Problem Girl

oh my god i love this song it only took thirty seconds of this to convince me to actually go out and buy the cd (which i am happy i did) this is definately one of the sweetest songs ever. it's just telling someone that you care for them and that they could never be too much work to care about no matter what anyone else says it's both classic rob thomas and new/different. eee. i love it.

This song is constantly stuck in my head..I love it so much! It's basically telling this girl not to worry about all the other people that are making her life harder...He's telling her that she just needs to forget about the others and remember that she isn't a problem.

One of my favourites on the cd, for sure!! :) It makes me feel better...it lets me know that it will be ok in the end, that you just have to face others and be strong when people critizes you... I suffer so much because ot that...and I'm struggling all the time with myself...this song reminds me that it's basically all in your head, and you shouldn't care about others so much.

"You thought that you'd be feeling better by now..." I have told myself so many times that I would change my ways...but I rarely do. So Rob, once again, thank you for embracing my soul like you always did.

This song got stuck in my head and is one I listened to over and over again when it was up for listen on VH1.com prior to the album's release. I remember Rob saying it originally wasn't going to be on the CD, but he ended up adding it. Mari also said she swears Rob wrote it for her before they even met. Whatever the story, it is a great song.

this song is definitley about letting go of other's negative thoughts about you and being stronger because of it. there was a time in my life when those around me kept me feeling alienated and on the outside because of a life decision i had made, and i was down very low because of it. those people's opinions of me mattered to me more than my own... but then i heard this song and it opened my eyes to what was happening aorund me. the line "You know they're only what they think of you" stuck with me. the people keeping me down, my critics, were criticizing me for things they themselves were guilty of. once i stopped worrying about what people thought, they saw the confidence blooming, and would never dare speak those things to me again. i figured out that i was not a "problem" and let it be known. if i didnt give them a reason to believe i was a "problem," they could never say i was. Thanks Rob Thomas!

This song makes me happy to be me again, and my heart lighter. I want to thank BonJoeV for sticking with me through all of it. L u

omg this is the first time i heard this song and it moved me to tears its awsome

Everyone thinks you are the problem that causes them to be sad. They smile fakely and it makes you feel worse. And he is saying that it isn't her fault. You worry about what they think and say, and you don't have to. You can stand and ignore them, or fall and listen. But she isn't really the problem, she is just who they blame.

As opposed to others here, while i do think the "girl" in the song feels like a "problem", it's not because of people being mean to her, or otherwise behaving poorly. Instead, I see her as someone who thinks putting any "problem" on others makes her unlikeable. To wit:

"Don't let 'em get where they're going to"

She wants people to pass her by and carry on with their life without dealing with her putting her problem on them.

"You know they're only what they think of you"

In her mind, when people become aware of her problems, that becomes all they think about, and that thought makes her feel bad.

"You heard of this emotional trickery And you felt like you were learning the ropes"

She thinks that talking with friends about her problems tricks them into caring for her, but it makes her feel like she's using them.

"But where you're going now you don't now"

However, doing that is not good for her - she's bottling up everything inside, and she seems to be the only one who doesn't notice it.

"And when the kids on the street say What's your problem girl"

Everyone's trying to be an ear, to try and get her to open up.

"And the weight of their smile's just Too much for you to bear"

But their being nice and trying to help is hard for her to accept.

"When they all make you feel Like you're a problem girl Remember You're no problem at all You're no problem at all"

But to them, she's not a problem at all. She's a friend.

"Pride like promises can let you down"

Her being stubborn is, in the end, only hurting her.

"You thought that you'd be feeling Better by now"

She thought that getting away from everything would change things for the better, but it's not.

"You worry all the things they could do to you You worry about the things they could say"

But she's so concerned about worst-case scenarios, and how they could treat her poorly if she opened up.

"Maybe you're seeing things the wrong way"

But she's not seeing how her friends could be kind, supportive and everything she needs.

"Try If you stand or you fall You're no problem at all"

At her best, or at her worst, she's not a problem. Once more, she's a friend.