''The Changeling'' is a studio album by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by

Toyah Willcox Toyah Ann Willcox (born 18 May 1958) is an English singer-songwriter, actress, and television presenter. In a career spanning more than 40 years, she has had eight top 40 singles, released over 20 albums, written two books, appeared in over 40 ...

, released in

1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...

Safari Records Safari Records was a British independent record label based in London, England, and operating between 1977 and 1985. Safari Records was formed early in 1977 by Tony Edwards (former co-manager of Deep Purple), Andreas Budde (the son of German mu ...

. The album peaked at number 6 in the UK where it was

certified silver Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...

for sales exceeding 60,000 copies. It included the Top 40 single "

Brave New World ''Brave New World'' is a dystopian novel by English author Aldous Huxley, written in 1931, and published in 1932. Largely set in a futuristic World State, whose citizens are environmentally engineered into an intelligence-based social hier ...

Background

The album continued the new wave sound of the band's previous release, ''

Anthem An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to sho ...

'', taking it into a darker, almost gothic direction. Willcox wrote the song lyrics in isolation and the material was recorded at the Roundhouse Recording Studios in the

Chalk Farm Chalk Farm is a small urban district of north west London, lying immediately north of Camden Town, in the London Borough of Camden. History Manor of Rugmere Chalk Farm was originally known as the Manor of Rugmere, an estate that was mentio ...

area of

north London North London is the northern part of London, England, north of the River Thames and the City of London. It extends from Clerkenwell and Finsbury, on the edge of the City of London financial district, to Greater London's boundary with Hertfordshi ...

in early 1982. The album was produced by

Steve Lillywhite Stephen Alan Lillywhite (born 15 March 1955) is an English record producer. Since he began his career in 1977, Lillywhite has been credited on over 500 records, and has collaborated with a variety of musicians including new wave acts The Alarm ...

using early digital studio recording equipment. Some overseas editions, such as the Dutch release, featured an additional 'Digital Recording' logo on the cover sleeve. Original vinyl issues of the album came complete with a lyric insert, the background of which featured drawings of circuit boards. Around the lyrics of each song were sections of poetry written by

, which were not included on the album. The front cover features a photo by

Bob Carlos Clarke Robert Carlos Clarke (24 June 1950 – 25 March 2006) was a British-Irish photographer who made Erotic photography, erotic images of women as well as documentary, portrait, and commercial photography. Carlos Clarke produced six books during ...

reflected that ''The Changeling'' "wasn't easy to make, in fact it was the unhappiest of all the album experiences, but that doesn't mean it isn't a good album. Not everything has to come effortlessly for it to be right". "I was quite depressed at the time. (...) I was so angry and so anxious to get away from everything that ''The Changeling'' came out as quite a dark piece. (...) I was coming into the studio in very dark moods and incredibly emotional and I cried my way through that album, but in retrospect I think that it's quite a remarkable record". Similarly,

Phil Spalding Philip Trevor Spalding (19 November 1957 – 5 February 2023) was an English bass player. He was best known as a session musician and player of Fender Precision Bass guitars. He played and appeared with performing artists such as Mike Oldfiel ...

described it as "an album recorded with great challenges, difficulties and tensions, but a great album nonetheless and overall, my favourite Toyah band album". ''The Changeling'' placed at number 15 in the ''

Smash Hits ''Smash Hits'' was a British music magazine aimed at young adults, originally published by EMAP. It ran from 1978 to 2006, and, after initially appearing monthly, was issued fortnightly during most of that time. The name survived as a brand ...

'' readers' poll of the best albums of 1982.

Lyrical content

"Street Creature" was written during Toyah's journey from

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

. The singer explained that it is "a song about being on a street and being real. (...) I'm going back to my roots and nothing is gonna stop me from achieving my goals, doing what I believe in". "The Druids" tells about the ancient

druid A druid was a member of the high-ranking priestly class in ancient Celtic cultures. The druids were religious leaders as well as legal authorities, adjudicators, lorekeepers, medical professionals and political advisors. Druids left no wr ...

s. "What they used to do was strip off naked, they would paint themselves completely blue, (...) and they would have belts around their waists with the severed heads of their enemies on. And they would charge the

Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

. (...) They were known as the

shock troops Shock troops, assault troops, or storm troops are special formations created to lead military attacks. They are often better trained and equipped than other military units and are expected to take heavier casualties even in successful operations. ...

. They deliberately shocked their enemy and terrified their enemy," Toyah explained. "Angel & Me" was influenced by seeing

Jacob Epstein Sir Jacob Epstein (10 November 1880 – 21 August 1959) was an American and British sculptor who helped pioneer modern sculpture. He was born in the United States, and moved to Europe in 1902, becoming a British subject in 1910. Early in his ...

's sculpture ''The Archangel Lucifer'' in the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Referring to the line "Why do you always cry when you come to see me? I always die to see you smile", Toyah revealed that the person she is talking to is her mother: "I was in hospital and my mum visited me, she'd always start crying. I am now

lose to my mother Lose may refer to: * ''Lose'' (album), the third studio album by American indie rock band Cymbals Eat Guitars * "Lose" (song), by KSI and Lil Wayne, 2021 *"Lose", a song by Travis Scott from his 2016 album ''Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight'' *''L ...

I didn't use to be. I always loved her very much, but she had a weird way of loving me back. I can never remember kissing and cuddling mummy and daddy when I was small. But I love them both, my father is one of my heroes". Toyah has described "The Packt" as "a very dark song and it came from a very dark place. (...) It's often said within the deep, old, medieval scriptures of

Wicca Wicca (), also known as "The Craft", is a Modern paganism, modern pagan, syncretic, Earth religion, Earth-centred religion. Considered a new religious movement by Religious studies, scholars of religion, the path evolved from Western esote ...

and

witchcraft Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...

that when the end of the world comes you will see twin suns. So, I wanted to write something about this woman meeting the

Devil A devil is the mythical personification of evil as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. Jeffrey Burton Russell states that the different conce ...

and I wanted her to be a match for the Devil, (...) about using man's most sinister creation to fight the Devil back and that is kind of using the

atom bomb A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission or atomic bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions (thermonuclear weapon), producing a nuclear explo ...

to destroy the Devil. (...) It's about the power of femininity, it's about the Devil destroying femininity, but also I think it's quite a winning song, even though in the

middle eight The 32-bar form, also known as the AABA song form, American popular song form and the ballad form, is a song structure commonly found in Tin Pan Alley songs and other American popular music, especially in the first half of the 20th century. Th ...

the nuclear bomb goes off and skin melts from our bones. (...) We are not skin and bones, we are much more. And we go beyond the physical, we go beyond the body, and I believe we are eternal. And I think the Devil is fixated with the flesh. So, we can conquer the Devil eventually". Though unattributed in the credits of any release, "The Packt's" chorus lyrics: :: Along the shore :: The cloud waves break :: The twin suns sink behind the lake :: Strange is the night :: Now black stars rise :: And many moons circle :: Through the skies derive from "Cassilda’s Song" featured in the fictional play, “ The King in Yellow”, invented by American writer Robert W. Chambers in his 1895 book of the same name: :: Along the shore the cloud waves break, :: The twin suns sink behind the lake, :: The shadows lengthen :: In Carcosa :: Strange is the night where black stars rise, :: And strange moons circle through the skies, :: But stranger still is :: Lost Carcosa Discussing "Life in the Trees", Toyah said that she "wanted to write a song about the fact that nature is the all-seeing, all-controlling organism, (...) has the power to completely control and reinvent new species. (...) The

pecking order In the zoological field of ethology, a dominance hierarchy (formerly and colloquially called a pecking order) is a type of social hierarchy that arises when members of animal social groups interact, creating a ranking system. Different types o ...

within nature is exactly what we mirror within our interactive lives. (...) We had TV and we had huge corporates, such as

EMI EMI Group Limited (formerly EMI Group plc until 2007; originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At t ...

and

Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, record label * Decca Gold, classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, musical theater record label * Decca Studios, recording facility in West ...

, and they were all running our lives. It's just as dog eat dog as our normal lives are". "Run Wild, Run Free" is about "that 'break loose' moment when you realize if you don't cut ties you are never ever going to cope emotionally. (...) To survive and be the person you are you have to cut yourself free". The singer explained that the closing track "

" "is a sad love song, because I wrote most of it (...) after a tremendous row with my boyfriend. (...) I think everyone goes through the phase when they think no one in the world knows how hurt they are – experiencing a loneliness that no one knows, but everyone knows it".

Release and promotion

Released in June 1982, the album peaked at number 6 on the

UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is the United Kingdom's industry-recognised national record chart for album, albums. Entries are ranked by sales and audio streaming. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the O ...

and was certified silver in 1982 for selling more than 60,000 copies in the UK. It has spent twelve weeks on the UK charts. The album also charted in Norway, peaking at number 22. "

" was the only single taken from the album and was a Top 40 success in the UK. Although further single releases from the album were mooted, none appeared. Toyah promoted ''The Changeling'' with a 25-date concert tour which resulted in the live album '' Warrior Rock: Toyah on Tour''. In 2012, the singer embarked on two legs of the Changeling Resurrection Tour, commemorating the 30th anniversary of the album. ''The Changeling'' was re-released on CD in 1999 and included six bonus tracks, four of which were previously unavailable on CD, as well as the video for "

Thunder in the Mountains "Thunder in the Mountains" is a song by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released as a single in 1981 by Safari Records. It was one of Toyah's biggest hits, reaching number 4 in the UK chart. Background The song was w ...

". One of the bonus tracks was a completed out-take from the recording sessions named "Warrior Rock" which had also appeared as the B-side of the single "Brave New World". Another out-take entitled "Paradise Child" later surfaced on the

collectors album ''

Mayhem Mayhem most commonly refers to: * Mayhem (crime), a type of crime Mayhem may also refer to: People * Monica Mayhem (born 1978), Australian pornographic actress * Jason "Mayhem" Miller, American mixed martial arts fighter * Mayhem Miller (dr ...

''. A rarer version entitled "Silly Little Girls" using a similar music track but with alternative lyrics (featuring Toyah Willcox improvising 'mild obscenities'), appeared on preparatory demos for the album which have since surfaced on bootleg releases. Several other instrumental tracks from the same demo sessions have never been commercially used. In September 2023, ''The Changeling'' was re-issued by

Cherry Red Records Cherry Red Records is a British independent record label founded in Malvern, Worcestershire by Iain McNay in 1978. The label has released recordings by Dead Kennedys, Everything but the Girl, The Monochrome Set, and Felt, among others, as w ...

in an expanded 2 CD+DVD package, with previously unreleased demo versions.

Track listing

Original release

All songs by

and

Joel Bogen Joel Bogen (born 3 September 1958) is an English rock and punk guitarist. He worked with Toyah Willcox from the late 1970s to 1983 as the guitar player in her eponymous band and was the co-writer on nearly all of the material they recorded. B ...

, except where indicated. ;Side one # "Creepy Room" – 3:20 # "Street Creature" – 4:01 # "Castaways" – 3:57 # "The Druids" – 3:31 # "Angel & Me" – 4:47 ;Side two #

"The Packt" – 4:52 # "Life in the Trees" – 3:17 # "Dawn Chorus" (Willcox, Bogen,

) – 3:53 # "Run Wild, Run Free" – 4:02 # "

" – 5:31 ;1999 CD edition bonus tracks #

"Warrior Rock" (Willcox, Bogen, Spalding) – 3:30 #"

" (Willcox, Adrian Lee,

Nigel Glockler Nigel Glockler (born 24 January 1953) is an English musician, best known as the longtime drummer for the heavy metal band Saxon, which he first joined in 1981. Career Glockler began his musical career in 1978 as the drummer for the British band ...

) – 3:50 #"Voodoo Doll" (Willcox, Bogen, Spalding) – 4:00 #"Good Morning Universe" – 3:38 #"In the Fairground" – 3:14 #" Ieya 1982" (Willcox, Bogen, Pete Bush) – 3:48 ::"Thunder in the Mountains" (video) On the CD reissue, the ending of "Angel & Me" has been edited. After the song has faded out, the original vinyl version featured an echoed drum roll that resembled the sound of a door being locked – this is absent on the 1999 CD edition, but was restored on the subsequent pressing.

2023 expanded deluxe edition

;CD one # "Creepy Room" – 3:19 # "Street Creature" – 4:01 # "Castaways" – 3:57 # "The Druids" – 3:31 # "Angel & Me" – 5:04 # "The Packt" – 4:52 # "Life in the Trees" – 3:16 # "Dawn Chorus" – 3:53 # "Run Wild, Run Free" – 4:01 # "

" – 5:30 # "Warrior Rock" – 3:30 # "Paradise Child" – 2:37 # "Good Morning Universe" – 3:38 # "Urban Tribesmen" – 3:29 # "In the Fairground" – 3:19 # "The Furious Futures" – 3:26 # "Go Berserk (Tour Intro)" – 4:04 # "Stand Proud" – 4:02 # "Clapham Junction" – 2:59 # " I Want to Be Free" (Roundhouse Session) – 2:43 # "Dawn Chorus" (''6.55 Special'' Version) – 3:30 ;CD two :;Roundhouse Studios / Feb–June 1982 # "Creepy Room" (Work in Progress Mix) – 3:29 # "Street Creature" (Work in Progress Mix) – 4:25 # "Castaways" (Work in Progress Mix) – 4:07 # "The Druids" (Work in Progress Instrumental) – 3:19 # "Angel & Me" (Work in Progress Mix) – 4:04 # "The Packt" (Work in Progress Mix) – 4:00 # "Life in the Trees" (Work in Progress Mix) – 3:07 # "Dawn Chorus" (Work in Progress Mix) – 4:00 # "Run Wild, Run Free" (Work in Progress Mix) – 3:35 # "Brave New World" (Work in Progress Mix) – 6:05 # "Warrior Rock" (Work in Progress Instrumental) – 3:40 # "Paradise Child" (Instrumental Outtake) – 2:43 # "Untitled No. 12" (Instrumental Outtake) – 3:31 :;Joel's Portastudio Demos / Sept 1981 #

"Chariots" (Instrumental Home Demo) – 3:31 # "The Pied Piper" (Instrumental Home Demo) – 3:16 # "Roxy One" (Instrumental Home Demo) – 2:55 # "Talking to Seifert" (Instrumental Home Demo) – 2:32 # "Piano Ballad" (Instrumental Home Demo) – 3:10 # "Anger" (Instrumental Home Demo) – 4:11 # "Bus Station for Heroes" (Instrumental Home Demo) – 3:38 ;DVD :;Toyah Interviews 2023 # "Creating ''The Changeling''" # "Track by Track Commentary" :;Live & Unplugged 2018 #

"Good Morning Universe" # "Brave New World" # "Angel & Me" :;Promo Video #

"Brave New World" (Promo Video) # "Brave New World" (Outtake Footage) :;BBC Television Appearances #

"Good Morning Universe" (''

Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British record chart television programme, made by the BBC and broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show. For most of its histo ...

'') # "

It's a Mystery ''It's a Mystery'' is the fifteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Seger, released in 1995 (see 1995 in music). As with his prior album, it is credited to the Silver Bullet Band, though many of the tracks feature a wide array ...

" (''Top of the Pops Xmas Party'') # "I Want to Be Free" (''British Rock & Pop Awards 1981'') # "Brave New World" (''Get Set for Summer'') # "Street Creature" (''Get Set for Summer'') # "Castaways" (''Get Set for Summer'') # "Brave New World" (''

Cheggers Plays Pop ''Cheggers Plays Pop'' is a British children's game show broadcast on BBC1 BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's oldest and Flagship (broadcasting), flag ...

'') # "Dawn Chorus" ('' Nationwide'') # "Dawn Chorus" (''Pebble Mill 6.55 Special'') # "Ieya 1982" (''Pebble Mill 6.55 Special'') # "Street Creature" (''Three of a Kind'')

Personnel

;Band members *

– vocals and noises *

– guitar, additional keyboards, vocals *

Andy Clark Andy Clark, (born 1957) is a British philosopher who is Professor of Cognitive Philosophy at the University of Sussex. Prior to this, he was a professor of philosophy and Chair in Logic and Metaphysics at the University of Edinburgh in Scotla ...

– keyboards *

– bass, vocals * Simon Phillips – drums and percussion ;Additional musicians * Simon Darlow – additional keyboards * Nigel Bennett – backing vocals * Phil Smith, Vince Sullavan, Dave Lord – brass ;Production *

– producer * Mark Dearnley – engineer * Ashley Howe – additional engineering * Neil Hutchinson – assistant engineer, tape operator

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

External links

Official audio stream
on

YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...

The official Toyah website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Changeling, The 1982 albums Toyah (band) albums Albums produced by Steve Lillywhite