Zombie
♪♫ The Cranberries Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 fighting
And their bombs, and their guns
In your head, in your head they are crying
In your head, in your head
Zombie, zombie, zombie-ie-ie
What's in your head, in your head
Zombie, zombie, zombie-ie-ie, oh
Du, du, du, du
Du, du, du, du
Du, du, du, du
Du, du, du, du
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 fighting
With their tanks, and their bombs
And their bombs, and their guns
In your head, in your head, they are dying
In your head, in your head
Zombie, zombie, zombie-ie-ie
What's in your head, in your head
Zombie, zombie, zombie-ie-ie, oh oh oh oh oh oh oh ie-ie oh
The lyrics of Zombie by The Cranberries speak about the violence and conflicts in Northern Ireland during The Troubles, which began in the late 1960s and lasted through 1998. The song was written by Dolores O'Riordan, the lead singer of the band, after two young boys were killed in an IRA bombing in Warrington, England, in 1993. The first verse depicts a child being taken away and violence causing silence, questioning who is being mistaken in the situation. The chorus repeats the word "zombie" as a metaphor for the government or the military who dehumanize the people they are fighting against, turning them into a mindless horde of targets to be destroyed.
The second verse speaks of another mother's heart being broken and the violence continuing to perpetuate the same cycle since 1916, likely referring to the Easter Rising in Ireland where nationalists rebelled against British rule. The lyrics are a powerful statement about the futility of violence and the toll it takes on individuals, families, and communities.
Line by Line Meaning
Another head hangs lowly
Someone's head hangs low, expressing defeat or sadness.
Child is slowly taken
A young person is being slowly taken away, possibly harmed or even killed.
And the violence, caused such silence
The violence has made everything so quiet that it's as if there is no sound.
Who are we mistaken?
Who are we confusing? Are we not seeing things as they truly are?
But you see, it's not me
The artist is saying that they are not to blame for the violence.
It's not my family
The singer says that their family is also not responsible for the violence.
In your head, in your head, they are fighting
The singer is highlighting how war and violence are often fought in people's minds.
With their tanks, and their bombs
The violence is being carried out with powerful weapons.
And their bombs, and their guns
More descriptions of the violent weapons in use.
In your head, in your head they are crying
The people affected by the violence are crying in the artist's imagination.
In your head, in your head, Zombie, zombie, zombie-ie-ie
The word zombie is used as a metaphor for the 'lifeless' nature of violent conflicts.
What's in your head, in your head
What thoughts are occupying your mind, causing you to imagine this situation?
Du, du, du, du
These are just vocalizations with no specific meaning.
Another mother's breaking
A mother is experiencing heartbreak because of the violence.
Heart is taking over
The mother is overwhelmed by emotions related to the violence.
When the violence causes silence
The silence caused by the violence is making it hard for others to make sense of the situation.
We must be mistaken
The artist believes that people are misunderstanding the situation and need to see it in a new way.
It's the same old theme
The same violent events and circumstances are repeating themselves again and again.
Since nineteen-sixteen
The year 1916 is highlighted as an example of this repetitive cycle of violence.
In your head, in your head, they're still fighting
The violence continues on in the artist's imagination.
In your head, in your head, they are dying
The artist imagines that people are dying as a result of the violence.
Zombie, zombie, zombie-ie-ie
The word 'zombie' is repeated for emphasis.
What's in your head, in your head
What thoughts are occupying your mind, causing you to imagine this situation?
Zombie, zombie, zombie-ie-ie, oh oh oh oh oh oh oh-ie-ie-oh
The song ends with more repetitions of the word 'zombie' and vocalizations, emphasizing the continued cycle of violence.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dolores Mary O'Riordan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sabin Dani
Lyrics
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 fighting
With their tanks, and their bombs, and their bombs, and their guns
In your head, in your head they are crying
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
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 fighting
With their tanks, and their bombs, and their bombs, and their guns
In your head, in your head they are dying
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-oh, eh-eh-oh, ra-ra
Shan Fran
Gracias Dolores, tu voz marcó la mayor parte de mi infancia, nacer en una época donde todos los genios de la música se van apagando, deja una gran incertidumbre.
Javi
Ni que lo digas....
Aurora Rubio Luna
Shan Fran Muy cierto los mejores se están apagando
Abdellah Mazouzi
De nada
M.N. Ro Po
God Mysterion A que sí, es un asco la música de ahora prefiero vivir o en la década de los 60, 70, 80 y 90
Victor Manuel Hernandez
quye quedaran para nuestros hijos....
Case Vance
One of the best songs in history of rock.. 2022 y aquí escuchándola con mis hijos enseñándoles la buena música.
𝔞𝔦𝔫
por un accidente no me acuerdo de muchas cosas, casi nada de mi niñez pero esta canción me hace sentir en casa pq siento que la escuchaba de niña <3
Mauro Flores
A mis 23 años, sigue siendo una joya, me encanta. Recuerdo que mi hermana escuchaba estas canciones...😊
España V
Brutal. Hay pocas canciones como ésta, que nunca pasarán. Uno de mis grupos favoritos de la adolescencia