I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Another head hangs lowly
Child is slowly taken
And the violence caused such silence
Who are we mistaken?
But you see, it's not me
It's not my family
In your head, in your head, they are fightin'
With their tanks and their bombs
And their bombs and their guns
In your head, in your head, they are cryin'
In your head, in your head
Zombie, zombie, zombie-ie-ie
What's in your head, in your head?
Zombie, zombie, zombie-ie-ie-ie, oh
Do, do, do, do
Do, do, do, do
Do, do, do, do
Do, do, do, do
Another mother's breaking
Heart is taking over
When the violence causes silence
We must be mistaken
It's the same old theme
Since nineteen-sixteen
In your head, in your head, they're still fightin'
With their tanks and their bombs
And their bombs and their guns
In your head, in your head, they are dyin'
In your head, in your head
Zombie, zombie, zombie-ie-ie
What's in your head, in your head?
Zombie, zombie, zombie-ie-ie-ie
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, eh-eh oh, ya-ya
Child is slowly taken
And the violence caused such silence
Who are we mistaken?
But you see, it's not me
It's not my family
In your head, in your head, they are fightin'
With their tanks and their bombs
And their bombs and their guns
In your head, in your head, they are cryin'
In your head, in your head
Zombie, zombie, zombie-ie-ie
What's in your head, in your head?
Zombie, zombie, zombie-ie-ie-ie, oh
Do, do, do, do
Do, do, do, do
Do, do, do, do
Do, do, do, do
Another mother's breaking
Heart is taking over
When the violence causes silence
We must be mistaken
It's the same old theme
Since nineteen-sixteen
In your head, in your head, they're still fightin'
With their tanks and their bombs
And their bombs and their guns
In your head, in your head, they are dyin'
In your head, in your head
Zombie, zombie, zombie-ie-ie
What's in your head, in your head?
Zombie, zombie, zombie-ie-ie-ie
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, eh-eh oh, ya-ya
Lyrics submitted by Novartza, edited by jjon43, Unanimated, ncc74656m, Beery, AmberBell, Bianconero, oswinning, mimi18, MalachaiSade, vaguely
Zombie Lyrics as written by Dolores Mary O'riordan
Lyrics © CONSALAD CO., Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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"Zombie" is about the ethno-political conflict in Ireland. This is obvious if you know anything of the singer (Dolores O'Riordan)'s Irish heritage and understood the "1916" Easter Rising reference.
"Another head hangs lowly Child is slowly taken And the violence caused such silence Who are we mistaken
-
Another mother's breaking Heart is taking over"
Laments the Warrington bomb attacks in which two children were fatally injured on March 23rd, 1993. Twelve year old Tim Parry was taken off life support with permission from his mother after five days in the hospital, virtually braindead.
"But you see it's not me It's not my family"
References how people who are not directly involved with the violence feel about it. They are "zombies" without sympathy who refuse to take action while others suffer.
I think the lyric "With their tanks and their bombs and their bombs and their guns" may be a reference to the traditional Irish anti-war song "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye", which contains the line "With your drums and guns and guns and drums".
definitely about Ireland, in addition to your great analysis, the lyric "It's the same old thing since 1916" is a reference to the Easter Rebellion.
Think you will find it was 20th March 1993 <br /> Also Jonathan Ball was the other poor boy who lost his life in the bomb <br /> <br /> I should know it was my birthday on that day and i was shopping in Warrington with my folks.<br /> <br /> Great song, important subject too
With reference to Irish conflict the song is about younger generations fighting their ancestors battles. The zombies inside the head are the dead ancestors which still fighting in each new generation even though it is not their battle only a socially constructed one. Younger and younger generations are being effected by the pain and conflict of the past. Its a commentary on how we keep conflict alive through identity, blood etc and how it just perpetuates suffering even for those completely innocent such as children. The internal conflict of the zombies must stay in the ground and the present must be embraced to move on and let go.
@drniandra I\'m with you there!
@drniandra you got it
The best Cranberries song ever, and one of the best i've ever heard. make love, not war.
RS41, a short history lesson...
the easter rising of 1916 did not start the violence in northern ireland, it began a six year military campaign by the irish that finally forced the british to realize that they did not belong. however, in the treaty that followed, the english refused to give up six of the northern counties [because of their dominant protestant population]. because of the civil war that followed [and death of two of the most forward thinking irishmen of the time], northern ireland has been a war zone for the last thirty years.
at the moment, the ira has stopped fighting and the english have realized that the interests of fringe ira groups are not the interests of the northern irish people. what now needs to happen is for the irish of NI who want to join the republic to wait a decade or two until the population shifts and the majority of ulster is no longer pro-british. the catholics of ulster are no longer lacking civil rights. they need to retain the patience they are currently expressing.
@kingmikeking The song is a condemnation of both sides of the conflict and everyone responsible for "The Troubles".
@kingmikeking There are two groups who will do whatever they can to make sure that no one ever forgets.<br /> <br />
Personally, every time I hear this song I think of a lone soldier out on the battlefield. (Ps, this is the song that got me into Cranberries) "Another head hangs lowly Child is slowly taken And the violence caused such silence Who are we mistaken" I think of this verse as a younger soldier, maybe in his twenties looking over the field of battle and slowly being drawn into it. The who are we mistaken park is almost as if he's questioning himself if this is a good idea.
"But You see it's not me, It's not my family"
He tries to reason with himself, it's not like he's killing people he knows.
"In your head,in your Head they are fighting With their tanks, and their bombs And their bombs, and their guns"
It's as if he's desperately trying to reason with himself. They are people, no, they are fighting against us, I must fight back, but am I wrong?
"In your head, In your head they are cryin' In your head Zombie What's in your head, in your head Zombie"
He is still debating against himself. The zombie refers to, I believe, that he is acting like a zombie, fighting like everyone else on the field of battle. He is yet another mindless drone among the millions.
"Another mother's breakin' Heart is taking over When the violence causes silence We must be mistaken"
the first two lines can refer to the mothers of the dieing boys and men, and the second part I think goes back to the soldier debating whether this is a good idea. He may be realizing that these people are not mindless drones, and yet he is trying to rationalize his actions.
"It's the same old theme since 1916 In your head, In your head they're still fightin' With their tanks In your head they are dying"
This seems to be the main line everyone fights over. Whatever 1916 refers to, it has a sembelence to war. I think it's the soldier continuing to try and rationalize his actions while another part of him argues that he's just making up excuses. (I fight with myself, and other people I know do the same, so this makes sense to me)
"In your head, in your head Zombie What's in your head, in your head Zombie"
this last verse closes up. To me it seems like it's asking the listener their opinions.
and... I'm probably way off, but that's my opinion.
I like what you did here and how you explained it. <br /> and i dont think your opinion is off or anything.<br /> its just you letting people know what you interpret this song is about.<br /> which is great to share that with people, by the way.<br /> thanks for doing that.
@meradragon a child is slowly taken is refereing to the bombing in 1993 where two children died
@meradragon <br /> I think you nailed it. Like a lot of songs, I believe "Zombie" is largely a stream of consciousness in which we're hearing an internal monologue of someone who would condone this violence (or maybe even commit a bombing himself/herself). Interspersed between those bits are commentary suggesting that this person has become a "zombie" who now sees innocent civilians as soldiers with "tanks and bombs" but, of course, that's all "in [his] head."
Same thinking
This is a really beautiful song with a lot of meaning.
Real sad Delores died today. It was the futility of conflicts like this, that generationally can go and on causing damage. Killing for nothing. I am Irish Catholic ancestry and well understand the injustice for Catholics. It does not excuse the killing of the helpless like children. Other conflicts around the world are the same think Israel and Palestine,humans not getting their act together and working things out as human.
@delia17601 well said. RIP Dolores
@delia17601 I think your last line embodies a lot what the Cranberries were / are about ... not using "their bombs and their guns" to settle differences, but their words / humanity.
@delia17601 I completely agree with your point. I wish war didn't exist, but men are evil, so there's always someone to start bloodshed. :/<br /> <br /> I wanted to point out that Israel has been doing nothing but defending itself against deadly assaults for the past 60 years by people who want to completely eliminate them. Israel has entered into peace talks before with their enemies, and the only acceptable terms is Israel's total annihilation (even giving 99% of their country over is not enough). So, when you say "Israel and Palestine need to get their act together and start working things out as human," you do a great disservice to Israel, who, at the moment they were declared a country, were attacked literally on all sides by forces that should have destroyed them. They are the victims, doing everything they can to protect themselves. Always remember that war often falls into two sides: Those who desire to seize what you own down to your freedom, and those who desire to protect what they own straight up to their freedom. Thank you for listening!
@delia17601 I completely agree with your point. I wish war didn't exist, but men are evil, so there's always someone to start bloodshed. :/<br /> <br /> I wanted to point out that Israel has been doing nothing but defending itself against deadly assaults for the past 60 years by people who want to completely eliminate them. Israel has entered into peace talks before with their enemies, and the only acceptable terms is Israel's total annihilation (even giving 99% of their country over is not enough). So, when you say "Israel and Palestine need to get their act together and start working things out as human," you do a great disservice to Israel, who, at the moment they were declared a country, were attacked literally on all sides by forces that should have destroyed them. They are the victims, doing everything they can to protect themselves. Always remember that war often falls into two sides: Those who desire to seize what you own down to your freedom, and those who desire to protect what they own straight up to their freedom. Thank you for listening!
i totally agree with Al Bundy. anyone who is in a war at the moment should listen to this song. it might help them to see that Love is Much better than Hate, famine and war.
ok. read an interview with the band in NME yrs ago. they said the song is generally anti-war but in particular anti IRA/ Sinn Fein and anti loyalist terrorist like the UDA, UFF and LVF . Hence the line 'its the same old team since 1916' which refers to the Easter uprising in Dublin
The association of dogs and war goes back at least as far as the famous line, shakespeare, I think, "Let loose the Dogs of War", and black is a natural color to describe anything sad or evil