"Zoo Station" Song Lyrics by U2

Zoo Station, the opening track of U2’s Achtung Baby, marks a radical departure from the sweeping anthems of their earlier work. Lyrically, the song is a metaphor for reinvention, capturing the band’s embrace of a new sonic and emotional landscape after the monumental success of The Joshua Tree and the 'earnest but flawed' effort of Rattle and Hum.

The lyrics, with their disorienting and fragmented imagery, evoke a sense of upheaval and rebirth—mirroring U2’s desire to break away from their established sound. Lines like “I'm ready for the laughing gas” and “I'm ready for what’s next” suggest an eagerness to step into the unknown, embodying the band's bold leap into experimental territory.

The lyrics were inspired by a story Bono heard of Berlin during World War II in which animals escaped the Berlin city's zoo after it was damaged in overnight bombing. Rhinos, pelicans and flamingos wandered around the next morning while people were sifting through the rubble. 

The song's title, referencing the real Zoo Station in Berlin, ties in with the historical context of a newly reunited Germany, symbolizing not just personal transformation but also societal change.

"Zoo Station" Song Lyrics by U2

I'm ready, ready for the laughing gas
I'm ready, I'm ready for what's next
I'm ready to duck, I'm ready to dive
I'm ready to say 'I'm glad to be alive'
I'm ready, I'm ready for the push
In the cool of the night
In the warmth of the breeze
I'll be crawling around
On my hands and knees

She's just down the line
Zoo Station
Got to make it on time
Zoo Station

I'm ready, ready for the gridlock
I'm ready to take it to the street
I'm ready for the shuffle, ready for the deal
Ready to let go of the steering wheel
I'm ready, ready for the crush

Just down the line
Zoo Station
I'll be on time
Zoo Station

Alright, alright, alright
Alright, alright, alright
It's alright, it's alright
It's alright, it's alright
Hey baby, hey baby, hey baby, hey baby
It's alright, it's alright
Don't worry, you're catching it up

Time is a train, makes the future the past
Leaves you standing in the station
Your face pressed up against the glass

I'm just down the line from your love
Zoo Station
Under the sign of your love
Zoo Station
I'm gonna make it on time, make it on time
Make it on time, just make it on time, baby
Zoo Station
We'll be right here
Zoo Station
It's alright, just make it
Zoo Station
I'm gonna make it on time
Just two stops down the line from your love
Zoo Station
Just a stop down

-

The inspiration behind "Zoo Station" also comes from U2's time in Berlin, where they recorded much of Achtung Baby in the wake of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The city’s charged atmosphere of division and reconciliation profoundly influenced the album, with "Zoo Station" acting as a declaration of intent. Musically, the song’s distorted guitar and industrial rhythms reflect the gritty, fragmented state of post-Cold War Europe, and serve as a sonic metaphor for U2 dismantling their former selves to create something new. 

The lyrics, full of ambiguous phrases and cryptic declarations, echo this theme of uncertainty, hinting at the band’s self-awareness in navigating both personal and artistic crises. In this way, "Zoo Station" becomes more than just a song—it’s an announcement of U2’s metamorphosis, encapsulating both the chaos and thrill of breaking away from their past.