It's Like That

The lyrics describe a world shaped by unemployment, low pay, rising bills, war, and inequality. At first, the repeated claim that “that’s the way it is” sounds resigned, as if hardship cannot be changed. But the mood also shifts toward advice: listeners are urged to learn, work toward success, seek meaning, and avoid prejudice. The song holds frustration and encouragement together.

“Make ends meet” means earn enough to pay for basic needs. The contrast between rising bills and lower pay shows how difficult that can be. The image of someone eating from a garbage can suggests poverty can affect people who were once familiar or respected, making hardship feel close rather than distant. “Glasses blurred” is a metaphor for feeling disillusioned or unable to see life clearly.

The repeated refrain may express acceptance of harsh realities, but it can also sound ironic: naming problems while treating them as inevitable. The lyrics sometimes emphasize personal choices, such as going to school, while also describing wider pressures that are not easily solved by individual effort. The closing message against prejudice suggests a shared human fate, though the song does not explain exactly how unity might overcome the problems it lists.