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
Paris Green
Babylon Zoo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everytime I sleep I
Fashion dies with no respect
I never want to be like you
My poison colours never clash
With my shiny, shiny shoes
oh!
Who will buy my fake furs,
I can't live without my slacks.
On the catwalk it's a gas
oh!
Your bright colours they cloud my vision,
Designer shirts they call this fashion,
Insane robots parade in tandem.
Don't make me sick, let me see you.
Paris green, Paris green
Smile and say will you buy this,
It's a world exclusive.
To me the colours are the same
And it's driving me insane.
Oh!
Who will buy my old chanels,
Who will buy my fake furs,
I can't live without my slacks.
On the catwalk it's a gas.
Oh!
You're bright colours they cloud my vision,
Designer shirts they call this fashion,
Insane robots parade in tandem.
Don't make me sick, let me see you
Paris green, Paris green,
Paris green, Paris green
The lyrics to Babylon Zoo's song Paris Green seem to critique the fashion industry and consumerism. The singer declares that every time he breathes and sleeps he thinks of this obsession with material things, but even though he is aware of it, he never wants to be like the ones who buy into it. He asserts that his "poison colours never clash with [his] shiny, shiny shoes," which could suggest that his genuine identity or true colors remain consistent despite societal pressures to conform. The chorus repeatedly asks, "Who will buy my old Chanels, who will buy my fake furs?" What he values, however, are not these material things, but rather his "slacks," which he "can't live without," because they may signify something meaningful to him.
The second verse continues to highlight the singer's disdain for what fashion has become, where on the catwalk, it's simply a "gas," or a spectacle to be consumed. The bright colors of designer shirts cloud his vision and create an illusion of what fashion should be. He sees it as a parade of "insane robots" who go along with the charade without questioning it. The repeated phrase "Paris green" seems to be a play on words, suggesting that the singer wishes to see beyond the green of envy or materialism and instead see more of what truly matters, whether that be other people's genuine colors or his own. Overall, the song points to a desire for authenticity and criticism of a culture that values fashion over substance.
Line by Line Meaning
Everytime I breath I think of
I associate breathing with certain things that come to mind.
Everytime I sleep I
I experience something specific when I sleep.
Fashion dies with no respect
The sense of style that exists isn't given any value or importance.
I never want to be like you
I have no desire to be anything like you.
My poison colours never clash
My preferences for colour never conflict with each other, they work well together.
With my shiny, shiny shoes
This aspect of my style is very important to me.
oh!
An expression of emotion that isn't easy to articulate.
Who will buy my old chanels,
I wonder who would be interested in buying my used Chane1 products.
Who will buy my fake furs,
I wonder who would be interested in buying my unauthentic furs.
I can't live without my slacks.
These pants are incredibly important to me, I need them in order to function.
On the catwalk it's a gas
Walking on this platform is entertaining and satisfying.
Your bright colours they cloud my vision,
The brightness of your attire is causing me to not be able to see clearly.
Designer shirts they call this fashion,
Clothing created by well-known designers is considered to be fashionable.
Insane robots parade in tandem.
There is a certain group of people that are all the same and all follow the same pattern.
Don't make me sick, let me see you.
Please don't make me feel any negative emotions and let me see you instead.
Paris green, Paris green
An expression of a colour that has a certain significance to me.
Smile and say will you buy this,
I want to try to sell you something with a positive attitude.
It's a world exclusive.
This product is truly unique and not many people will have access to it.
To me the colours are the same
I don't see any difference in the colours that everyone else seems to see.
And it's driving me insane.
This fact is causing me to feel quite disturbed and unsettled.
You're bright colours they cloud my vision,
The brightness of your attire is causing me to be unable to see clearly.
Designer shirts they call this fashion,
Clothing designed by popular, well-known designers is considered to be fashionable.
Insane robots parade in tandem.
There is a certain group of people that are all the same and all follow the same pattern.
Don't make me sick, let me see you
Please don't make me feel ill and instead let me look at you.
Paris green, Paris green,
An expression of a colour that is significant to me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JASBINDER SINGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind