Just The Way It Is, Baby

The Rembrandts' song "Just The Way It Is, Baby" delves into the bittersweet nature of love and the inevitability of change. The lyrics reflect on a past relationship, reminiscing about a time when the love was fresh and all-encompassing. The narrator recalls how they once felt deeply in love, symbolized by the imagery of pulling down stars for their partner. However, this idyllic period was fleeting, as the partner eventually declared that all good things must come to an end. This sentiment is encapsulated in the recurring line, "Baby, that's just the way it is, baby," which underscores the acceptance of life's impermanence and the inevitability of change.

The song also touches on feelings of betrayal and being used. The narrator expresses frustration over having been a temporary solace for their partner, only to be discarded once they were no longer needed. This is poignantly illustrated in the lines, "I've never had a hand for solitaire-it's so unfair / That I should have my chance and lose-I feel like I've been used." The use of the game of solitaire as a metaphor highlights the loneliness and unfairness the narrator feels, having invested emotionally only to end up alone.

As the song progresses, it becomes clear that time has altered the dynamics of the relationship. The tides that once carried the partner away have now brought them back, but the narrator acknowledges that things have changed irreversibly. The pain has washed away, and the past cannot be reclaimed, as emphasized in the lines, "The time has washed away my pain-I find that things have changed / And disappeared without a trace-you can't get back what you've erased." This acceptance of change and the impossibility of returning to what once was is a central theme of the song, highlighting the transient nature of love and the importance of moving forward.