The Enemy Is You Lyrics
Walking upside down
Through the sunken dream
Through the crushing crowd
You don't know what it means
Because you're a broken machine
You won't lisp it out
You're dressing up your man
It's all second hand
It's all hindsight
You don't understand
It's just an empty scene
It's still an empty scheme
You want to block it out
But I know what I'm going to do
With this big doubt
I'm going to make it go away
When you go walking out in
The rose city
Without a fucking clue
With an attitude
Knowing what you need
What you will not do
The enemy is you
You beat up on yourself
Because there ain't no one else
Who feels quite as good
To put straight through hell
You know yourself well
You know what you're about
Just want to block it out
Well, I know what I'm going to do
With this big doubt
I'm going to hide my face away
Block it out
Well, I know what I'm going to do
With this big doubt
I'm going to make it go away
I can't believe that no one has commented on this song yet
this in my opinion is possibally my favorite elliott song and it is the namesake of my email address (the.enemy.is.you@gmail.com) and I think it is wonderful
I think that this song is about someone that Elliott cares about a lot and he is frustrated because he/she isn't getting help or telling him what is wrong even though all he wants to do is help her
but the only one who can really help you is yourself, no matter how much other people want to.
i think he gets that, so is going to ignore the problem for everyone's sake.
this is one of my favourites from ES.
I think gookymofo is right, this song is probably about him.
But rollercoastersonja, the part "well, i know what i'm gonna do with this big doubt i'm gonna make it go away" could also be about forgetting it by using drugs/alcohol, not just about suicide 'cause the lyrics go "i'm gonna HIDE my face away, block it out."
because I think most people kind of hide themselves by using drugs and alcohol. but it can be interpreted in many ways, like his lyrics usually can be.
I thought this song had been written during the basement era. I just found out it is a Baby Britain b-side. Anyways, this song, along with Flowers for Charlie, fit perfectly in that album. Flowers for Charlie should have been the last song on the album. As if he was making amends with his past, if you will.
Awesome tune.
Just like Smith's other dark songs, this song is pretty dark. It is one of my favourites from Elliott. Despite what other opinions are of this song, this song is mostly about Smith doubting himself and his self-worth. He was known for this according to his friends and co-horts (Source: Elliott Smith and the Big Nothing by Benjamin Nugent).
Fucking Brilliant.
"you beat up on yourself 'cause there ain't no one else who feels quite as good to put straight through hell" obviously about the self abuse he put himself through.
"well, i know what i'm gonna do with this big doubt i'm gonna make it go away" this really strikes me as a suicide lyric. I'm gonna make it go away, how? by killing yourself.