Charles Bradley Gives Black Sabbath's "Changes" a Soulful Makeover in New Music Video
Soul singer Charles Bradley, 67, has released an emotional new music video for his powerful cover of Black Sabbath‘s “Changes.”
If Bradley's version sounds slightly familiar, it might be because we posted it when it was originally released for Record Store Day in 2013.
According to Rolling Stone, director Eric Feigenbaum initially planned on making a standard performance video for the song, but considering Bradley’s intense connection to the composition, which is credited to all four original members of Black Sabbath, he opted to film Bradley’s face as he listened and responded to the track.
“We only did that once,” Feigenbaum is quoted as saying. “By the end of the take, everybody in the room was holding back tears.”
“I think about the lyrics very closely when I sing ‘Changes’ and get emotional,” Bradley said in a statement. “It makes me think of my mother and the changes in my life since she passed away.”
The original version of the song appeared on Black Sabbath's Vol. 4, which was released in 1972.
“Changes,” which is available now, will serve as the title track from Bradley's new album, which is expected to be released April 1.
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Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
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