Zombie
The Cranberries Lyrics


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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

Overall Meaning

The Cranberries's song Zombie addresses the issue of the long-standing conflict in Northern Ireland between the predominantly Catholic Irish nationalist community and the predominantly Protestant unionist community that began in the late 1960s. The lyrics describe the aftermath of an IRA terrorist bombing in Warrington, England in 1993, which killed two children and injured dozens of people. The first verse highlights the violence and silence that follows such tragic events, and the confusion over who is truly to blame for the conflict. The chorus repeats the word "zombie" as a metaphor for the dehumanization and loss of life caused by these senseless acts of violence. The second verse brings attention to the continuing cycle of violence in Ireland, comparing it to the same old theme since 1916, when the Easter Rising marked a significant step towards Irish independence.


The song is a powerful and emotional commentary on the futility and devastation caused by political violence, and it is considered one of the most iconic songs of the 1990s. The lead singer of The Cranberries, Dolores O'Riordan, wrote the song's lyrics after seeing the devastating effects of the Warrington bombing on television. The song was released in 1994 and became an instant hit, earning critical acclaim and reaching the top of music charts worldwide.


Line by Line Meaning

Another head hangs lowly
Another person has been killed and their body is now hanging from a low hanging object.


Child is slowly taken
Another innocent child has been slowly taken away from their loved ones and is now missing or dead.


And the violence caused such silence
The people affected by the violence are now so traumatized and scared that there is a deafening silence.


Who are we mistaken?
Whoever is responsible for the violence are gravely mistaken in their actions.


But you see, it's not me
The artist is trying to distance themselves from the violence.


It's not my family
The singer is also trying to distance their family from the violence.


In your head, in your head, they are fighting
The violence is only happening in your imagination or in your memory.


With their tanks and their bombs
The violence is being carried out by powerful military forces.


And their bombs and their guns
The violence is being carried out using various weapons of destruction.


In your head, in your head, they are crying
The victims of the violence are now weeping in your thoughts or memories.


In your head, in your head
Once again, the violence is only happening in your mind.


Zombie, zombie, zombie-ie-ie
The victims of the violence are like zombies, lifeless and helpless.


What's in your head, in your head?
The singer is asking what kind of violent thoughts or memories are in your head.


Do, do, do, do
Instrumental interlude.


Another mother's breaking
Another mother is experiencing heartbreak and despair over the loss of her loved one.


Heart is taking over
The intense pain and sadness of losing someone is now completely taking over that person's heart and emotions.


We must be mistaken
The people responsible for the violence must be in the wrong, they are making a mistake.


It's the same old theme
Violence and war have been happening for centuries, it is not a new problem.


Since nineteen-sixteen
The singer is referencing the year 1916, which marks the start of World War I.


In your head, in your head, they're still fighting
Even though the war may be over, there is still fighting and violence happening in your imagination or memories.


With their tanks and their bombs
Once again, the violence is being carried out by powerful military forces.


And their bombs and their guns
The violence is being carried out using various weapons of destruction.


In your head, in your head, they are dying
The victims of the violence are now dying in your thoughts or memories.


Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, eh-eh oh, ya-ya
Instrumental outro.




Lyrics © CONSALAD CO., Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dolores Mary O'Riordan

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@alicebrus2703

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, 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


Please like so that others can find this easily.



All comments from YouTube:

@TheCranberriesTV

"We are so delighted with the news that Zombie has reached 1 Billion views on YouTube! 🎉 We are sure Dolores has a big, proud smile on her face too.
Thank you so much to all our fans around the world for supporting us over so many years.
Hopefully you are all safe and well in this bizarre time and managing to find some hope and positivity in our music." ❤️
- Fergal Lawler

@Ewelaila

Greetings from Poland!

@patrickconnors9448

Congratulations..well deserved amazing song

@user-vb8ws4hd1m

Congratulations! Greeting from Greece

@oscarsoto9512

Thanks to the cranberries and dolores for your music, greetings from honduras ❤

@metalangel3978

Congratulations The Cranberries ❤❤🎼🎵🎶🎙🎸🥁🎸

645 More Replies...

@TheCranberriesTV

Help us get Zombie to a billion views!
Achieving this milestone will make "Zombie" the first ever music video by an Irish band to reach one billion views on YouTube, taking its place in a select group of iconic rock music videos released before 2003 to hit that mark, including Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" and Guns N' Roses' "November Rain."
#ZombieToABillion

@013rml

Hey guys! Don't listen to these fake fans who only criticize. We are grateful to you and we must say thank you for your music. Greetings from Argentina!

@LeoEspinoza0

Ok :v

@Adam-fu6sr

I been watching this whole day 1B soon :)

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