Enid (song)
Encyclopedia
"Enid" is a song by the Canadian
alternative rock group Barenaked Ladies
. It was released as a single from their 1992 debut album, Gordon
. It was written by Steven Page
and Ed Robertson
.
. The band found it interesting that "Enid" spelled backwards is "dine." However, the song is not actually about her. It is actually about Steven Page's first girlfriend.
The original studio version of the song has been described as one of the most complex recordings of the band's earlier career by Steven Page
in the liner notes for Disc One: All Their Greatest Hits. It includes a horn section, pedal steel guitar
, a cuica
and a pastiche of Depeche Mode
as an intro (the voice in which is that of producer Michael Phillip Wojewoda
).
was made in 1992 and was the band's second official video. It features the band playing in a room with a red-white-and-blue ball theme, similar to the Gordon cover. The band stated in Barelaked Nadies
(probably jokingly) that the video was originally supposed to be a parody of the film Delicatessen
. One of the video's gimmicks is that the film keeps cutting without the camera being moved, resulting in the band members disappearing and reappearing and moving around in shots. Also in the room are TV screens, showing the band playing in other locations, such as Kensington Market
and St. James Park.
The song was nominated for Single of the Year
at the 1993 Juno Awards, although it lost to "Beauty and the Beast
" by Celine Dion
and Peabo Bryson
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
alternative rock group Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies is a Canadian alternative rock band. The band is currently composed of Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn, Ed Robertson, and Tyler Stewart. Barenaked Ladies formed in 1988 in Scarborough, Ontario, then a suburban municipality outside the City of Toronto...
. It was released as a single from their 1992 debut album, Gordon
Gordon (album)
Gordon is the debut album by Canadian band Barenaked Ladies. It was released through Sire Records on July 28, 1992. After The Yellow Tape was certified platinum in Canada, the group won a contest hosted by a local radio station. With the winnings, Barenaked Ladies were able to hire producer Michael...
. It was written by Steven Page
Steven Page
Steven Jay Page , is a Canadian musician. Along with Ed Robertson, he was a founding member, lead singer, guitarist, and a primary songwriter of the music group Barenaked Ladies ; he left the band in 2009 to pursue a solo career....
and Ed Robertson
Ed Robertson
Lloyd Edward Elwyn Robertson , better known as Ed Robertson, is the Canadian lead singer, as well as a guitarist and songwriter in the band, Barenaked Ladies...
.
Background and content
The song's title was inspired by Enid Léger, a waitress at Spanky's Pub in Moncton, New BrunswickNew Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
. The band found it interesting that "Enid" spelled backwards is "dine." However, the song is not actually about her. It is actually about Steven Page's first girlfriend.
The original studio version of the song has been described as one of the most complex recordings of the band's earlier career by Steven Page
Steven Page
Steven Jay Page , is a Canadian musician. Along with Ed Robertson, he was a founding member, lead singer, guitarist, and a primary songwriter of the music group Barenaked Ladies ; he left the band in 2009 to pursue a solo career....
in the liner notes for Disc One: All Their Greatest Hits. It includes a horn section, pedal steel guitar
Pedal steel guitar
The pedal steel guitar is a type of electric guitar that uses a metal bar to "fret" or shorten the length of the strings, rather than fingers on strings as with a conventional guitar. Unlike other types of steel guitar, it also uses pedals and knee levers to affect the pitch, hence the name "pedal"...
, a cuica
Cuíca
Cuíca , or "kweeca", is a Brazilian friction drum often used in samba music. The tone it produces has a high-pitched squeaky timbre. It has been called a 'laughing gourd' due to this sound....
and a pastiche of Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
as an intro (the voice in which is that of producer Michael Phillip Wojewoda
Michael Phillip Wojewoda
-External links:*...
).
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was made in 1992 and was the band's second official video. It features the band playing in a room with a red-white-and-blue ball theme, similar to the Gordon cover. The band stated in Barelaked Nadies
Barelaked Nadies
Barelaked Nadies is the second DVD release from Canadian band Barenaked Ladies, though it is the first full length release. It is a compilation of their music videos from 1991–2002, with one exclusion: the video for the Rock Spectacle version of "Brian Wilson" is missing, and the Gordon version is...
(probably jokingly) that the video was originally supposed to be a parody of the film Delicatessen
Delicatessen (film)
Delicatessen is a 1991 French black comedy film, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro, starring Dominique Pinon and Karin Viard. It is set in an apartment building in a post-apocalyptic France of an ambiguous time period. The story focuses on the tenants of the building and their desperate...
. One of the video's gimmicks is that the film keeps cutting without the camera being moved, resulting in the band members disappearing and reappearing and moving around in shots. Also in the room are TV screens, showing the band playing in other locations, such as Kensington Market
Kensington Market
Kensington Market is a distinctive multicultural neighbourhood in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Market is an older neighbourhood and one of the city's most well-known. In November 2006, it was designated a National Historic Site of Canada. Robert Fulford wrote in 1999 that "Kensington...
and St. James Park.
The song was nominated for Single of the Year
Juno Award for Single of the Year
The Juno Award for Single of the Year has been awarded since 1974 for the best single in Canada. It has also been known as Best Single and Best Selling Single.-Best Single :...
at the 1993 Juno Awards, although it lost to "Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast (1991 song)
"Beauty and the Beast" is the Oscar winning leading single from the Academy Award Best Picture nominated animated film Beauty and the Beast film, and the first hit single from Céline Dion's eponymous album. It was performed in the movie by Angela Lansbury, and sung over the movie's closing credits...
" by Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
and Peabo Bryson
Peabo Bryson
Peabo Bryson is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, born in Greenville, South Carolina...
.
Charts
| Chart (1992) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
2 |