Singled Out: Across The Board's It Shouldn't Be This Hard

12-16-2018

Jacqueline Auguste, main songwriter and frontwoman of the Canadian rock band Across The Board tells us the story behind their song "It Shouldn't Be This Hard" from their new album "Sonic Boom". Here is the story:

I was sitting around procrastinating my income taxes, and started to think of how hard something seem to be until you get into them, start chipping away at them bit by bit. Who's to say you can't do your own taxes if you follow the guideline. Who's to say you can't change the tire on your car, or figure out how to route the Blue Tooth from your iPhone to your car radio-there are multiple videos, pamphlets, downloads and phone calls you could make to successfully complete these tasks! And it dawned on me that there are a lot of things in life that seem daunting -but could be easily achievable if we change our attitude about them and start breaking them down step by step.

So as I sat on my bed, looking at a huge pile of receipts and invoices and papers to find, organize, fill out, itemize, I realized "it shouldn't be this hard" -and in one final move to procrastinate completing my taxes, I decided to put pen to paper and write a song about this revelation of mine. OK, possibly it's time for a procrastination song next! Thus, "It Shouldn't Be This Hard" was born.

And no, it's not a song about taxes per se. I tried to consider all the things that seem daunting in life and which ones we often find easier to just walk away from than step up to bat to fix---and relationships appeared as the predominant entry on that list. If it's broke, walk away. If it gets hard, quit. That seems to be the way many of us "humans"-particularly in the early times of relationship, or when we are younger and not necessarily committed-conduct our exits from relationship. A bit of frustration, coupled with a touch of anger, some unresolved angst, and a heaping dose of doubt-merge together into the "it's not you it's me" line, and we bail. It gets hard and we split.

"It Shouldn't Be This Hard" asks you to open your mind, start communicating, let's get to the bottom of the problem and find a solution. It's position in the rock opera that is our album "Sonic Boom" is just that for our heroine-a point of self-doubt and frustration shook away to reveal a new commitment to making it all work out!

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and learn more about the album right here!