Caught In The Middle
by Dio

Album: Holy Diver (1983)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The song is about Angelo Arcuri, he was the engineer on Holy Diver and would often come to Dio when he was having troubles. Dio came up with the song's title when Angelo told him he was "caught in the middle again."

    "Angelo's life always seemed to that of one caught in the middle of some kind of turmoil," Ronnie James Dio explained. "He would often make decisions that were wrong, and he would come to me and go, 'Ron, what am I gonna do?'" >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Austin - Indianapolis, Indiana
  • This rocker is part of Holy Diver, the first album by Dio, the band formed by Ronnie James Dio after leaving Black Sabbath. They recorded the album at Sound City Studios with Dio producing. Without an experienced hand at the helm, they had to figure out how to make the album as they went along, which made Angelo Arcuri's role as engineer a very important one. They ended up using some unorthodox techniques to get a distinct sound, like putting drummer Vinny Appice's kit against a window and surrounding him with plywood. The album ended up being a metal landmark and proof that Ronnie James Dio could succeed outside of Black Sabbath.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")Song Writing

Director Mark Pellington on Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," and music videos he made for U2, Jon Bon Jovi and Imagine Dragons.

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions Answered

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions AnsweredSong Writing

10 Questions for the author of Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & PalmerSongwriter Interviews

Greg talks about writing songs of "universal truth" for King Crimson and ELP, and tells us about his most memorable stage moment (it involves fireworks).

Paul Williams

Paul WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

He's a singer and an actor, but as a songwriter Paul helped make Kermit a cultured frog, turned a bank commercial into a huge hit and made love both "exciting and new" and "soft as an easy chair."

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine Band

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine BandSongwriter Interviews

Harry Wayne Casey tells the stories behind KC and The Sunshine Band hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Give It Up."

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And Hell

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And HellSongwriter Interviews

Guitarist Tony Iommi on the "Iron Man" riff, the definitive Black Sabbath song, and how Ozzy and Dio compared as songwriters.