Meyer & McGuire
Songwriter Notes
Song
of the Month #10 - “Caught in the Middle”
(Track #3 on the Caught
in the Middle CD)
Lyrics: If your web browser does not support
the Flash Player* included with the
Lyrics, or you are uncomfortable allowing/downloading the plug-in/add-on,
you can still listen to this song while you read. Just go to our Downloads
Page and click on the
link, “Buy Caught in the Middle Songs from
Napster”. Then, click on "Caught in the Middle." You can listen to it for free (not available outside
the USA).
*Not being a
techie, I use the term “Flash Player” loosely.
Reconstructing the history of my songs has made me aware of
something I didn’t realize until recently.
With some songs, I can remember exactly where I was and what specific
incidents sparked them, but with others, I haven’t a clue. “Caught in the Middle” falls into this latter
category. I know I wrote it sometime
between 1993 and 1998 because these dates are the release dates of our Home
Town and Caught in the Middle CDs.
Since this is the only concrete detail I can offer you about the song’s
history, I will focus on the song’s thematic development because I know exactly
how this idea got started.
In the music world, performers can pursue a wide variety of
venues. They can play concerts,
festivals, coffee houses, restaurants, bars, private parties, street corners,
etc. Some narrow their options to
festivals, concerts, and coffee houses because they have a need for their
audiences to be quiet and attentive.
Others prefer the noisy atmosphere of a bar, restaurant, street, or
private party because their music is just a vehicle they use to have fun with
people. Finally, you have your “music
whores.” These are the folks who do it
all. For them, there is no such thing as
a bad venue. They will play in any
place, at any time, and for any audience.
Siobhan and I best fall into this last group. We are those musicians who are “Caught in the
Middle.”
Despite being accused of “aiming low” by some of our music
colleagues, we have chosen to remain open to all venues because we enjoy
playing, and most of all, we love meeting people and learning about them. This eclectic approach to venues has
introduced us to people from all walks of life, and it has made us aware of the
various ways people enjoy music. While
some like to listen while they are talking, others like to listen carefully and
analyze just about every note and word.
We are comfortable with either approach because the end result is the
same, fun for all.
The song actually developed as a response to musicians who
are critical of the diverse approach to venues.
For example, musicians who will only play for a quiet, attentive
audience will often put down the noisy chaos of the bar scene. On the contrary, musicians who love the atmosphere
of a loud tavern often loathe the snobbery generated by those who prefer the
silence of the coffee house and concert scene.
Another catalyst for the song came from the audiences. Like musicians, audiences criticize each
other too. Those concert goers who
approach music on a more cerebral and intellectual level
often feel the loud, beer-drinking rednecks do not know how to
appreciate music properly. The rednecks
are not bothered in the least by this criticism. They tend to fire back at the folkies in ways
that would be too inappropriate to describe here.
Anyway, after struggling for years to determine what music
venues to pursue, I gave up the fight because I like all audiences. This capitulation inspired the chorus to
“Caught in the Middle,” and I was off and running with a new song. With the theme being clearly depicted in the
chorus, I decided the best way to support the idea would be to have the first
two verses reveal the contrasting behaviors of the rednecks and the
folkies. After this was in place, in the
final verse, I united the two groups with some of the transcending effects of
music. For all audiences, music opens up
the heart, drains it of its troubles, and soothes it, so it can continue its
struggle with life. If you have a little
time to take a look at the lyrics,
this explanation will make much more sense to you.
“Caught in the
Middle” is a country folk song that gets your toes tapping and your hands
clapping regardless of whether you are drinking a cold beer or sipping a hot
cup of coffee. With a guitar, a banjo, a
mandolin, a harmonica, a bass, drums, and backup harmonies, John and Joe Dady and Tim Chaapel help Siobhan
and me in creating one of those songs that brings a smile to your face whether
you are a redneck or a folkie. I like
it, and I hope you do, too.
I dedicated this song to all those people who appreciate and
support our music. Our
writing, arranging, rehearsing, recording, and performing would all be in vain
if it were not for you. Your
feedback, whether it be via the phone, email, or at our performances gives us
the juice to keep doing what we do, and we are deeply grateful for it! We love you rednecks, and we love you folkies
too!
We
recorded this song in 1998 at The Garage, a little studio in Rochester, New
York. The Garage, as I have told you
before, is owned and operated by John and Joe Dady,
two quintessential musicians. When you
record with them, you can always count on great coffee, good stories, and an
aching stomach from laughing. I highly
recommend John and Joe if you are interested in recording. Also, The Dady
Brothers, John and Joe’s group, have many recordings of their own, and they
tour the United States and Ireland.
Check them out on the web at www.dadybros.com.
Tim
Chaapel owns Mobile Music, a great music store in
Canandaigua, New York. If you think you
might be interested in playing an instrument, stop in. Tim will get you off to a great start! He has guitars that make you look really
sexy! Also, if your instrument has
fallen on hard times, Tim will get it sounding like new in no time. Check him out on the web at http://www.mobilemusic.downtowncanandaigua.com.
Well,
there you have it. I’ll have another
song of the month for you next month. If
you have any comments or suggestions, please pass them on to me. This is a work in progress, and I am always
looking for new ways to improve it.
(E-Mailed 1/18/08)
E-mail us at McRiley@Frontiernet.net