1578 - Ten Years After I'd Love To Change The World 1971

"I'd Love to Change the World" is a song by the British blues rock band Ten Years After. Written by Alvin Lee, it is the lead single from the band's 1971 album "A Space in Time". written and sung by Alvin Lee. The song reflects the widespread confusion concerning world events in the timeframe when it was written. With lyrics such as "Tax the rich, feed the poor/ 'til there are no rich no more," one interpretation is that the song is an ironic commentary on the standard countercultural position on social issues. Billy Walker of Sounds wrote that the "Acoustic guitar, echoing vocals and electric guitar build up the tempo with very good cool electric passages by Alvin Lee, and while there's nothing new developing it's a very nice track." Matthew Greenwald of Allmusic highlighted Lee's guitar work as the "most expressive -- and most tasteful -- electric guitar performance of his career," and added "if there is a single song that can describe the overall vibe of the counterculture in 1969/1970, this may very well be it. The band and Lee never quite matched the song's supple power in their later efforts, but this song is representation enough of their awesome artistry.