The Way It Is
Bruce Hornsby and the Range
A few years ago, my mom introduced me to Bruce Hornsby when she asked me to learn how to play “The Way It Is” on piano. Well, a few weeks ago, I got bored and finally learned it; then, shortly after, I found a copy of the album at a thrift store (for $0.50!).
What sticks out to me the most about this album is the “strong sense of place” that Hornsby describes in this interview; every track has descriptive, evocative lyrics. Besides that, the music is easy to listen to casually.
Favorite tracks (excluding “The Way It Is”): “Every Little Kiss,” “Mandolin Rain,” and “The Red Plains.”
Random notes:
- Bruce’s brother, John Hornsby, who co-wrote many of the tracks on this album, wrote posts explaining each song’s conceptions and lyrics on bruuuce.com that I enjoyed reading
- Five of the nine tracks on this album start with “The,” and seven of nine contain “the”
- This is the third album in a row I’ve listened to that starts with a “T”… it’s unintentional, but it’s time to change it up.