Marlene was known in school for her "bedroom eyes" and her first affairs were at this stage in her life - a professor at the school was terminated.
Marlene enjoyed music and attended concerts. She was adept at playing the violin and piano. By the time she was in her mid-teens, Marlene had discovered the stage. Acting was to be her vocation. In 1921, Marlene applied for an acting school run by Max Reinhardt. She was accepted. She appeared in several stage productions, but never had more than a couple of spoken lines. In short, she wasn't setting the stage world on fire.
She attempted films for the first time in 1922 Her first film was So sind die Männer (The Little Napoleon) (1923) which was followed by Tragödie der Liebe (Love Tragedy) (1923). On this last project, she met Rudolf Sieber and married him in 1924. The union lasted until his death in 1976 although they didn't live together the whole time.
The remainder of her early film career was generally filled with bit roles. After being seen in the German production of Der blaue Engel (The Blue Angel) (1930) in 1930, Marlene was given a crack at Hollywood. Her first US film was Morocco (1930) with Gary Cooper, which was followed by Dishonored (1931). This latter movie had her cast as a street walker who is appointed a spy. The film was rather boring but was a success because of Marlene's presence. In 1932, Marlene filmed Shanghai Express (1932) which proved to be immensely popular, grossing $3 million. Once again, she was cast as a prostitute. The next film was Blonde Venus (1932) which turned out to be a horrible production. Her co-star was Cary Grant and once again she was cast as a prostitute.
During this period Dietrich had been typecast as a woman of low morals and she wanted different parts. Her chance came in 1939 in Destry Rides Again (1939) when she was cast as "Frenchy", a Western saloon hostess. This began a new direction for Marlene since it shed the previous typecasting. All through the 1940s, she appeared in well-produced, well-directed films such as Manpower (1942), The Spoilers (1942), The Lady Is Willing (1942) and Pittsburgh (1942).
Afterwards the roles came less frequently, perhaps one to two films every year. In 1945, Marlene didn't appear in any. She only made seven productions in the 1950's. Her last role of any substance was Judgment at Nuremberg (1961). Despite the lack of theatrical roles, Marlene still made appearances on the stage. However, by 1979, she was a shell of her former self. After breaking her leg in one performance, she never made a go of it in show business again.
Spending the last 12 years of her life bed-ridden, Marlene died on May 6, 1992 in Paris, France of kidney failure at the age of 90.
Hot Voodoo
Marlene Dietrich Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hear it and you won't give a damn what you do
Tom-tom's put me under a sort of voodoo
And the whole night long I dont know the right from wrong
Hot voodoo, black as mud
Hot voodoo, in my blood
That african tempo, has made a slave
Hot voodoo, dance of sin
I'd follow a cave man, right into his cave
That beat gives me a wicked sensation
My counscious wants to take a vacation
Got voodoo, head to toes
Hot vooodoo, burn my clothes
I want to start dancing, just wearing a smile
Hot voodoo, im aflame
I'm really not to blame
That african tempo, is meaner than mean
Hot voodoo, make me brave
I want to misbehave
Im begining to feel like, an african queen
Those drums bring up the heaven inside me
I need some great big angel to guide me
Hot voodoo, makes me wild
Oh fireman, save this child
I going to blazes
I want to be bad!
The lyrics to Marlene Dietrich's song "Hot Voodoo" are an ode to the intoxicating allure of voodoo culture. The singer describes being put under a sort of voodoo spell by the rhythm of the tom-toms, and how the entire night becomes a blur of right and wrong. She describes the beat as offering a "wicked sensation" that makes her feel like she's "beginning to feel like an African queen."
The song celebrates the primal fire of the rhythm and the way it seems to unlock something deep within the singer's soul. She feels herself becoming brave and wild, ready to misbehave and be bad. The song's lyrics ignite a sense of desire and the lure of the unknown, calling the listener to join in the dance and let go of their inhibitions.
Line by Line Meaning
Did you ever happen to hear of voodoo?
Have you heard of voodoo, the spiritual practice of some African religions?
Hear it and you won't give a damn what you do
If you hear it, it may make you carefree and reckless.
Tom-tom's put me under a sort of voodoo
The sound of the Tom-tom drums has enchanted me.
And the whole night long I dont know the right from wrong
I lose control and do not distinguish between good and evil.
Hot voodoo, black as mud
The voodoo practice is dark, mysterious and intense.
Hot voodoo, in my blood
I am deeply affected by the African spiritual practice of voodoo.
That african tempo, has made a slave
The beat of the African drum has captivated me and made me powerless to resist its influence.
Hot voodoo, dance of sin
Voodoo dancing can be seen as an immoral act or a sin.
Hot voodoo, worse than gin
The effect of Voodoo is worse or stronger than the effect of the alcoholic drink Gin.
I'd follow a cave man, right into his cave
I would do anything to explore and experience the rawness of ancient times, just like a cave man.
That beat gives me a wicked sensation
The rhythm of the drum fascinates me and arouses an intense feeling, which can be strange or wicked.
My conscious wants to take a vacation
My sense of right and wrong wants a break from the responsibility.
Got voodoo, head to toes
I am completely overwhelmed by the voodoo vibe.
Hot vooodoo, burn my clothes
The heat of the voodoo experience can cause me to even lose my clothes.
I want to start dancing, just wearing a smile
I feel free and uninhibited while dancing and care more about the joy of dance than anything else.
Hot voodoo, im aflame
The intense voodoo experience has set me ablaze.
I'm really not to blame
My behavior is not my fault. It is the effect of the voodoo experience.
That african tempo, is meaner than mean
The African drum beat is intense and powerful, which can overpower the listener.
Hot voodoo, make me brave
The voodoo experience can make me fearless or bolder.
I want to misbehave
I feel like breaking the norms to enjoy the intensity of the voodoo experience.
Im beginning to feel like, an african queen
The African voodoo experience can make me feel powerful like a queen.
Those drums bring up the heaven inside me
The drums have taken me to a heavenly bliss during the voodoo experience.
I need some great big angel to guide me
I feel like I need a spiritual guide or a guardian angel to help me navigate the strong effects of the voodoo experience.
Hot voodoo, makes me wild
The voodoo experience can make me feel unpredictable or savage.
Oh fireman, save this child
The voodoo experience can be intense, so intense that I may need someone to help me come back to my senses.
I going to blazes
I am heading toward trouble or danger.
I want to be bad!
I want to break free from the social norms and let myself go to experience the intensity of the voodoo practice.
Contributed by Maria D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
candelite10
My favorite song by Dietrich!
VICENTE ROSALES
Lastima que no pusieron las escenas de la película; sin las imágenes la canción me sigue gustando pero pierde mas del 70 o/o de su encanto.
En la larga introducción entran una docena de bailarinas morenas con un gorila muy real encadenado; luego el gorila queda en el centro del escenario y se quita las manos y la cabeza y surge Marlene con un afro rubio ¡fabulosa!
Kasbahkabaret
Art, Film, Performance Art are free expression and the imagery of them were cinematic
X X
SHE WAS GREAT
nothinger01
me gusta!
Gary Mazzeo
She's so bad that she's good.
Liam the Barber
The old saying goes; Good girls are no good, bad girls are very good.
Der Unbekannte
I cannot hear her singing