The band soon grew a live following and recorded their first demo songs, some of which would be officially released later in their career. The band's first single, "Fingers On It", received some minor recognition when it was featured in the 1986 movie Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. Band members during this period also included drummer B.W. Boeski and guitarists Gino Martino and Alex Kane.
The group has released twelve studio albums as well as five live albums as of 2014, and they're perhaps best known for their hit singles "Fly High Michelle" and "New Thing" from their self-titled debut album, tracks that remain classic rock favorites. Despite becoming popular during the glam metal movement of the 80s, the band has little in common with many of those artists and has continued to record and tour since its formation, with the group being notable for its internal songwriting (influenced by classic pop such as The Beatles).
Coming out the gate with 1989's 'Enuff Z'nuff', the group received critical praise, with Allmusic saying that the band "deserves more respect than they'll probably ever receive." The album hit the #74 slot on the Billboard 200 top albums chart, with "Fly High Michelle" and "New Thing" both being top 40 hits on the Mainstream Rock chart. Sadly, though musically being inspired by bands such as Cheap Trick, Enuff Z'nuff's record label decided to present them in garish, tie-die outfits and foster a related glam image that the group resented.
There was more band member shuffling in May 2014 when guitarist Tory Stoffregen and drummer Randi Scott each left the band. Drummer Erik Donner joined on drums in June, while Enuff Z'Nuff continued touring as a 3-piece. In April 2016, the band continued with Chip Z'nuff as the lead singer, Tory Stoffregen back on lead guitar, Tony Fenelle (Ultravox) on guitar and Daniel B. Hill on drums.
Enuff Z'nuff released an album of older, previously unreleased original material in late 2016, titled Clowns Lounge. It mainly features demo material from studio sessions originally recorded in 1988 and 1989. Enuff Z'nuff released an album of new material with Chip Z'nuff on lead vocals, Diamond Boy, in 2018.
Enuff Z'Nuff released their 15th studio album, named Brainwashed Generation on July 10, 2020. In August 2021, a 3-CD set of formerly unreleased demo recordings titled Never Enuff was released.. A new cover album, Hardrock Nite, released on November 12, 2021 is a Beatles tribute record.
Enuff Z’Nuff consisting of Chip Z’Nuff on lead vocals and bass, Tory Stoffregen and Tony Fennell on guitars, and Dan Hill on drums will be releasing their new studio album Finer Than Sin on November 11, 2022.
Mr. Jones
Enuff Z'Nuff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've work at nine and it's quarter to ten
I feel my heart put to the test
I see my life, I've made a mess
But miles and miles of lines
Are left to follow
Wonder what or where I'll be tomorrow
Don't ask me how I got this way
Mr. Jones is in command now
Everything I do is not up to me
Mr. Jones is who I am now
Don't let him get to you
He's taken over me
Tears and sweat join and run down my face
Terror striking all over the place
And all the ones I've loved so much
Have gone away, they're out of touch
But still there's miles of lines
Left to follow
Take me through the light
If there's tomorrow
My eyes are red, they turn to blue
And it's too bad to be true
The above lyrics from Enuff Z'Nuff's song Mr. Jones highlight the feeling of hopelessness and loss of control over one's life. The singer talks about how he is lonely and that even though he has work at nine, it is already a quarter to ten, which implies that he is losing time and control over his life. He feels like his heart is being tested, and he sees that he has made a mess out of his life. He wonders where he will be or what he will do tomorrow. The phrase "Mr. Jones" is repeated many times throughout the song and is used to describe someone who is in charge of the singer's life. This person controls everything that he does, and the singer is unable to make decisions for himself. Tears and sweat run down his face, and he feels terror all over the place. All the people he loved have gone away and are now out of touch. He hopes that he can follow the lines given to him and reach a better tomorrow.
The song highlights the feeling of being lost and the lack of control in one's life. Perhaps Mr. Jones represents the societal norms or pressure that people feel they have to conform to, or it could represent any person or concept that takes control and power over someone's life. The song also highlights the struggle to find hope, as the singer yearns to find a better tomorrow, but it seems elusive.
Line by Line Meaning
The fun is gone and I'm lonely again
I'm not having any fun and loneliness is creeping up on me, once again.
I've work at nine and it's quarter to ten
I have to be at work very soon, but it still feels like I have time.
I feel my heart put to the test
My heart is being challenged and tested in some way.
I see my life, I've made a mess
I look at my life and realize that I've screwed things up or made things difficult for myself.
But miles and miles of lines
There are many paths or options to take.
Are left to follow
There are still many choices I can make.
Wonder what or where I'll be tomorrow
I'm unsure of what my future will hold.
Don't ask me how I got this way
I don't have an answer for how I ended up in this current state.
I see it growing every day
I watch my problems or issues getting worse as time goes by and it worries me.
Mr. Jones is in command now
I feel like I'm no longer in control of my own life and someone else or something else is making the decisions.
Everything I do is not up to me
I feel like I have no say in what I do or how I behave.
Mr. Jones is who I am now
The person I once was has been replaced or overshadowed by someone else, Mr. Jones.
Don't let him get to you
Don't let Mr. Jones take control of your life as he has done with mine.
He's taken over me
I am no longer myself, but rather someone who is controlled by Mr. Jones.
Tears and sweat join and run down my face
I'm emotional and physically drained with tears and sweat showing the extent of my exhaustion and stress.
Terror striking all over the place
I'm overwhelmed with fear and anxiety that's taking hold of me.
And all the ones I've loved so much
The people I used to care about a lot are no longer a part of my life.
Have gone away, they're out of touch
The people I used to care about are no longer accessible or seem unreachable.
Take me through the light
Lead me towards a better, brighter future.
If there's tomorrow
If I am fortunate enough to make it through this day and live to see tomorrow.
My eyes are red, they turn to blue
My eyes show the signs of the emotions that I'm currently experiencing.
And it's too bad to be true
The situation I'm in is so bad that it feels unreal, like something out of a nightmare.
Contributed by Violet N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.