Everything You Need to Know About ‘The Way It Is’: Lyrics, Legacy, and Lore
By Sarah Jenkins
The most consequential transformation of Hornsby’s composition occurred when Tupac Shakur recorded "Changes" in 1992. Released posthumously on his 1998 Greatest Hits collection, the track isolated Hornsby’s signature piano riff, looping it beneath raw, unsparing verses on the war on drugs, police violence, and urban poverty.
Where Hornsby observed the welfare line from the perspective of a critical ally, Shakur spoke directly from the front line of urban survival. Tupac's opening lines, "I see no changes, wake up in the morning and I ask myself / Is life worth living? Should I blast myself?", recontextualized Hornsby's chorus into an urgent plea for mutual dignity. Shakur kept the core irony of the original chorus intact, retaining the hook sung by Talent (re-singing Hornsby’s melody) to contrast melodic sweetness with grim social reality.
Hornsby gave unconditional approval for the sample. In subsequent interviews, the pianist openly praised Tupac’s execution, noting that Shakur brought out the genuine, uncompromising essence of the song far more effectively than mid-80s adult contemporary radio ever could. The royalties from "Changes" and Hornsby’s enthusiastic endorsement bridged two musical worlds that industry gatekeepers had spent decades treating as mutually exclusive.
Sarah Jenkins is a veteran tech journalist with over 12 years of experience covering artificial intelligence, mobile innovations, and digital ethics. Her insights have appeared in leading technology publications worldwide.
