The Way It Is (song)

Infobox Single
Name = The Way It Is
Type = Single
Artist = Bruce Hornsby and the Range
from Album = The Way It Is
B-side = "The Red Plains"


Released 1986
Genre = Piano Rock , Adult Contemporary
Length = 4:55
Label = RCA Records
Writer = Bruce Hornsby
Producer = Elliot Scheiner
Last single = "Every Little Kiss" (1986)
This single = "The Way It Is" (1986)
Next single = "On the Western Skyline" (1986)

"The Way It Is" is a hit song by Bruce Hornsby and the Range from their 1986 album "The Way It Is". It topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1986. Written by Bruce Hornsby, it made explicit reference to the American Civil Rights Movement. This song was sampled by Tupac Shakur in his song, "Changes."

Usage as theme music

In the UK, a version of the tune is used as the theme song to the BBC 1 daytime program "City Hospital" and a crudely edited 'loop' of the final instrumental section was also used as background music the BBC's sports programme "Grandstand" in the late 1980s, where it was played while the presenter ran down the football league tables at the end of the programme. Indeed in the UK (where the song only reached no. 15 in the charts), the song was possibly more well-known for its regular appearances on "Grandstand" than for its appearance in the charts. The song was also featured in Australia as the background theme of the Nine network's weekend news sports wrap up as well as during AFL Football telecasts in the 1990s. In this case, the song was used as a background theme while other weekly match results appeared on screen.

In the 1990s and 2000s, "The Way It Is" has been used as the theme music for Sean Hannity's syndicated radio talk show.

Cover versions

*In 1996, "The Way It Is" was sampled in Tupac Shakur's hit song "Changes", which was released in 1998.
*In 2007, the song was sampled in a song by Emily King called "Alright", from her album "East Side Story".
*In 2008, a modified version of the piano chorus was used throughout the song "Can't Say Goodbye" by Snoop Dogg and Charlie Wilson, which appears on the album "Ego Trippin'".

Chart performance

References