All My Colours

From book Turquoise Days, The weird world of E&TB (by Chris Adams). In an interview for MTV Online in 1995: MTV: What does 'Zimbo' mean? IAN: It's an anagram of 'mozib', an old African word MTV: What does 'mozib' mean? IAN: 'Zimbo'.

Again the same book. "Zimbo is about the loss of someone and the fact that people hold on to things that have already gone" - Ian McCulloch, 1981

The song is about letting go of dreams, of the depressed mood that swamps you when you realise what you really want slips away from your reach. "All my colours turn to clouds" and "that box you gave me burnt nicely" clearly indicates that, as does the whole feeling of the song. The 'zimbo' was done by coincidence in fact: they wanted some word to fill the gap between the other parts of the song, and at some moment Ian just said 'Jimbo Jimbo' refering to a Doors record playing, they thought that actually looked quite good to fill that space but did change it to 'zimbo zimbo' as it somehow fitted better they thought.

I don't really understand the meaning of this, and trying to hard will not come out good.

Excellent song, the Zimbo Zimbo Zimbo is cool and the "The box you gave me Burned nicely" part is really amazing, Ian sings it painfully and beautifully.

Echo and the Bunnymen are simply AWESOME!

I think this song is about one who is dying, and who regrets the comfort of his lover by his death bed. zimbo could mean a war cry, or it could be african for death, as if he has fough a battle but lost in himself.

This is one of the greatest songs ever written and it means very much to me... However, I must admit I don't really understand what it is about.. Like most of you, I think about depression and death, but I cannot explain it.

I have to admit that i heard the Nouvelle Vague (and Ian McCulloch) version before the E&TBM version.

Ian sang on the Nouvelle Vague version so i assume he approves.

I am convinced this is about cremation.

I just wondered what "The box you gave me, burned nicely" was all about.

My first thoughts were a box of gifts from an ex-lover that the lead character burns to try to scorch her out of his life.*

Then i thought maybe the box is a coffin and he is referring to being cremated.

This also fits with "all my colours turn to clouds"

And ...

Hey, I've flown away (his spirit) Hey, I'm blown away (the ashes after being scattered)

• I tried this. It doesn't work. You might as well keep the stuff.

I always took it to be about the spirit of someone being cremated: I know I'm not coming down - his smoke/spirit drifts up from the body All my colours turn to clouds - his body turns to smoke What d'you say when your heart's in pieces? - a question to the bereaved That box you gave me burned nicely - box=coffin Hey, I've flown away, Hey, I'm blown away - his smoke/spirit drifts away on the wind

So (for once!) McCulloch is being straight when he says it's about loss and holding on.

Great song.

First, I believe that statement by Ian about ’zimbo’ being an African word backwards etc is just cheeky nonsense talk. I interpreted the lyrics to be about the suicide and cremation of someone beloved by the singer, and his anger, frustration and helplessness about it. I must admit I misheard the words as “turn to brown” but either way they do express an unbearable bleakness, as does the dirge-like melody and the slow pace, as well as the plaintive, despairing quality of the singer’s voice.