Finding that "second little person"

No matter how organized or disorganized one’s life may be, everyone has some form of routine. We wake up every day, eat, work, sleep, and life goes on. Through it all, the lines blur and many aspects of life may seem insignificant. Through Matt Maltese’s song 'Little Person', we hear his perspective on this, as he emphasizes finding the love of his life.

[Verse 1]

“I'm just a little person; One person in a sea; Of many little people; Who are not aware of me”

Maltese begins the song with a phrase that reaps sorrow from the narrator. Establishing that the Earth that we live on is huge and is full of people who have their own lives, ideals, and opinions; all of which render him insignificant in the grand scheme of it all. It reads as: No matter how open the world may be, I am just 1 person out of 8 billion.

“I do my little jobs; Live my little life; Eat my little meals; Miss my little kid and wife”

As he continues, Maltese states a mantra of the average day-to-day life. Though this may be normal, he specifically describes each action as ‘little.’ Regurgitating the notion that he, everything he does, and even the people in his life are so tiny that they become insignificant.

[Chorus]

“And somewhere, maybe someday; Maybe somewhere far away; I’ll find a second little person”

Despite the sadness that the narrator feels in his life, he still lives with hope that life will eventually bring him to love. The narrator yearns to be seen, heard and loved and hopes to find that through a second person just like him.

“Who will look at me and say; "I know you, you're the one I've waited for; Let’s have some fun"’

Closing the chorus with this phrase, Maltese reiterates the meaning of the first part of the chorus. The difference here is that the narrator’s imagination steps in as a means of reasoning with himself. He states a quote that tells us exactly what he is looking for in this ‘second little person.

[Bridge]

“Life is precious, every minute; And more precious with you in it; So let's have some fun”

Here, we hear a switch in the narrator's way of thinking. He goes from being low, and depressed, with hope being the only thing that holds him together to him using his imagination to live his desired life. His life that was once little, is not as little with this special little person living in it with him.

“We'll take a road trip way out west; You're the one I like the best; I'm glad I found you I like hangin' 'round you; You're the one I like the best”

Maltese closes the bridge with these lines, reminding us of why that “second little person” is so important. The experiences that they will have and the love that they will share shall go beyond the bounds of his little world.

[Outro]

“Somewhere, maybe someday; Maybe somewhere far away (3x); I’ll find a second little person; And we’ll go out and play”

The outro of this song ends our story on a hopeful note, similar to the one that was sung in the chorus. The narrator has a strong, even desperate desire for this life with another person that would open his mind to the good things.

Summary:

This song has a quiet and mellow style within its instrumentals. You can even hear the acoustics brighten throughout the chorus and bridge as the narrator speaks of his hope and the life that he wants. As people, we naturally desire companionship and love. We want to feel seen, known, and desired. We want love to consume us and for us to do the same to others. This does not necessarily have to be through a romantic connection but through a strong platonic connection. These lines are quite easy to blur in the thick of things, yet hope continues to carry us through the “little” parts of life when we feel insignificant. 'Little Person' is one of my favorite songs by Matt Maltese because, though it is so simple, it is an emotion that many feel yet cannot explain—that feeling of yearning for love.