The Enemy Within
by Rush

Album: Grace Under Pressure (1984)
Play Video
  • Things crawl in the darkness
    That imagination spins
    Needles at your nerve ends
    Crawl like spiders on your skin
    Pounding in your temples
    And a surge of adrenaline
    Every muscle tense to fence the enemy within

    I'm not giving in to security under pressure
    I'm not missing out on the promise of adventure
    I'm not giving up on implausible dreams
    Experience to extremes
    Experience to extremes

    Suspicious-looking stranger
    Flashes you a dangerous grin
    Shadows across your window
    Was it only trees in the wind?
    Every breath a static charge
    A tongue that tastes like tin
    Steely-eyed outside to hide the enemy within

    I'm not giving in to security under pressure
    I'm not missing out on the promise of adventure
    I'm not giving up on implausible dreams
    Experience to extremes
    Experience to extremes

    To you, is it movement or is it action?
    Is it contact or just reaction?
    And you, revolution or just resistance?
    Is it living, or just existence?
    Yeah, you, it takes a little more persistence
    To get up and go the distance

    I'm not giving in
    I'm not missing out
    I'm not giving up on implausible dreams
    Experience to extremes

    I'm not giving in to security under pressure
    I'm not missing out on the promise of adventure
    I'm not giving up on implausible dreams
    Experience to extremes
    Experience to extremes

    Hey, yeah, yeah Writer/s: Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee Weinrib, Neil Elwood Peart
    Publisher: Anthem Entertainment
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 8

  • Jeff Topping from Nh UsaI also remember seeing that clip on solid gold. Im glad you can confirm it for me.
  • AnonymousSounds like paranoid LSD trip lol,
  • Eric from Portland, OrReply to Wil from Milwaukee
    OMFG! I absolutely remember that snippet of the song from Solid Gold. I had just spent an hour searching the internet for a clip of it when I came across your comment here.
  • Philip from Spokane, WaAnd the FEAR series was released in reverse order, with the exception of Freeze. I guess Neil planned to end it here. I can only assume, but I doubt that Peart had it in his mind to conclude the fear series with a song about fight or flight 18 years later

    The fear series are probably all in my top ten favorite Rush songs, but for some reason to me, The Enemy Within doesn't have the feeling that Witch Hunt and The Weapon do
  • Louis from Glendale, AzThis fear basically describes paranoia believing someone is following you, out to get you, etc. But, it's just you fearing something that isn't there. Which, that leads to The Weapon in ways because, when you fear something, it can be used against you as a weapon.
  • Wil from Milwaukee, WiA snippet of this song was featured very briefly (about 10 seconds or so) on an '80's pop music show called "Solid Gold" during a dance routine...believe it or not!!!! :) :) :)
  • Yolanda Morphinite from Bountiful , UtI absolutely love this song and this band with all my heart. Without them, my life would be nothing.
  • James from Los Angeles, CaThis is part I of FEAR (The Weapon i part II, Witch Hunt is part III and Freeze is part IV).
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Dennis DeYoung

Dennis DeYoungSongwriter Interviews

Dennis DeYoung explains why "Mr. Roboto" is the defining Styx song, and what the "gathering of angels" represents in "Come Sail Away."

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat WorldSongwriter Interviews

Jim talks about the impact of "The Middle" and uses a tree metaphor to describe his songwriting philosophy.

Charlie Benante of Anthrax

Charlie Benante of AnthraxSongwriter Interviews

The drummer for Anthrax is also a key songwriter. He explains how the group puts their songs together and tells the stories behind some of their classics.

Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty

Rob Thomas of Matchbox TwentySongwriter Interviews

Rob Thomas on his Social Distance Sessions, co-starring with a camel, and his friendship with Carlos Santana.

Concert Disasters

Concert DisastersFact or Fiction

Ozzy biting a dove? Alice Cooper causing mayhem with a chicken? Creed so bad they were sued? See if you can spot the real concert mishaps.

Kerry Livgren of Kansas

Kerry Livgren of KansasSongwriter Interviews

In this talk from the '80s, the Kansas frontman talks turning to God and writing "Dust In The Wind."