Zoe Jane

Album: 14 Shades Of Grey (2003)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Lead singer Aaron Lewis wrote this song for his daughter Zoe Jane. She was born on April 5, 2002, the same day Alice In Chains lead singer Layne Staley passed, and eight years to the day Kurt Cobain passed. Layne is a huge influence on Staind, and the album includes a song called "Layne" in his honor. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Sarah - Toronto, Canada
  • Lewis was already married by the time Staind put out their first major-label album, Dysfunction, in 1999, but Zoe Jane was his first child. Fatherhood marked a shift in perpective for Lewis that was revealed in his songwriting. The tracks on 14 Shades Of Grey, Staind's fourth album, are more upbeat than their earlier songs, like their 2001 hit "It's Been Awhile." "It's hard to not see the good things now," Lewis said. He and his wife Vanessa went on to have two more daughters.

Comments: 35

  • Luna Loud from Royal Woods, MichiganMuch lamer fact: Justin Bieber was born on April 5th, 1994, the day Kurt Cobain died. What? No one cares? Ok, sorry.
  • Jessie from OhioI had never heard this song until my dad asked if this could be our Father/Daughter dance at my wedding in 2013! I just now found all these comments and it’s made me realize how much I love my father and it shows me how big his heart truly is! I remember him hugging me so tight as he sung softly while dancing! Okay, time to go see him now.
  • Ally from Longview WaI love this song Zoe Jane! It is such a beautiful song! My father passed away a long time ago and he was not a good father to me at all. He was verbally and emotionally abusive. I wish my father loved me as much as Aaron Lewis loves his daughter.
  • Zoe JaneMy dad named me after this song, he gave me up for adoption when i was born to his parents because he wasn’t at his best at that time, but over the years he has been doing so much better and we’re very close now. This is one of my favorite songs because this perfectly describes him and our relationship
  • Zj from FloridaMy mom and dad named me after this song <3
  • S4a from Do I Have To, ?My dad had sung this to me when I was younger, and he also replaced Zoe Jane with my name, since it had fit, and I've always kept it with me and I'll never forget this song and how much it means to me, Thanks Staind.
  • Ss from Boston, MaAlana from Lincoln, NE... everything you wrote is false, Zoe Jane was born April 5, 2002 to Aaron and Vanessa Lewis, his wife and mother of all three of his girls. Maybe your dad fabricated this whole story and you believe it, but otherwise you’re straight up lying. Also, I’m unsure why Aaron would have any close friends in Nebraska he’d stay with, when he’s from Massachusetts and still lives here currently.
  • Alana from Lincoln, NeI met Aaron Lewis when I was 4, she was 6 (this was in 2004, thereforeas she was not born in 2002.) The meaning of this song is: he lived with his girlfriend for awhile, and, obviously they had sex quite a bit. Well, his girlfriend found out she was pregnant, decided to break up with Aaron and not tell him that she was pregnant. He didn't know that he had a daughter until she was 4 (2002), when his ex girlfriend told him that she couldn't take care of her anymore. Aaron wanted to let Zoe know that he really does care about her, and that he will do anything and everything in his power to keep her safe. When he says "When I walked out this morning, I cried as I walked to the door. I cried about how long I'd be away for, I cried about leaving you all alone." He's saying that he cried when her mom broke up with him because she was a big part of his life, then, when he found out that he had a daughter he felt horrible that he didn't know that he had a daughter. The main reason I met Aaron was because he needed a place to stay, and, he knew that my dad was living nearby (they've been friends for years) so he called him up and asked if he and Zoe could crash at my place. My dad obviously said yes, and, told me to help my older brothers clean my room because Zoe would be staying in my room. Then, for a full week Zoe and Aaron stayed with us. So, yeah.
  • Samantha from Upper Marlboro, MdEven though my father was never there for me and turned out to be a douche, I absolutely love this song. My husband is in the Air Force and our daughter Serenity was born shortly before his 3rd deployment. He sang this song to her when she was about 3 months (right before he left). It has now become a ritual for them. She tells him "Sing my song daddy"
  • Alena from Decatur, InMy dad loves this song! Whenever I am in the car with him he plays this song. He told me that this was his song to me. So when I get married this will be the daddy daughter dance. This song means so much to me. I got my boyfriend listening to this too, and he does not understand why this song means so much to me.
  • Samy from Millstadt, IlI can see that, most of the comments do make sense. Has anyone considered the take of the song as a daddy/daughter song in a different aspect? Like the Electra complex? i know thats for a girl to love her dad but im not sure what its called when its the other way around. just an idea.
  • Zach from Texarkana, ArI believe Aaron Lewis made this song for his daughter, Zoe Jane, to let her know when he is on the road she is always on his mind. He has to leave for his job, but he does not like being gone from her as long as he is. I cant wait to sing this to my daughter when she is born. We are naming her Zoe Rhea.
  • Haley from Portland, ZimbabweDad and i were excited to dance to this on my wedding day, unfortunalty my dads sudden death occured just two months before i was married. So playing this song at my dads funeral was unbearable. we were very close and enjoyed playing music together, so this song means alot to me, and its hard not to cry when i hear it. Staind was one of my dads favorite bands. When i finally went through my dads stuff i found a mix cd in his truck entitled "my baby girl" it was a series of tracks of us covering our favorite songs, and the very last track on the cd was Zoe jane. Plan on naming my daughter Zoe jane When she comes in decemember.
  • David from Bryant, ArI'm surprised that so many people have commented about absent fathers. I am the father of a 2 y/o girl (named Zoey, for this song) and that interpretation never occurred to me. You love your parents and love your wife, but nothing could ever prepare you for the love a father feels for his daughter (or son, for that matter). For me its about desiring a deep connection with my daughter. It's about the times everyday when you are away from your daughter. I could be at work having the worst day ever, and I know that my little girl will be at home waiting to come running to the door and give her daddy a big hug and laugh and play. And, to me, this song is about showing my daughter that same kind of love.
  • Cj from Fort Payne, AlSomething had happened where "Daddy" would be put in prison for some time. When the law arrived, he knew what the deal was, and later in life, upon his return home, he could not express to his daughter exactly what the True deal was.
  • Prerna from Bangalore, Indiai love staind.,.there is somethin beautiful about the lyrics of the songs..it lingers in ur head ...somethin deep n touching...n each song has a story ...n the way Aaron sings it ,adds alot of soul to the songs...love his voice..love staind!!!
  • Alexandra from Dillon, MtIt is weird to me kurt and layne died on the day his daughter was born. i know they were both great influences on aaron lewis. I can only hope i have a child on april 5th or august 22nd in tribute to layne.
  • Moses from Buda, Tx(True The Meaning Is Concrete per Aaron Lewis) another way of looking at it is a permanent absent of leave you knowing you will never come back (dying)and you don't want to go, you love her so much and this is the fear of not being there and leaving her alone. She will wonder why your not there your trying to prepare and put down all the answers to the questions that he fears will hurt the most. I Have this fear it kills me.
  • Dean from Calhoun, GaI love this song.!.
    It makes me wanna cry. ='(
    But its a good cry. =)
  • Jim Grant from Kingfield, Memy names Zoe Jane
  • Kristen from Scottsdale, AzI played this song at my wedding for my father-daughter dance. Although this isn't a "typical" father-daughter dance song, i picked the song because of it's powerful lyrics. My father was always traveling so i didn't get to see him as much as i would of liked to. It's a very deep and meangingful song and will always remind me of how much my father truely loves me!
  • Brianna from Dallas, United StatesFor Real. Dont make stupid comments.

    This song is beautiful. Dont ruin it with worthless comments.

    It is about his daughter. Its obvious.
    Its so pretty, and Im naming my daughter Zoe Jane after the song.



    <3
  • Jake from Bettendorf, IaWell im pretty sure that mine is right concerdering that Aaron lewis is my stepdad
  • Nicole from Newton, MsThis is in reply to Jake, Bettendorf, IA..

    You are a complete idiot if you honestly think that is the reason Aaron Lewis wrote this song. This song, like others have already stated, was written for his daughter, and it shouldn't be interpruted (sp) as anything else. He wrote this about all the changes and things he made when Zoe Jane was born, and I know this for a fact because I went to one of his concerts and he talked about it before singing the song. So you can stop saying this song is about sex or whatever and stop being so perverted. You shouldn't change a beautiful, sweet song into that.
  • Jake from Bettendorf, Iaits about a roadie crew memeber named Zoe and when they had sex, their code word they said when it was getting too rough was Jane..when he says "I cried as i walked through the door" its because he knocked her out cold with one hit to the overies..and he knew he would miss the kooter
  • Erin from Tulsa, Okthats so wierd and sad that aaron's hero died the same day as his daughter's birth..
  • Megan from Fayetteville, NcI absolutely love this song, it makes my dad and me cry when we hear it. It describes my life perfectly, my dad is in the military and he is in Japan right now so I never get to see him, it breaks my heart when i hear this song.

    Megan Miller
  • Robyn from Johannesburg, South Africawhen i listen to this song i cry, everytime! my dad is a hectic alcoholic (SP?) and to know that aaron has changed so much for his daughters makes me just love my dad because no matter how much drinks i know he's changed alot for me and would die for me without blinking an eye...
  • Kailer from Santa Fe, NmIn june of 2004, my unit out of ft. benning, ga, was called up to go to Iraq. i left behind my daughter whose the love of my life...her name is zoe jane after the song. i put this song on a cd for her before i deployed and told her that whenever she misses me, just listen to this song and it'll remind her that i'll be coming home.
  • Chris from Darwen, Englandthis song is just awesome.... my mate told me to listen to this after liking "its been awhile" which is also by staind. this is just quality....my fist daughter will be called zoe jane... staind rockkkk
  • Zoe from Auckland, MnHey i think this song is so beautiful.One of my fav songs. I love this song coz it has the same name as me "zoe Jane" cept mine is "zoe Joan" and my father passed away wen i was 10 so this songs has alot of meaning for me.
  • Chris from San Diego, CaThis is an awesome song. I sing this song to my daughter all the time. i just change out the names and put my daughters name in.
  • Mark from Ontario, CanadaThis is by far my favorite Staind song, even though I do not have a child, I use it in reference to how I feel about my friends and so on, though I know it is about his daughter...
  • Chris from Aurora, IlIt feels good to have so much to lose. Children change everything about a man's outlook on life.
  • Sarah from Niagara Falls, CanadaZoe Jane is a track that Aaron Lewis wrote and holds close to his heart, the fact that he now has a daughter makes his life have more meaning, the tribute song Layne shows this when he tells of how that he believe that Layne somehow is an influence on his current life and how it is so important and memorable that his daughter was born the same day his idol passed away
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Timothy B. Schmit

Timothy B. SchmitSongwriter Interviews

The longtime Eagle talks about soaring back to his solo career, and what he learned about songwriting in the group.

Black Sabbath

Black SabbathFact or Fiction

Dwarfs on stage with an oversize Stonehenge set? Dabbling in Satanism? Find out which Spinal Tap-moments were true for Black Sabbath.

Ralph Casale  - Session Pro

Ralph Casale - Session ProSongwriter Interviews

A top New York studio musician, Ralph played guitar on many '60s hits, including "Lightnin' Strikes," "A Lover's Concerto" and "I Am A Rock."

Lou Gramm - "Waiting For A Girl Like You"

Lou Gramm - "Waiting For A Girl Like You"They're Playing My Song

Gramm co-wrote this gorgeous ballad and delivered an inspired vocal, but the song was the beginning of the end of his time with Foreigner.

Curt Kirkwood of Meat Puppets

Curt Kirkwood of Meat PuppetsSongwriter Interviews

The (Meat)puppetmaster takes us through songs like "Lake Of Fire" and "Backwater," and talks about performing with Kurt Cobain on MTV Unplugged.

John Parr

John ParrSongwriter Interviews

John tells the "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)" story and explains why he disappeared for so long.