Push (Matchbox Twenty song)

Vocalist Rob Thomas wrote the lyrics to "Push" with Matt Serletic. The song's lyrics are about the stress of falling in and out of love.^[2] Thomas stated that the man in the song (either himself or fictional) was the one being abused, either emotionally or physically, by a woman.^[3] After its release, the song's lyrics drew criticism from some listeners who interpreted them as promoting violence against women, to which Thomas expressed surprise, stating that the song was not misogynistic.^[3] In an interview with The Morning Call, bass guitarist Brian Yale added, "We were kind of surprised when we heard all that stuff. [Our response] was, 'Wow, really? No, it's not about that.'^[2]

The video for "Push" was directed by Nigel Dick, and shot March 27–28, 1997, in Los Angeles.^[4] The video starts and ends with Rob Thomas playing with a puppet. Throughout the song, the band is seen playing in an alley. A couple of scenes feature Thomas chained to a wall. Another scene is of Thomas holding onto a barbed wire fence while the band stands in the background. He gets stuck by the fence but keeps putting his hands back on it. Thomas is also seen in a room containing a clock and a bed, though no windows are shown.

• 12-inch vinyl, cassette, and CD single^[5][6][7]

1. "Push"  – 3:59
2. "Tired"  – 3:44

• Maxi-single^[8]

1. "Push"  – 3:59
2. "Busted" (acoustic) – 4:24
3. "Tired"  – 3:44

Credits and personnel are adapted from the Yourself or Someone Like You album liner notes.^[9]

• Rob Thomas – vocals, writer
• Kyle Cook – lead guitar, background vocals
• Adam Gaynor – rhythm guitar, background vocals
• Brian Yale – bass
• Paul Doucette – drums
• Matt Serletic – writer, producer, mixing, composition and arrangement
• Jeff Tomei – engineering
• Greg Archilla – mixing
• John Nielson – recording assistant
• Malcolm Springer – mixing assistant
• Stephen Marcussen – mastering
• Don C. Tyler – digital editing