The way it is　Bruce Hornsby & The Range

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 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 (*)

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

人生就是这样　布鲁斯宏斯比 & 方位合唱团

站在停滞不前的队伍中
等着领取救济金
因为他们都找不到工作
一位身穿丝质西装的男士匆匆走过
当他和贫穷妇人四目相望
他开玩笑的说：「去找个工作吧！」

人生就是这样
有些事情永远不会改变
人生就是这样
难道你不相信

他们说：小男孩，你不能和别人一起去
因为你和他们不一样
难道说你真的能忍受那样的想法
你真的好好想过吗？
在你们制定规则以前
他说：孩子........

他们在 1964 年通过了法案
以帮助那些收入不多的人们
但也只能做到这样
因为法律改变不了人们的心中的想法
在决定雇用与否的时候尤其明显：
因为肤色差异所产生的那条界线

　 布鲁斯宏斯比精采的钢琴演奏贯穿整首曲子，是" The way it is "的聆听重点，另外则是歌词中描写美国社会普遍存在的歧视现象。词中提到1964年通过的法令，是指民权法案( Civil Rights Act )，其第六章中明文规定公共场合、政府机关和职业场所等，不得有任何种族、肤色与国籍的歧视。