Fastball was a band that seemed to hold some kind of secret understanding of the success of 1960s pop, as well as a glimpse into the future face of this art form. Certainly, if you were to ask me, “The Way” is one of the greatest alternative rock songs of the 1990s, and, in my view, one of the greatest singles of all time.
The group had a worthy follow-up, sure. But why didn’t Fastball become the arena-conquering band it looked destined to be? And, just who were the couple described in this famous ’90s song?
Fastball’s Road to Making “The Way”
The future members of Fastball were already veterans of the Austin, Texas, underground by the time that they came together. That’s perhaps why the band’s music borrowed so efficiently elements of 60s pop-rock a la The Beatles and The Kinks, as well as showed proficiency with alt-rock strategies.
Miles Zuniga, Tony Scalzo, the main songwriters, and Joe Sheffield were originally known as Magneto U.S.A. before adopting the shorter moniker Fastball, supposedly inspired by an old porn film.
They were quickly signed to Hollywood Records and released the band’s debut, “Make Your Mama Proud,” in 1996. The album showcased Zuniga and Scalzo’s considerable gift for arrangement and melody, but it was hardly a colossal hit.
Realised for Fastball’s 1998 sophomore album “All the Pain Money Can Buy,” “The Way,” I would imagine, for all of its retro-chic vibe, must’ve sounded like an immediate hit to anyone who heard it. There’s no doubt, for one thing, a much greater polish to the band’s production, playing and performance abilities.
In fact, critics willing to look past hit singles lauded the group’s ability to incorporate influences like The Beatles, The Byrds, and Elvis Costello to create a modern alt-rock pastiche. And, indeed, during this period, Fastball toured and was lumped in with fellow melodic alt-rock bands like Marcy Playground and Everclear.
Meaning of the Lyrics to “The Way”
But what is the meaning of the lyrics for “The Way?” The song tells the story of an elderly couple who opt to escape the drudgery of ordinary life in exchange for adventure and travel.
It’s a real story, too, for the most part. A news article about Lela and Raymond Howard from Salado, Texas, inspired the song’s lyrics. The elderly couple was reported to have driven into the desert, never to return. Tragically, the woman was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, and her husband was just recording from a brain surgery.
Tony Scalzo, who wrote the song, says: “It’s a romanticised take on what happened, taking off to have fun, like they did when they first met.“
Sadly, Scalzo did learn after completing the song that the couple’s vehicle was eventually found, but that the couple had passed away in a traffic accident.
It wasn’t just the idealistic theme of the lyrics that helped to sell the song, I think. The use of a Casio keyboard plays its part, as does the analogue radio tone heard at the start of the tune. Not just that, but the great guitar solo played by Miles Zuniga takes elements of the 1950s classic “Secret Agent Man. “
Music Video for “The Way”
By the time that the song had been released and had become a success, the story of the Howards had become as notorious as the tune. That’s why the music video likely avoids showing elements of the story.
And if the visual elements resemble ’90s videos by Smash Mouth or Sugar Ray, it’s because they were all directed by McG. He would eventually helm films like “Charlie’s Angels” and “Terminator Salvation.”
The Legacy of Fastball
While I do think that this is one of the most instantly memorable singles that you’re likely to encounter, it took several months from the single’s release to catch on with general audiences.
This was good news, as the band’s label Hollywood Records had very little to spend on the way of marketing. “All the Pain Money Can Buy” was a surprising hit, on the strength of the singles “The Way” and the nearly as brilliant “Out of My Head.”
However, the chaos surrounding Hollywood Records meant that subsequent efforts suffered. “The Harsh Light of Day” was the 2000 follow-up by Fastball. Sales were disappointing, and promotion was nearly non-existent. This has, fortunately, not been enough to stop the band. I am happy to report that the Fastball is still going.
However, there’s a bright side to the story that extends past “All the Pain Money Can Buy” going platinum. The record is a ’90s power-pop masterwork. And that mix of retro rock, pristine production, and fascinating storytelling has meant that “The Way” never wound up tiring its listeners. I think that it’s one of the great alternative songs of the 1990s and a possible great lesson for all fans of pop songwriting.
