Described as "classic UK rock delivered with whiskey vocals", the band have been summarised as possessing a sound akin to the genres of alternative rock and "British traditional rock". Stereophonics' debut album, Word Gets Around, was released in August 1997 and charted at number six in the UK, aided by the singles "Local Boy in the Photograph", "More Life in a Tramps Vest" and "A Thousand Trees". The band reached mainstream success with the release of Performance and Cocktails (and its promotional singles "The Bartender and the Thief", "Just Looking" and "Pick a Part That's New") in 1999 and have achieved a total of ten top-ten singles as well as one number one: "Dakota" (2005). Having sold around 10 million copies worldwide by 2016, Stereophonics are one of the most successful Welsh rock acts. Upon their release of Pull the Pin, they achieved five consecutive UK number one albums.
The band have also been praised for their live performances, which have landed them headlining slots at many of the UK and Ireland's most high-profile music festivals, including Reading and Leeds in 2000, Glastonbury in 2002, V Festival in 2002, the Isle of Wight in 2004 and 2009, Oxegen in 2010, Tramlines Festival and TRNSMT in 2018, and Latitude in 2019. The band is part of the Cardiff music scene.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereophonics
Studio albums
Word Gets Around (1997)
Performance and Cocktails (1999)
Just Enough Education to Perform (2001)
You Gotta Go There to Come Back (2003)
Language. Sex. Violence. Other? (2005)
Pull the Pin (2007)
Keep Calm and Carry On (2009)
Graffiti on the Train (2013)
Keep the Village Alive (2015)
Scream Above the Sounds (2017)
Kind (2019)
Oochya! (2022)
My Own Worst Enemy
Stereophonics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She wore a crucifix but never preached at me
We'd stay up all the night until the day was dead
I'd get the fear of God inside my broken head
Wanna fly away
And change my ways
I wanna free myself from all this misery
I wanna taste the love but life's against up me
But I am my own worst enemy
I try to get some sleep her arms are over me
I'm staring at the walls they're closing in on me
This sun bleeds through the blinds that washes over me
Today's the day I tell myself to set me free
Wanna fly away
And change my ways
I'll beat myself to death while she sits next to me
I wanna free myself from all this misery
I wanna taste the love but life's against up me
But I am my own worst enemy
(Feel, wanna feel it, wanna feel it, wanna feel it)
I wanna fly away
And change my ways
I'll beat myself to death while she sits next to me
I wanna free myself from all this misery
I wanna taste the love but life's against up me
But I am my own worst enemy
Worst enemy
Worst enemy
Worst enemy!
In Stereophonics' song "My Own Worst Enemy," the singer describes his struggles with himself and his past mistakes, particularly in his relationship with a woman who wears a crucifix but never preaches at him. Despite their closeness, he cannot escape the sense of self-loathing and misery that consumes him. He wants to change but feels trapped by his own tendencies towards self-destruction, leading to him feeling like his own worst enemy.
The lyrics explore the intersection between mental health, toxic relationships, and personal responsibility. The singer grapples with his past and present behavior, acknowledging that he is the only one who can break the cycle of self-destruction that he finds himself in. However, the weight of his own negative thoughts and actions threatens to overwhelm him, leading him to seek escape in flight or death.
Overall, Stereophonics' "My Own Worst Enemy" is a poignant meditation on the complex relationships between mental health and interpersonal dynamics. The song suggests that true freedom and redemption can only come when we confront our inner demons and take responsibility for our actions.
Line by Line Meaning
I'd just turned twenty six and she was twenty three
At the time of the event, I had just celebrated turning twenty-six while she was still twenty-three years old.
She wore a crucifix but never preached at me
Although she wore a crucifix, she never attempted to convert or educate me about religion.
We'd stay up all the night until the day was dead
We would stay awake all night until daylight broke and the day began.
I'd get the fear of God inside my broken head
I would become extremely apprehensive and anxious, almost as if the fear of God had entered my already fragile mind.
Wanna fly away
I have a strong desire to escape from my current situation.
And change my ways
I desire to change my current patterns or habits and start anew.
I'll beat myself to death while she sits next to me
I am self-destructing with her by my side, and she is powerless to help me.
I wanna free myself from all this misery
I want to release myself from the unhappiness and distress that I am presently experiencing.
I wanna taste the love but life's against up me
I wish to experience true love. However, life appears to be against me, making it difficult to achieve this goal.
But I am my own worst enemy
I am responsible for my own downfall, and no one else is to blame.
I try to get some sleep her arms are over me
Although she is holding me tight, I struggle to fall asleep.
I'm staring at the walls they're closing in on me
As I stare at the surrounding walls, I feel increasingly trapped and isolated.
This sun bleeds through the blinds that washes over me
The rays of the sun penetrate through the blinds and onto my body, bathing me in light.
Today's the day I tell myself to set me free
I have decided that today is the day to change and liberate myself from my current situation.
(Feel, wanna feel it, wanna feel it, wanna feel it)
There is an overwhelming desire to experience strong emotions or sensations.
Worst enemy
I am my own worst enemy.
Worst enemy
I am my own worst enemy.
Worst enemy!
I am my own worst enemy, and this fact is emphasized with this exclamation.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Kelly Jones, Adam Yousefi Zindani, Richard Mark Jones
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind