An enigmatic folk nomad, McCombs is a quintessentially American artist; "he's quietly become one of (the country's) finest chroniclers of fringe characters, a writer of heart-rending love songs and psychedelic odes to the natural world, a teller of tall-tales with a sense of humor dry as desert wood, and that rare folksinger who actually sings about the folk." His vocals range somewhere between the anxious drone of Lou Reed, the hollow croon of Elliott Smith, the lilting melody of Morrissey, and the driving earnestness and complexity of bards such as Leonard Cohen or Bob Dylan. His lyrical style is alternately vivid and weary, laconic and yearning, or drifting into the high-spirited and whimsical.
After cutting his first EP, Not the Way in San Francisco in 2001, McCombs relocated to Baltimore, MD. There he released "Not the Way" in 2002 and recorded his first full-length, A, in 2003 on Monitor Records. He spent the next few years touring: playing All Tomorrow's Parties; and opening for bands such as Modest Mouse, The Decemberists, and Belle and Sebastian; before recording his second LP PREfection, which was released on 4AD in 2005.
McCombs' subsequent releases have been on the highly successful British independent label Domino Recording Co. 2007's Dropping the Writ was named one of Amazon's Best Albums of that year. Catacombs was voted one of the 50 greatest albums of 2009 by Pitchfork Media, and features Academy Award-nominated actress and singer Karen Black on the track Dreams-Come-True-Girl. During this period, McCombs toured with the likes of Arcade Fire, Andrew Bird, Band of Horses, José González, Beach House, and The Walkmen.
Catacombs also established McCombs' relationship with engineer/producer Ariel Rechtshaid, member of The Hippos and Foreign Born, who produced Grammy-winning hit Climax for Usher, the Plain White T's Grammy-nominated No.1 platinum-selling single Hey There Delilah, and albums for Vampire Weekend, Sky Ferreira, Snoop Lion, and Haim, among others.
In 2010 McCombs played Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, L.A.'s Culture Collide Festival and Invisible Children Benefit. 2011 offered an extensive headlining tour, an appearance at SXSW, and two albums released by McCombs and produced by Rechtshaid: Wit's End in April and Humor Risk in November. The two albums were made simultaneously. In an interview with Pitchfork, McCombs explains: "Wit's End was started years ago and it slowly made its way to the finish line. Humor Risk was just punched out. They're friends but they're different. Wit's End is like a stew; Humor Risk is the raw food diet."
Big Wheel and Others, McCombs' seventh full-length (and first double album) was released in October 2013. The album is rooted in the Americana mythos of the Wild West, from the San Francisco drug culture to the gunslingers and gold rush of the nineteenth century. The album once again features Karen Black on a version of the track Brighter!, her final recording before passing away due to ampullary cancer in August, 2013. Big Wheel is dedicated to her memory.
http://cassmccombs.com
Love Thine Enemy
Cass McCombs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love thine enemy
But hate their lack of sincerity
Love thine enemy
I found this quote in a book and I thought of you
So I walked me out like a moth in the morning dew
And a million cigarettes later the quote reappeared
Love thine enemy
Love thine enemy
But hate their lack of sincerity
Love thine enemy
Every idiot thing you say speaks of pain and truth
Because of the beautiful way your tongue can seduce
What's behind the mountain is a mystery
That's why after the quote I added: sincerity
Love thine enemy
Love thine enemy
But hate their lack of sincerity
Love thine enemy
He tried to come between us like a purple ghoul
Hypocrites especially practice the golden rule
I love what you say though sometimes it's mean
Without earthworms how else would the soil keep clean?
[Repeat x2]
Love thine enemy
Love thine enemy
But hate their lack of sincerity
Love love love my enemy
Love my enemy
But I hate their lack of sincerity
Love thine enemy
In Cass McCombs's song Love Thine Enemy, the singer is grappling with the complexities of human relationships, particularly the idea of loving someone who may not reciprocate that love in a genuine way. The repeated refrain of "love thine enemy" highlights this struggle, as the singer is trying to follow the Christian principle of loving one's enemies, but they are also aware of the hypocrisy or insincerity that may come along with those relationships. The line "Every idiot thing you say speaks of pain and truth" suggests that even though the enemy may say things that are hurtful, there may be some honesty or vulnerability behind those words.
The second verse introduces the idea of a quote that had a personal impact on the singer, leading them to think of someone else and walk outside to reflect on it. The mention of "a million cigarettes" suggests a long period of time has passed between the initial thought and the return of the quote, which emphasizes how long-lasting and impactful that idea was. The addition of "sincerity" to the quote shows that the singer is preoccupied with the idea of authenticity in relationships, and is struggling to reconcile that desire for honesty with the love they feel for their enemy.
The final verse returns to the idea of an enemy, who is personified as a "purple ghoul". The line "hypocrites especially practice the golden rule" suggests that those who may not be sincere in their actions or words may try to manipulate others by putting on a facade of kindness or generosity. The final line of the song, "without earthworms how else would the soil keep clean?" may be a metaphor for the idea that even difficult relationships, like those with our enemies, can provide a necessary element for growth or nourishment.
Line by Line Meaning
Love thine enemy
One should love their enemy despite any conflict or disagreement.
Love thine enemy
One should love their enemy despite any conflict or disagreement.
But hate their lack of sincerity
Although you love your enemy, their dishonesty is unacceptable and undesirable.
Love thine enemy
One should love their enemy despite any conflict or disagreement.
I found this quote in a book and I thought of you
I came across a quote that reminded me of you and felt compelled to share it.
So I walked me out like a moth in the morning dew
I exited the situation in a delicate and fleeting manner, like a moth in the morning dew.
And a million cigarettes later the quote reappeared
After numerous occasions, the quote resurfaced in thought and conversation.
Now nothing about my love could be called insincere
My love and appreciation for you is genuine and authentic.
Every idiot thing you say speaks of pain and truth
Although some of your comments may be foolish, they still reveal deeper emotions and experiences.
Because of the beautiful way your tongue can seduce
Your way with words is captivating and alluring.
What's behind the mountain is a mystery
The unknown lies ahead, like a peak obscured by a mountain.
That's why after the quote I added: sincerity
This is why I emphasized the importance of honesty and truthfulness.
He tried to come between us like a purple ghoul
He attempted to interfere with our relationship, like a spooky and malevolent creature.
Hypocrites especially practice the golden rule
People who preach one thing and do another, in particular, believe in treating others how they would want to be treated.
I love what you say though sometimes it's mean
I appreciate your words, even if they can be hurtful or unkind at times.
Without earthworms how else would the soil keep clean?
Earthworms have a vital role in maintaining soil health and fertility.
Love love love my enemy
The importance of loving one's enemy is reiterated.
Love my enemy
The importance of loving one's enemy is reiterated.
But I hate their lack of sincerity
Although you love your enemy, their dishonesty is unacceptable and undesirable.
Love thine enemy
One should love their enemy despite any conflict or disagreement.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CASS MCCOMBS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tristan Priest
This song just popped into my head and I'm happy it did❤️
Phil Gallagher
This was the first Cass McCombs song that got me... I felt he had stepped out of the envelope he was in, it feels like it has a deliberate energy level much higher and direct than the other tunes on Humour Risk, and others I had heard from him at that point. He openly asked us to have a dance (or rock out or something) when they played this at the Brudenell Social Club, he knew it was one of those :) We were happy to oblige. Really awaesome guy. lovely band. Great music.
Connor Hough
Phil Gallagher I love how minimalist it is while having such a driving groove. The impact hits
Nevershoutapril
I heard this song through pandora :)
Connor Hough
We’re the Long !495$34/. Days
gorgo66
sister ray