Enemies

Album: Amaryllis (2012)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Vocalist Brent Smith sings of an adversary on this hard-rocking number. Drummer Barry Kerch explained to Alternative Addiction: "For me it triggers all the memories that I have in my life of people that have sort of become my enemies. I remember them. I think Brent probably had someone specific in mind when he wrote this song, someone from his past. They are cordial to each other now, but his baby's mother and Brent were evil to each other. Also some people didn't believe in this band so it's a big middle finger to them."
  • Bassist/pianist Eric Bass had this song in his back pocket for a while before getting together for a writing session with Smith and frequent collaborator David Bassett. "The guitar riff and the kind of lead solo line was some stuff I'd had for a couple of months," he told Billboard magazine. "We were kind of going through subject matter that we wanted to write about and going over some things about people who have pissed us off from the past - somebody who's really divisive, who wedges themselves in between people and tries to tear people apart. That was the genesis for it, lyrically."

Comments: 2

  • Benny Mcpike from Aderson Ca.This is in my top 5 all time favorite Shinedown song's ever, When Shinedown came to my town for a show, I took my daughter and we had a GREAT time!!!
    Come back anytime guy's!
  • Zero from The Abyss, NjOh, yeah, I know at least one person like that...
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Guy Clark

Guy ClarkSongwriter Interviews

Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris and Lyle Lovett are just a few of the artists who have looked to Clark for insightful, intelligent songs.

Rupert Hine

Rupert HineSongwriter Interviews

Producer Rupert Hine talks about crafting hits for Tina Turner, Howard Jones and The Fixx.

Sending Out An SOS - Distress Signals In Songs

Sending Out An SOS - Distress Signals In SongsSong Writing

Songs where something goes horribly wrong (literally or metaphorically), and help is needed right away.

Jethro Tull

Jethro TullFact or Fiction

Stage urinals, flute devices, and the real Aqualung in this Fact or Fiction.

Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles

Timothy B. Schmit of the EaglesSongwriter Interviews

Did this Eagle come up with the term "Parrothead"? And what is it like playing "Hotel California" for the gazillionth time?

Stan Ridgway

Stan RidgwaySongwriter Interviews

Go beyond the Wall of Voodoo with this cinematic songwriter.