"The Way It Is" as written by and Bruce Hornsby....
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
Ah, but don't you believe them
Said, 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
Ah, but don't you believe them"
Oh yeah
(That's just the way it is)
(That's just the way it is) 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 don't change another's mind
When all it sees at the hiring time
Is the line on the color bar, no, no
That's just the way it is
And some things will never change
That's just the way it is
That's just the way it is, it is, it is, it is
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
Ah, but don't you believe them
Said, 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
Ah, but don't you believe them"
Oh yeah
(That's just the way it is)
(That's just the way it is) 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 don't change another's mind
When all it sees at the hiring time
Is the line on the color bar, no, no
That's just the way it is
And some things will never change
That's just the way it is
That's just the way it is, it is, it is, it is
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"That's just the way it is,
Somethings will never change"
Makes me feel better to just accept it and move on because I can't change them.
When all it sees at the hiring time
Is the line on the color bar"
I always took this to literally mean what is in the line Race (in the past seen as 'Color') blank on a Job Application. Line=Bar.
Peace
"Said hey little boy
you can't go where the others go
'Cuz you don't look like they do
Said hey old man
How can you stand to think that way
And 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
Ah, but dont you believe them"
I believe this is a poor black man talking to his son saying he can't do this or that, but also saying that he really can if he tries..
To give those who ain't got a little more
But it only goes so far..."
I think this could also hold a double meaning and references The Food Stamp Act of 1964.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…