Frontman Raymond "Raybeez" Barbieri was the band's only consistent member through the vast majority of its years. He joined the band as the drummer in 1983 (the same year he played drums on the debut Agnostic Front 7" EP United Blood), later taking over vocal duties after Warzone had already been in existence for two years (noting later, "in a band that [had] been running for so long, there has to be something there"). Raybeez remained the singer of Warzone until his death on September 11, 1997 due to pneumonia. A U.S. Navy veteran, he was receiving treatment in a VHA facility when the illness damaged his liver and took his life at the age of 35. A tribute sign reading "R.I.P Ray" hung outside CBGB for some time following his death, and for more than a year afterward, every release on Victory Records was dedicated to his memory, as were two independent compilations. These albums, as well as benefit concerts, raised funds for several non-profit groups Ray had worked for which helped at-risk youth."
The Real Enemy
Warzone Lyrics
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Fighting each other just ain't clever
You've got the wrong enemy picking on a friend
If we don't stand together then this is the end
Today's youth stand together
In your combat and leather
There's a cause a cause to fight
Not each other we must unite
Fight the real enemy (x4)
Banned from the pubs everynight
Same old story will you ever see the light
Everyone toghter now listen to me
Don't fight each other fight the real enemy
The lyrics to Warzone's song "The Real Enemy" speak of the importance of unity and solidarity within the punk rock scene. The song addresses the issue of infighting and argues that "picking on a friend" only serves to distract from the true enemy. The singer urges his audience to "stand together", reminding them that "there's a cause to fight" and that fighting among themselves will only lead to the end of the movement. The lyrics also criticize the practice of barring punk rockers from pubs, saying that this is a sign that those in power fear the movement's potential for change.
The message of the song is both timely and timeless. Throughout history, marginalized groups have often found themselves divided and conquered by those in power. In this sense, "The Real Enemy" can be seen as a call to arms for anyone who believes in social justice and collective action. At the same time, the song speaks to the specific context of the punk rock scene, where infighting has long been a problem. Here, the singer urges his audience to focus on the bigger picture and to see their fellow punk rockers as allies rather than enemies.
Line by Line Meaning
Reality punk is all together
The punk movement is a collective group and should remain united
Fighting each other just ain't clever
Fighting amongst ourselves is foolish and unproductive
You've got the wrong enemy picking on a friend
We are targeting the wrong people when we harm our own peers
If we don't stand together then this is the end
If we do not remain united, our movement will fail
Today's youth stand together
The current youth generation should stand as a collective group
In your combat and leather
Regardless of our outward appearances, we should remain united
There's a cause a cause to fight
We have a common cause that unites us
Not each other we must unite
Instead of fighting among ourselves, we must come together
Fight the real enemy (x4)
We should focus our efforts on fighting against the true opposition
Banned from the pubs everynight
We are denied entrance to public spaces for being part of the punk movement
Same old story will you ever see the light
The same discrimination and prejudice against punks continues to exist
Everyone together now listen to me
We should all come together and pay attention to what I have to say
Don't fight each other fight the real enemy
We must avoid infighting and fight against our true opponent
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
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