The Flaming Lips are known for their lush, multi-layered arrangements, spacey lyrics and bizarre song titles. They are also acclaimed for their elaborate live shows, which typically feature animal suits, puppets, streamers, video projections and complex stage light configurations.
In 2002, Q magazine named The Flaming Lips one of the "50 Bands to See Before You Die". In 2006, Oklahoma City named a street Flaming Lips Alley in their honor.
The group recorded several albums and EPs for Restless Records in the 1980s and early 1990s. After signing to Warner Brothers, they scored a #9 hit on the Billboard Alternative charts (and #55 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart) in 1994 with "She Don't Use Jelly". Although it would be their only hit single, the band has maintained critical respect and, to a lesser extent, commercial viability with sonically majestic albums such as 1995's Clouds Taste Metallic, 1999's The Soft Bulletin, 2002's Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and 2006's At War with the Mystics. The Flaming Lips' 12th studio album, Embryonic, was released in October of 2009. A complete cover of Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon was released in May 2010. The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends, their collaborative album which features artists like Ke$ha, Bon Iver, Nick Cave and Erykah Badu, was released on Record Store Day, April 2012.
Their next studio album, tentatively titled The Terror, will be released in January 2013.
Their song "Do You Realize??" is the official State Rock Song of Oklahoma.
www.flaminglips.com
Christmas at the Zoo -11
The Flaming Lips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Should do, I thought I'd free the animals all locked up at the zoo
I opened up the fence where the peacocks were, the lamas were
Unleashed the snakes and seals could all get out, but they
Refused to leave
All of the animals agreed they're not happy at the zoos
But they preferred to save themselves, they seemed to think
The elephants, orangutans, all the birds and kangaroos all said
Thanks but no thanks man, but to be concerned is good
It started to snow on Christmas Eve in the middle of the night
Walking through the state park zoo and everything is white
The Flaming Lips’s song “Christmas At The Zoo” tells the story of the singer who decides to free all the caged animals at the zoo when he finds out that there was no snow on Christmas Eve. He proceeds to open the fence where the peacocks were caged, and unleashed the lamas, snakes, and seals. However, he realizes that the animals seem reluctant to leave, thus making him puzzled. The singer converses with the animals to understand why they chose to remain at the zoo, given that they are not happy there. The animals respond by rejecting his offer to leave, conceding that it was thoughtful of him but they preferred to remain. The song ends with the singer, walking through the state park zoo, as it starts to snow, and everything becomes white.
The song's lyrics have been subject to a lot of interpretations. Some people believe that the song is a metaphor for disturbing societal norms and challenging authority. Others believe that the song is a representation of the desire to be free and not be confined to limited spaces. On the other hand, others believe that the song's lyrics depict a symbolic representation of the artist and his relationship with societal norms.
Line by Line Meaning
Their wasn't any snow on Christmas eve and I knew what I Should do, I thought I'd free the animals all locked up at the zoo
I noticed that there was no snow on Christmas Eve and decided to take action to free the caged animals at the zoo.
I opened up the fence where the peacocks were, the lamas were Unleashed the snakes and seals could all get out, but they Refused to leave
I opened up the cages of the peacocks and lamas, as well as the enclosures of the snakes and seals. However, the snakes and seals decided not to leave.
All of the animals agreed they're not happy at the zoos But they preferred to save themselves, they seemed to think They could
Even though all the animals expressed dissatisfaction with being in the zoo, they chose to prioritize their own safety and believed they could fend for themselves.
The elephants, orangutans, all the birds and kangaroos all said Thanks but no thanks man, but to be concerned is good
The elephants, orangutans, birds, and kangaroos declined my offer to be freed, but appreciated my concern for their well-being.
It started to snow on Christmas Eve in the middle of the night Walking through the state park zoo and everything is white
The snow began falling on Christmas Eve in the middle of the night as I walked through the state park zoo, turning everything white.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MICHAEL IVINS, RONALD JONES, STEVEN DROZD, WAYNE COYNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@amberpamber9619
There wasn't any snow on Christmas Eve
And I knew what I should do
I thought I'd free the animals
All locked up at the zoo
I opened up the fence where the peacocks were
The lamas were unleashed
The snakes and seals could all get out
But they refused to leave
All of the animals agreed they're not
Happy at the zoos
But they preferred to save themselves
They seemed to think they could
The elephants, orangutans
All the birds and kangaroos
All said thanks but no thanks man
But to be concerned is good
It started to snow on Christmas Eve
In the middle of the night
Walkin' through the state park zoo
And everything is white
@ashpatel22
Freaking love this song. Perfect indie Christmas song. The bells and chimes and echo vocals in the end just nailed it. Indie pop geniuses those lips!
@karlmorris-xz6iq
if you like this you might like my brothers music, his name is Stu Morris.
@dougsmith7083
One of my All-time favourite Xmas songs...Lips high-water mark...the "Ronald Jones Years"
@tostare
What a wonderful, lovely, song this is. I love the mix of fragility and joyfulness in Wayne's voice.
@ROBOTWORKMAN
MERRY CHRISTMAS 2020!!! This song will put you in the spirit!
@jasonmuhsmann5670
Merry Christmas 2021!
@skeletonbone
back here again for christmas 2021
@mrturret01
Happy Crimbus 2022! Don't for forget to eat a pound of hair or the Winter Man won't come.
@FrenkOFrenk
I am driven to tears every time I listen to this masterpiece.
@usernamebada42
Brilliant songwriting of Wayne, mesmerizingly beauteous guitar work of Ron, whimsical, exploding drums of Steven, and the dafuq basslines of Michael. This has to be my favorite era of the Lips, despite how goddamn incredible "In A Priest Driven Ambulance" and "Hit To Death In The Future Head" are.