JOE DOLMAN
Q: What was behind your creation of “The Middle”?
A: You know, I came up with “The Middle” from my own ways in relationships and after that dealing with mistakes. I just wanted to make it feel real like something you could relate to as well as repentance.
Q: Could you elaborate further on the themes explored in these lyrics?
A: Yes; The Middle is a song about regrets, forgiveness and the intricacies of relationships. It’s about those moments when someone realizes that he or she has messed up and are trying to fix them.
Q: How did you approach writing such emotionally charged lyrics?
A: Writing these words were really emotional for me. I tried to infuse it with as much raw emotion from my personal experiences and vulnerabilities to make it real. This way, the lyrics will be authentic.
Q: What was the message you intended this song to communicate?
A: My message was simple; however, you can make errors then take responsibility for them and try learning out of them. Isn’t that about growth or redemption?
Q: What is the significance of repeating “You were caught in the middle, caught in the middle,” in chorus?
A: Yeah, this line implies feelings both parties involved had undergone while experiencing emotional pain within their relationship. It means recognizing what your actions have done to somebody else, who feels good about herself more than ever before.
Q: The process of coming up with its lyrics is what we would love you speak about.
A: I had a lot of ups and downs when writing its words. A lot of what I put into writing them came from personal experiences, emotions and sentiments where I truly let myself go. Every word had to be sincere.
Q: Do you think listeners will resonate with any concepts shown all through “The Middle”?
A: I just think that these feelings are very universal, like love, regret and forgiveness. There is a certain time we go through such experiences in our lives so I believe that listeners will really connect to the emotions and experiences expressed in this song.
Q: What do you want people to understand about the lyrics of “The Middle”?
A: I hope they can develop some empathy, I hope they can see where I am coming from with it. It’s okay to screw up but always remember to make up for your mistakes as possible.
Q: How does “The Middle” fit into your overall artistic vision and body of work?
A: In essence “The Middle” just continued my tradition of creating music that speaks honestly about life. It is sort of my personal journey and an extra layer of depth into all the songs I have ever written.
Q: Is there a line or lyric in this song that is special to you?
A: Hmm.. That’s hard…One line, though, “I’m waking up from my mistakes,” kind of hits me. It’s like that moment when you realize it’s over; it’s like when you finally wake up after making a mistake for so long.
Q: How would you describe the way in which emotion is introduced to your songwriting?
A: It is all about me taking advantage of my own personal experiences and weaknesses. I try writing honestly, from a perspective that I am real, and I believe that’s what makes the emotions expressed in my music actually come through.
Q: What do you want your listeners to feel when they listen to “The Middle”?
A: My main expectation for the listeners is sympathy and feeling of being linked up on something bigger. I want them to understand that there are others who have gone through similar things in their lives and also know that people can always get back on track after making some mistakes.
Q: Can you describe what effect repetition has on this song’s chorus?
A: Well, by saying” caught in the middle” over and over again he really hits home with the central theme of the song. It means like a constant reminder of how both parties are undergoing some emotional turmoil; see what I mean?
Q: How do the lyrics of “The Middle” relate to its overall emotional impact?
A: The words set the whole tone for this particular melody, literally. They give it depth and subtlety such that listeners fully relate with it as a narrative or movie character story etc which ultimately provides an emotional punch underlying it all but not realized until explained by words.
