About The Song
“It Is What It Is” by The Highwaymen. This particular track offers a dose of grounded realism, a philosophical shrug set to a classic country melody. For those of us who’ve navigated the unpredictable currents of life and learned to accept certain inevitabilities, this song resonates with a comfortable familiarity. It’s the sound of seasoned wisdom, delivered with the characteristic blend of world-weariness and understated charm that only The Highwaymen could master.
The Highwaymen, that legendary quartet comprised of Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson, were not just musical icons; they were also interpreters of the human condition in its various shades. While they often sang of grand adventures and rebellious spirits, they were equally adept at capturing the quiet truths of everyday life, the moments of acceptance and the simple understanding that sometimes, well, “It Is What It Is.”
This song, which appeared on their final studio album, carries a sense of finality, a summation of lessons learned and a peaceful acceptance of the way things are. The lyrics, delivered with a laid-back and almost conversational tone, speak to the understanding that not everything can be controlled or changed. There’s a certain freedom in this acceptance, a release from the struggle to constantly fight against the natural order of things.
The musical arrangement is typically unpretentious, often featuring a relaxed tempo, acoustic guitars, and harmonies that feel like a comfortable gathering of old friends. The focus is on the lyrics and the delivery, with the iconic voices of Cash, Jennings, Nelson, and Kristofferson lending an air of seasoned authority to the sentiment. You can almost imagine them sitting on a porch, sharing stories and nodding in agreement with the simple truth of the song’s title.
Consider the themes explored within “It Is What It Is”. At its core, it’s about acceptance – coming to terms with the realities of life, both good and bad, and finding a measure of peace in that acceptance. It speaks to the wisdom that comes with age and experience, the understanding that some things are simply beyond our control and that the energy spent fighting them might be better directed elsewhere.
The song also touches upon the theme of resilience in a subtle way. While it advocates for acceptance, it doesn’t imply resignation. Instead, it suggests a pragmatic approach to life’s challenges, acknowledging them for what they are and moving forward with a sense of clarity and perhaps even a touch of stoicism.
Furthermore, the conversational style of the lyrics makes the message feel personal and relatable. It’s as if The Highwaymen are sharing a piece of hard-earned wisdom with their listeners, offering a comforting perspective on the inevitable ups and downs of life. The simplicity of the title phrase, repeated throughout the song, reinforces its central message with a gentle insistence.
The Highwaymen, in their rendition of “It Is What It Is”, offer a sense of calm and acceptance that resonates deeply with those who have learned the value of such perspectives. It’s a song that acknowledges the imperfections and the uncontrollable aspects of life without bitterness or complaint. Instead, it offers a pathway to peace through understanding and acceptance. This track, coming towards the end of their remarkable journey as a group, feels like a fitting summation of the wisdom and the grounded spirit that defined their individual and collective careers. For those who appreciate music that speaks with the voice of experience and offers a comforting dose of reality, “It Is What It Is” remains a quietly profound and deeply relatable song in The Highwaymen’s enduring legacy. It’s a testament to the idea that sometimes, the greatest wisdom lies in simply accepting things as they are.
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Lyric
🎵 Let’s sing along with the lyrics! 🎤
I’ve been obnoxious, I’ve been unconscious
I’ve been all kind of things that are hard to spell
I’ve been unruly, speaking truly
I’ve been so cool I couldn’t hardly even stand myself
I’ve been a monster, without a sponsor
I’ve been Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
I’ve been a goner, I’ve been a loner
And when my mixture was right
I’m a nice bunch of guys[Chorus]
I am what I am cause I ain’t what I used to be
Cause it is what it is but it ain’t what it used to be[Verse 2]
I’ve been a mover, I was a shaker
He had a girlfriend, I tried to snake her
I been mysterious, I been delirious
I been so weird it would killed a normal man
I wanted money, I wanted power
I want a monument kinda like the Eiffel Tower
I been lost at sea, I been lost in space
And when I fall in love I fall all over the place[Chorus]
[Bridge]
Well, tell ’em about it[Verse 3]
And you can go on forever and make the same mistakes
Or you can stand up on your hind legs and change your fate
Go on and do it till you finally see
What it is that it was that you don’t want to be
I was an outlaw, I was an in-law
I was a scapegoat, that was the last straw
I hit the highway, singing my way
But it wound up sounding like ‘you’ll never walk alone’
I got a story, reflected glory
Is the way that I been seeing for most of my life
I heard the laughter, up in the rafters
But I never ever thought that the joke was on me