The Way - Spanglish Version (feat. Mac Miller)
Ariana Grande , Mac Miller
A rich description can be written based on its upbeat, romantic, and throwback R&B feel.
Song Information
Release Date
August 25, 2023
Duration
03:46
Album
Yours Truly (Tenth Anniversary Edition)
Language
A MIX OF ENGLISH AND SPANISH. PRIMARY: 'EN'
Popularity
47/100
Song Meaning
The song is about the exhilarating feeling of new love and undeniable chemistry. The Spanglish version adds a layer of intimacy and appeal to a broader audience.
Lyrics Analysis
Lyrics have been found and a detailed retelling can be written.
History of Creation
The song was written by a team including Jordin Sparks (who initially recorded a demo), Harmony Samuels, and Brenda Russell (due to the sample). Grande connected with the track and asked Mac Miller to feature on it. It was her breakout single, intended to showcase a more mature sound. The Spanglish version was created to appeal to Latin markets.
Symbolism and Metaphors
The lyrics use straightforward language to describe the overwhelming feeling of love, with phrases like "you get my heart jumping" and being on "a scale of one to ten, I'm at a hundred."
Emotional Background
Joyful, romantic, flirty, and carefree.
Cultural Influence
The original song was a massive commercial success, marking Grande's arrival as a major pop artist and giving both her and Miller their first Billboard top-10 hit. It drew significant comparisons to Mariah Carey. The Spanglish version performed well on the Billboard Latin Pop Songs chart. The song is also significant due to the later romantic relationship and tragic passing of Mac Miller.
Rhyme and Rhythm
The song has a mid-tempo, bouncy rhythm based on the piano sample. The rhyme scheme is generally simple and effective in the pop structure, with more complex internal and multisyllabic rhymes in Miller's verse.
Stylistic Techniques
Key techniques include the sampling of Brenda Russell's "A Little Bit of Love," the blend of Grande's Mariah Carey-esque vocals with Miller's rap, and the code-switching between English and Spanish.