I want changes!

In the recording participated:

• Victor Tsoi - vocals, rhythm guitar
• Yuri Kasparyan - guitar
• Igor Tikhomirov - bass
• Georgy Guryanov - drums

The broad Soviet public first heard the song “Change!” In 1987 , when its early version entered the final scene of the full-length film ACCA , directed by Sergei Solovyov .

When searching for musicians to record in the final scene of the movie Assa, Sergei Solovyov initially rejected Viktor Tsoi's candidacy, as he seemed inconspicuous to the director. But Sergey Bugaev advised the director to go to a concert at which Choi impressed Solovyov, after which he was approved for the shooting. Solovyov heard the song “Changes” at this concert and agreed with Tsoi that the song should not be performed before the film was released ^[3] .

Two years after the release of Assy, the song was rewritten for the album “ The Last Hero ” ( 1989 ).

In 2005, the song was used in the soundtrack for Sergei Loban 's underground film “ Dust ”. Against the background of the closing credits, she is performed by the actor of the Moscow show of the Cinematograph Theater Alexei Znamensky , and does it in sign language .

In a 2011 interview, Sergey Solovyov expressed his opinion about the song, which has changed since the release of the film:

In addition, life has shown that with the song "I want changes," a very suspicious story. Because I myself waved my hands in that ten thousandth crowd in Gorky Park. And in this crowd - I am ready to give a blood voucher - not one knew what kind of changes he wanted, and not one really wanted them. It so happened that I, with the first "Assa", believe it or not, served as such a goat provocateur. That is, it is not easy, of course, to yell: “Change!”, Not knowing what exactly you want. Moreover, the changes eventually happened, but they are completely the property of Kadysheva .

- Sergey Solovyov “It’s not an easy task to yell:“ Change! ”, Not knowing exactly what you want” ^[4]

According to Viktor Tsoi, at some point this song began to be perceived by listeners “as a newspaper article about perestroika, ” although when writing it, the author did not think about “sensational revelations” or about reforms: “Of course, this is not very good, but I think and I hope that in the end everything will fall into place ” ^[5] . Nevertheless, the writer Alexander Zhitinsky argued that “in the context of the era” the content of the song was perceived by the audience precisely as a requirement of social transformations, and thematically it was associated with another composition of the Kino group - “We will continue to act” ^[6] .

People who sing this song at rallies evoke jokes and laughter from the musicians. Not more. “Change” was not written for the crowd. Not for the herd. The pronoun “ours” used in the text refers to a very narrow circle of people. The closest, with whom, perhaps, you sit next to the kitchen every night.

- Georgy Kasparyan

The changes Viktor sang about are not changes in the political system. <...> This is a much deeper change within itself, about which all the artists of the world sang, wrote, painted, sculpted.

- Alexey Rybin, Rain

In Russia

• The song became a kind of anthem of the times of Perestroika .

According to the version of M. S. Gorbachev , on March 10, 1985 , on the day of the death of K. U. Chernenko , he called A. A. Gromyko and said that Choi sings “We Require Changes” at concerts. Gromyko replied that he agreed with the assessment of the situation and for initiating changes. ^[7]

• In 2007, the song was used in the campaign clip of the Union of Right Forces .
• On December 13, 2008, the congress of the SDD “Solidarity” officially accepted this song as a hymn of the movement ^[8] .

In Belarus

• In 2011, the song began to be used by participants in the series of civil protests in Belarus, " Revolution through social networks ." On July 3, 2011, during a “Silent Action” on Railway Station Square, a married couple drove up to the railway station in a black Mercedes car with tinted windows. Young people turned on Viktor Tsoi ’s song “Change!” At full volume and listened to it while sitting in their car. A traffic policeman on duty approached the car, then a patrol car and a tow truck pulled up. People in civilian clothes took out a young male passenger and, using physical force, put him in a minibus parked nearby, and a traffic policeman got behind the wheel of a Mercedes. The court gave the man 10 days (unofficial information), his wife is free. They were also fined for improper parking, and the car was driven to a parking lot ^[9] .

On July 13, 2011, the protesters were going to use mobile phones, which should ring at exactly 20:00 in many Belarusian cities. On the melody of the alarm clock, it was decided to put Victor Tsoi 's song “Change!” ^[10] . As soon as the protesters rang the telephones rang, security officers began to use physical force against many of them and put them in “autoruns”. All detainees were charged with petty hooliganism and disobedience to the requirements of the authorities, and some also for public obscene abuse in a public place ^[11] . Moreover, in all cases, police officers were witnesses ^[12] . Some of the detainees underwent administrative arrests for a period of 3 to 15 days, some were fined ^[11] . Motorists passing by were signaled in support of the protesters; Viktor Tsoi’s song “Change!” Sounded from many cars. ^[13]

After these events, the song got into the list of songs and expressions that should not be broadcast on the Belarusian Radio . Within a month before the ban, the popularity of the song on the radio began to increase sharply, and it was ordered more often ^{[14] [15] [16] [17]} .

• The song was included in the 1998 remake album " Techno-Choi " of the group " Inspector ".
• In 2000, the group " Multfilmy " recorded a cover version of the song for the album " KINOproby ".
• In 2006, a cover version was recorded by Nadezhda Kadysheva . A song called “Waiting for a Change” was included in the collection “ Russian Album ” as a bonus track.
• In 2010, Dino MC 47 recorded a cover version of the song for the album by Viktor Tsoi in memory of “ Cinema Tests. Rap Tribute . "
• In 2011, the Beasts group recorded the song “Change!”, Which was included in the album “Muses” .
• In 2013, Louna, as part of a live album, released a cover version of "Change!"
• At the end of 2013, the Ukrainian group S.K.A.Y. ”Recorded the Ukrainian version of the song, entitled“ Mi pragnemo zmіn! ”, Dedicated to the events on the Independence Square , a promo clip was also presented ^[18] .
• On January 1, 2016, the Russian group FIZICA recorded a studio symphonic metal cover of "We Are Waiting for Changes", which was included in the album "Anna". ^[nineteen]

• The song "Change" on the site "Time Z" (neopr.) . project “Rock songs: interpretation” (history, interviews, comments). Date of appeal April 15, 2014.