More on Interpreting Voodoo
It has come to my attention that quite a few people have decided that I'm totally bsc for interpreting "Voodoo" for being about Kris. So, I've decided to try again, this time without any obscure references as part of the interpretation. I really appreciate the help that amproof gave me by showing how I needed to solidify my argument. So, here you are.
Voodoo
Moon shine on the bayou
I've given my interpretation of this verse before, and I promised no obscure references this time. =)
Love shrine
From Wikipedia, "A shrine... is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped" Source
Presumably, then, a "love shrine" has to do with the awe, respect, and veneration of a lover. Whom do we know who looks at Adam with awe, respect, and veneration? Brad? Quite possibly, though there aren't too many photos of Adam and Brad actually looking at each other. Drake? Ummm... Kris? Well, let's see...
break the taboo
Adam isn't the kind of person who has all that many taboos. So what taboo would he actually care about breaking? How about having an affair with someone who's closeted and married?
I wanna know what's in your potion
Bound by total devotion
Who looks at Adam with total devotion? Oh, that's right...
I was lookin' for love all over
You're the hunter and I'm your prey
Adam is used to being the pursuer, the "hunter" in a relationship. It takes him by surprise that someone would be chasing him. Who would be chasing after him? Hmmm...
I'm a little pawn still in your game
And you ignore my advances
I turn my head and I look away
But I can't control my eyes around you
You're on the run and I'm chasing you
It feels like war with all your glances
I'm just a boy without a clue
And I can't control following you
(Source)
Now I'm lost in a love hangover
I try to leave but I have to stay
Adam seemed just fine about his breakup with Drake, so I don't see how this refers to Drake. It is possible this is about Brad; we don't know much about why that relationship ended or how messy the breakup was.
This part could also easily be about Kris. Why would Adam try to leave Kris? Well, because Kris is married. Again, Adam has issues with "breaking the taboo" of being involved with a married man.
'Cause it's voodoo voodoo voodoo (under your spell)
Contrary to popular belief, voodoo is not a form of black magic. It is considered by many to be an actual, legitimate religion. From Wikipedia:
"The core beliefs of Louisiana Voodoo include the recognition of one God who does not interfere in people's daily lives and spirits that preside over daily life. Spiritual forces, which can be kind or mischievous, shape daily life through and intercede in the lives of their followers" Source
Again, from Wikipedia, "The word voodoo comes from the word vudu, the Dahomean “spirit”, an invisible mysterious force that can intervene in human affairs.”
In other words, it is an invisible, mysterious, spiritual force that is binding Adam to his lover, and this force might very possibly be good.
(Did Adam ever feel this strongly about Drake?)
Swamp sings over the bazaar
There's a lot of uncertainty about the exact words Adam is even saying here, so, moving along.
Snake bites, aligning stars
"Aligning stars" is likely a euphemism for an event being destined by the universe. As for snake bites, again, from Wikipedia, "Unlike the Judeo-Christian image, the Voodoo serpent represents healing knowledge and the connection between Heaven and Earth." So, in the context of voodoo, a snake bite could be a metaphor for receiving healing knowledge. Outside the context of voodoo, snake bites in dreams often symbolize a flash of insight or wisdom. So, either way, "snake bites" here likely represent wisdom, insight, knowledge, etc.
My interpretation of this line, therefore, is that Adam receives some kind of sign, a flash of insight, that he is destined to be with his lover
(Do you think that Adam feels he is destined to be with either Brad or Drake?)
I'm in rapture there is no cure
No sanctuary from your allure
I agree that these two lines could refer to the ecstasy of making love. Another interpretation, however, is that, again, Adam can't get away from his lover, for "there is no cure" for his love for that person. He can't stop himself from loving him.
'Cause the voodoo you do
Is all that you can do
To make me into your fool
'Cause when you do voodoo
I'm just like a doll
That pins keep pushing into
According to Wikipedia:
Contrary to popular belief, Voodoo dolls are usually used to bless instead of curse. The purpose of sticking pins in the doll is not to cause pain in the person the doll is associated with, but rather to pin a picture of a person or a name to the doll, which traditionally represents a spirit. The gris-gris is then performed from one of four categories: love; power and domination; luck and finance; and uncrossing" Source
In other words, It's very possible that Adam sees the voodoo, the spiritual connection to his lover, as a blessing rather than as a curse. Moreover, perhaps these voodoo pins are not even causing pain; rather, they are pinning Adam to his lover.
So every time I try to break this trance
I'm almost afraid I'll miss my chance
To be bewitched, bothered by you
I just gotta say I want your hex
I don't want to live without your hex
I'm so obsessed with your sexiness
amproof has suggested that "bewitchced, bothered by you" is a reference to the song "Bewitched, Bothered, & Bewildered," by Pal Joey. She writes, "It's a song about a person under a lover's spell and perfectly happy in being so. I think Adam using a portion of the phrase here not only helps to show that he is actually pleased (if a little in over his head) about the voodoo he's under, but also feeling a touch of the innocent romantic about it, too." Source
So, all this time, Adam has been singing that he wants to get away from his lover, but he can't. Now, he admits here that he, in fact, doesn't truly want want to get away. He's very happy being with this person.
Again, it seems unlikely that this is about Drake; Adam seemed to be fine with ending his relationship with Drake. It could be about Brad, but, from the little Adam has revealed about his relationship with Brad, it seems that Adam was likely the one who ended things because he wanted a more committed relationship than Brad did. Unless Adam has since changed his mind, he did ultimately want to get away from Brad.
So, that leaves Kris as a good candidate for whom Adam is addressing in this song.
Voodoo
Moon shine on the bayou
I've given my interpretation of this verse before, and I promised no obscure references this time. =)
Love shrine
From Wikipedia, "A shrine... is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped" Source
Presumably, then, a "love shrine" has to do with the awe, respect, and veneration of a lover. Whom do we know who looks at Adam with awe, respect, and veneration? Brad? Quite possibly, though there aren't too many photos of Adam and Brad actually looking at each other. Drake? Ummm... Kris? Well, let's see...
break the taboo
Adam isn't the kind of person who has all that many taboos. So what taboo would he actually care about breaking? How about having an affair with someone who's closeted and married?
I wanna know what's in your potion
Bound by total devotion
Who looks at Adam with total devotion? Oh, that's right...
I was lookin' for love all over
You're the hunter and I'm your prey
Adam is used to being the pursuer, the "hunter" in a relationship. It takes him by surprise that someone would be chasing him. Who would be chasing after him? Hmmm...
I'm a little pawn still in your game
And you ignore my advances
I turn my head and I look away
But I can't control my eyes around you
You're on the run and I'm chasing you
It feels like war with all your glances
I'm just a boy without a clue
And I can't control following you
(Source)
Now I'm lost in a love hangover
I try to leave but I have to stay
Adam seemed just fine about his breakup with Drake, so I don't see how this refers to Drake. It is possible this is about Brad; we don't know much about why that relationship ended or how messy the breakup was.
This part could also easily be about Kris. Why would Adam try to leave Kris? Well, because Kris is married. Again, Adam has issues with "breaking the taboo" of being involved with a married man.
'Cause it's voodoo voodoo voodoo (under your spell)
Contrary to popular belief, voodoo is not a form of black magic. It is considered by many to be an actual, legitimate religion. From Wikipedia:
"The core beliefs of Louisiana Voodoo include the recognition of one God who does not interfere in people's daily lives and spirits that preside over daily life. Spiritual forces, which can be kind or mischievous, shape daily life through and intercede in the lives of their followers" Source
Again, from Wikipedia, "The word voodoo comes from the word vudu, the Dahomean “spirit”, an invisible mysterious force that can intervene in human affairs.”
In other words, it is an invisible, mysterious, spiritual force that is binding Adam to his lover, and this force might very possibly be good.
(Did Adam ever feel this strongly about Drake?)
Swamp sings over the bazaar
There's a lot of uncertainty about the exact words Adam is even saying here, so, moving along.
Snake bites, aligning stars
"Aligning stars" is likely a euphemism for an event being destined by the universe. As for snake bites, again, from Wikipedia, "Unlike the Judeo-Christian image, the Voodoo serpent represents healing knowledge and the connection between Heaven and Earth." So, in the context of voodoo, a snake bite could be a metaphor for receiving healing knowledge. Outside the context of voodoo, snake bites in dreams often symbolize a flash of insight or wisdom. So, either way, "snake bites" here likely represent wisdom, insight, knowledge, etc.
My interpretation of this line, therefore, is that Adam receives some kind of sign, a flash of insight, that he is destined to be with his lover
(Do you think that Adam feels he is destined to be with either Brad or Drake?)
I'm in rapture there is no cure
No sanctuary from your allure
I agree that these two lines could refer to the ecstasy of making love. Another interpretation, however, is that, again, Adam can't get away from his lover, for "there is no cure" for his love for that person. He can't stop himself from loving him.
'Cause the voodoo you do
Is all that you can do
To make me into your fool
'Cause when you do voodoo
I'm just like a doll
That pins keep pushing into
According to Wikipedia:
Contrary to popular belief, Voodoo dolls are usually used to bless instead of curse. The purpose of sticking pins in the doll is not to cause pain in the person the doll is associated with, but rather to pin a picture of a person or a name to the doll, which traditionally represents a spirit. The gris-gris is then performed from one of four categories: love; power and domination; luck and finance; and uncrossing" Source
In other words, It's very possible that Adam sees the voodoo, the spiritual connection to his lover, as a blessing rather than as a curse. Moreover, perhaps these voodoo pins are not even causing pain; rather, they are pinning Adam to his lover.
So every time I try to break this trance
I'm almost afraid I'll miss my chance
To be bewitched, bothered by you
I just gotta say I want your hex
I don't want to live without your hex
I'm so obsessed with your sexiness
amproof has suggested that "bewitchced, bothered by you" is a reference to the song "Bewitched, Bothered, & Bewildered," by Pal Joey. She writes, "It's a song about a person under a lover's spell and perfectly happy in being so. I think Adam using a portion of the phrase here not only helps to show that he is actually pleased (if a little in over his head) about the voodoo he's under, but also feeling a touch of the innocent romantic about it, too." Source
So, all this time, Adam has been singing that he wants to get away from his lover, but he can't. Now, he admits here that he, in fact, doesn't truly want want to get away. He's very happy being with this person.
Again, it seems unlikely that this is about Drake; Adam seemed to be fine with ending his relationship with Drake. It could be about Brad, but, from the little Adam has revealed about his relationship with Brad, it seems that Adam was likely the one who ended things because he wanted a more committed relationship than Brad did. Unless Adam has since changed his mind, he did ultimately want to get away from Brad.
So, that leaves Kris as a good candidate for whom Adam is addressing in this song.