Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 11, 2026

Roll with the Changes

"Roll with the Changes" is a song written by Kevin Cronin that was released on REO Speedwagon's 1978 album You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish. It was also released as the lead single from the album and reached number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Last revised
Jul 11, 2026
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"Roll with the Changes"
Single by REO Speedwagon
from the album You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish
B-side"The Unidentified Flying Tuna Trot"
ReleasedMay 1978
Recorded1977-1978
GenreRock
Length3:49
LabelEpic
SongwriterKevin Cronin
ProducersKevin Cronin, Gary Richrath, Paul Grupp
REO Speedwagon singles chronology
"Ridin' the Storm Out (live)"
(1977) 		"Roll with the Changes"
(1978) 		"Time for Me to Fly"
(1978)

"Roll with the Changes" is a song written by Kevin Cronin that was released on REO Speedwagon's 1978 album You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish. It was also released as the lead single from the album and reached number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Background

Cronin wrote "Roll with the Changes" after the release of REO Speedwagon's 1976 album R.E.O., for which Cronin had rejoined the band after a four year absence.12 He was inspired by a trip he took when the band moved from Illinois to California.1 He said that "I’m just driving along and started singing to myself, 'keep on rollin', keep on rollin', roll with the changes...' I didn't realize I was doing it, and I was like, 'Oh, wow, this is cool,' and some lyrics started coming to me and the next thing I know I’m steering with my knees."1 He eventually pulled over and wrote down the lyrics.12 He said that the song was autobiographical in the sense that "not only geographically but personally, emotionally I was rolling with the changes right about then."1

When Cronin first presented the song to REO Speedwagon guitarist Gary Richrath he was concerned that the song didn't have a chorus, but Richrath felt that it did.1 On Christmas Day 1977 while the rest of the band took the day off, Richrath recorded electric guitar solos that were used as fills between verses and for the intro and outro.13 Cronin added an acoustic rhythm guitar part that engineer Paul Grupp recorded to sound like a percussion instrument.3

Cronin developed a piano part based on arpegiated chords and Cronin and keyboardist Neal Doughty developed a Hammond organ solo.1 Stephen Stills remarked that the organ solo had a vibe similar to his own song "Love the One You're With", and Cronin has acknowledged that Still's song was probably an unconscious influence.1 Grupp said of the organ solo "We also realized, it would allow something magical to happen if Neal would hold one note, and play a solo around that. That note would drop in volume as the other notes hit, and then come back in volume as the other notes released, so it would intermodulate with them."3

Reception

Cash Box reviewed the single, saying that it "opens with a flowing piano riff that quickly develops into a dynamic, well-structured tune propelled by electrifying guitar licks."4 Billboard recommended the single.5 Allmusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine described it as REO Speedwagon's "first big anthem".6 The single peaked at number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100.7 It did better on the Cash Box Top 100, reaching number 48.8 In Canada it peaked at number 65.9 Ultimate Classic Rock critic Matt Wardlaw rated it as REO Speedwagon's all-time 4th best song.10

"Roll with the Changes" was included on several REO Speedwagon compilation albums, including The Hits in 1988 and The Essential REO Speedwagon in 2004.116 It was also included on the live album Arch Allies: Live at Riverport.12

"Roll with the Changes" was included in the soundtracks for the 2011 film The Cabin in the Woods and for the 2013 film Jobs.213 It was also used in episodes of the TV shows The Neighborhood and For All Mankind (TV series).2 It was one of the songs played at the celebration in Chicago for Barack Obama's 2012 United States presidential election victory.3

References

References

  1. Graff, Gary (April 29, 2023). "How a road trip inspired REO Speedwagon's 'Roll with the Changes'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2026-06-12.
  2. Romag, James (2023). REO Speedwagon: Every Album, Every Song. Sonicbond. ISBN 9781789522624.
  3. Schultz, Barbara (May 22, 2026). "Classic Tracks: REO Speedwagon's "Roll With the Changes"". Mix. Retrieved 2026-06-12.
  4. "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. May 6, 1978. p. 18. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  5. "Billboard's Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. May 6, 1978. p. 96. Retrieved 2026-06-12.
  6. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Essential REO Speedwagon". Allmusic. Retrieved 2026-06-12.
  7. "REO Speedwagon: Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 2026-06-12.
  8. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. June 24, 1978. p. 4. Retrieved 2026-06-12.
  9. "RPM Weekly". Library and Archives Canada. June 24, 1978. Retrieved 2026-06-12.
  10. Wardlaw, Matt (October 6, 2013). "Top 10 REO Speedwagon Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  11. Weber, Barry. "The Hits". Allmusic. Retrieved 2026-06-12.
  12. "Arch Allies: Live at Riverport". Allmusic. Retrieved 2026-06-12.
  13. Cotter, Padraig (May 6, 2020). "Cabin In The Woods Soundtrack: Every Song In The Movie". Screen Rant. Retrieved 2026-06-12.