In mid-1999, after releasing two video singles in the form of Dominoes and Beautiful, Fur Patrol went into the studio to record what would eventually be known as the album Pet. The first single, Now, was released in May alongside an excellent music video from Chris Graham at 2-D films. Pet, initially to be released in August 2000, (a full year after it was recorded) was finally released on October the 13th 2000. One of many successful New Zealand albums released at this time, Pet was delayed time and time again so it wouldn't be lost among the hype of the other top selling albums. Fortunately, their success at pulling the crowds in, including the General Electric tour, featuring the now defunct Weta and biggest band in the world, Pacifier aka Shihad, impressed both fans and critics alike. So impressed were the buying public that they raised Pet sales to platinum status, and a peak of number 7 on the national album charts. Meanwhile the Furs jumped over to Australia for their virgin trip, scoring the support slot for the Dandy Warhols. Australia was now on their minds.
Track number 5 from Pet, a little ditty named Lydia, soon became the most played song on radio and the Xmas number 1 in the country. This number 1 was the only New Zealand song to reach the top in 2000, surprising considering the popularity of NZ music growing at the time. They picked up 4 Tuis/NZ music awards, including single of the year for Lydia, and songwriter of the year for Julia. Fur Patrol performed their wee hearts out over the summer of 2000/2001 and after the orientation gigs in Feb/March 2001 leaped the ditch and set up camp in Melbourne, Australia, much to the dismay of their fans in New Zealand.
On arrival the band joined Australian band Motor Ace on a tour, followed up by a support slot for legendary former Split Enz/Crowded House singer Neil Finn. They continued gigging around and visited New Zealand once more in 2001 to play the By Hokey it's Fur Patrol tour with Betchadupa and Goodshirt.
In 2002, after NZ Orientation gigs, the Furs joined other Australiasian acts at the Fierce Festival in England, alongside fellow number 1 kiwi Che-Fu.
In October 2003 the Furs released the HIGHLY anticipated second album, "Collider" after working on it in London with producer Mark Wallis and have since been focusing mainly on Australia, where they are making quite an impact.
In October 2004, Steve Wells made the decision to leave Fur Patrol. Fur Patrol began life as a new mini-beast and on 14 May 2007 their first spawn in 3.5 years was released in NZ - the delightful EP "Long Distance Runner".
Up next - their first LP as a 3-piece. And the little world waits...
Enemy
Fur Patrol Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not as before
Who would have thought we'd come this far?
And you know it's true
I've been through you
I wouldn't wish this on my enemy
So here you are
Just as before
And it's all too true
What you've been through
You know you brought it on yourself
The sun it makes you cry
You're black when you're in light
You couldn't hide it from us all
And you know it's true
I've been through you
I wouldn't wish this on my enemy
You're my enemy
You're my enemy
So here you stand
On broken land
Who would've thought we'd walk this far?
And it's all too true
All those things I put you through
You know you brought them on yourself
The sun it makes you cry
You're black when you're in light
You never thought to stop and question why
And it's all too true
I've been through you
I wouldn't wish this on my enemy
You're my enemy
You're my enemy
You're my enemy
You're my enemy
My enemy
You're my enemy
My enemy
The lyrics of "Enemy" by Fur Patrol convey a sense of reflection on a complicated relationship that has resulted in pain and regret. The song starts with an acknowledgement of progress and growth from where things used to be, and a realization that the journey may not have been easy. The first verse seems to be directed towards an individual who may have wronged the singer in some way, but the chorus suggests that the singer wouldn't even wish their enemy the pain they have endured in the relationship. The second verse shifts the focus to the singer's own actions and the impact they may have had on the other person, leading to a mutual state of brokenness.
The song also touches on themes of self-awareness, with the lines "You know you brought it on yourself" and "You never thought to stop and question why" indicating a sense of responsibility on both sides. The repeated use of the phrase "you're my enemy" adds a layer of complex emotion, as the relationship between the two individuals is one of both animosity and regret.
Overall, "Enemy" is a poignant exploration of the complexities of human relationships and the deep emotional toll that they can take.
Line by Line Meaning
So here we are
We are in a present moment
Not as before
Things are different than they were in the past
Who would have thought we'd come this far?
We have made progress despite how unexpected it may be
And you know it's true
The following statement is a fact
I've been through you
I have experienced what you have put me through
I wouldn't wish this on my enemy
It is something so bad that I would not even want my worst enemy to experience it
So here you are
You are also present in this moment
Just as before
You have not changed much since the past
Who would have thought you'd go this far?
You have done something unexpected by going to such lengths
What you've been through
The struggles and challenges you have faced
You know you brought it on yourself
The struggles and challenges you have faced were a result of your own actions
The sun it makes you cry
Exposure to sunlight causes you to weep
You're black when you're in light
When in the light, you appear dark
You couldn't hide it from us all
Your inability to hide your true nature or feelings was apparent to everyone
You're my enemy
You are someone I perceive as a rival or opponent
So here you stand
You are standing in a present moment
On broken land
The ground beneath you is fractured or unstable
All those things I put you through
The negative experiences I have caused you to go through
You know you brought them on yourself
The negative experiences you have gone through were a consequence of your own actions
You never thought to stop and question why
You did not take the time to reflect or contemplate why things were happening the way they were
You're my enemy
You are still someone I perceive as a rival or opponent
Contributed by David F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.