“She’s So Mean” by Matchbox Twenty

Like “Disease” (2002), this is another Matchbox Twenty track in which the romantic interest at hand is depicted as a very-beautiful yet wicked lady. That is to say that yes, beholding her beauty will in fact make you “want her”. However, once you do get her, she’s bound to make your life a living hell.

For instance, perhaps the two of you will visit a club together. But instead of leaving with you, she’ll instead bounce with her homeys. She’s also the type who doesn’t mind damaging your personal possessions. And then if you get into a verbal confrontation with her, she’s likely to spaz. Moreover generally speaking she’s depicted as a wishy-washy partner, one who can love and betray you at the same time. And basically, the cause of such behavior is that she’s generally conceited as well as “hardcore”, as in thuggish so to speak.  Moreover she seems to have an affinity for getting drunk, which in turn brings out her “wicked sense of humor”.

And at the end of the day, you can’t help to feel for the singer who is involved with her. Indeed he’s not looking for trouble, instead only desiring to “hold her”. But considering that “she’s so mean”, her love doesn’t come that simply.  Or let’s say he is paying the price for actually being her boyfriend.

So for the most part, the narrative featured in this song is pretty straight-forward.  That is the narrator being infatuated with a toxic lover.  However generally speaking, Matchbox 20 almost meant for it to allude to the idea of people’s tendency to really-really want something without either knowing or acknowledging the negative consequences thereof.  So in that regard the “mean” girl would actually serve a personification for putting want over emotional wellbeing so to speak.

Facts about “She’s So Mean”

The music video to this song, which was directed by Rich Lee, featured a Danish actress by the name of Stephanie Corneluissen in the titular role.

Matchbox Twenty also released an official lyric video for “She’s So Mean”, as well as an alternate 360 video.

The song itself came out on 12 June 2012 as the lead single from Matchbox Twenty’s fourth-standard album, “North”. And in coming out on that date, it holds the distinction of being the first song that was actually freshly-recorded which the band released in a decade. Moreover the label that put it out is Atlantic Records.

“She’s So Mean” was written by Matchbox 20 members Rob Thomas, Kyle Cook and Paul Doucette. They based the song on “the wrong kind of girls that we’ve probably all dated” and “single friends who are making really bad decisions”.

And the production of the song was handled by one of their usual collaborators, Matt Serletic.

“She’s So Mean” made it onto six Billboard charts, including the Hot 100 and reaching number 5 on Dance Club Songs. And outside of the US it charted in almost 10 countries and in the process has been certified Platinum in Australia.