Taylor Hawkins was best known for his work as the drummer for the Foo Fighters , but his solo career also boasts some notable achievements. One of them is a song from his side project, Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders , written about his middle daughter, Annabelle .
The track is called “Middle Child” and is part of the 2019 album, Get The Money . In an interview with Joe Daly , the musician once said that the original idea for the song was supposed to be about his eldest son, Oliver Shane .
According to Hawkins, he held onto the idea of a song about his son for six years, but the boy disapproved of the song when he heard it. “He said, ‘If you put that on your album, I’m going to punch you! If you’re going to write a song about me, it has to sound like Metallica ! I don’t want a sappy song about me, Dad!’” he recounts.
His daughter Annabelle then asked her father to write a song about her instead of one about Oliver. At first, Taylor Hawkins says he wasn't very sure about fulfilling his daughter's request. "I replied, 'Well, I don't know. You're the middle child and you're acting like a middle child now, seeking attention and approval,'" he said.
“'And I understand that because Shane is always causing trouble and the baby [his youngest daughter, Everleigh ] is super cute, so you're in the middle. But you're like my twin, too.' And she is. So I thought of calling the song 'Middle Child',” Hawkins concluded.
After its release, “Middle Child” received a music video filled with moments of Taylor Hawkins with his daughter Annabelle. The song and video were recently remembered by Mike Portnoy in a tribute to the late drummer on his Instagram. “What a gift to have shared something like that with his daughter,” he commented.
Taylor Hawkins passed away on Friday, March 25th. The cause of death has not yet been released, and the Foo Fighters have cancelled all previously scheduled shows on their tour.
