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
Don't Feed the Animals
Babylon Zoo Lyrics
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The lyrics to Babylon Zoo's "Don't Feed the Animals" are quite ambiguous, and can be interpreted in a number of ways. At its core, the song is a commentary on the human tendency to interfere with and control nature, the animals, and the environment. The opening line and chorus, "Don't feed the animals, keep them wild," urges listeners to let the animals be, to let them remain wild and free in their natural habitat, and not to try and tame or domesticate them.
Throughout the song, there are references to captivity, cages, and the limits of human control. The line "You drive me around in your urban cage" suggests that humans are themselves constrained by the urban environment they have created, and that they are not as free as the animals they seek to control. The lines "Monkeys come and monkeys go, the circus leaves and the carnival grows" could be interpreted as a criticism of the exploitative nature of circuses and other animal-based entertainment, which often force animals to perform in unnatural environments for human entertainment.
Overall, the song seems to be a plea for human beings to respect the natural world, and to leave animals and their environments alone. The repeated chorus serves as a warning against the dangers of trying to control and domesticate wild creatures and environments.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't feed the animals
Please do not give any food or other substances to wild animals as it may harm them or disturb their natural diet.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JASBINDER SINGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind