelled. I mean, maybe it is but for me, it was about not wanting to give up who I am for anyone else ever again.
Nothing’s gonna change my clothes EVER anymore.
Who or what has tried to make you change *your* clothes?
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