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Tomas David Hood
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The Way It Is
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The one song many people remember Bruce Hornsby by. Released in 1986 it became a hit full of political comentary... read the lyrics!
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Bruce Hornsby & The Range
Bruce Hornsby & The Range
The Way It Is
Sat Jul 12, 2008
Rock : Cover Songs
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» highest in sub-genre:   # 123   (9,060 songs currently listed in Rock > Cover Songs)
About the song
Basically the American Civil Rights Movement, though some contend that the song references the Economic Opportunities Act of 1964... take your pick, either way it makes for an excellent song and as such it stuck a nerve in me when I listened to it for the first time more than 20 years ago. A Classic!
Lyrics
Standing in line marking time--
Waiting for the welfare dime
'Cause they can't buy a job
The man in the silk suit hurries by
As he catches the poor old ladies' eyes
Just for fun he says "Get a job"

That's just the way it is
Some things will never change
That's just the way it is
But don't you believe them

They say hey little boy you can't go
Where the others go
'Cause you don't look like they do
Said hey old man how can you stand
To think that way
Did you really think about it
Before you made the rules
He said, Son

That's just the way it is
Some things will never change
That's just the way it is
But don't you believe them

Well they passed a law in '64
To give those who ain't got a little more
But it only goes so far
Because the law won't change another's mind
When all it sees at the hiring time
Is the line on the color bar

That's just the way it is
Some things will never change
That's just the way it is
But don't you believe them...