That's Just the Way It Is

"That's Just the Way It Is" is a single performed by Phil Collins and David Crosby that was released in 1990 from the 1989 album ...But Seriously. The song was only released as a single in Europe and Australasia, while "Do You Remember?" was instead released in the United States. The song reached #26 in the UK Singles Chart.

Not to be confused with The Way It Is (song).

"That's Just the Way It Is"
Single by Phil Collins
from the album ...But Seriously
B-side"Broadway Chorus"
Released28 July 1990[1]
Recorded1989
GenreSoft rock
Length5:19
LabelAtlantic, Virgin, WEA
Songwriter(s)Phil Collins
Producer(s)Phil Collins, Hugh Padgham
Phil Collins singles chronology
"Something Happened on the Way to Heaven"
(1990)		 "That's Just the Way It Is"
(1990)		 "Do You Remember?"
(1990)

The song, according to Collins, is an anti-war ballad that heavily deals with The Troubles of Northern Ireland. The song itself was positively received by most critics. The B-side to the song was "Broadway Chorus", the demo version of "Something Happened on the Way to Heaven".

Song history

The song is an anti-war ballad, about the conflict in Northern Ireland, The Troubles.[2][3][4] 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.'"[5]

David Crosby is featured in backing vocals in the song, and even sings a duet with Collins at times. During live performances of the song, Collins would precede it with a monologue about what he thought were the "evils of war".[6] The San Jose Mercury News criticized this, saying, "But instead of reinforcing his persona as rock's Good Old Bloke, it came across as a piece of show biz, as if he wasn't feeling it but simply reading it."[6] The B-side of the single was "Broadway Chorus", a demo version of another hit single from the album, "Something Happened on the Way to Heaven".

Track listing
  1. "That's Just the Way It Is" – 5:19
  2. "Broadway Chorus" ("Something Happened on the Way to Heaven" Demo Version) – 4:17
  3. "In The Air Tonight" (Extended Version) – 7:35

Reception

Don McLeese of The Chicago Sun-Times said that David Crosby was "used more effectively" on this song than any other song which had Crosby on the album.[7] The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette however, said that the song was "so lyrically vague it lacked punch".[8] Jon Pareles of The New York Times thought that the song "[echoed] Bruce Hornsby in tone and title".[9] The San Jose Mercury News thought the song was "pretty".[10] Lennox Samuels of The Dallas Morning News thought that the song "starts out as if it is going to be another "In the Air Tonight"..."before it moves into being an anti-war song".[11] Meanwhile, The Atlanta Journal Constitution thought that Crosby's vocals "lends challenging harmony".[12]

Chart performance

Credits

References
  1. "That's Just The Way It Is / Broadway Chorus (demo)". The Genesis Archive. 23 March 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  2. Steve Morse (4 December 1989). "Phil Collins Shows His Serious Side". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
  3. Steve Morse (7 June 1990). "Phil Collins' 'Serious' Side Wins Respect". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
  4. "Collins Fills Arco with Some Serious Fun". The Sacramento Bee. 22 September 1990. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
  5. "Phil Collins interview". WEA. 1989. Archived from the original on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
  6. "Collins' Pop Simply Fizzled at Shoreline". San Jose Mercury News. 19 September 1990. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
  7. Don McLeese (30 November 1990). "Phil Collins Takes Stern, Safe Approach to "Seriously" Album". The Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
  8. "Music, Comedy Interesting Mix for Phil Collins". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 30 August 1990. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
  9. Jon Pareles (2 June 1990). "Review/Pop; An Evening of Phil Collins, Seriously". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
  10. "D'Arby's a Borrower". San Jose Mercury News. 17 December 1989. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
  11. Lennox Samuels (17 December 1989). "Slowhand's Still Firmly Ensconced in the Comfort Zone". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
  12. "Reviews: Records: Pop". The Atlanta Journal Constitution. 16 December 1989. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
  13. "Ultratop.be – Phil Collins – That's Just the Way It Is" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  14. "Offiziellecharts.de – Phil Collins – That's Just the Way It Is". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  15. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 33, 1990" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  16. "Dutchcharts.nl – Phil Collins – That's Just the Way It Is" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  17. "Swisscharts.com – Phil Collins – That's Just the Way It Is". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  18. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
    • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  20. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1990". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
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