In some senses, Flearoy is a talented collective of old souls, listening to… Read Full Bio ↴In some senses, Flearoy is a talented collective of old souls, listening to vintage records on turntables and covering songs that were written well before they were born – heck, even before the turn of the 20th century. But the members of Flearoy were not raised in a time capsule. Although they’ve immersed themselves in the second-line music of New Orleans, the raw soul of Stax, the finely crafted tunes of The Band, and spent their years listening to the field recordings of Leadbelly and the Lomax family, instrumental B-sides of the James Brown Band and The Meters, they also grew up during the hey-day of Destiny’s Child and The Spin Doctors. And, strangely enough, all of these influences find their way into Flearoy’s fresh blend of funk-folk.

Flearoy makes records like they used to be made -- with real people playing real instruments at the height of their ability. Since its inception in 2008, Flearoy has claimed second place at the 2010 SongCircle competition, played at New York’s Public Assembly, City Winery, Bowery Poetry Club, Spike Hill, and The Bitter End, the 2008, 2009, and 2010 Vendy Awards, NYU’s 2009 & 2011 Remmy Awards, as well as a series of packed parties in Brooklyn and at Wesleyan University and Vassar College. They have recorded tracks for legendary country songwriter Rodney Crowell, garnered kind words and support from producers Bob Power (Erykah Badu, A Tribe Called Quest), Tony Visconti (David Bowie), Nick Sansano (Sonic Youth, Galactic), and John Leventhal (Rosanne Cash, Shawn Colvin), and were described by renowned record producer/neuroscientist Dan Levitin as his "favorite new band since Arcade Fire."

Members:
Jon Seale (vocals)
Dan Knobler (fender telecaster/national resonator)
Matt Porter (organ/wurlitzer/assorted keyboards)
Zack Rosen (electric fretless bass/upright bass)
Jason Burger (drums/cajon/auxiliary percussion)

Witch Doctor
Flearoy Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

i was feeling blue
In fact I'm more depressed than you
So I
Asked my old man what I should do
But he had no clue
...And I wish I knew

So I asked a

Witch Doctor to save my soul
Because I put my faith
In rock and roll
But the more I play
The deeper I fall
Into that rabbit hole
Got the
Witch Doctor under my skin
You would not guess
What a state I'm in
Because the more I play
The deeper I fall
Into that rabbit hole

to be continued and corrected...

Overall Meaning

In "Witch Doctor," Flearoy sings about feeling lost and depressed, even seeking advice from his father to find a way out of his emotional turmoil. When his father seems unable to help, he turns to a witch doctor as a last resort, hoping to save his soul. He confesses that he had previously put his faith in rock and roll, but soon realizes that the more he plays, the deeper he falls into a metaphorical rabbit hole.

The lyrics of "Witch Doctor" can be interpreted in various ways, with some listeners seeing it as a commentary on the fleeting nature of fame and the struggles of the music industry. The song's haunting melody adds to its emotive tone, highlighting the singer's sense of desperation and confusion. However, the final lines of the song are also a nod to the resilience and determination of the human spirit, as Flearoy sings about continuing to pursue his passion despite the obstacles he faces.

Line by Line Meaning

i was feeling blue
I was feeling sad and down

In fact I'm more depressed than you
My level of sadness is even greater than yours

So I
As a result,

Asked my old man what I should do
I asked my father for advice

But he had no clue
But he didn't know what to do either

...And I wish I knew
I also wish I had the answer

So I asked a
Therefore, I approached a

Witch Doctor to save my soul
Traditional healer to help me spiritually

Because I put my faith
Because I believed

In rock and roll
In the power of music

But the more I play
However, the more I listen to music