The Dead Milkmen's songs found moderate success on alternative and college radio stations. Videos, notably Punk Rock Girl, even found their way onto MTV in the late 1980s. Topics for their music include satire on the 1980s music scene, toxic waste, jellyfish afterlifes, UFOs, conspiracy theories, and cover bands.
Irreverent absurdity fueled their initial popularity, particularly among college DJs. However, this genre was somewhat abandoned with the 1992 release of Soul Rotation, a much more subtle album.
After the Dead Milkmen went on indefinite hiatus in 1994, Genaro and Sabatino formed a new band, Butterfly Joe. Sabatino was also in the punk rock bands Narthex, Big Mess Orchestra, and Hunger Artists. Genaro was in a band called Touch Me Zoo. Linderman was in a band called Burn Witch Burn. Schulthise left music in the early 1990s after developing tendonitis, preventing him from playing bass, and committed suicide in 2004.
The Dead Milkmen took the stage again for two consecutive nights in November 2004 at the Trocadero Theatre in Philadelphia to play a show in memory of Dave Schulthise. Proceeds were donated to a variety of mental health organizations and to a Serbian monastery that Schulthise supported.
The band reunited in 2008 and released a new album (The King in Yellow) in 2011.
Takin' Retards to the Zoo
The Dead Milkmen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Except to get a load of retards and drive 'em to the zoo
Oh, oh, oh, takin' retards to the zoo!
Oh, oh, oh, takin' retards to the zoo!
Load 'em on a bus just for laughs
Down a winding road, stepping on the gas
Down a winding road with the retards screaming
Oh, oh, oh, takin' retards to the zoo!
Oh, oh, oh, takin' retards to the zoo!
One of them is blowing a big spit bubble
Slam on the brakes at the first sign of trouble
Head-on collision, bodies everywhere
Head-on collision, retards beware
Oh, oh, oh, takin' retards to the zoo!
Oh, oh, oh, takin' retards to the zoo!
The lyrics to The Dead Milkmen's song "Takin' Retards to the Zoo" are controversial and offensive. The song depicts the singer's boredom and lack of activities by deciding to take a group of people with intellectual disabilities to the zoo. The singer takes this group on a bus and takes pleasure in their screaming while driving down a winding road, stepping on the gas. However, the mood of the song quickly takes a dark turn when the singer describes a horrific accident that results in bodies everywhere, including those of the people he was supposed to be taking care of.
It seems that the song is being used as a vehicle of satire to call out the mistreatment of disabled people, and to show people who might think it's funny or entertaining to bully or debase those with intellectual disabilities. The song aims to shame those who would use vulnerable people for "laughs," and calls out the danger of their actions. The song does end up making several ableist statements and does objectify this group of people, so it's important to be aware of this content while listening to it.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a boring day, I've got nothing to do
The singer is unoccupied and must find a way to entertain themselves.
Except to get a load of retards and drive 'em to the zoo
The singer has decided to take individuals with mental disabilities on a trip to the zoo.
Oh, oh, oh, takin' retards to the zoo!
The singer is excited about the prospect of taking the group to the zoo.
Load 'em on a bus just for laughs
The artist is taking the group on the bus without any real purpose other than for their own entertainment.
Down a winding road, stepping on the gas
The artist is driving quickly and not taking the safety of the passengers seriously.
Down a winding road, just daydreaming
The singer is lost in their own thoughts and not paying attention to the passengers or surroundings.
Down a winding road with the retards screaming
The passengers are scared and screaming due to the driver's reckless behavior.
One of them is blowing a big spit bubble
One of the passengers is blowing bubbles with their saliva, which is seen as amusing by the artist.
Slam on the brakes at the first sign of trouble
The artist only stops driving recklessly when there is a clear indication of danger.
Head-on collision, bodies everywhere
The reckless driving has led to a terrible accident involving the group and other individuals.
Head-on collision, retards beware
The singer is warning future passengers of the dangers of going on a trip with them.
Oh, oh, oh, takin' retards to the zoo!
This line is repeated to emphasize the excitement of the artist and to detract from the negative consequences of their actions.
Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOSEPH GENARO, RODNEY LINDERMAN, DEAN SABATINO, DAVID SCHULTHISE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hawaiidispenser
Impressed by how he organized this outing on such short notice.
@DM12128
Hahaha!
@bowlander
A short bus?
@dann8431
Yes i would happily let you take my slow person to the zoo!
@CinnamonWilson
This comment made me laugh until I cried, I'm still crying.
@GT-43
We're glad you enjoyed the trip
@Myopicvisions
I was wrongly placed in special education, and this is how it felt on every field trip we took. They used to lock me in a closet they called "the quiet room" and wouldn't let me out until I stopped saying that I wasn't disabled. Come to realize that I have been suffering from PTSD most of my life. Teachers still do that... they call it "seclusion and restraint."
@ramonaharter6407
Im so sorry 😪
@MotherClucker6
"We're all veterans of a fucked up world" is the most profound statement I've heard in a long time.
@TheEllisQmason
Holy shit. I lol'd so hard in public @ this comment. Sorry it was @ your expense though...