As the song progresses it's as if the narrator is becoming too tired to finish a phrase, leaving a pregnant pause before dropping the final words—but, then again, Dylan may also be adopting a trick performed by Sinatra when stretching lines and hesitating before singing the final word or phrase". Henley added: “I was driving around one day, and I’d never heard it before, and I thought to myself, ‘Wow, somebody is really doin’ a good Bob Dylan. A live version from Portsmouth, England was included on the live album Live 1961–2000: Thirty-Nine Years of Great Concert Performances.

It was also anthologized on the compilation albums The Essential Bob Dylan in 2000, [4] The Best of Bob Dylan in 2005 [5] and Dylan in 2007. Who was written off as a has-been by the end of the '80s and who suddenly shifted gears, releasing some of the strongest music of his career beginning in the late '90s. His original song for the film earned him an Academy Award and accrued acclaim on account of its lyrics, which combine poetry and introspection to explore themes of change, disillusionment, and uncertainty. According to Olof Björner, "Things Have Changed" was recorded in May 1999 at Sterling Sound studios in New York. In truth, ‘Things Have Changed’ is often considered one of Dylan’s later-period gems, and rightly so.

The song was inspired by a meeting with country musician Marty Stuart and Stuart's song "The Observations of a Crow" from the concept album The Pilgrim. Sources agree the musicians who accompanied Dylan in the studio were his touring band at the time: Charlie Sexton and Larry Campbell on guitar, Tony Garnier on bass and David Kemper on drums and percussion. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience.

In his awards speech, broadcast from Sydney, Dylan said: "I want to thank the members of the Academy who were bold enough to give me this award for this song, which obviously is a song that doesn't pussyfoot around nor turn a blind eye to human nature". Lynch referenced the song for a second time on his June 1, 2021, weather report: "Today I was thinking about Bob Dylan and his song 'Things Have Changed'". De Graaf notes the images of "the last train", "all hell may break loose", "standing on the gallows with my head in a noose", all contributing to a sense of impending Armageddon: "the last battle of the end times when all powers from hell will explode in one final outburst of violence". I knew it was in the movie "Wonder Boys," which I watched last night (The movie is OK - the song is the best part).

When reflecting on iconic songs, it’s common to assume that their creation was a painstaking process, with artists meticulously refining lyrics and arrangements over an extended period until the whole thing is near-perfect. These themes align with Dylan’s recurrent motifs and offer a poignant reflection on personal experiences, seamlessly integrating into the context of Wonder Boys. Clinton Heylin has written that "Things Have Changed" demonstrates a close knowledge of the film Wonder Boys, for which it was written.

As of December 8, 2019, the date of its most recent outing, Dylan has performed the song 1,060 times.Dylan also made a surprise televised appearance to perform the song at the American Film Institute Awards 2009 where Wonder Boys star Michael Douglas received the Lifetime Achievement award. Dylan narrated and starred in the commercial, saying "When it's made here, it's made with the one thing you can't import from anywhere else—American pride . Numerous artists have ventured into the realm of film soundtracks, yet when Bob Dylan was tapped to compose for Wonder Boys, it was a real game changer. Things Have Changed" is a song from the film Wonder Boys, written and performed by Bob Dylan [1] and released as a single on May 1, 2000, that won both the Academy Award for Best Original Song [2] and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. Willoughby, Sydney, New South Wales, 25 March 2001, Taping for the Oscar Awards Ceremony in Los Angeles, California".