Formed in 19… Read Full Bio ↴Blue Zoo was a British new wave band from 1980 to 1985.
Formed in 1980, their original band name was Modern Jazz, and they released a single "In My Sleep (I Shoot Sheep)" in that year.
Band members were: Mike Ansell on bass, Matthew Flowers (formerly of new wave band "Sore Throat") on keyboards, Pete Lancaster on trumpet, Andy O on vocals, Tim Parry on guitar and Mickey Sparrow on drums. Steve Pond from Inner City Unit played occasional synthesizer. Parry later went on to become a record producer.
Blue Zoo had one UK hit single. In October 1982 "Cry Boy Cry" charted and reached number 13. It stayed on the UK Singles Chart's Top 40 for eight weeks.
They released an album Two By Two - sometimes written-as 2x2 or 2By2 - in 1983.
Another band with the same name formed in Australia in the late nineties. Originally called "Laughing Gas" they changed their name to Blue Zoo and played live venues in and around NSW and the ACT between 1998 and 2006.
Whilst the Australian Blue Zoo never secured a major recording contract, three of their songs may be found on the compilation album Hurricane Healing (Vol 4), recorded to raise money for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Their most successful song was the ballad "Only for You", which reached as high as number 3 on US internet charts. Other songs include the edgier "Where Would We Be?", "Pick Yourself Up", "New Groove", and "So Funky I Could Cry".
Band members were: Steve Myers (vocals), Tim Begbie (guitar and vocals), Sandy Meischke (bass, percussion and vocals), Amanda Leach (Drums), Rick Millband (Drums), Dan McLean (Trumpet), Dino Martiniello (Sax), Potsy Webber (Hammond organ, upright bass and vocals), Michael Knight (Drums), and Rob Fontaine (Bass).
The band played their last gig at Old Parliament House in 2006, and these days their songs are enjoyed mostly by family and friends, and the occasional devoted fan who wonders where they went.
Cry Boy Cry
Blue Zoo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Turns me sideways
Out of chin stock of wawing
Squeeze between them
New face emerging
Pushing inward
Take my hand
Cry boy cry - CRY
The tears are a touch inside - oho
Cry boy cry - CRY
Feels the hunt you wanna lonely night
Inside and away
Cry boy cry
Inside and away
New surroundings
They will freshen
Get together up to one
Flix with two off
Close the vacuun
What you try to suck you in
CHORUS
Cry boy cry - CRY
I'll roll in the twilight zone - oho
Cry boy cry - CRY
For the heart gets a new moustache
Inside and away
Cry boy cry
Inside and away
Cry boy cry
Boy cry
In the Blue Zoo song "Cry Boy Cry," the lyrics describe a feeling of being overwhelmed and disoriented by a distracting situation or surrounding. The lines "This distraction/Turns me sideways" suggest that the singer is being pulled in multiple directions and losing their sense of balance. The use of the phrase "chin stock of wawing" is unclear in its meaning, but could refer to something that is chaotic or unclear. The singer then describes a new face emerging, perhaps indicating a change or uncertainty in their social circle or environment. They reach out for someone to take their hand, possibly searching for a sense of stability.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "cry boy cry" as a cathartic release for the singer. The lines "The tears are a touch inside/Feels the hunt you wanna lonely night" suggest that crying is an internal process that helps the singer process their emotions and cope with feelings of loneliness. The second verse of the song describes the idea of new surroundings freshening up a situation, but also warns against being sucked in by something. The chorus repeats the "cry boy cry" refrain with the image of "rolling in the twilight zone" and the promise of a new heart.
Overall, the song seems to be about the disorientation and emotional turmoil that can come with new experiences or changes in one's life. The repeated phrase "cry boy cry" suggests that it is okay to feel and express emotions, even when they are difficult.
Line by Line Meaning
This distraction
This thing that's taking my attention away
Turns me sideways
Makes me lose focus
Out of chin stock of wawing
Unable to communicate effectively, possibly due to being overwhelmed
Squeeze between them
Feeling trapped between two options
New face emerging
A fresh opportunity or perspective appearing
Pushing inward
Compelling urge and desire to take that opportunity
Take my hand
An invitation to join in on this new venture
Cry boy cry - CRY
The notion to release pent-up emotions
The tears are a touch inside - oho
A realization that crying isn't just an external release, but internal as well
Feels the hunt you wanna lonely night
Feeling isolated and yearning for companionship
New surroundings
Moving on to a new environment
They will freshen
The new surroundings will give a fresh start
Get together up to one
Coming together as a united front
Flix with two off
Disconnecting from the past
Close the vacuun
Putting an end to any negative influence
What you try to suck you in
The negative force from the past is trying to resurface
Cry boy cry
The repeated urge to release pent-up emotions
I'll roll in the twilight zone - oho
Feeling lost in the in-between of old and new environment
For the heart gets a new moustache
The heart is ready for a new look, new changes and opportunities.
Inside and away Cry boy cry
The act of releasing emotions will help bring clarity and peace
Inside and away Cry boy cry
Repeated reminder of the importance of releasing emotions
Writer(s): Timothy Parry, Stephen Overall Andrew Copyright: Magnet Music Ltd.
Contributed by Jake B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Paul Buttrill
I was 13 when this was released. I'm 41 now and I still get goose pimples when I hear it. The memories of my youth are still vivid. What a great era. "You don't know a good thing 'til it's gone" is such a true statement.
Tiffa 01
U should be 51
João Silva
Me too buddy!
R. Louis
@Tiffa 01 and 52 by now..lol
Gazookerman 1
@R. Louis He might have have been 41 when he posted his comment...Have another look ....
Fernando North
His voice is one of the best in a time when there was no voice modulation equipment!
I talk about this band and song ad no one knows what I mean. So happy to have it back in my life!
Mike just Mike
I'm so glad someone uploaded this! I LOVE it!
Andrew JS
I love how the video makes them all look as weird as possible. Deliberately so.
camdflage
Would like to hear more of these boys. History missed them I feel. Lots of potential.
Andrew JS
Lead singer Andy O is today an expert in mushrooms. He's written a book on the subject.