The lead singer and songwriter from Antony and the Johnsons has collaborated with Oneohtrix Point Never and Hudson Mohawke on her latest work. With her official name changed to ANOHNI, the album HOPELESSNESS is set to an electronic dance soundtrack with soulful vocals and direct lyrics addressing surveillance, drone warfare, and ecocide. HOPELESSNESS is a departure from the singer's recent symphonic collaborations. The album seeks to disrupt assumptions about popular music by embedding vigorously political lyrics within dance/pop tracks.
You Are My Enemy
Anohni Lyrics
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I reject the way that we live
I gave birth to my own enemy
I gave birth to my own enemy (to my own enemy, to my own enemy)
I am grateful for all that I have
Oh, Mama has been so good to me
Like a thread through a needle's eye
You poured from my body
On a river of blood
You poured out and into the light
I gave birth to my own enemy (to my own enemy, to my own enemy)
You are my enemy
You are my enemy
You are my enemy
You are my enemy
You are, you are my enemy
You are, you are my enemy
You are, you are my enemy, my enemy
The lyrics of Anohni's "You Are My Enemy" reflect a sense of disillusionment and detachment from the world around her. She feels like an outsider and rejects the way society functions. The line "I gave birth to my own enemy" suggests that she sees herself as part of the problem, as if she has contributed to the negativity in the world by bringing a new life into it. This could be interpreted as a comment on the concept of intergenerational trauma, where trauma experienced by previous generations is passed down to the next.
While feeling disconnected from the world, Anohni expresses gratitude towards her mother for all that she has given her. She acknowledges that her mother has been a guiding force in her life, like a thread through a needle's eye. The line "I am ready to cast from this world" suggests a desire to detach completely and move on from her current situation.
The repetition of the line "You are my enemy" throughout the song creates a hypnotic effect and emphasizes the theme of opposition. It's unclear who or what exactly Anohni is referring to as her enemy, but it could be interpreted as a societal or systemic issue that she is actively fighting against. Overall, the lyrics of "You Are My Enemy" convey a complex mix of emotions - disillusionment, gratitude, and a drive to fight back against the status quo.
Line by Line Meaning
I never felt a part of this world
I have always felt like an outsider and not belonging to this society
I reject the way that we live
I am against the lifestyle and the norms that we follow in our society
I gave birth to my own enemy
I have inadvertently created my own opponent in life
I am grateful for all that I have
I am appreciative of all that I possess in life
Oh, Mama has been so good to me
My mother has been incredibly kind and supportive to me
Like a thread through a needle's eye
I am ready and determined to break free from this world with a sense of precision and sharpness
I am ready to cast from this world
I am prepared to leave this world behind and start anew
You poured from my body
You were born from my womb
On a river of blood
During the process of childbirth, there is a release of blood
You poured out and into the light
As you were born, you entered the world and saw light
You are my enemy
I consider you to be my opponent
You are, you are my enemy
I view you as my rival, my antagonist
You are, you are my enemy, my enemy
I repeatedly emphasize that you are my foe and opposition in life
Lyrics © WARP MUSIC LIMITED, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Antony P Hegarty, Daniel Lopatin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind