Voodoo by Godsmack Lyrics Meaning – Unraveling the Mystical Undertones in a Rock Anthem
Lyrics
When I feel the snakebite enter my veins
Never did I want to be here again
And I don’t remember why I came
Candles raise my desire
Why I’m so far away
No more meaning to my life
No more reason to stay
Freezing feeling, breathe in, breathe in
I’m coming back again
I’m not the one who’s so far away
When I feel the snakebite enter my veins
Never did want to be here again
And I don’t remember why I came
Hazing clouds rain on my head
Empty thoughts fill my ears
Find my shade by the moonlight
Why my thought aren’t so clear
Demons dreaming, breathe in, breathe in
I’m coming back again
I’m not the one who’s so far away
When I feel the snakebite enter my veins
Never did want to be here again
And I don’t remember why I came
I’m not the one who’s so far away
When I feel the snakebite enter my veins
Never did want to be here again
And I don’t remember why I came
I’m not the one who’s so far away
When I feel the snakebite enter my veins
Never did want to be here again
And I don’t remember why I came
I’m not the one who’s so far away
When I feel the snakebite enter my veins
Never did want to be here again
And I don’t remember why I came
Voodo, voodo, voodo, voodo
Voodo, voodo, voodo, voodo
So far away
I’m not the one who’s so far away
I’m not the one who’s so far away
I’m not the one who’s so far away
The late ’90s heralded a gritty undertow in the era of rock—a shift from the flamboyant hair bands to the raw, evocative melodies that spoke directly to the core of the disenfranchised. Godsmack, a band that was the epitome of this movement, pierced the mainstream bubble with ‘Voodoo’, a track that’s as enigmatic as it is powerful. It’s a song that seems to encapsulate a struggle that’s both deeply personal and universally relatable—a journey into the soul’s darkened corridors.
Diving beyond the eerie rhythms and haunting vocals lies a search for the meaning at the heart of ‘Voodoo’. It’s more than the sum of its lyrics; it’s a spiritual expedition. Whether it’s the metaphor of a snakebite or the cryptic refrain of ‘Voodo’, there is a clear intent to invoke a sense of introspection and otherworldliness in its listeners. Let’s delve into the shadowed depths of ‘Voodoo’ and explore the profound symbolism stitched into its lyrical tapestry.
The Serpent’s Bite: Venom as Metaphor
The recurring imagery of a snakebite in ‘Voodoo’ punctures the veil between the literal and the metaphorical. This venom that enters the veins is symbolic of life’s adversities and the toxic influences that sometimes control our lives. The bite is sudden, unexpected, and its effects are all-encompassing—a parallel to the way adversity can strike and alter one’s journey.
Provoking a juxtaposition of desire and dread, ‘Voodoo’ captures the listener’s imagination. The magnetizing pull towards something inherently dangerous or the relentless return to a habit or a place that promises ruin—all evoke the essence of the snakebite. It’s a symbol of addiction, of an inescapable fate, and the cyclical nature of self-destructive behavior.
Waxing Nostalgic: The Ambivalence of Returning
There’s a palpable sense of deja vu that courses through the song’s core. The protagonist is drawn back to a place of past anguish against their better judgment. It’s an exploration of the human condition—our propensity to return to the familiar, however harmful it might be. But why do we come back? The lyrics do not answer but rather repeat the question, emphasizing the mystery.
This interplay between memory and oblivion, highlighted in verses like ‘And I don’t remember why I came’, suggests a struggle to reconcile one’s past actions with their present self. The haunting uncertainty speaks to a universal human experience, where we often find ourselves lost in the cyclical patterns of life, searching for reason or rationale where there might be none.
Caught in the Moonlight: The Song’s Hidden Alchemical Message
The mention of finding shade by the moonlight hints at alchemical symbolism where the moon represents changeability, intuition, and the unconscious. By placing the persona within the moon’s domain, the song hints at a transformative process taking place in the shadows of the psyche—where the lead of turmoil transforms into the gold of wisdom.
The reference to demons and dreams further cloaks ‘Voodoo’ in a nocturnal mystery, hinting at the song’s deeper narrative: it’s an invitation to embrace the darkness within, to breathe in the intoxicating power of the unknown and emerge from the other side changed. This internal voyage is not for the faint of heart; it demands a confrontation with the self, with the voodoo that haunts one’s very being.
Through the Haze: A Soundtrack to Despair
The atmospheric elements of ‘Voodoo’ create a sound equally somber and seductive. The song builds a heavy ambience of isolation and despair, much like walking through a fog so thick that it mutes the world around you. Listeners are enveloped in a sonic cocoon that mirrors the lyrical motif of detachment.
Musically, ‘Voodoo’ ushers in a feeling of disorientation—mimicking the invisible and relentless grip of the song’s metaphoric snake. This audio dissonance couples perfectly with the tortured lyrics, allowing for a fully immersive experience that draws the listener into Godsmack’s world of shadow and substance, unveiling the often-overlooked emotional textures beneath the hard rock facade.
Memorable Lines: A Cry of Resistance and Surrender
‘I’m not the one who’s so far away, when I feel the snakebite enter my veins. Never did I want to be here again.’ These words from ‘Voodoo’ echo with the tension of a soul divided, simultaneously resisting and succumbing to an inevitable return to darkness.
It’s in these lyrics that Godsmack captures a universal conflict—we are all, at some point, the one who is ‘not so far away’, teetering on the edge of our inner abyss. As the snakebite symbolizes our individual vices and struggles, the song’s rallying cry becomes one of acknowledgment and acceptance of our vulnerabilities. It’s a powerful reminder that often the first step in overcoming our demons is to recognize their presence—embrace the voodoo within.
