1973 Songs: Stuck in the Middle With You
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (70939)
United States
May 18, 2023 10:37am CST
Brother reports that my sis-in-law is feeling much better. Thank God! 
The eye drops have worn off, so I can see now. Doc said the eyes are normal (she had serious concerns about the brain behind them, though….
). Great news all around! Let’s celebrate with one of those songs from 1973.
Stuck in the Middle With You - Stealer’s Wheel
A song that has worked its way into popular culture:
Clowns to the left of me
Jokers to the right
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you
It doesn’t matter where you are, you’ve had that line go through your mind at one point. If you ever worked for the federal government, it was almost a daily mantra. 
This was not Stealer’s Wheel’s only hit in the U.S. They also had a hit in 1974 with “Star.” Then they broke up, and there were litigations, and all that bad-side-of-the-music-biz crap. Co-writer and lead vocalist Gerry Rafferty emerged on the other side with the 1978 classic “Baker Street” (best sax you’ll ever have) and the delightful album City to City (which is still one of my favorite albums). The other creative half of the band, Joe Eagan, didn’t have any solo success at all.
For fifty years now this song has provided us a way to describe a not-good situation. Here we are, half a century later, still quoting that.
Stuck in the Middle With You
Written by Gerry Rafferty and Joe Eagan
Recorded by Stealer’s Wheel
From Stealer’s Wheel, 1973
Guess I’ll fall off my chair:
The eye drops have worn off, so I can see now. Doc said the eyes are normal (she had serious concerns about the brain behind them, though….). Great news all around! Let’s celebrate with one of those songs from 1973.
Stuck in the Middle With You - Stealer’s Wheel
A song that has worked its way into popular culture:
Clowns to the left of me
Jokers to the right
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you
It doesn’t matter where you are, you’ve had that line go through your mind at one point. If you ever worked for the federal government, it was almost a daily mantra.
This was not Stealer’s Wheel’s only hit in the U.S. They also had a hit in 1974 with “Star.” Then they broke up, and there were litigations, and all that bad-side-of-the-music-biz crap. Co-writer and lead vocalist Gerry Rafferty emerged on the other side with the 1978 classic “Baker Street” (best sax you’ll ever have) and the delightful album City to City (which is still one of my favorite albums). The other creative half of the band, Joe Eagan, didn’t have any solo success at all.
For fifty years now this song has provided us a way to describe a not-good situation. Here we are, half a century later, still quoting that.
Stuck in the Middle With You
Written by Gerry Rafferty and Joe Eagan
Recorded by Stealer’s Wheel
From Stealer’s Wheel, 1973
Guess I’ll fall off my chair:
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15 people like this
16 responses
@dgobucks226 (35972)
•
2 Jun 23
In every walk of life, with the people we meet one will find the clowns and jokers.
Funny what becomes a hit as Rafferty found out. Written as a parody of the music biz, and a joke, add a catchy arrangement, and you strike gold.
A great song and a taste of what was to come with Baker Street and Right Down the Line. 
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (70939)
• United States
3 Jun 23
I love that City to City album so much, and it’s not the only good Rafferty album. Night Owl, the follow-up, was very good as well (even if it didn’t sell a fraction of what City to City did), and later he did an album called North and South that was marvelous.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (35972)
•
4 Jun 23
@FourWalls I'll have to check out some of the other LP's. There are always some interesting songs which are as good, but for some reason the record company does not think them worthy of releasing them as singles.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (35972)
•
8 Jun 23
@FourWalls Very true! Thank goodness "single 45 releases" gave way to albums for us to enjoy all of the artists or band's music.
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (78871)
• East Tawas, Michigan
19 May 23
I love to hear a good saxophone player! Gerry Rafferty is very talented:) This song, I love the ole cowbell sound!
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (70939)
• United States
20 May 23
He was, indeed. There’s quite a few of his. Albums that I go back and listen to a lot. Sure wish he could’ve beaten those demons. 
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (170740)
• Boise, Idaho
18 May 23
Glad to hear that your SIL is doing better. This is a great tune. Those lines do run through my head from time to time.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (170740)
• Boise, Idaho
19 May 23
@FourWalls ........I have done just that and so agree with you. How funny.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (70939)
• United States
19 May 23
Spend an hour at the DMV and that’s all you sing…”clowns to the left of me….”
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (70939)
• United States
19 May 23
It’s one of the most truthful lines in a song!
1 person likes this
@DWDavis (25805)
• United States
19 May 23
@FourWalls And, it describes American politics to a T.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (70939)
• United States
19 May 23
It sometimes takes me a whole month, but I get there!
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (110833)
• Marion, Ohio
19 May 23
@FourWalls I didn't enjoy a lot of the 70s music
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (122530)
• Gainesville, Florida
19 May 23
Such a great song, even 50 years later. I always love when this song comes on the radio, I always turn it up and sing along (to the embarrassment of my passengers).
And I quoted this song frequently when I worked for the government! Haha
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (70939)
• United States
19 May 23
I think everyone who worked for the government after 1973 frequently quoted it!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (122530)
• Gainesville, Florida
20 May 23
@FourWalls I often sing it when my son and daughter are with me. I think they're finally at the point (and age) where they like the song, and now sing along with me when it comes on.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (70939)
• United States
18 May 23
Hard to avoid because radio acts like “Star” didn’t exist. 
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (82192)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
18 May 23
YES YES YES often been stuck in the middle with some idiot but I love this song,
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (70939)
• United States
19 May 23
We’ve all been there, which is why this song is so enduring.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (70939)
• United States
19 May 23
It’s so well-known because it’s so appropriate in so many situations. Which is rather sad.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (70939)
• United States
19 May 23
But wait, there’s more!! This was another one that didn’t find space in the top ten.
This was another one that didn’t find space in the top ten.1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (183827)
• United States
18 May 23
I'm so glad your SIL feels much better. I love this song.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (70939)
• United States
19 May 23
Thanks. 
. This song seems to be a popular winner!
. This song seems to be a popular winner!1 person likes this
@thislittlepennyearns (63442)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
18 May 23
I love this song! So much, and it's used in some of my favorite movies.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (70939)
• United States
19 May 23
I like how certain songs get used repeatedly in movies.
@zainkhan121 (859)
• Pakistan
18 May 23
It's great to hear that your sister-in-law is feeling better! Health improvements are always worth celebrating.
"Stuck in the Middle With You" by Stealers Wheel is indeed a classic song that has left a lasting impact on popular culture. Its catchy chorus and relatable lyrics have resonated with many people over the years. It's interesting to see how certain songs become ingrained in our minds and continue to be referenced long after their release.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (70939)
• United States
19 May 23
I saw her after lunch today and she was feeling much better, sitting up in a chair instead of on the bed, and everything.
