31:
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Hornsby's brother John said, "The song is mainly about compassion, about understanding racial and social types, and beliefs and practices that are different from your own. It's about a status quo that's so complacent in its narrow-mindedness and bigotry that it seems it'll never change. That's why
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the line 'Ah, but don’t you believe them' is so important." "The Way It Is" evokes people to give to the poor and to protest against racial segregation, white supremacy and economic value.
230:. The song topped the charts in the US, Canada and the Netherlands in 1986, and peaked inside the top twenty in such countries as Australia, Ireland, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
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Bruce
Hornsby & The Range's "The Way It Is," the gentle and florid soft-rock jam, is unambiguously a song about racism...
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245:. Musically, the song is characterized by two long piano solos. The song has been sampled by various rappers such as
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as a victory in the civil rights movement against job discrimination, but insists that more is needed.
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743:) writes a school song entitled "The Way It Goes", an unwitting rip-off of "The Way It Is".
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An adapted version of "The Way It Is" was used in the United
Kingdom as the theme tune for
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The opening verse recounts a story taking place at a line for welfare that illustrates a
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224:. It was released in July 1986 as the second single from their debut album,
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Offiziellecharts.de – Bruce
Hornsby and the Range – The Way It Is"
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1426:"British single certifications – Bruce Hornsby – The Way It Is"
798:"The Number Ones: Bruce Hornsby & The Range's "The Way It Is"
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The Irish Charts – Search
Results – Bruce Hornsby and the Range"
266:
1414:. Vol. 99, no. 52. December 26, 1987. p. Y-22.
1324:. Vol. 3, no. 51/52. December 27, 1986. p. 29.
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in 1964 "to give those who ain't got a little more", and the
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1000:. Vol. 3, no. 38. September 27, 1986. p. 12.
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1083:(in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE.
888:
E-40 - Things'll Never Change (Official Video) ft. Bo-Rock
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The song was used for many years in the United
Kingdom on
829:"Every No. 1 song of the 1980s ranked from worst to best"
1410:"1987 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles".
702:
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
241:, also known as the 1964 Poverty Act, as well as the
857:"Against the Grain: An Interview with Bruce Hornsby"
614:
1987 year-end chart performance for "The Way It Is"
555:
1986 year-end chart performance for "The Way It Is"
1485:"City Hospital Opening Sequence 2nd September 2004"
1146:"Bruce Hornsby And The Range: Artist Chart History"
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289:. The final verse recounts the passage of the
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320:Weekly chart performance for "The Way It Is"
1130:Bruce Hornsby And The Range – The Way It Is"
1063:Bruce Hornsby And The Range – The Way It Is"
1046:Bruce Hornsby And The Range – The Way It Is"
955:Bruce Hornsby and the Range – The Way It Is"
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16:1986 single by Bruce Hornsby and the Range
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933:. Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W.
1399:– via Library and Archives Canada.
763:Civil rights movement in popular culture
1452:"City Hospital Credits BBC1 29/10/1999"
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1806:
1497:from the original on December 13, 2021
1465:from the original on December 13, 2021
1079:Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005).
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1829:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
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309:
237:, it made explicit reference to the
666:Certifications for "The Way It Is"
220:" is a song by American rock group
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1849:RPM Top Singles number-one singles
1029:Nederlandse Top 40 – week 38, 1986
588:Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)
549:
14:
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1859:Songs about racism and xenophobia
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1081:Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002
796:Breihan, Tom (January 22, 2021).
660:
265:for his song "Never Change", and
35:UK & European picture sleeves
1656:Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby
1516:Evans, Bradford (May 15, 2014).
1336:"Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1986"
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283:divide between the rich and poor
1864:Songs based on American history
1839:Dutch Top 40 number-one singles
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1361:"Jaaroverzichten – Single 1986"
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931:Australian Chart Book 1970–1992
855:Metzger, John (November 2000).
827:Smith, Troy L. (May 13, 2021).
739:", Pierce Hawthorne (played by
568:Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)
1105:"SA Charts 1965 – 1989 Acts H"
1052:. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
1018:. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
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1:
1430:British Phonographic Industry
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752:in the league tables segment.
604:Netherlands (Single Top 100)
1320:"Hot 100 of the Year 1986".
994:"European Hot 100 Singles".
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1307:Library and Archives Canada
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972:Top RPM Singles: Issue 0759
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596:Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)
222:Bruce Hornsby and the Range
175:Bruce Hornsby and the Range
46:Bruce Hornsby and the Range
10:
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1834:Cashbox number-one singles
1635:Here Come The Noise Makers
1523:Jokes You May Have Missed"
909:"The Way It Is wiki entry"
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79:September 1986 (worldwide)
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1776:Intersections (1985–2005)
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1600:Scenes from the Southside
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1218:"Mainstream Rock Airplay"
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1737:The End of the Innocence
1677:Bride of the Noisemakers
1386:"Top 100 Singles of '87"
1290:"Top 100 Singles of '86"
1252:GfK Entertainment charts
375:European Hot 100 Singles
295:Civil Rights Act of 1964
291:Economic Opportunity Act
243:Civil Rights Act of 1964
239:Economic Opportunity Act
1150:Official Charts Company
1265:"Jaaroverzichten 1986"
536:Official German Charts
251:Things'll Never Change
737:Advanced Criminal Law
1191:"Adult Contemporary"
627:Canada Top Singles (
576:Canada Top Singles (
359:Canada Top Singles (
1854:Songs about poverty
1844:RCA Records singles
1824:Bruce Hornsby songs
1769:Greatest Radio Hits
1607:A Night on the Town
1171:. December 13, 1986
1134:Swiss Singles Chart
1016:Irish Singles Chart
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459:Schweizer Hitparade
321:
69:"The Wild Frontier"
1761:Compilation albums
1225:. November 8, 1986
1197:. December 6, 1986
1163:"Billboard Hot 10"
711:In popular culture
665:
613:
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500:Adult Contemporary
325:Chart (1986–1987)
319:
287:racial segregation
271:Wishing for a Hero
177:singles chronology
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1702:Every Little Kiss
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188:Every Little Kiss
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166:Bruce Hornsby,
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52:from the album
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24:"The Way It Is"
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1819:1986 singles
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1649:Halcyon Days
1647:
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1628:Spirit Trail
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1363:(in Dutch).
1355:
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1340:Dutch Top 40
1338:(in Dutch).
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1305:– via
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1267:(in Dutch).
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1229:November 14,
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1033:Dutch Top 40
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1793:Discography
1395:October 20,
1370:October 20,
1345:October 20,
1301:October 20,
1274:October 20,
1248:(in German)
1114:October 20,
959:Ultratop 50
927:Kent, David
913:Bruuuce.com
840:January 30,
783:"UK charts"
741:Chevy Chase
349:Ultratop 50
335:Australia (
273:" in 2020.
233:Written by
161:Producer(s)
1814:1986 songs
1808:Categories
1365:MegaCharts
1109:rock.co.za
769:References
749:Grandstand
470:UK Singles
351:Flanders)
263:Don Diablo
89:Studio D (
1621:Hot House
1535:April 11,
1521:Community
1435:March 24,
1412:Billboard
1223:Billboard
1195:Billboard
1168:Billboard
803:Stereogum
735:episode "
732:Community
641:Billboard
622:Position
563:Position
523:Billboard
505:Billboard
487:Billboard
385:Ireland (
347:Belgium (
330:position
259:"Changes"
106:Soft rock
91:Sausalito
1670:Levitate
1495:Archived
1463:Archived
1269:Ultratop
929:(1993).
757:See also
695:400,000
643:Hot 100
373:Europe (
261:, by DJ
74:Released
1529:Vulture
1490:YouTube
1458:YouTube
729:In the
718:BBC One
680:/sales
671:Region
489:Hot 100
433:Spain (
277:Content
206:(1986)
201:(1986)
192:(1986)
1585:Albums
1501:May 7,
1469:May 7,
1087:
937:
871:May 4,
652:
305:Charts
267:Polo G
253:", by
119:Length
85:Studio
64:B-side
42:Single
1694:Songs
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692:Gold
435:AFYVE
269:for "
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136:Label
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1537:2021
1519:"29
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1397:2022
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1347:2022
1303:2022
1276:2022
1231:2023
1203:2023
1177:2023
1116:2022
1085:ISBN
961:.
935:ISBN
896:2021
873:2007
867:(11)
842:2023
811:2023
387:IRMA
328:Peak
257:for
247:E-40
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639:US
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516:US
498:US
484:US
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474:OCC
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362:RPM
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141:RCA
111:pop
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