Animals

Annotations

Baby, I’m preying on you tonight Hunt you down, ...: Adam uses the imagery of animals hunting their prey. Like a Leopard hunting an antelope, he’ll chase this chick down like his prey.

However, he is not likely to kill her but instead have sex with her. To “eat someone” is a reference to cunnilingus (oral sex). Basically, their having wild sex like animals.

Maybe you think that you can hide I can smell your...: He makes the allusion between his desire for his lover to the far-scent abilities of some animals. Here are some fun facts about the fascinatingly built noses of particular species in the animal kingdom:

An Elephant can smell a water source from 12 miles away. Dogs can detect scents given off by objects buried up to 40 feet underground and sunk up to 80 feet underwater. A Shark can smell a pinprick of blood from several hundreds of meters away.

So what you trying to do to me? (Hey) It's ...: Levine doesn’t have a romantic relationship with the woman he is talking to. It seems like they are constantly fighting and he can only bear her presence when they are having sex.

You're like a drug that's killing me ...: Adam compares the woman he’s singing to with a heavy drug that could kill him, like for example crystal meth.

To get off this drug, he has to completely cut it out, like they do in rehab. But like it is with drugs, he just can’t stop having sex with her, as he truly enjoys it. After this line comes the chorus, so we can assume that they will have sex again.

Yeah, you can start over You can run free (Hey) ...: She can try finding other men in the world. This is based off the famous saying: There are plenty more fish in the sea.

This expression fits in the song’s animal theme, but it also implies that the “fish” won’t satisfy her. She’s like a predator, and probably end up being a maneater to more submissive men, and she needs another wild soul like Adam.

You're still in my head, forever stuck (Hey): She’s constantly in the back of his mind, the thoughts of her aren’t disappearing any time soon

Animals in the wild life never forget their prey

I love your lies, I'll eat 'em up (Hey): Maroon 5 is continues with the double meaning of the song – between animals and women.

“I’ll eat ‘em up” is supposed to be taken as sexual, but it follows the animalistic theme of the song.

But don't deny the animal (Hey) That comes ...: He becomes ravage and wild when he is “inside her”. Which probably means Adam and the girl having sex, in a brutal and animal-like way.