Host of freeform radio station WFMU's "Radio Thrift Shop," sometime VP at a merchant bank, and owner of one of the purest voices in country, Laura Cantrell's mix of traditional and modern country has been impressing listeners for several years. The late, great John Peel thought her first album was one of the most perfect records he'd ever heard and in the opinion of many listeners he wasn't wrong. Laura excels both as a songwriter and as an interpreter of both new and classic country - her Southern roots and mix of traditional and modern approaches, impeccable taste and superb voice make her work accessible to anyone who enjoys country.
Cantrell may also be familiar to fans of geek rock for her guest vocals on the They Might Be Giants song "The Guitar (The Lion Sleeps Tonight)" (on the 1992 album "Apollo 18).
In the spring of 2011, Cantrell released "Kitty Wells Dresses: Songs Of the Queen of Country Music", a recording she made "in honor of one of her heroines, the great Kitty Wells" (the album title being from an original song of Cantrell's written in tribute to Wells).
The Way It Is
Laura Cantrell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It hit so hard, I never thought it through.
Leaving the west side of town,
way on up riverside rushing down,
that's the freest moment a city girl knew.
I've got the beauty of the moment,
passed so quickly,
So as I buckle down, why knuckle you 'round.
Those free moments feel so fare and few.
That's just the way it is
That's just the way it is
An I can't help myself at all
That's just the way it is
I see you crossing the street,
come and meet me.
Like an image come to mind too long ago.
Well there's a smile across your mouth
those eyes are looking south.
If I could see them what would they let me know?
That's just the way it is
That's just the way it is
An I can't help myself at all
That's just the way it is
I looked and found them lost and started
I've sown and reeded and plowed the ground once more
I laid my hammer down, wandered this city all around
Ended up on the streets I walked before
That's just the way it is
That's just the way it is
An I can't help myself at all
That's just the way it is
That's just the way it is
That's just the way it is
An I can't help myself at all
That's just the way it is
The lyrics to Laura Cantrell's "The Way It Is" reflect the bittersweet nature of life's experiences. The song begins with a beautiful idea that hits hard and lingers, and the singer reminisces about the freest moment she ever knew in the city. However, what was once beautiful has passed so quickly, leading her to feel confused and uncertain about what to do next. The conflicting emotions of pleasure and pain are captured in the phrase "the tingle and the chill got me confused."
As the song progresses, the singer notes that while she can't help the way things are, she still longs for connection with others. She sees someone she once knew and wonders what their smile and eyes might reveal if she could see them. The final verse seems to suggest that despite the struggles and hardships of life, the singer keeps going and doing what needs to be done. She has sown, reeded, and plowed the ground once more, and while it may not always be easy, she finds herself back where she started.
Overall, "The Way It Is" captures the contradictions and complexities of human experience, with a bittersweet melody that resonates with listeners. Even as the singer recognizes that things may not change, she still holds onto hope and a desire for connection with others.
Line by Line Meaning
It was a beautiful idea when it started,
The concept was beautiful at its inception
It hit so hard, I never thought it through.
I did not properly think through the repercussions of this idea
Leaving the west side of town,
Departing from the western side of the city
way on up riverside rushing down,
Traveling towards the riverside in a hurry
that's the freest moment a city girl knew.
This moment represented the most liberated feeling for a girl from the city
I've got the beauty of the moment,
I am enamored with the ephemeral beauty of the past
passed so quickly,
It disappeared too soon
Now the tingle and the chill got me confused.
I am uncertain due to the conflicting sensations I feel
So as I buckle down, why knuckle you 'round.
As I focus, why are you still so uneasy
Those free moments feel so fare and few.
These carefree moments are infrequent and fleeting
I see you crossing the street,
I observe you crossing the road
come and meet me.
Please join me
Like an image come to mind too long ago.
Glimpsed like a long-forgotten memory
Well there's a smile across your mouth
A smile appears on your face
those eyes are looking south.
Your eyes are gazing downwards
If I could see them what would they let me know?
What information could your eyes convey if I could fully observe them?
I looked and found them lost and started
My explorations yielded confusion and a new beginning
I've sown and reeded and plowed the ground once more
I have tended to my land and made it fertile again
I laid my hammer down, wandered this city all around
I abandoned my tools and wandered aimlessly around the city
Ended up on the streets I walked before
Ultimately, I returned to familiar streets
That's just the way it is
This is simply how life goes
An I can't help myself at all
And I am unable to change it
Contributed by Harper S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.