With Zig Zag, the Hooters moved toward a more political and folk music direction, contrasting significantly with their previous light-hearted songs. On this album, the songs dealt with the death of a friend, the demise of vinyl records and intrusion of technology, homelessness, a tribute to their own friendship, and even Beijing's Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.
"Give the Music Back" dealt with the demise of Record Plant Studios, a famous recording studio in New York City, where the Hooters would be among the last musicians to record there before it closed down in 1988.
Zig Zag was the third and final album the Hooters released on Columbia Records.