Venus Fly Trap

Album: Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land (2021)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The Venus flytrap is an insectivorous plant in which the leaves fold together to trap insects. Marina wrote this sassy, funk-driven pop track as a celebration of being wild, free and not accepting norms, just like the carnivorous flora.
  • This self-empowerment tune finds Marina refusing to repress herself in order to gain acceptance in the music industry.

    They'll shame you, blame you, pretend to even hate you
    Take away your rights, pacify you with their lies
    Whatever you give life, you will get back
    Why be a wallflower when you can be a Venus fly trap?


    Marina prefers to be independent and confident, like a Venus flytrap, rather than shy and withdrawn like a wallflower.
  • Marina admitted to Vogue that she sees herself as being in between a Venus flytrap and a wallflower. For years, she struggled with carrying shame in her life, but now the Welsh singer is free of her self-consciousness, she feels proud that she hasn't had to compromise that much in her career. "All artists have to compromise a little, but it's amazing that I've had the creative freedom to write the records that I want," Marina added. "You don't have to conform in order to see success in your creative life."
  • Marina released "Venus Fly Trap" as the fourth single from Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land. It ties in with the album's themes of celebrating individuality and denouncing the mistreatment of women.
  • Marina wrote the song on her own and co-produced it with James Flannigan. The British songwriter/producer contributed to seven out of the 10 Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land tracks. He has also worked with Lucy Spraggan ("Lighthouse") and Carly Rae Jepsen ("Now That I Found You").
  • Fun fact: The Venus flytrap is native only to one area of the world: the coastal bogs of North and South Carolina in the United States. Specifically, they are only found within a 60-mile (100-kilometer) radius of Wilmington, North Carolina.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Yacht Rock Quiz

Yacht Rock QuizFact or Fiction

Christopher Cross with Deep Purple? Kenny Loggins in Caddyshack? A Fact or Fiction all about yacht rock and those who made it.

Dean Friedman - "Ariel"

Dean Friedman - "Ariel"They're Playing My Song

Dean's saga began with "Ariel," a song about falling in love with a Jewish girl from New Jersey.

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.

Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root

Michael Glabicki of Rusted RootSongwriter Interviews

Michael tells the story of "Send Me On My Way," and explains why some of the words in the song don't have a literal meaning.

Kevin Godley

Kevin GodleySongwriter Interviews

Kevin Godley talks about directing classic videos for The Police, U2 and Duran Duran, and discusses song and videos he made with 10cc and Godley & Creme.

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in Songs

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in SongsSong Writing

Elvis, Little Richard and Cheryl Cole have all sung about Teddy Bears, but there is also a terrifying Teddy song from 1932 and a touching trucker Teddy tune from 1976.