In 1997, Lucca took to the internet with his independent debut, So Satisfied. Having sold 2000 copies within a year, he then followed that up with the 1999 release, Strong Words, Softly Spoken. With only the internet and constant touring, Lucca went on to sell a total of 10,000 records in just a few short years. After garnering the 2001 LA Music Award for best male singer/songwriter, Tony Lucca had created quite a buzz with industry insiders and managed to take to the road opening for recording mega stars like *NSync and Marc Anthony, sharing the stage with a diverse array of artists such as Macy Gray, Johnny Lang, and the late great Chris Whitley.
After several years of indy perseverance, Lucca released his first commercially distributed album in 2004. Shotgun, the consummate road trip record, takes the listener for a ride.
In 2005, Lucca released Anatomy of a Blackbird, a live concert dvd with a close-up, behind the scenes look at life on the road during his 2004 California tour. The documentary and 12 song set give an honest glimpse into the world of an artist hard at work and enjoying every minute of it.
August of 2006 ushered in the release of Lucca's 4th full length studio effort, Canyon Songs. This collection of songs was written and recorded entirely up in the canyons of Los Angeles. Canyon Songs is an homage to the thriving singer/songwriter spirit of the late 60's and early 70's that took Laurel Cayon out of it's mystical obscurity and placed it right dead smack in the middle of mainstream poular music. From the Joni Mitchell-laced "Songbird" to the Eagles-like "Darlin' I" Lucca reveals his earliest influences with the kind of maturity and respect that only comes with time. It's here that Lucca expresses his appreciation for song in a way that seems to be absent in so much of today's contemporary music.
The consummate live performer, Lucca has etched out an extensive national following. From the folk-friendly venues of the lower East side, to the hype-crazed clubs on the Sunset Strip, and with the help of a national street team of close to 1000 devoted listeners, Tony Lucca has made a rather impressive name for himself as an artist not to be missed
That's The Way
Tony Lucca Lyrics
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I can't play with you no more
I don't know how I'm gonna do what mama told me
My friend, the boy next door
I can't believe what people saying
You're don't let your hair hang down
I'm satisfied to sit here working all day long
And when I'm out I see you walking
Why don't your eyes see me?
Could it be you've found another game to play
What did mama say to me?
That's the way, oh, that's the way it ought to be
Yeah, yeah, mama say, that's the way it ought to stay
And yesterday I saw you standing by the river
And weren't those tears that filled your eyes?
And all the fish that lay in dirty water dying
Had they got you hypnotized?
Yesterday I saw you kissing tiny flowers
But all that lives is born to die
And so I say to you that nothing really matters
And all you do is stand and cry
I don't know what to say about it
When all you ears have turned away
But now's the time to look and look again at what you see
Is that the way it ought to stay?
That's the way, that's the way it ought to be, yeah
Mama said, mama said that's the way it's ought to stay
The song "That's The Way" by Tony Lucca narrates the struggles of a man trying to come to terms with the fact that he can no longer play with his childhood friend. The singer does not know how to tell his friend, who is also his neighbor, but he feels he has to do so because his mother has asked him to. The singer also speaks of the societal pressure that comes with the expectations placed on his friend, such as not letting one's hair hang down. The singer of the song finds contentment in working and staying away from the darker side of town. The singer seems to question the motives of his friend, who he sees walking around but doesn't acknowledge him. The chorus of the song reflects on the way things should be, according to the singer's mother.
The second verse of the song speaks of the different ways the two friends seem to be coping with their incompatibilities. The singer talks of seeing his friend crying by the river, and he seems to be concerned that his friend might be hypnotized by the fish that lay dying in the dirty water. The singer also mentions how he saw his friend kissing tiny flowers, but he points out that everything that is born eventually dies. The song concludes with the singer asking the listener to introspect and examine whether things are the way they ought to be.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know how I'm gonna tell you
I am uncertain about how I will communicate this to you
I can't play with you no more
I must stop engaging in activities with you
I don't know how I'm gonna do what mama told me
I do not know how I will carry out the instructions that were given to me by my mother
My friend, the boy next door
I am referring to my male neighbor who is also my friend
I can't believe what people saying
I find it difficult to accept what others are claiming to be true
You're don't let your hair hang down
You are not allowing yourself to have fun or let loose
I'm satisfied to sit here working all day long
I am content with spending my days working constantly
You're on the darker side of town
You reside in an area that is associated with negative activities or reputation
And when I'm out I see you walking
When I am out in public, I notice you walking
Why don't your eyes see me?
I am wondering why you do not notice or acknowledge my presence
Could it be you've found another game to play
Perhaps you have moved on to another activity or person
What did mama say to me?
I am recalling the advice or instructions that my mother gave me
That's the way, oh, that's the way it ought to be
It is suggested that the current situation is the correct or ideal way it should be
Yeah, yeah, mama say, that's the way it ought to stay
My mother is indicating that the situation should remain unchanged
And yesterday I saw you standing by the river
I observed you standing near the river yesterday
And weren't those tears that filled your eyes?
Did I notice tears in your eyes?
And all the fish that lay in dirty water dying
I saw fish in the polluted water that were dying
Had they got you hypnotized?
Did the fish or the environment have a hypnotic effect on you?
Yesterday I saw you kissing tiny flowers
I saw you kissing small flowers yesterday
But all that lives is born to die
Everything that lives will eventually die
And so I say to you that nothing really matters
I am expressing that ultimately nothing has true significance or importance
And all you do is stand and cry
All I observe you doing is standing and weeping
I don't know what to say about it
I am unsure of how to respond
When all you ears have turned away
When everyone else has stopped listening
But now's the time to look and look again at what you see
This is an opportunity to take another look at the situation
Is that the way it ought to stay?
Is the current state the way things should remain?
That's the way, that's the way it ought to be, yeah
It is suggested again that the current situation is correct or ideal
Mama said, mama said that's the way it's ought to stay
As previously stated, my mother believes things should not change
Contributed by Benjamin O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.