Jack Johnson – Middle Man

• 0
  Song Meaning:Well he's not necessarily trying to say that he minds it
  But someone plays evil tricks on that kid
  Well he's not necessarily trying to say god can't be trusted
  But someone plays evil tricks on that kid
  And certain situations scream for deviations
  But somehow he always gets stuck in the middle
  Of this and that and man he should try less
  Because every time he's rejected man he loses affection
  
  Giving up on yourself because of other people hence... the way they treat you.
  
  
  
  But don't we all, don't we just got to give a little time
  Maybe give a friend a call instead of making him confused
  What a terrible thing for you to do
  What an awful thing for you to say
  What a terrible thing for you to relay
  
  because of the way they treat you.. this goes for everyone.. "don't we all". In these lines I think he's describing how we treat each other, and you just got to come clean with the way your treating people and more importantly yourself. Confusing people can be dangerous.
  
  
  Well I know some people's they got a little less than nothing
  But still find some to spare
  And other people got more than they could use
  But they don't share
  And some people got problems man
  They got awful complications
  Other people got perfect situations
  With no provocation
  
  this is a mesh up of different kinds of people, and while this is all going on we get stuck in the middle...
  
  
  
  
  But don't we all, don't we just got to give a little time
  Maybe give a friend a call instead of making him confused
  What a terrible thing for you to do
  What an awful thing for you to say
  What a terrible thing for you
  Confused
  What a terrible thing for you to do
  What an awful thing for you to say
  What a terrible thing for you to relay
  
  
  
  Somehow we always get stuck in the middle (repeated)
  Confused, what an awful thing for you to do
  Confused, what an awful thing for you to say-ee

  Flag INLimBo7on October 06, 2009   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:i know this song has nothing to do with drugs,...but it always makes me think of middle man in drug deals...
  
  its funny..i cant kick that thought out of my head at all....i think coz its the thing that came into my had wen i heard the song for the first time

  Flag Bharperon June 07, 2007   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:mjschorn sums it up perfectly. this almost sounds like it belongs in a jazz club, but a jazz club by the beach.

  Flag big timmyon February 14, 2007   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:this has gotta be my favorite j.j. song.
  
  simple yet powerful, and catchy.
  
  amazing

  Flag HisDudenesson January 17, 2007   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:OMG JACK JOHNSON IS SOOO TALENTED!

  Flag mulmoon January 24, 2006   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:well, this song to me is something i can really relate to. being the middle man, it's like being stuck between two friends where they don’t particularly like each other anymore but you're still friends with both of them. it's something where you don’t really mind being where you are but sometimes it's like there's something or someone playing tricks with you and you get confused and frustrated because you don't know whether the next day you're still going to be friends with both of them or if they're going to be friends and then turn their backs on you. so 'give a friend a call instead of making him confused', to me, is like just stop thinking about yourselves but think about the person who is being the middle man.
  
  and ‘of this and that and man he should try less because every time he's rejected man he loses affection’ is like he shouldn’t always be the middle man, shouldn’t always help people because then they’ll take advantage of him and he’ll be the one who will end up hurt, even though his intention was so that no one would get hurt.
  
  Well I know some people's they got a little less than nothing
  But still find some to spare
  And other people got more than they could use
  But they don't share
  And some people got problems man
  They got awful complications
  Other people got perfect situations
  With no provocation
  
  for ^that^ part of the song, it’s like other people didn’t bother with the problem the friends were having even though they could help, but the guy, the middle man did. and he’s a middle man even though he has problems of his own to deal with in the first place. so his two friends are too blind to see that… and they are the ones who should be helping him (by giving him a call!) instead of the other way around.
  
  Somehow we always get stuck in the middle
  Confused, what an awful thing for you to do
  Confused, what an awful thing for you to say
  
  well, yea, it’s an awful and terrible thing to be the middle man, but sometimes you just don’t plan these things. the middle man is usually at the right place at the right time.

  Flag koolkkhairaon January 25, 2005   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:I hear ya Nate. In my opinion, the more basic "double-bass" version where you hear the voices in the background make it much more jazzy feeling. Not to mention the flute has a great almost hip-hop feel.

  Flag mjschornon April 15, 2003   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:dammmmnnnn this song is wonderful
  
  "Well I know some people's they got a little less than nothing
  But still find some to spare
  And other people got more than they could use
  But they don't share
  And some people got problems man
  They got awful complications
  Other people got perfect situations
  With no provocation "
  
  
  MAN, i love this part of the song, and the whole song, because it seems to talk about some kid that
  
  "But someone plays evil tricks on that kid
  Well he's not necessarily trying to say god can't be trusted
  But someone plays evil tricks on that kid
  And certain situations scream for deviations
  But somehow he always gets stuck in the middle "
  
  
  
  damm what beautiful words, these two parts explains the song,
  its great.
  
  -angela

  Flag amm511on August 17, 2002   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:Does anyone know why there are two versions of this song that sound completely different? Same with some of his other songs like "Posters". This song is great too, I'm not sure if I like the slow or fast version more yet.

  Flag NateKalbachon August 05, 2002   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:rofl.
  Dont you just love it? The words just roll out so smoothly.. and yet he has great enunciation and diction, and what he is saying can be made out.
  
  I like this song's message.. Sometimes we do get stuck in the middle.. or force others into that position. And you know what? it sucks. .. "Confused, what an awful thing for you to do."
  
  (I must confess. I didnt like this song the first time i heard it.. but it's grown on me.)
  
  

  Flag anna118kon July 22, 2002   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!