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| artist = [[Scorpions (band)|Scorpions]]
| artist = [[Scorpions (band)|Scorpions]]
| album = [[Animal Magnetism (Scorpions album)|Animal Magnetism]]
| album = [[Animal Magnetism (Scorpions album)|Animal Magnetism]]
| released = August 1980<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/greatrockdiscogr00stro/page/721/mode/2up|title=The Great Rock Discography|year=1995|page=721 |isbn=9780862415419 |last1=Strong |first1=Martin Charles }}</ref>
| released = March [[1980 in music|1980]]
| format =
| format =
| recorded = December 1979 – February 1980
| recorded = December 1979 – February 1980
| studio =
| studio =
| venue =
| venue =
| genre = [[Hard rock]], [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]]
| genre = *[[Hard rock]]
*[[heavy metal music|heavy metal]]
| length = 5:28
| length = 5:28
| label = [[Harvest Records|Harvest]]/[[EMI]] (Europe)<br /> [[Mercury Records|Mercury]] (US)
| label = [[Harvest Records|Harvest]]/[[EMI]] (Europe)<br /> [[Mercury Records|Mercury]] (US)
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}}
}}


"'''The Zoo'''" is a song by the German [[hard rock]] band [[Scorpions (band)|Scorpions]]. It was written by group members [[Rudolf Schenker]] (guitar) and [[Klaus Meine]] (vocals). The song also features a [[talk box]] later on in the song.
"'''The Zoo'''" is a song by the German [[hard rock]] band [[Scorpions (band)|Scorpions]]. It was written by group members [[Rudolf Schenker]] (guitar) and [[Klaus Meine]] (vocals). The song also features a [[talk box]] performed by lead guitarist [[Matthias Jabs]].


==Background==
==Background==

Schenker wrote much of the music during the band's first tour of the United States in 1979. When Meine first heard Schenker's riff, it reminded him of the band's earlier visit to a street in [[New York City]] humorously referred to as a "zoo".<ref name=songs/> Meine later composed the song's lyrics, which contain references to city streets, especially New York's [[42nd Street (Manhattan)|42nd Street]].
Schenker wrote much of the music during the band's first tour of the United States in 1979. When Meine first heard Schenker's riff, it reminded him of the band's earlier visit to a street in [[New York City]] humorously referred to as a "zoo".<ref name=songs/> Meine later composed the song's lyrics, which contain references to city streets, especially New York's [[42nd Street (Manhattan)|42nd Street]].


The song has been featured on a few Scorpions "Best-Of" compilations, including ''[[Deadly Sting]]'', ''[[Bad for Good: The Very Best of Scorpions]]'', the box set ''[[Box of Scorpions]]'', and a re-recorded version for the ''[[Comeblack]]'' album.
The song has been featured on a few Scorpions "Best-Of" compilations, including ''[[Deadly Sting]]'', ''[[Bad for Good: The Very Best of Scorpions]]'', the box set ''[[Box of Scorpions]]'', and a re-recorded version for the ''[[Comeblack]]'' album.


It has also been used in the soundtrack of the video game ''[[NBA 2K18]]''.
It has also been used in the soundtrack of the video game ''[[NBA 2K18]]''.


==Reception==
==Reception==
Although the song was released as a single in 1980, it commercially underperformed with limited chart success, peaking at #75 in the UK. Even so, it is a critically acclaimed heavy metal song, one critic noting that "The Zoo" is both "ominously slow and melodically accessible" with a key element being the "Berlin burlesque vocal melody". On this note, it is used by many strippers in their stage act. <ref name=songs>{{Citation | last =Popoff
Although the song was released as a single in 1980, it commercially underperformed with limited chart success, peaking at #75 in the UK. Even so, it is a critically acclaimed heavy metal song, one critic noting that "The Zoo" is both "ominously slow and melodically accessible" with a key element being the "Berlin burlesque vocal melody". On this note, it is used by many strippers in their stage act.<ref name=songs>{{Citation | last =Popoff
| first = Martin
| first = Martin
| author-link =
| author-link =
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==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
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{{Scorpions}}
{{Scorpions}}
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Zoo}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zoo}}
⚫
[[Category:1980 songs]]
⚫
[[Category:1980 singles]]
[[Category:Scorpions (band) songs]]
[[Category:Scorpions (band) songs]]
[[Category:Songs about New York City]]
[[Category:Songs written by Klaus Meine]]
[[Category:Songs written by Klaus Meine]]
[[Category:Songs written by Rudolf Schenker]]
[[Category:Songs written by Rudolf Schenker]]
⚫
[[Category:1980 singles]]
⚫
[[Category:1980 songs]]
[[Category:EMI Records singles]]
[[Category:EMI Records singles]]
[[Category:Harvest Records singles]]
[[Category:Harvest Records singles]]

Latest revision as of 04:58, 4 October 2023

This article is about the Scorpions song. For other songs, see Zoo (disambiguation) § Recordings.
"The Zoo"
Single by Scorpions
from the album Animal Magnetism
ReleasedAugust 1980[1]
RecordedDecember 1979 – February 1980
Genre
Length5:28
LabelHarvest/EMI (Europe)
Mercury (US)
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Dieter Dierks
Scorpions singles chronology
"Lovedrive"
(1979) 		"The Zoo"
(1980) 		"Lady Starlight"
(1980)

"The Zoo" is a song by the German hard rock band Scorpions. It was written by group members Rudolf Schenker (guitar) and Klaus Meine (vocals). The song also features a talk box performed by lead guitarist Matthias Jabs.

Background

[edit]

Schenker wrote much of the music during the band's first tour of the United States in 1979. When Meine first heard Schenker's riff, it reminded him of the band's earlier visit to a street in New York City humorously referred to as a "zoo".[2] Meine later composed the song's lyrics, which contain references to city streets, especially New York's 42nd Street.

The song has been featured on a few Scorpions "Best-Of" compilations, including Deadly Sting, Bad for Good: The Very Best of Scorpions, the box set Box of Scorpions, and a re-recorded version for the Comeblack album.

It has also been used in the soundtrack of the video game NBA 2K18.

Reception

[edit]

Although the song was released as a single in 1980, it commercially underperformed with limited chart success, peaking at #75 in the UK. Even so, it is a critically acclaimed heavy metal song, one critic noting that "The Zoo" is both "ominously slow and melodically accessible" with a key element being the "Berlin burlesque vocal melody". On this note, it is used by many strippers in their stage act.[2]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Strong, Martin Charles (1995). The Great Rock Discography. p. 721. ISBN 9780862415419.
  2. ^ a b Popoff, Martin (2002), The Top 500 Heavy Metal Songs of All Time, ECW Press, p. 192, ISBN 1-55022-530-8
[edit]
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