Babylon Zoo was a British rock band of the mid-1990s from Wolverhampton, En… Read Full Bio ↴Babylon Zoo was a British rock band of the mid-1990s from Wolverhampton, England, fronted by Jas Mann. They were best known for the song "Spaceman", which on its release on January 21, 1996, went straight to Number 1 on the UK singles chart, selling 418,000 copies in the first week of release - a record at the time.

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

Blue Nude
Babylon Zoo Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

silence....
croud of the silver dance
presence of silence
Don't be alone tonight

Take both hands we clap the flavour
I will paint you
Nights through the mastervision silence

I will paint you

Blue is the canvas
Night of the silver dance
Presence of silence
Don't be alone tonight

Take both hands we clap her claim her
I will paint you
Right through the masturbation silence
I will paint you

Arrogance is sold, arrogance is cold
I will paint you
Trying to get the stars of fashion, fashion
I will paint you

I am visible
I am invisible
I am visible
I am invisible

I am visible
I am invisible
I am visible
I am invisible

I am visible

Overall Meaning

The Babylon Zoo's song Blue Nude has enigmatic lyrics that could be open to many different interpretations. The first verse may represent the beginning of a new experience in life. The line "croud of the silver dance" could refer to a group of people dancing, celebrating or even protesting. "Presence of silence" may signify that in the midst of all the action, there is a stillness and a sense of contemplation. The line "Don't be alone tonight" suggests that the singer is reaching out to someone, perhaps a friend or a lover who might be feeling lonely and wants to share this experience with them.

The chorus "Take both hands we clap the flavour" could refer to the unity and joy that comes from joining with others, while "I will paint you, Nights through the mastervision silence, I will paint you" seems to express the artist's intention to capture this moment in a painting, as if it was a fleeting emotion that needs to be immortalized in art. The line "Blue is the canvas, Night of the silver dance, Presence of silence" sets the stage for the painting's mood, which is described as a combination of blue tones, the sense of mystery and the peacefulness of silence.

Line by Line Meaning

silence....
The absence of sound

croud of the silver dance
A gathering of people moving gracefully to the rhythm of music

presence of silence
The notable existence of quietness

Don't be alone tonight
Do not spend this evening in solitude

Take both hands we clap the flavour
Join hands together and enjoy the energy of the music

I will paint you
I will capture your essence artistically

Nights through the mastervision silence
In the absence of noise, I envision beautiful stillness

Blue is the canvas
The backdrop for my artistry is the color blue

Night of the silver dance
The time of day when people elegantly dance and move

Take both hands we clap her claim her
Hold hands firmly and claim your place in the dance

Right through the masturbation silence
In the midst of stillness and self-reflection, I create art