I Wouldn't Want to Be Like You

Zoo Freaks, you're groovin' to "I Wouldn't Want to Be Like You" by The Alan Parsons Project from their 1977 album I Robot, and the Zoo Crew's got some far-out trivia to share! This track, sung by pop vocalist Lenny Zakatek, was the lead single from the album and climbed to #36 on the Billboard Hot 100, a solid hit for a progressive rock vibe. The song's lyrics, penned by Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson, flip between perspectives—some say it's a robot rejecting human flaws, others hear a human shunning robotic conformity. Either way, its funky guitar riffs by Iain Bairnson and slick production make it a standout. Fun fact: the song's low-fi music video, one of the few featuring Alan Parsons himself, shows him in a cat-and-mouse chase with a humanoid robot, ending in a fiery showdown with a computer printout flashing "I Robot." Gamers might recognize it from Grand Theft Auto V's Los Santos Rock Radio, perfect for cruising through virtual chaos. The track's release coincided with the Star Wars craze, and the album's robot-themed cover, designed by Hipgnosis, rode that wave, making it a cultural touchstone.

The I Robot album was inspired by Isaac Asimov's sci-fi stories, but here's the wild part: Eric Woolfson chatted with Asimov himself, who loved the idea of a musical adaptation. Unfortunately, the rights were tied up with a TV/movie company, so the band tweaked the title by dropping the comma from "I, Robot" and made the themes more general, exploring the rise of machines and humanity's decline. The album's cover, shot at Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport with escalator tubes, was a happy accident—Storm Thorgerson's assistants posed as robots, creating an iconic image. Fans on Reddit have noted how the song's groove and less-is-more guitar solo feel timeless, with some calling it a precursor to modern electronic-jam music. The 2007 remaster of I Robot includes bonus demos of this track, giving Zoo Freaks a peek into the band's creative process, like unearthing a musical time capsule.

Now, let's rewind to how The Alan Parsons Project came to be. Alan Parsons, born in London in 1948, was a studio wizard before he was a bandleader. At just 19, he landed a gig as an assistant engineer at Abbey Road Studios, working on The Beatles' Abbey Road and Let It Be. His ear for sound got him engineering Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon in 1973, a game-changer that honed his knack for lush, layered production. Eric Woolfson, a songwriter and pianist, met Parsons in 1974 at Abbey Road's canteen. Woolfson, who’d been crafting a concept album based on Edgar Allan Poe, saw Parsons' production skills as the perfect match. They teamed up, with Woolfson writing most of the songs and Parsons shaping the sound, and in 1975, The Alan Parsons Project was born. Unlike a traditional band, they used a rotating cast of session musicians and vocalists, giving each track a unique flavor.

Their debut, Tales of Mystery and Imagination, dropped in 1976, blending prog rock with Poe's eerie tales. I Robot followed, cementing their rep for cerebral, polished rock. Over 15 years, they released 11 studio albums, with hits like "Eye in the Sky" and "Sirius," the latter famously used as the Chicago Bulls' intro music during the Michael Jordan era. Parsons' engineering roots and Woolfson's storytelling made them a prog-pop powerhouse, though they never cracked the UK charts as hard as they did in North America and Europe. After the Project ended in 1990, Parsons kept rocking with solo albums like The Secret (2019), while Woolfson, who passed in 2009, left a legacy of concept-driven music.

Zoo Freaks, you can keep up with The Alan Parsons Project at their official website, where you'll find tour dates, merch, and discography details. Connect with them on Facebook, Instagram, and X for the latest updates, from remastered releases to Alan's ongoing live shows. For fan communities, check out the Alan Parsons Project Fans group on Facebook, where devotees share vinyl finds, concert stories, and deep cuts. Another gem is Alan Parsons Music, a fan site with detailed album breakdowns and news. So, crank up "I Wouldn't Want to Be Like You," and let’s keep the progressive vibes flowing, Zoo Crew style!