Enemy
The Smooths Lyrics
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And the wino covered up with yesterday's news is lying next to me
I see a red-haired girl with ponytails reminding me of you
I don't know why I left it was somethin' I had to do
Looking out the window the skyline fades away
When I see your face I have no idea what I'm gonna say
I've got a picture of me holding you right here in my hands
Now I'm gonna catch a Greyhound
Getting out of this town
I'm gonna catch a Greyhound back to you
I close my eyes, but I can't seem to sleep
And the past rolls through my mind like a river cold and deep
Morning comes and the sky begins to rain
It feels good to feel something even if it's pain
Now I'm gonna catch a Greyhound
Getting out of this town
I'm gonna catch a Greyhound back to you
It's amazing how a tender voice on the other end of the phone
can change your mind, your life, your plans just by saying
"Daddy, please come home"
Gonna catch a Greyhound
Getting out of this town
I'm gonna catch a Greyhound back to you
Yes, I'm gonna catch a Greyhound
Getting out of this town
I'm gonna catch a Greyhound back to us
I'm starting my life over on a Greyhound bus
The Smooths' song "Enemy" is about a man who has left someone he loves, possibly a romantic partner or a family member, and is now on a journey to return to them. The opening lines describe the surroundings as the man waits for his Greyhound bus, highlighting his weariness and the presence of a wino sleeping beside him. The mention of a red-haired girl with ponytails reminds him of someone he loves, suggesting that he is searching for a way to reconnect with this person. The lyrics reflect the man's confusion and longing, as he struggles to understand what compelled him to leave and what he will say when he sees the person he left behind.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the man's determination to return to his loved one, and the line "It feels good to feel something even if it's pain" suggests that he is willing to face the difficulties that come with reconciliation. The song's final verse builds to a climax as the man receives a phone call from his daughter pleading for him to come home. This event appears to give the man the resolve he needs to go back, and the repetition of the line "I'm gonna catch a Greyhound back to you" reinforces his commitment to making things right.
Overall, "Enemy" is a poignant reflection on the complexities of love and separation, highlighting the importance of human connection and the perseverance required to maintain it.
Line by Line Meaning
The rumble of the engines in the station almost put me to sleep
The noise of the engines is calming me down, almost making me sleepy
And the wino covered up with yesterday's news is lying next to me
A disheveled man is sleeping by my side under yesterday's newspaper
I see a red-haired girl with ponytails reminding me of you
A red-haired girl with ponytails triggers memories of you in my mind
I don't know why I left it was somethin' I had to do
I don't understand why I left, but I felt I had to do it
Looking out the window the skyline fades away
The skyline disappears as I gaze out of the window
When I see your face I have no idea what I'm gonna say
Seeing your face leaves me speechless and unsure of what to say
I've got a picture of me holding you right here in my hands
I'm holding a picture of us together in my hands
I recognize my face but I don't know who I am
I recognize myself in the picture, but I feel lost and unsure of my identity
Now I'm gonna catch a Greyhound
Getting out of this town
I'm gonna catch a Greyhound back to you
I close my eyes, but I can't seem to sleep
I'm taking a Greyhound bus to leave this town and come back to you, but even when I close my eyes, sleep eludes me
And the past rolls through my mind like a river cold and deep
Memories of the past flood my mind like a deep and hard-to-cross river
Morning comes and the sky begins to rain
It feels good to feel something even if it's pain
Morning arrives, and it starts raining. Though painful, feeling something is better than feeling nothing at all
Now I'm gonna catch a Greyhound
Getting out of this town
I'm gonna catch a Greyhound back to you
It's amazing how a tender voice on the other end of the phone
can change your mind, your life, your plans just by saying
"Daddy, please come home"
I'm taking a Greyhound back to you because hearing a tender voice on the phone asking me to come home has changed my mind, my life, and my plans
Gonna catch a Greyhound
Getting out of this town
I'm gonna catch a Greyhound back to you
Yes, I'm gonna catch a Greyhound
Getting out of this town
I'm gonna catch a Greyhound back to us
I'm starting my life over on a Greyhound bus
I'm determined to take a Greyhound and start my life over with you. I'm leaving this town behind and starting anew on the bus
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID ALLEN BERG, BRAD WARREN, BRETT WARREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tommy Lyons
An all time favorite I had forgotten about. Transcending!!! My dad just died and when I first heard this as a youth he loved this song and try to explain its meaning. It's fine full circle.thanks.
The Pizza Shirt
Totally the jam on Skanarchy II!!!!!!!!
Lace The Fire Bender
I thought I was the only one who knew of this CD, me and my dad listen to it all the time in our convertible
-a erazo
an absolute classic among the underground ska scene. that makes 3
Daniel A. Yzaguirre
I'm a straight up rude boy!
brandt troup
Is this a live version or an alternate? The music kind of drowns the vocals on the verses, and the keyboard is amplified.
GozerTheGozerian
It's the studio version. This was one of their first releases and was probably recorded in a studio with subpar requirement or an engineer who didn't know what he was doing.