While the metaphorical interpretations are interesting, I from the start always thought this song to be about babies, and I still do. If you dislike children like myself, it's all very straightforward, and makes perfect sense. No need for further digging, so to speak.
A baby's world is tremendously egocentric (So now, you listen/'Cause I'm omniscient) - at that stage the world revolves around them and what they know. At the beginning their universe consists only of themselves and the parents, which is the opening of the song. Parents are relied upon for everything and only mommy or daddy will do (And everybody's wrong/Compared to you). As they grow, parents teach them (I begin to see through your eyes/All the former mysteries are no surprise), but still the baby is the focus of the parents' attention and a baby only cares about its own immediate needs (So hug me and kiss me/Then wipe my butt and piss me, etc)
It is written basically from the viewpoint of a baby, but in this case one that is conscious of what it is doing, and doing it intentionally. Even the behaviours (If I smile, then you smile/Then I'll get mad for awhile/But I really do nothing/Except kickin' and fussin'/I like to make a mess/I laugh at your distress/I sit all day in my crib etc) are pretty straightforward if you have been around babies a lot.
And while the parents of the world may dislike this, the title makes perfect sense as well. Zombies are brainless (I'm a machine) and do nothing but eat. Well, hate to say it, but newborn babies ...
@Kollapse77 Great point! To add more to your point, it's as if he's targeting women who have children as a social thing and not considering the responsibilities that come with having a child. Every time I listen to this song, I envision a woman buried in responsibilities of taking care of this child.
@Kollapse77 Great point! To add more to your point, it's as if he's targeting women who have children as a social thing and not considering the responsibilities that come with having a child. Every time I listen to this song, I envision a woman buried in responsibilities of taking care of this child.
With the line: "Hey, look at me, lady", I see a woman stressed the fuck out by this screaming, crying, pooping, pissing little creature that needs your undivided attention.
With the line: "Hey, look at me, lady", I see a woman stressed the fuck out by this screaming, crying, pooping, pissing little creature that needs your undivided attention.
In the end, he's blaming women for having illegitimate children without a father figure in it's...
In the end, he's blaming women for having illegitimate children without a father figure in it's life. It's a cautionary tale for these women who want to entrap men by having babies the man doesn't want.
@Kollapse77 I agree with this meaning. I disagree on the title though. I think Patton equated "Zombies" with being dead inside, the Zombie Eaters are the babies, which the song is about, because this song is a dark look at neglect from a depressed parent to an innocent child.
@Kollapse77 I agree with this meaning. I disagree on the title though. I think Patton equated "Zombies" with being dead inside, the Zombie Eaters are the babies, which the song is about, because this song is a dark look at neglect from a depressed parent to an innocent child.
@Kollapse77 This is absolutely the correct interpretation and the only one possible. Except only for the fact that the zombies are the moms and the zombie eaters (devouring the mothers and "absorbing all you give") are the children. Mike Patton said that he wrote this song taking as inspiration some of his former schoolmates who became young mothers. Mike saw this young women very stressed and fully deprived of their vitality, sleep, appetite... walking around like zombies, indeed. Devoured by those little cute and screaming zombie eaters...soul devourers.
@Kollapse77 This is absolutely the correct interpretation and the only one possible. Except only for the fact that the zombies are the moms and the zombie eaters (devouring the mothers and "absorbing all you give") are the children. Mike Patton said that he wrote this song taking as inspiration some of his former schoolmates who became young mothers. Mike saw this young women very stressed and fully deprived of their vitality, sleep, appetite... walking around like zombies, indeed. Devoured by those little cute and screaming zombie eaters...soul devourers.
PS: I'm a father of a little baby and...
PS: I'm a father of a little baby and of course I don't hate children, but some moments are very ...hard. I listen to this song with a constant smile painted on my face, well knowing that Mike is right ...and I'm not an hypocrite to deny it. It's the natural order of life and this song always give me a smile to play down the hard times..
While the metaphorical interpretations are interesting, I from the start always thought this song to be about babies, and I still do. If you dislike children like myself, it's all very straightforward, and makes perfect sense. No need for further digging, so to speak.
A baby's world is tremendously egocentric (So now, you listen/'Cause I'm omniscient) - at that stage the world revolves around them and what they know. At the beginning their universe consists only of themselves and the parents, which is the opening of the song. Parents are relied upon for everything and only mommy or daddy will do (And everybody's wrong/Compared to you). As they grow, parents teach them (I begin to see through your eyes/All the former mysteries are no surprise), but still the baby is the focus of the parents' attention and a baby only cares about its own immediate needs (So hug me and kiss me/Then wipe my butt and piss me, etc)
It is written basically from the viewpoint of a baby, but in this case one that is conscious of what it is doing, and doing it intentionally. Even the behaviours (If I smile, then you smile/Then I'll get mad for awhile/But I really do nothing/Except kickin' and fussin'/I like to make a mess/I laugh at your distress/I sit all day in my crib etc) are pretty straightforward if you have been around babies a lot.
And while the parents of the world may dislike this, the title makes perfect sense as well. Zombies are brainless (I'm a machine) and do nothing but eat. Well, hate to say it, but newborn babies ...
@Kollapse77 Great point! To add more to your point, it's as if he's targeting women who have children as a social thing and not considering the responsibilities that come with having a child. Every time I listen to this song, I envision a woman buried in responsibilities of taking care of this child.
@Kollapse77 Great point! To add more to your point, it's as if he's targeting women who have children as a social thing and not considering the responsibilities that come with having a child. Every time I listen to this song, I envision a woman buried in responsibilities of taking care of this child.
With the line: "Hey, look at me, lady", I see a woman stressed the fuck out by this screaming, crying, pooping, pissing little creature that needs your undivided attention.
With the line: "Hey, look at me, lady", I see a woman stressed the fuck out by this screaming, crying, pooping, pissing little creature that needs your undivided attention.
In the end, he's blaming women for having illegitimate children without a father figure in it's...
In the end, he's blaming women for having illegitimate children without a father figure in it's life. It's a cautionary tale for these women who want to entrap men by having babies the man doesn't want.
@Kollapse77 I agree with this meaning. I disagree on the title though. I think Patton equated "Zombies" with being dead inside, the Zombie Eaters are the babies, which the song is about, because this song is a dark look at neglect from a depressed parent to an innocent child.
@Kollapse77 I agree with this meaning. I disagree on the title though. I think Patton equated "Zombies" with being dead inside, the Zombie Eaters are the babies, which the song is about, because this song is a dark look at neglect from a depressed parent to an innocent child.
@Kollapse77 This is absolutely the correct interpretation and the only one possible. Except only for the fact that the zombies are the moms and the zombie eaters (devouring the mothers and "absorbing all you give") are the children. Mike Patton said that he wrote this song taking as inspiration some of his former schoolmates who became young mothers. Mike saw this young women very stressed and fully deprived of their vitality, sleep, appetite... walking around like zombies, indeed. Devoured by those little cute and screaming zombie eaters...soul devourers.
@Kollapse77 This is absolutely the correct interpretation and the only one possible. Except only for the fact that the zombies are the moms and the zombie eaters (devouring the mothers and "absorbing all you give") are the children. Mike Patton said that he wrote this song taking as inspiration some of his former schoolmates who became young mothers. Mike saw this young women very stressed and fully deprived of their vitality, sleep, appetite... walking around like zombies, indeed. Devoured by those little cute and screaming zombie eaters...soul devourers.
PS: I'm a father of a little baby and...
PS: I'm a father of a little baby and of course I don't hate children, but some moments are very ...hard. I listen to this song with a constant smile painted on my face, well knowing that Mike is right ...and I'm not an hypocrite to deny it. It's the natural order of life and this song always give me a smile to play down the hard times..