Named after the 1932 Bela Lugosi film, White Zombie's musical style was sample-heavy, based around groovy riffs and Rob Zombie's snarling vocals. The samples that filled their records were mostly from obscure horror films, but used creatively to create a kind of carnival freak-show vibe.
Rob Zombie, still known at this time as Rob Cummings, supported himself through multiple jobs, including working as a cycle courier. Most famously, he was a production assistant on Pee-Wee's Playhouse, but he also worked as a designer on pornographic magazines. At this time, he became involved with Shauna Reynolds, another up-and-coming designer. Together they shared a love of classic horror and sci-fi, heavy music, and the weirder corners of American underground culture. They decided to form a band that would draw upon all these influences and White Zombie was formed. Rob took vocals and the name Rob Straker (later changed to Rob Zombie), while Reynolds became the bassist and assumed the name of Sean Yseult. They became the only constants in the often-fluctuating band line-up.
White Zombie best showed their signature style on their final two studio albums. La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Vol. 1 and Astro-Creep: 2000 Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head were impressive displays of their sample/riff style, thanks to higher production values.
In 1998, Rob Zombie founded his own label, Zombie-A-Go-Go, signing surf and horror acts like The Bomboras and The Ghastly Ones, as well as compiling the mix album Halloween Hootenany. He was managing the new band of his brother Michael, now known as Spider One, the punk-tinged Powerman 5000, but also looked to his own solo career.
After huge opening week sales of his first solo album, Hellbilly Deluxe that dwarfed those of any White Zombie release, it was announced that the band had split up. Bassist Sean Yseult left to form female horror-rockers Famous Monsters and, later, Rock City Morgue. Rob Zombie went on to continued success with his solo music project, and new acclaim as a successful film director.
Blood
White Zombie Lyrics
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Of all the wants and hungers
The lust of love a brute desire
The ledge of life goes under
Divide the dream into the flesh
Kaleidoscope and candle eyes
Empty winds scrape on the soul
Animal whisperings
Intoxicate the night
Hypnotize the desperate
Slow motion light
Wash away into the rain
Blood, milk and sky
Hollow moons illuminate
And beauty never dies
Running wild, running blind
In the body deep
A thousand years beside myself
I do not sleep
Seduce the world at rest
Dead water lies
Ride the only one who knows
Beauty never dies
The lyrics to White Zombie's song Blood Milk and Sky are very symbolic and thought-provoking. The opening line "The siren sings a lonely song" immediately sets a melancholic and eerie tone, suggesting that the song is about something dark and brooding. The "siren" in question is likely a metaphor for temptation or desire, which "sings" a "lonely song" because it is ultimately unattainable.
The next two lines continue this theme, talking about "the wants and hungers" of the human experience, and how love is a "brute desire" that can sometimes lead us to the "ledge of life" or the brink of destruction. This is a common motif in Gothic literature and horror movies, where the characters are always struggling with their own inner demons and the dark forces that threaten to consume them.
The following lines are similarly atmospheric and surreal, with references to "kaleidoscope and candle eyes" and "animal whisperings" that "intoxicate the night". These lines suggest a kind of hallucinatory or dreamlike state, where the boundaries between reality and fantasy are blurred. The final lines of the chorus, "Blood, milk and sky / Hollow moons illuminate / And beauty never dies" are especially evocative, painting a picture of a desolate landscape where even the moon is empty and hollow.
Line by Line Meaning
The siren sings a lonely song
The singer is describing the sound of a siren which represents a feeling of loneliness and isolation.
Of all the wants and hungers
The siren's song evokes feelings of desires and cravings that people have.
The lust of love a brute desire
The strong desire for love is often animalistic and uncontrollable.
The ledge of life goes under
The artist acknowledges their own mortality and the idea that life is fleeting and temporary.
Divide the dream into the flesh
The artist is suggesting that their dreams and aspirations need to be turned into a tangible reality.
Kaleidoscope and candle eyes
The use of a kaleidoscope represents the idea of constant change and beauty, while the candle in the eyes implies a flickering and temporary light.
Empty winds scrape on the soul
The singer is describing a feeling of emptiness and sadness that can affect a person internally.
But never stop to realize
Despite these feelings, some people choose to ignore or avoid confronting their problems.
Animal whisperings
The idea of secretly communicating with animals suggests a primal and instinctual connection to nature.
Intoxicate the night
These whisperings can have a hypnotic and alluring effect on a person's state of mind.
Hypnotize the desperate
Those who are desperate or vulnerable are more susceptible to being manipulated or controlled.
Slow motion light
The use of slow motion light is symbolic of a dreamlike state where time and reality seem to be distorted.
Wash away into the rain
The singer has a desire to wash away their problems and start anew, like being cleansed by the rain.
Blood, milk and sky
These three elements represent life, nourishment, and the infinite expanse of the universe.
Hollow moons illuminate
Despite the darkness, the moon provides some light, but it is not full, symbolizing a sense of emptiness.
And beauty never dies
Despite the negative feelings expressed previously, beauty and positivity will never truly disappear or be extinguished.
Running wild, running blind
The artist is expressing a sense of recklessness, impulsivity, and a lack of direction.
In the body deep
These wild and adventurous feelings are deep within the singer's being, rooted in their subconscious.
A thousand years beside myself
The singer is feeling lost in time and space, disconnected from themselves and the world around them.
I do not sleep
The artist is experiencing a sense of insomnia or restlessness due to their inner turmoil.
Seduce the world at rest
The artist wants to be in control and manipulate the world around them, even when it is at peace.
Dead water lies
The use of dead water represents a sense of stillness or stagnation, devoid of life.
Ride the only one who knows
The singer finds solace in someone who understands their inner feelings and struggles.
Beauty never dies
Once again, the artist affirms that positivity and joy will always continue to exist, even in the face of despair or sadness.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jay Noel Yuenger, John Tempesta, Rob Zombie, Rob Wolfgang Zombie, Shauna Yseult Reynolds
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind