The Middle
Encyclopedia
"The Middle" is a song by Jimmy Eat World
. The song released as the second single of their fourth album Bleed American
. It was a top five Billboard Hot 100
hit in 2002. The song was a breakthrough hit for Jimmy Eat World (who had self-financed the recording of the Bleed American album after having been dropped by Capitol Records
in 1999). The track is featured in the music video game
Rock Band 2
.
after their previous album Clarity had been released. Jimmy Eat World's first album Static Prevails
had sold just 10,000 copies in 1996 and Capitol Records decided to drop the band in 1999 due to a change in priorities. Singer/guitarist Jim Adkins explained to the Dallas Observer
: "We were just about invisible there and it wasn't going to get any better."
"The Middle" reflects these trying times for the band with lyrics about "Don't write yourself off yet" when feeling "left out or looked down on." The band decided to finance the recording of the album and decided to keep things simple on the new record rather than experiment, as they had done on previous records. "On our new stuff, rather than challenging ourselves [by] getting real experimental, we kind of went in the other direction, challenging ourselves by getting very simple."
Once completed, Jimmy Eat World took Bleed American to record companies and was signed to DreamWorks Records
. Bleed American was released in the middle of 2001 with the title track as the lead single. However, following the September 11, 2001 attacks
the album's title was changed to a self-titled album and the lead single failed to win airplay although it reached the top 20 of the Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks.
, Tenacious D
, Green Day
, Blink-182
, and the Vans Warped Tour as well as the band's own headlining tour. "The Middle" was the most commercially successful single released from Bleed American.
Pitchfork Media
named the track #165 on its list of the top 500 tracks of the 2000s. Reviewer Mark Richardson wrote of the track: "And if your band delivers that message of hope with the kind of power-pop chorus hook that gives the best couple of Weezer songs a run for their money, you've accomplished something."
, especially on Total Request Live
. David C. Hayes
, a famous B-horror actor/writer, appears in the video.
The music video features a fully clothed teenage boy (Josh Keleher) who attends a house party at which Jimmy Eat World is playing, only to find everyone, except the band, in their underwear. Much of the crowd is making out, but the boy is excluded. Finally, out of frustration, he starts to strip to be like the others, only to bump into a teenage girl doing the same thing in the wardrobe he is in. The kids keep their clothes on and leave the party, arms around each other, as the song concludes.
UK CD
The Middle/A Praise Chorus AUS Tour EP
Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World is an American alternative rock band from Mesa, Arizona, that formed in 1993. The band is composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jim Adkins, guitarist and backing vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch and drummer Zach Lind....
. The song released as the second single of their fourth album Bleed American
Bleed American
-Personnel:Jimmy Eat World*Jim Adkins – vocals, guitar, percussion, bass guitar on "Your House", piano, organ on "My Sundown", bells, art direction*Rick Burch – bass guitar, vocals*Zach Lind – drums, percussion on "Your House" and "My Sundown"...
. It was a top five Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
hit in 2002. The song was a breakthrough hit for Jimmy Eat World (who had self-financed the recording of the Bleed American album after having been dropped by Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
in 1999). The track is featured in the music video game
Music video game
A music video game, also commonly known as a music game, is a video game where the gameplay is meaningfully and often almost entirely oriented around the player's interactions with a musical score or individual songs...
Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2 is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems. It is the sequel to Rock Band and is the second title in the series. The game allows up to four players to simulate the performance of popular songs by playing with controllers modeled after musical instruments...
.
Preparing the song
"The Middle" was written after Jimmy Eat World had been dropped from Capitol RecordsCapitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
after their previous album Clarity had been released. Jimmy Eat World's first album Static Prevails
Static Prevails
Static Prevails is the second album by Jimmy Eat World. It was released on July 23, 1996. Along with Clarity, the album was re-released in 2007 in remastered form with bonus tracks...
had sold just 10,000 copies in 1996 and Capitol Records decided to drop the band in 1999 due to a change in priorities. Singer/guitarist Jim Adkins explained to the Dallas Observer
Dallas Observer
The Dallas Observer is a free alternative weekly newspaper distributed around the Dallas, Texas . At its inception, it was conceived as a weekly local arts and cinema review publication, with the credo "Advocate for Excellence in the Arts" on the cover. For a time during the early years, the paper...
: "We were just about invisible there and it wasn't going to get any better."
"The Middle" reflects these trying times for the band with lyrics about "Don't write yourself off yet" when feeling "left out or looked down on." The band decided to finance the recording of the album and decided to keep things simple on the new record rather than experiment, as they had done on previous records. "On our new stuff, rather than challenging ourselves [by] getting real experimental, we kind of went in the other direction, challenging ourselves by getting very simple."
Once completed, Jimmy Eat World took Bleed American to record companies and was signed to DreamWorks Records
DreamWorks Records
DreamWorks Records was an American record label. Founded in 1996 by David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg as a subsidiary of DreamWorks SKG, the label operated until 2005 when it was shut down...
. Bleed American was released in the middle of 2001 with the title track as the lead single. However, following the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
the album's title was changed to a self-titled album and the lead single failed to win airplay although it reached the top 20 of the Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks.
Release and reception
When "The Middle" was released, the success of the album and the band was dependent on the single breaking through. By the end of 2001, the song had reached the top of the Billboard modern rock track charts. The song was starting to cross over to Top 40 radio resulting in it reaching a peak of #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also charted in the UK reaching a peak of #26 in 2002. The band toured extensively behind the album, touring with WeezerWeezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
, Tenacious D
Tenacious D
Tenacious D is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. Composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jack Black and lead guitarist and vocalist Kyle Gass, the band has released two albums – Tenacious D and The Pick of Destiny...
, Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
, Blink-182
Blink-182
Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
, and the Vans Warped Tour as well as the band's own headlining tour. "The Middle" was the most commercially successful single released from Bleed American.
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
named the track #165 on its list of the top 500 tracks of the 2000s. Reviewer Mark Richardson wrote of the track: "And if your band delivers that message of hope with the kind of power-pop chorus hook that gives the best couple of Weezer songs a run for their money, you've accomplished something."
Music video
The song's video (directed by Paul Fedor) featuring young people in underwear received plenty of play on MTVMTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, especially on Total Request Live
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
. David C. Hayes
David C. Hayes
David C. Hayes is an accomplished writer of many screenplays, books and comic books. His many works include the cult classic horror film Back Woods and the Septagon Studios comic book Scorn, which has received critical acclaim from respected sources such as Ain't It Cool News, Comics Bulletin, and...
, a famous B-horror actor/writer, appears in the video.
The music video features a fully clothed teenage boy (Josh Keleher) who attends a house party at which Jimmy Eat World is playing, only to find everyone, except the band, in their underwear. Much of the crowd is making out, but the boy is excluded. Finally, out of frustration, he starts to strip to be like the others, only to bump into a teenage girl doing the same thing in the wardrobe he is in. The kids keep their clothes on and leave the party, arms around each other, as the song concludes.
Track listing
AUS CD- "The Middle"
- "No Sensitivity"
- "The Middle" (early demo)
- "The Middle" (video)
UK CD
- "The Middle"
- "If You Don't, Don't" (acoustic) (XFM session)
- "Game of Pricks" (Guided by VoicesGuided by VoicesGuided by Voices is an American indie rock band originating from Dayton, Ohio. Beginning with the band's formation in 1983, it made frequent personnel changes but always maintained the presence of principal songwriter Robert Pollard...
cover) (Radio 1 Session) - "The Middle" (video)
The Middle/A Praise Chorus AUS Tour EP
- "The Middle"
- "A Praise ChorusA Praise Chorus"A Praise Chorus" is a song by Jimmy Eat World. It was the fourth single released from the band's 2001 album Bleed American, which was later retitled Jimmy Eat World....
" (album version) - "Bleed AmericanBleed American (song)"Bleed American" is the first track on Jimmy Eat World's album Bleed American . It was featured in the game Guitar Hero 5 & downloadable content for Rock Band...
" (live from the 9:30 Club9:30 ClubFoo Fighters Promise to come back to D.C. and play the 9:30 ClubNightclub 9:30 is a nightclub and concert venue in Washington, D.C. Originally located at 930 F Street, NW, Washington, D.C., in the 1970s it was called the "Atlantis Club", and hosted primarily rock, New Wave, and punk bands...
, Washington DC 6/4/02) - "Firestarter" (The ProdigyThe ProdigyThe Prodigy are an English electronic dance music group formed by Liam Howlett in 1990 in Braintree, Essex. Along with Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, and other acts, The Prodigy have been credited as pioneers of the big beat genre, which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s and 2000s...
cover) - "The Middle" (acoustic)
Charts
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
5 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay Hot 100 Airplay The Hot 100 Airplay chart is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It measures radio airplay, and is one of the three component charts, along with the Hot Singles Sales and the Hot Digital Songs charts, that determine the chart positions of singles on the Billboard... |
5 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks | 39 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
26 |
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
49 |