Jas Mann had formerly been in an indie music band, called The Sandkings, which he left in 1992, because of musical differences.
Babylon Zoo was signed to Phonogram Records after A&R rep Clive Black heard their first three-track demo tape in May 1993. When Black moved to Warner Bros. Records in 1993, he took Mann's contract with him. An album had been prepared and sleeves for a single, "Fire Guided Light", were printed, but Babylon Zoo's debut was put on hold again when Black moved once more to EMI in 1995, where the band were signed on to a seven-album contract.
However, promotional copies of the song "Spaceman" had already been distributed, and chosen to tie in with the release of a new Levi's jeans TV advert. The single went straight to Number 1 on the UK singles chart and also went to Number 1 in the single charts in twenty-three countries.
An album entitled The Boy with the X-Ray Eyes was produced at Mann's New Atlantis Productions music/artwork/video centre. It was released in 1996 and included new-age tracks such as "Is Your Soul for Sale?" and "I'm Cracking Up I Need a Pill". It debuted at #6 on the album charts and reached the Top 20 in 17 countries, including Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
In 1997, Jas Mann was lampooned on the channel 4 TV series, Brass Eye.
Three years later, in 1999, a follow-up album was released entitled King Kong Groover, but Mann decided not to promote the album as he was not getting support from his label EMI since the departure of the man who had signed him, Clive Black. Mann subsequently decided to move to India and work for an aid agency.
Years active 1992–2000
Animal Army
Babylon Zoo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lions laugh at the smell of a gun
Ride on the back of an elephant's shoulders
Tell all your friends you're an angel
Animals dance along, animals.
Tyrannosaurus marching towards us
Lions a mass coming out of the grass
Ride on the back of an elephant's shoulders
Tell all your friends your an angel
An angel
An angel
Leopards dancing, in my paradise
Animal armies, in my...
Tyrannosaurus marching towards us
Lions a mass coming out of the grass
Ride on the back of an elephant's shoulders
Tell all your friends your an angel
An angel
An angel
Leopards dancing, (leopards dancing), in my paradise
Tigers dancing, (tigers dancing), in my paradise
Chrome and candy, (chrome and candy), in my paradise
Animal armies, (animal armies), in my...
Leopards dancing, (leopards dancing), in my, (in my), paradise, (paradise)
Tigers dancing, (tigers dancing), in my, (in my), paradise, (paradise)
Solar planets, (solar planets), in my, (in my), paradise, (paradise)
Animal armies, (animal armies), in my, (in my)...
Paradise... Paradise.. (Paradise)
The lyrics of Babylon Zoo's song Animal Army describe a surrealistic image of a world where animals march together, dance and live by the side of humans. The image of a Tyrannosaurus marching towards us and lions laughing at the smell of a gun, creates a scene of a wild and chaotic nature, where humans begin to create a romanticized and dream-like image of the animal kingdom. The call to "ride on the back of an elephant's shoulders" can be interpreted as an invitation to connect and bond with nature, which is no longer seen as a threatening or hostile environment but as an ally in creating peace and harmony.
The chorus of the song is very repetitive but effective in creating a hypnotic and dream-like atmosphere. The combination of animal images, such as leopards, tigers, and solar planets, with the concept of paradise reinforces the idea of a utopian vision of nature. Finally, the line "Tell all your friends your [sic] an angel" suggests that the song is not only about the relationship between humans and nature but also about a spiritual connection with higher forces that can be found in the natural world.
Line by Line Meaning
Tyrannosaurus marches before us
A message of power and dominance, the T-Rex represents a formidable force that is leading the way
Lions laugh at the smell of a gun
The lions are not afraid of human weapons, they find them laughable and irrelevant
Ride on the back of an elephant's shoulders
A call to adventure and exploration, the poet encourages the listener to ride on the back of an elephant as a way of seeing the world from a different perspective
Tell all your friends you're an angel
A message of self-love and self-confidence, encouraging the listener to embrace their inner goodness and share it with others
Animals dance along, animals.
A celebration of the natural world and its wonders, animals are depicted as joyous creatures who love to dance and frolic
Leopards dancing, in my paradise
The poet's paradise is a place of beauty and grace, where even the deadliest of predators can be found dancing without fear or malice
Animal armies, in my...
A vision of a harmonious world where humans and animals coexist in peace, where armies are not made up of humans fighting against animals, but rather of all creatures working together towards a common good
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JASBINDER SINGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind