That’s Just the Way It Is Lyrics
All day long, he was fighting for you
And he didn't even know your name
Young men come and young men go
But life goes on just the same
[Pre-Chorus: Phil Collins & David Crosby, Phil Collins]
And I don't know why, why do we keep holding on
I don't know why, pretending to be, oh, so strong
Oh, why, is there something I don't know?
Or something very wrong, with you and me, or maybe
[Chorus: Phil Collins]
That's the way it is
That's the way it is
[Verse 2: Phil Collins, Phil Collins & David Crosby]
They've been waiting for word to come down
They've been waiting for you night and day
They won't wait any longer for you
It may already be too late
[Pre-Chorus: Phil Collins & David Crosby, Phil Collins]
And I don't know why, why do we keep holding on
I don't know why, pretending to be, oh, so strong
Oh, why, is there something I don't know?
Or something very wrong, with you and me, or maybe
That's the way it is
That's just the way it is
[Bridge: Phil Collins & David Crosby]
You see the dying, you feel the pain
What have you got to say
If we agree that we can disagree
We could stop all of this today
[Verse 3: Phil Collins, Phil Collins & David Crosby]
It's been your life for as long as you can remember
But you cannot fight no more
You must want to look your son in the eyes
When he asks you what you did it for
[Verse 1: Phil Collins, Phil Collins & David Crosby]
'Cause all day long, he was fighting for you
And he didn't even know your name
Young men come and young men go
But life goes on just the same
[Pre-Chorus: Phil Collins & David Crosby, Phil Collins]
And I don't know why, why do we keep holding on
I don't know why, pretending to be, oh, so strong
Oh, why, is there something I don't know?
Or something very wrong, with you and me, or maybe
That's the way it is (That's the way)
There's nothing I can do, that's just the way it is (That's the way)
Oh (That's the way)
Well, that's just the way it is (That's the way)
That's just the way it is (That's the way)
There's nothing I can do (That's the way)
That's just the way it is (That's the way)
That's just the way it is (That's the way)
(That's the way)
(That's the way)
(That's the way)
About
“That’s Just The Way It Is” is an anti-war ballad, about the conflict in Northern Ireland.
The song reached #26 in the UK Singles Chart.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
Phil Collins said, in an interview:
“It’s about Northern Ireland as far as I am concerned. Which in England we are used to it all the time, I mean Ireland of course, it’s on the doorstep but everywhere else in the world it’s… just another news report, but if you are living in England and you just sort of constantly hear of people getting blown to smithereens because this thing that’s been going on for the last twenty—but also for a lot longer in Ireland, it’s only just come to the front in the last twenty years. You see newsreels of kids throwing petrol bombs because their brothers throw them and then their dads throw them and their dad’s dad and it’s just bred, inbred, now this violence and I just thought someone somewhere, and it’s got to be from both sides, has got to say ‘Hang on, life means more than this. This has got to stop.’”
- 2.That’s Just the Way It Is
- 5.Colours
- 11.Father to Son
