Messina debuted in 1996 with the single "Heads Carolina, Tails California". Her album was certifified Gold by the RIAA. Her second album, I'm Alright produced five Top 10 Country hits between 1998 in 1999 and sold over a million copies in America. Since her debut, six of her singles have peaked at #1 on the Billboard Country singles chart and five of her albums have received a certification by the RIAA or the CRIA.
She was raised in Holliston, Massachusetts, by Vincent and Mary Messina, and had two sisters, Terese and Marianne, as well as a brother named Vincent. Messina had a variety of Country music influences, which included Patsy Cline, Reba McEntire, and The Judds. She soon started performing live, and by age 16 she was playing local clubs with a rhythm section made up of her brother and sister. The family band played up until Messina was in her late teens.
Realizing that living in the Northeast would limit her chances of achieving Country music stardom, Messina moved to Nashville at age 19. To support herself, Messina worked various temp jobs, including computer programming and accounting. In her spare time, she entered talent contests around Nashville.
One win led to a regular gig on the radio show Live at Libby's, which in turn caught the interest of producer Byron Gallimore, who helped her assemble a demo tape. Gallimore was also working with the young Tim McGraw around the same time, and Messina befriended him. Backstage at one of his concerts, Messina met an executive from his label, Curb, and jokingly suggested that they needed a redhead. With the help of fellow Curb producer James Stroud, Messina was then signed to the record label. Gallimore and McGraw would later become co-producers of Messina's studio albums under Curb.
In 2022, Cole Swindell had a major hit with a remake of "Heads Carolina, Tails California" entitled "She Had Me At Heads Carolina." In the music video, Jo Dee plays a small part as the bartender in a Karaoke bar.
That's the Way
Jo Dee Messina Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On the merry-go-round that we call life
Take your drive on cruise control
Then you wait to find it's a winding road
I had my dreams in view
When the money ran out and the engine blew
Hung my tears out to dry
And I, I was walkin' the clouds
Feelin' so safe and sound
Then somethin' else knocks me down
Well, oh, that's the way it is (that's the way it is)
You gotta roll with the punches
That's the way it goes (that's the way it goes)
You gotta bend when the wind blows
You live, you learn, you crash and burn
It's hit or miss (that's the way)
And that's the way it is
One fine day, you wake up
Completely, hopelessly fallen in love
He's just what you're lookin' for
The only problem is that the man's not sure
Another guy'll give you everything
Only problem is you don't feel a thing
Well, I know from experience
Nothin's ever gonna make perfect sense
Oh, one day you get what you want
But it's not what you think
Then you get what you need
Well, oh, that's the way it is (that's the way it is)
You gotta roll with the punches
That's the way it goes (that's the way it goes)
You gotta bend when the wind blows
You live, you learn, you crash and burn
It's hit or miss (that's the way)
And that's the way it is
Yeah, they say your soul is growin'
But sometimes I feel like throwin' somethin'
And that's the way it is
You gotta roll with the punches
And that's the way it goes
You gotta bend when the wind blows
That's the way it is (that's the way it is)
You gotta roll with the punches
That's the way it goes (that's the way it goes)
You gotta bend when the wind blows
You live, you learn
You crash and burn
It's hit or miss, oh (that's the way it is)
And that's the way it is
That's the way it is (oh, that's the way it is)
You gotta roll with the punches
Yeah, that's the way it goes (that's the way it is)
Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa
That's the way it is (that's the way it is)
You gotta roll with the punches
Yeah, that's the way it goes (oh)
Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa (you gotta bend when the wind blows)
That's the way it is (oh, that's the way it goes)
You gotta roll with the punches (that's the way it is)
Yeah, that's the way it goes (that's the way it goes)
Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa (oh yeah)
That's the way it is
You gotta roll with the punches
The song "That's the Way" by Jo Dee Messina explores the challenges, struggles, and setbacks of life. The opening lines paint a picture of the expectations people have, hoping for an easy ride on life's merry-go-round, but it turns out that the ride is much bumpier than anticipated. The singer acknowledges the road will be winding and unpredictable and describes how she had her dreams in mind when the money ran out, and the engine blew. She then hung her tears out to dry, feeling safe and secure, only to be knocked down by something else.
The chorus, "That's the Way It Is," emphasizes the theme of resilience and adaptability in life. The singer says that you have to roll with the punches, bend when the wind blows, and live and learn from both successes and failures because life is hit or miss. She then repeats the phrase "That's the way it is," emphasizing that the challenges form an essential part of life regardless of our expectations.
The second verse is about love and relationships. The singer says that we may meet someone who seems perfect, but they are uncertain, or we may find someone who is willing to give us everything, but we don't feel anything. She once again emphasizes that nothing in life will ever make perfect sense, but one day we might get what we want, only to realize it's not what we thought we wanted, and we'll eventually get what we need.
Overall, the song teaches us to embrace life's twists and turns, to adapt and adjust our expectations, to be resilient, and to keep a positive attitude. The song is a reminder that life is unpredictable, and setbacks are inevitable, but the key to success is to learn from them, embrace them, and keep moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody wants an easy ride
Everyone desires a life without troubles
On the merry-go-round that we call life
Life is like a never-ending cycle
Take your drive on cruise control
Live your life without worry
Then you wait to find it's a winding road
Life always has unexpected turns
I had my dreams in view
I had a clear vision for my future
When the money ran out and the engine blew
I faced financial problems and an unexpected obstacle
Hung my tears out to dry
I overcame my sadness and moved on
Then my dreams fell out of that clear blue sky
My aspirations were unexpectedly shattered
And I, I was walkin' the clouds
I felt happy and content with my life
Feelin' so safe and sound
I felt secure in my current situation
Then somethin' else knocks me down
Unexpected events ruin my feeling of security
Well, oh, that's the way it is (that's the way it is)
Life is unpredictable
You gotta roll with the punches
Adapt and overcome challenges
That's the way it goes (that's the way it goes)
That's how life works
You gotta bend when the wind blows
Be flexible when faced with change
You live, you learn, you crash and burn
Life is full of ups and downs
It's hit or miss (that's the way)
Success is not guaranteed
And that's the way it is
That's just how life is
One fine day, you wake up
One day you might wake up happy
Completely, hopelessly fallen in love
You might fall in love without reservation
He's just what you're lookin' for
You find the perfect partner
The only problem is that the man's not sure
Your partner may not feel the same way
Another guy'll give you everything
Another person may offer you everything you want
Only problem is you don't feel a thing
You might not feel a connection with that person
Well, I know from experience
I have learned from past experiences
Nothin's ever gonna make perfect sense
Life is never perfect
Oh, one day you get what you want
You might eventually get what you want
But it's not what you think
However, it might not be what you expected
Then you get what you need
You might not get what you want, but what you need
Yeah, they say your soul is growin'
People say you're growing and learning with each experience
But sometimes I feel like throwin' somethin'
However, sometimes I feel frustrated
Lyrics Ā© BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Annie Leslie Roboff, Mary Holladay Lamar
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@julianbutler7878
Miss this kind of country...
@cmsmith1973
Me too
@richardjohnson9869
Definitely a unique country act.
@luluciferia1948
For real
@WitchyWolf1993
I know, I miss it as well
@truthhurtz8517
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@Lanae8199
i was 19 when this song first came out back in 2000. I still love it because it takes me back to my youth. I am now 42, and dreading going to work this morning. But this video is a great way to start my day. It should have more views.
@Krissy_Bunnie
Rediscovering all the songs I grew up with as a kid :')
@joremyth2321
I thought I found them all years ago. What a treat.
@kathyvanderschans6044
I love this song Jo Dee Messina such a amazing singer šš„°šš¤šššššššššššš