Enemy

## Music video

**Enemy (stylized in lowercase as "enemy")** is a song by Charli XCX, from her fourth studio album *How I'm Feeling Now*. It serves as the sixth track. The song was produced by A. G. Cook and BJ Burton.

## Background

On April 8th, 2020, Charli posted a small part of the lyrics on Twitter, this being the first time she shows anything about the song.

She first played a snippet of the song on Instagram Live along with Claws, Detonate and 7 Years on April 10th, and then again posting a similar snippet to Twitter and Instagram, asking fans what of those four songs should be released as the second single of the album, Claws being the winner at the end.

Charli confirmed that the song will be part of the album on April 30th.  On May 25th, Charli confirmed a vertical video for the song that it was finally released on YouTube on July 2nd.

## Theme

On “enemy”, Charli realizes that her boyfriend is closer to her than her friends are, and wonders if he is actually an enemy. This plays off the famous phrase “keep your friends close but your enemies closer” which was popularized by The Godfather Part II.

## Lyrics

[Verse 1]

They say, "Keep your friends close
But you're closer, I love when you're here

I'm so far away sometimes, I'm distant, yeah

You might help me, intimacy, I'll admit, I'm scared

Maybe, maybe you can reach me, yeah

[Chorus]

Maybe you're my enemy

Now I've finally let you come a little close to me, oh

Maybe you're my enemy

You're the only one who knows the way I really feel, oh

Now it's really clear to me

You could do a little damage, you could cut me deeper

Maybe you're my enemy

Baby, you're my enemy, yeah

[Verse 2]

Suddenly, you're in my bedroom under my sheets every night

Suddenly, I lose my fear, it feels good, yeah

I feel guilty, I feel nervous, I feel certain now

Maybe, maybe you can reach me, yeah

[Chorus]

Maybe you're my enemy

Now I've finally let you come a little close to me, oh

Maybe you're my enemy

You're the only one who knows the way I really feel, oh

Now it's really clear to me

You could do a little damage, you could cut me deeper

Maybe you're my enemy

Baby, you're my enemy, yeah

[Post-Chorus]

Oh, yeah

Yeah, oh

Maybe you're my enemy

Baby, you're my enemy, yeah

[Bridge]

So calm at the surface

I'm scared of nothin'

Underneath, I'm nervous

Can you reach me?

So calm at the surface

Told you I'm scared of nothin'

Underneath, I'm nervous, yeah

Can you reach me?

[Interlude]

I think a tough journey to be on

Whilst you're around a lot of people

I feel like I'm learning that about myself

And I don't fully really understand it yet

It hurts here, it like hurts here

[Chorus]

Maybe you're my enemy

Now I've finally let you come a little close to me, oh

Maybe you're my enemy

You're the only one who knows the way I really feel, oh

Now it's really clear to me

You could do a little damage, you could cut me deeper

Maybe you're my enemy

Baby, you're my enemy, yeah

[Post-Chorus]

Can you reach me?

Maybe you're my enemy

Can you reach me?

Baby, you're my enemy, yeah

Can you reach me?

Baby, you're my enemy, yeah

Can you reach me?

## References

1. ↑ https://twitter.com/charli\_xcx/status/1248086868979150849
2. ↑ https://twitter.com/FckyeahCharli/status/1248740848466120707
3. ↑ https://twitter.com/charli\_xcx/status/1248768417672265728
4. ↑ https://twitter.com/charli\_xcx/status/1256027057148084230

## Trivia

* The interlude is from one of many therapy sessions that Charli recorded for her psychiatrist.