Hey
Don't write yourself off yet
It's only in your head you feel left out or looked down on
Just try your best
Try everything you can
And don't you worry what they tell themselves when you're away

It just takes some time
Little girl, you're in the middle of the ride
Everything, everything will be just fine
Everything, everything will be alright, alright

Hey
You know they're all the same
You know you're doing better on your own so don't buy in
Live right now
Yeah, just be yourself
It doesn't matter if it's good enough for someone else

It just takes some time
Little girl, you're in the middle of the ride
Everything, everything will be just fine
Everything, everything will be alright, alright

It just takes some time
Little girl, you're in the middle of the ride
Everything, everything will be just fine
Everything, everything will be alright, alright

Hey
Don't write yourself off yet
It's only in your head you feel left out
Or looked down on
Just do your best
Do everything you can
And don't you worry what their bitter hearts are gonna say

It just takes some time
Little girl, you're in the middle of the ride
Everything, everything will be just fine
Everything, everything will be alright, alright

It just takes some time
Little girl, you're in the middle of the ride
Everything, everything will be just fine
Everything, everything will be alright


Lyrics submitted by girlypunk

The Middle Lyrics as written by Zachary Michael Lind Thomas Darrell Linton

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

The Middle song meanings
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450 Comments

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  • +8
    General Comment

    I have been struggling living with my dad and his girlfriend for the past nine months while my mom has been sick. Since I started my senior year in August, I have been diagnosed with depression and have been trying to find ways of keeping myself strong and optimistic. I felt my strength start to slip away until I started to try turning things around and this song that initiated that. Thank you Jimmy Eat World!

    foreverinmusicon January 03, 2011   Link
  • +6
    General Comment

    I wish I had this song when I was in highschool.

    thisboyon January 29, 2002   Link
  • +6
    General Comment

    This song is great!! Finally some good stuff on the radio. I think that everyone, especially those of us in high school, should pay attention to these lyrics just once. This song is all about being who you really are and not worrying what the so-called "popular" kids think about you! This song is basically saying be yourself, take your own path, and be proud of it!! : )

    IncludingTuesdayon March 26, 2002   Link
  • +5
    General Comment

    This is by far my favorite song. When I first heard it I was like, "Um ok this is nice but..." And when I really listened to it, it was like, "Whoa. This is really a message right here." After that, I saw the video and it was like, "Don't be like the rest. You can do better." And that's what I did and I'm really my own person.

    Karma330on January 26, 2002   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    This song always puts me in a good mood. When I'm feeling down, it always seems to be able to cheer me up and kind of motivate me to keep going and not sell out, lol. This is definitely a 'feel-good' song.

    Skaviuson January 08, 2002   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    THIS SONG IS THE BEST...its so true and it tells ya to be strong n keep doin what u think is right n who cares about what all the other fake lame asses think

    punkassprincesson January 24, 2002   Link
  • +3
    Song Meaning

    This song is like perfect for me, because it's just say that even though other people are doing the same things and that they don't like the things that you do. You should just be yourself.

    Musicgal10on June 30, 2009   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    I didn't read all of the comments above, so I guess this has being said before, but, this song has helped me so much. Is like the UNIVERSAL ULTIMATE song to give you hope during those awkward mometns of a hard long-term age called adolescence or for most of us: high School. We all go through it, and we all feel rejected or misunderstood, secluded, etc, etc, etc. At least at once you want to know what people think about you, or you want to do something to fit in, or complitely disappear. But you can't, so, for those moments Thank You JEW, for giving humanity this perfect piece of art perfect to overcome all those issues and make us feel comfortable with who we are inside and outside, and be able to stand up fot ourselves, and shine for who we really are. If you haven't feel left out of weird in society, then you don't know what this song is about. And if feels awesome to have someone singing specially to us. They obviously have someone who felt that way, and we all just want somebody to care about our real feelings.

    And if you don't realte to it, well you can still dance and jump around with it, that riff is AMAZING and really really catchy.

    Adore the video. One of my favorites of all time.

    MCRockerwayAfion December 03, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    yeah it reminds me a lot of school and trying to be "accepted" and crap. It tends to have that "chin up" sort of effect on me too.

    Shifty Shinigamion January 15, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This is one of my favorite songs. I LOVE Jimmy Eat World and think that they write great songs. This song especially has a way of cheering me up when I'm sad.

    music_goddess1on February 13, 2002   Link

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