Bent (song)

"Bent"
Single by Matchbox Twenty
from the album Mad Season
Released	July 4, 2000[1]
Format	CD single, audio cassette
Recorded	1999
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	4:16
Label	Atlantic
Writer(s)	Rob Thomas
Producer(s)	Matt Serletic
Matchbox Twenty singles chronology
"Back 2 Good" (1999) "Bent" (2000) "If You're Gone" (2000)

"Bent" is a song by American alternative rock group Matchbox Twenty. It was released in July 2000 as the lead single from their second album, Mad Season. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on July 22, 2000, and stayed there for one week before being unseated by 'N Sync's "It's Gonna Be Me". It's currently the band's only number one hit on that chart.

Background and writing

Thomas told Billboard magazine that it's "a love song and a rock song; there's a hopeful tone to it. It's kind of like the person is saying, 'As misguided as I may be, these are things that it takes to be with me.'"^[2] This was Thomas' first attempt at a love song and he believes it is co-dependent of the 21st century. Thomas spoke on Storytellers that the song is about two people who are "both messed up", but they are together, so it doesn't matter.

Music video

The video, directed by Pedro Romhanyi, seems to be a bit of a play on Rob Thomas' increased profile following the 1999 mega-hit, "Smooth", since it features other members of the band mistreating him. It starts with him being hit by a car driven by Adam Gaynor. As he lies on the ground, Kyle Cook shows up and empties Thomas of all money in his wallet. After this, Rob recovers from the car hit and walks off, singing the chorus. After the first chorus, he bumps into Paul Doucette. Rob sings a few more lines to a clearly unimpressed Paul, who basically shoves Thomas out of his way. At this point Rob walks off again, singing the second chorus, and the wind seems to hit him stronger than it hits other people. He then heads into an alley where day and night intermix. He's assaulted yet again, at which point Brian Yale shows up apparently to help him off the ground. Rob refuses the hand and walks off, eventually leaving the alleyway and emerging back into the daylight, when the events seem to recur from the beginning of the video.

Track listing

• Australia Maxi-CD

1. "Bent" – 4:17
2. "Don't Let Me Down" (Live from Australia) – 4:11
3. "Busted" (Live from Australia) – 4:33

• US single

1. "Bent" – 4:17
2. "Push" (acoustic) – 4:21

Chart positions