Something To Be

I heard somewhere that Rob wrote this when he was pissed off at his record company. They were trying to make him something he wasn't.

Great song, one of my favorites on the album.

To me its about him trying to find identity. And then when he finds it, he doesnt like it. "I can't stand what I'm starting to be "

I never really heard anything regarding the backstory, but to me it sounds almost as if Rob is attempting to discover himself as a songwriter. Throughout the CD which he titled after this song, he experiments with various different tunes that are unique and seperate itself from the one before. This song basically reflects that, on a small level.

Now that you mention it, I think that could be pretty right. Especially because of the lines "my pain is a platinum stack" and "Everybody says you've been away too long", which would refer to the gap between Matchbox Twenty's last album and Rob's first solo album.

I think that's it. He don't want to be something some one else wants him to be. FUCK yeAH. this is my favorite song of his

I would have never thought about that, if I hadn't read this. It all makes sense too:

"Hey man Play another one of those heartbreak songs Tell another story how things go wrong And they never get back "

They want him to write songs like he did with MB20.

"Hey man I don't wanna hear about love no more I don't wanna talk about how I feel I don't really wanna be me no more "

He doesn't want to write about the same things as he used to.

"Dress down now I look a little too Boy next door "

He changed from the rock band of MB20 to alternative. He is 'cooling off' in a way.

For me, one of the main meanings of the song is Rob Thomas's quest for his identity as a musician.

He seems to be running out of ideas and even consider using gimicks to look more "bad boy" (maybe I should try to find a downtown whore/that'll make me look hardcore), something so NOT Rob Thomas.

He is basically trying to find a new role, something to "stand for", a personal philosophy.

In the end of the song, he realizes that the show biz is almost trying to turn him into someone he doesn't want to be. He now despises all the back-stabbers that he used to call friends (such as his producer, etc; I'm guessing here).