a ▁Category : C ret ace ous ▁fish ▁of ▁Europe ▁Category : Lat imer i idae ▁Category : T ax a ▁named ▁by ▁Louis ▁Ag ass iz ▁Category : F oss il ▁tax a ▁described ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 5 <0x0A> </s> ▁" The ▁Middle " ▁is ▁a ▁song ▁by ▁American ▁rock ▁band ▁Jimmy ▁E at ▁World . ▁It ▁was ▁released ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁as ▁the ▁second ▁single ▁of ▁their ▁fourth ▁album ▁Ble ed ▁American . ▁It ▁was ▁a ▁number - five ▁hit ▁on ▁the ▁US ▁Billboard ▁Hot ▁ 1 0 0 ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁and ▁reached ▁the ▁top ▁ 5 0 ▁in ▁Australia , ▁Ireland , ▁New ▁Zealand ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom . ▁The ▁song ▁was ▁a ▁break through ▁hit ▁for ▁Jimmy ▁E at ▁World , ▁who ▁had ▁self - fin anced ▁the ▁recording ▁of ▁the ▁Ble ed ▁American ▁album ▁after ▁having ▁been ▁dropped ▁by ▁Capit ol ▁Records ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁ ▁Background ▁and ▁composition ▁" The ▁Middle " ▁was ▁written ▁after ▁Jimmy ▁E at ▁World ▁had ▁been ▁dropped ▁from ▁Capit ol ▁Records ▁after ▁their ▁previous ▁album ▁Clar ity ▁had ▁been ▁released . ▁Their ▁second ▁album ▁St atic ▁Pre v ails ▁had ▁sold ▁just ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁copies ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁and ▁Capit ol ▁Records ▁decided ▁to ▁drop ▁the ▁band ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁change ▁in ▁prior ities . ▁S inger / gu itar ist ▁Jim ▁Ad kins