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
Manhattan Martian
Babylon Zoo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A Starman fell from outer space
Evil watchin me, was it all a dream
Hello Boy, you're going insane
One day we will tolarate the pain
I'll be here to entertain
There go all the freaks, they're crowdin' up on the streets
Paranoid in so many ways
*You're the devil in me, I know man, it's true
I never wanted to be, I'm nobody's fool
**Manhattan Martian
Psycho Kid came down to die and blow us all away
Manhattan Martian oh oh oh
One day we will wake up the same
Then grow old and fade away
Aliens and me linin' up to see
Everybody going insane
*Repeat
**Repeat Twice
He plays a Chrome Guitar
Boy you're gonna be a star
With your guardian angel watching you
There's nothing you can't do
Manhattan Martian
Psycho Kid came down to die and blow us all away
Manhattan Martian
The lyrics of “Manhattan Martian” by Babylon Zoo are a mix of sci-fi, paranoia, and rock-and-roll. The song describes a Monday morning when the singer sees a “Starman” falling from space, while feeling like he’s going insane. He sings about the pain of being different from others, and how the “freaks” crowd the streets. Throughout the song, he refers to a mysterious presence watching him, and he wonders if his experiences are all just a dream. The lyrics become more surreal as the song goes on, with the singer stating that he’s lined up with aliens, and everyone is going insane.
The chorus repeats the phrase “Manhattan Martian,” which seems to describe the singer or the Starman, and the phrase “Psycho Kid” is used to refer to them as well. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the singer being told that he’s “gonna be a star” with his “guardian angel watching” over him.
Overall, the meaning of the lyrics can be interpreted in different ways, but they seem to convey a feeling of alienation, paranoia, and a desire for acceptance. The sci-fi imagery adds to the surreal atmosphere and the rock sound of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Monday mornin' as I lie awake
The singer woke up on a Monday morning
A Starman fell from outer space
Something unusual happened, as if someone from another world had arrived
Evil watchin me, was it all a dream
The singer is paranoid and wonders if what he saw was real or imaginary
Hello Boy, you're going insane
Someone is talking to the singer, calling him crazy
One day we will tolarate the pain
We will eventually become accustomed to hardship and suffering
I'll be here to entertain
The singer will be there to provide entertainment
There go all the freaks, they're crowdin' up on the streets
People who are different or unusual are gathering on the streets
Paranoid in so many ways
The singer is overly suspicious and anxious
You're the devil in me, I know man, it's true
The singer feels like something inside of him is evil and causing problems
I never wanted to be, I'm nobody's fool
The singer didn't choose to be this way and doesn't want to be taken advantage of
Manhattan Martian
The singer is using this phrase to describe something unique and otherworldly
Psycho Kid came down to die and blow us all away
Someone dangerous and unstable has arrived and could cause harm
One day we will wake up the same
Eventually, we will all experience the same fate
Then grow old and fade away
We will all age and eventually die
Aliens and me linin' up to see
The singer and others are gathered to witness something unusual, as if it were an alien encounter
Everybody going insane
People are becoming increasingly unstable and irrational
He plays a Chrome Guitar
Someone is playing an electric guitar, possibly depicting a shiny, futuristic instrument
Boy you're gonna be a star
Someone is encouraging the singer to be successful and famous
With your guardian angel watching you
The singer feels like there is someone or something looking out for him, guiding him towards success
There's nothing you can't do
The singer is confident in his abilities and feels he can achieve anything.
Contributed by Tristan O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.