Hello, and welcome to Hearing Double, where I compare and contrast two unrelated songs of the same title and decide which title does the most justice!
This week, we’re finding our center with “The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World or by Zedd, Grey and Maren Morris.
Jimmy Eat World released pop-punk anthem “The Middle” in 2001. It’s a song about believing in yourself when you feel like you’re not where you need to be. The chorus reminds you that “you’re in the middle of the ride” and “everything will be alright.”
The chorus also addresses the song to a “little girl.” Jimmy Eat World frontman Jim Adkins explained in an Alternative Press interview how an email from a girl feeling out of place at school inspired the song.
“There was a girl who wrote in saying that she was not feeling like she fit in at her school, because she wasn’t punk enough. I guess [the song] is sort of directed at her,” he said. “People love to argue about what ‘punk rock’ means, but I think a basic tenet that everyone might agree on is a level of open-mindedness.”
The song also came at a time when the band was dropped by their record label and were struggling to make a name. Some speculate this also informed the message of the song, but the band denies this. Either way, the moral of the song can be applied to anyone at all who is still trying to find their place in the world.
There’s an encouraging confidence in the song’s musicality, with forceful guitar and drum parts pushing the song forward. It’s an undeniable staple of the early 2000s, reminding you that “it’s only in your head you feel left out, or looked down on.”
Producer Zedd, producer duo Grey and country singer Maren Morris released “The Middle” in 2018, telling the story of a couple trying to compromise after a violent fight. Zedd and Grey collaborated before on the song “Starving” with Hailee Steinfeld, but this was their first time working with Morris, whose vocals fit the song beautifully.
The high-energy electronic beat is a contrast to the lyrics, which ask “how we got into this mess, got so aggressive” and lament how “I’m losing my mind just a little.” The verses describe a chaotic fight, broken dishes and all, but the pre-chorus and chorus ask the partner to “meet me in the middle,” proclaiming that the love in the relationship is still strong.
The relationship in the song is clearly dysfunctional, but the storytelling is rich. This is your daily reminder that portraying something is not always the same as glorifying it, and I believe this song walks the line of showing us a raw, emotional experience without trying to convince us that this is a healthy relationship.
It’s always tough to compare songs with such different subjects. Morris, Zedd and Grey created an absolute hit that people love for a reason. It’s powerful yet upbeat and easy to listen to, which is not always an easy combination. However, Jimmy Eat World managed to make a jam that hopefully gave a young woman the confidence she needed, and they provided a little extra encouragement to their whole audience while they were at it. That’s pretty hard to beat.
Winner: Jimmy Eat World