Spencer’s easy-listening voice, versatile piano playing, unpretentious original compositions and charming personality have earned him acclaim from coast to coast. He has appeared on national television four times and performed at some of the finest and established music venues in the United States.
Born in Utah, Spencer was raised in rural Arizona, primarily by a single mom who is a music teacher, lyric soprano and a devotee of musical theater. His mother, Jeannie, has had a profound influence on his musical pursuit. Spencer currently resides in Los Angeles.
Largely self-taught, Day’s work reveals the influences of such diverse composers as Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Joni Mitchell, Carol King, John Lennon and Paul Simon. In his music, one can hear his humanism, vulnerability and universal melodic phrasing.
“I want to create a passionate fusion of all the musical styles that have inspired me,” Day says. “As I grow as an artist, I hope to continue paying homage to the great artists who have shaped my style and sensibilities. I want to create music that is smooth and sophisticated but teeming with raw emotion and fire under the surface. It is in life’s contradictions where the most beautiful things are created.”
A prolific composer and self-proclaimed perfectionist, Day has devoted himself to his career. His hard work has been paying off. Since he was a featured performer at the 2007 San Francisco Jazz Festival, he has been a perennial favorite in the Bay Area, headlining at Yoshi’s, the Plush Room, the Great American Music Hall and the Herbst Theatre. In New York City, Spencer received rave reviews in Time Out and Backstage magazines, having performed to enthusiastic audiences at the Town Hall, Joe’s Pub, and the Canal Room. He has headlined at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, The Sheldon Concert Hall in St Louis, and the Dakota in Minneapolis.
Spencer recently opened for Rufus Wainwright at the Napa Valley Opera House and appeared at the Tanglewood Jazz Festival, by the invitation of Jazz legend Marian McPartland in celebration of her 90th birthday. This is followed by the Monterey Jazz Festival and a full schedule of touring overseas and throughout this country in concert with the October, 2008 release of “Vagabond.”.
Spencer recorded his newest CD with Yair Evnine, his longtime guitarist/cellist; Grammy-nominated master drummer Scott Amendola (Charlie Hunter) and renowned bassist Jon Evans (Tori Amos). Artistically, it’s a triumphant collaboration.
Day’s creativity also includes composing musical theater. In 2005, he collaborated with Rafe Chase on a full-length musical, “Someday, Love,” which was performed at San Francisco’s New Conservatory Theater. Spencer starred in the show in addition to writing its score.
He has composed more than 60 tunes and recorded two well-received albums, “Introducing Spencer Day” (2004) and “Movie of Your Life” (2005). The song “Movie of Your Life” won San Francisco Academy of Art University’s 2005 competition for best original song. The resulting music video, produced by the school’s faculty and students, was selected by Dolby Laboratories as a demonstration video for the global launch of the Dolby 7.1 system.
“Ultimately, what matters most is the music,” says Spencer. “Whatever I do, whatever I sing, my primary goal is to keep it pure and honest.”
Better Way
Spencer Day Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Steppin on anyone that gets in the way
And I dont know how they want to play that game
But I wanna find a better way
Too many people livin on the street
Too many people taking more than they need
Dont wanna complain about society
Refrain:
(Coz) this is a time for an evolution
This is a time for a compromise
And I know it hurts to grow
But the status quo, oh
You know it always comes with a price
Im talkin bout change in the way we re livin
Im talkin bout more than the left to right
We gotta comprehend, it s not us or them
Its the human race tryin to survive
Too many people waging holy jihads
Too many killin in the name of a god
Too many people tryin to do his job
And we gotta find a better way
Too many soldiers marchin off to war
Too many nations tryin to settle a score
When every battle only leads to more
We gotta find a better way
Repeat Refrain
Chorus:
Ohhh, we re gonna find a better way
I know we re gonna find a better way
And I know you heard it before but Ill say it once more
Coz we re gonna find a better way
Instrumental
Repeat Refrain
Repeat Chorus
Fade:
(We re going to find a better way)
(We re gonna find a better way)
In Spencer Day's song "Better Way," the lyrics portray a sense of frustration with society. Day exposes the toxic nature of the world around him, where people are willing to step over anyone who stands in their way to get power and fame. He acknowledges the greed, the corruption, and the lack of empathy plaguing society, calling for a change. He realizes that change is difficult and comes with a price, but he stresses the importance of evolving and growing as a human race. Day highlights the problems with society, including poverty, excess consumption, religious extremism, war, and nationalism. Despite this laundry list of issues, Day remains optimistic, claiming that he and his listeners will find a better way to live, a way that is more humane, compassionate, and fair.
Line by Line Meaning
Too many people seeking power and fame
There are too many individuals who are chasing after positions of influence and public recognition.
Steppin on anyone that gets in the way
These people are willing to harm others if they obstruct their paths to power and fame.
And I dont know how they want to play that game
It is unclear to me what motivates these individuals to engage in such ruthless behavior.
But I wanna find a better way
I, on the other hand, am seeking an alternative way to live that is more compassionate and less harmful to others.
Too many people livin on the street
There is a significant population of individuals who lack a permanent residence and must live on the streets.
Too many people taking more than they need
Many people are consuming resources beyond what is necessary for survival and basic comfort.
Dont wanna complain about society
I am not interested in simply critiquing or complaining about the state of society as it currently exists.
I just wanna find a better
I am instead motivated to actively seek out ways to improve society and address its problems.
This is a time for an evolution
The present moment is one that calls for significant change and transformation.
This is a time for a compromise
In order for meaningful change to occur, it will be necessary for people to reach agreements and compromises with each other.
And I know it hurts to grow
The process of growth and change can often be painful and difficult.
But the status quo, oh
Maintaining the current state of affairs is not an acceptable option.
You know it always comes with a price
Significant change will come at a cost and will require significant effort and sacrifice.
Im talkin bout change in the way we re livin
I am advocating for changes to the ways in which we live our lives and interact with each other.
Im talkin bout more than the left to right
These changes are not simply a matter of political alignment or ideology.
We gotta comprehend, it s not us or them
We must understand that we are all part of the same human race and that we must work together to survive.
Its the human race tryin to survive
Ultimately, the goal of our actions and changes is to enable the survival and flourishing of the human species.
Too many people waging holy jihads
There are too many individuals engaging in religiously motivated violence.
Too many killin in the name of a god
Countless deaths occur as a result of religious conflict and extremism.
Too many people tryin to do his job
Individuals are too often seeking to take the role of a higher power in determining the lives of others.
And we gotta find a better way
We must find alternative ways to address religious differences and theological disputes that do not involve violence.
Too many soldiers marchin off to war
There are countless soldiers who are sent into war zones and who suffer countless physical and emotional traumas as a result.
Too many nations tryin to settle a score
Governments and countries are too often motivated by retaliatory and vengeful impulses that lead to conflict and destruction.
When every battle only leads to more
The cycle of violence and retaliation is self-perpetuating and only leads to more death and destruction.
We gotta find a better way
We must seek out alternative ways of addressing global conflicts and geopolitical disputes that do not involve military conflict.
Ohhh, we re gonna find a better way
Despite the difficulties and obstacles we face, I remain confident that we will eventually find a way to move forward and create a better world.
I know we re gonna find a better way
I am confident that a better future is possible and that we will eventually reach it.
And I know you heard it before but Ill say it once more
I acknowledge that these messages of hope and optimism are not new, but I believe that they are crucial to keep expressing and emphasizing.
Fade:
The song's ending section;
(We re going to find a better way)
Repeating the song's main theme of finding a better way;
(We re gonna find a better way)
Reiterating the message that a better world is possible and that we will find a way to create it.
Contributed by Elizabeth P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Aundrea Cline
I love his style of music so much. His voice is amazing! I just happend to stumble across this and I'm in love! I'm totally gonna buy this album even though its a little old lol
EYEONTHEHORIZON
Loving it !! The more I listed to the songs the more I love it. Keep it up Spencer !!
austenbosten
Reminds me of Harry Connick Jr. I'm so grateful that good music will some how continue to survive. I am defiantly going to buy his album. He deserves all the profits.
Joe Pepe
Great uptempo tune and love those lyrics, really nicely nicely done!
Bo van den assum
TOTALLY LOVE EVERYTHING YOU'VE EVER DONE SPENCER BO
BloodVinnie0707
This is one of my most favourite songs it is classic and so true :D
Yver Sorród
Great song, LOVED it!!!
jetmakr
Awesome voice and style. I'm looking forward to getting the Vagabond cd I have on order!
Jaime Donegan
Love Spencer's Voice, his creativity and this awesomely inspiring song. Go gettum Spencer.
steve cosgrove
great song with a very strong message.....