In the Middle
Rose Polenzani Lyrics
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Stick to your side of the car.
Can you love me with your strings?
With your friends and other pretty things?
Who knows, who knows better than I what I want?
All of my dreams are off jumping the fountains.
I pluck out my teeth as the pearl bed becomes.
I'll love you old if you'll love me young.
Tenacious delight,
the salt on my hands,
and we never make
unruly demands.
I want my wishes back.
We have ways to get back at each other.
The metal rakes on the bridle leather.
Dragging my hair behind harness ears.
You call it mine, and I call it yours.
Sleep where the silver digs into the girl,
step in her separate world.
Love me like a wild, wild riddle,
like the house that I am in the middle.
Tenacious delight,
the salt on my hands,
and we never make
unruly demands.
I want my wishes back.
I am amazed that we've gotten this far.
See, I can love you from my side of the car.
Don't you agree,
a nickname ain't free.
Jealousy hitches the heels of your women,
and slips in my mouth like a wily persimmon,
a sour-metal flavor that ripens my tongue.
Love me, let me be, leave me young.
Tenacious delight,
the salt on my hands,
and we never make
unruly demands.
I want my wishes back.
The song "In the Middle" by Rose Polenzani is a complex exploration of love and relationships. The singer is torn between wanting to be loved for who she is and the fear that the person she loves will leave her for someone else. The opening lines set the tone for the song, with the singer describing her partner as "stubborn as hell" and telling them to "stick to your side of the car." This suggests a power struggle in the relationship, with both parties unwilling to give ground.
The next few lines continue this theme of conflict and uncertainty, with the singer asking if her partner can really love her, despite all her flaws and imperfections. The line "Who knows better than I what I want?" suggests that the singer is not entirely sure what she wants from the relationship, but is determined to find out. The repeated refrain of "Tenacious delight, the salt on my hands, and we never make unruly demands" reinforces this sense of determination, with the singer wanting to hold on to what she has, even if it means sacrificing some of her own desires.
The final lines of the song are perhaps the most poignant, with the singer expressing her desire to be loved "like a wild, wild riddle, like the house that I am in the middle." This suggests that the singer feels like she is constantly struggling to find her place in the world, and that love is the one thing that can truly ground her. Overall, "In the Middle" is a powerful and moving exploration of the complexities of love and relationships, and the struggles that can arise when two people try to share their lives together.
Line by Line Meaning
Stubborn as hell, that's what you are.
You are incredibly determined and fixed in your ways.
Stick to your side of the car.
Stay in your own lane and respect boundaries.
Can you love me with your strings?
Can you love me even with the things that control you?
With your friends and other pretty things?
Can you love me even with all the other attractive things in your life?
Who knows, who knows better than I what I want?
I am the only one who truly knows what I want.
All of my dreams are off jumping the fountains.
I have ambitious and adventurous dreams that may seem impossible.
I pluck out my teeth as the pearl bed becomes.
I sacrifice something valuable as I strive for something greater.
I'll love you old if you'll love me young.
I will love you for the rest of our lives if you will love me in my youth.
Tenacious delight, the salt on my hands,
My fierce joy, the taste of hard work on my skin,
and we never make unruly demands.
And we never ask too much of each other.
I want my wishes back.
I want my dreams and desires to be fulfilled.
We have ways to get back at each other.
We have ways to retaliate against one another.
The metal rakes on the bridle leather.
The sound of harsh tools scraping against leather.
Dragging my hair behind harness ears.
My hair is being pulled roughly as if pulled by a horse's reins.
You call it mine, and I call it yours.
We share what we have and take responsibility for each other's belongings.
Sleep where the silver digs into the girl,
Sleep in a place where something valuable is causing discomfort.
step in her separate world.
Enter into her individual and unique perspective.
Love me like a wild, wild riddle,
Love me with passion and mystery,
like the house that I am in the middle.
Love me even though I am caught in the middle of things.
I am amazed that we've gotten this far.
I am incredulous that our relationship has progressed this much.
See, I can love you from my side of the car.
I can love you despite our physical distance.
Don't you agree, a nickname ain't free.
Don't you think there's always a cost to a pet name?
Jealousy hitches the heels of your women,
The women in your life are burdened by their envy.
and slips in my mouth like a wily persimmon,
Jealousy infects me like a subtle, deceitful fruit.
a sour-metal flavor that ripens my tongue.
A bitter taste that lingers and affects my ability to communicate.
Love me, let me be, leave me young.
Love me for who I am and allow me to be myself, even if that means remaining youthful.
I want my wishes back.
I desire to have the things that I want.
Contributed by Sarah M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.