The Bottle Rockets are a rock band which formed in Festus, Missouri, United… Read Full Bio ↴The Bottle Rockets are a rock band which formed in Festus, Missouri, United States in 1992. The band currently consists of Brian Henneman (vocals, guitar), John Horton (guitar), Keith Voegele (bass) and Mark Ortmann (drums). Henneman and Ortmann are original members; original bassist Tom Ray left the band in 1997 and original guitarist Tom Parr left the band in 2002. The band have released ten studio albums since the release of their debut self-titled album in 1993.

Middle Man
The Bottle Rockets Lyrics

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If I could be a little bit younger If I could be a little bit older If I could be a little bit friendlier If I could be a little bit colder Then I would be a little bit better Yeah I would be a little bit better
 But I'm a middle man, stuck in the middle
Right between everything tangible Just a middle man looking for a little
Of something that'll make me more radical
It's the only thing I've ever been
That's been undeniable That's a middle man, here I am Invisible but reliable

If I could be a little bit happier If I could be a little more cranky If I could be a little more Dixie If I could be a little more Yankee Then I would be a little bit better

Yeah I would be a little bit better

But I'm a middle man, stuck in the middle
Right between everything tangible Just a middle man looking for a little
Of something that'll make me more radical
It's the only thing I've ever been
That's been undeniable That's a middle man, here I am Invisible but reliable

If I could be a little bit uglier
If I could be a little bit prettier
If I could feel a little bit healthier
If I could feel a little bit shittier
Then I would be a little better
Yeah I would be a little bit better

But I'm a middle man, stuck in the middle
Right between everything tangible Just a middle man looking for a little
Of something that'll make me more radical

It's the only thing I've ever been
That's been undeniable That's a middle man, here I am Invisible but reliable

Overall Meaning

The Bottle Rockets's song "Middle Man" is a reflection on the human condition of never being satisfied, and the eternal feeling of being stuck in the middle of everything. The singer wishes to be a little bit younger or older, friendlier or colder, happier or more cranky, Dixie or Yankee, uglier or prettier, healthier or shittier. They believe that any one of these changes could make them a little bit better, but ultimately, they are just a middle man, stuck in the middle of everything.

The singer feels like they are not making any significant progress in their life, and they are looking for something that will make them more radical. However, they cannot seem to find it, and they are resigned to being a reliable but invisible middle man. The lyrics capture the feeling of being stuck in a rut and yearning for something more but not knowing how to achieve it.

Overall, "Middle Man" is a poignant commentary on the human desire to be different and better, but the feeling of being stuck and unable to change. It speaks to the frustration that many people go through in their lives when they feel like they are not making progress, and their lives are stagnant.

Line by Line Meaning

If I could be a little bit younger
If I was younger, I might have a different perspective on life and the choices I've made.

If I could be a little bit older
If I was older, I might have more wisdom and experience to make better decisions.

If I could be a little bit friendlier
If I was friendlier, I might have better connections and relationships with those around me.

If I could be a little bit colder
If I was colder, I might be able to make difficult decisions more easily and not be swayed by emotion.

Then I would be a little bit better Yeah I would be a little bit better
Overall, if I could change some things about myself, I think I would be a better person.

But I'm a middle man, stuck in the middle Right between everything tangible
Despite my desire to change, I feel stuck in between all these different options and possibilities.

Just a middle man looking for a little Of something that'll make me more radical
I'm trying to find something that will help me break out of this middle ground and make a big impact in my life.

It's the only thing I've ever been That's been undeniable
Being a middle man is a defining aspect of my identity and it's something that I can't change.

That's a middle man, here I am Invisible but reliable
I may not be the flashiest or most noticeable person, but I am dependable and always there when people need me.

If I could be a little bit happier
I wish I could find more joy and contentment in my life.

If I could be a little more cranky
Sometimes I think I need to be more assertive and not let people walk all over me.

If I could be a little more Dixie
Maybe I should embrace my southern roots more and take pride in where I come from.

If I could be a little more Yankee
Or perhaps I should try to be more like those from the northern parts of the country and be more direct and assertive.

If I could be a little bit uglier
I wish my appearance didn't matter so much and people could see me for who I am on the inside.

If I could be a little bit prettier
At the same time, I wish I could fit society's beauty standards and not feel so self-conscious all the time.

If I could feel a little bit healthier
I want to take better care of myself physically and mentally.

If I could feel a little bit shittier
Sometimes I feel like I need to hit rock bottom in order to make real change in my life and become a better person.

Then I would be a little better Yeah I would be a little bit better
Regardless of what changes I make, I hope that I can improve and become a better version of myself over time.

Contributed by Isabelle J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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