Zombie by Cranberries – Analysis of Song

The song Zombie is one of the most popular singles by the band The Cranberries. The song has been sung by Dolores O’Riordan, who was the vocalist and songwriter for Cranberries. Zombie was a single from the album ‘No Need to Argue’ released by the band in 1994. The song is basically a protest song against the atrocities committed by the English and the IRA in Northern Ireland during the Easter rising of 1916. VERSE 1 – In verse one the song talks about the death of innocent children.

It talks about their physical death as well as the death of their innocence as they are drawn into the war.

The song highlights the fact that both the warring sides are silent and refuse to negotiate because of which the battle rages on with no known end. She states that the war is always wrong no matter what the reason be. In this verse the writer tries to tell that she and her family are not associated with the war & the weapons.

Yet they can’t distance themselves because the memoirs of the war and the cries of the dying are lodged in their heads. VERSE 2- In the second verse the writer questions the soldiers, who continue to fight like zombies, what are they thinking and what is the reason for which they are causing so much bloodshed.

VERSE 3- In the third verse the writer talks about the loss of a mother whose child has been killed in the war. The grief has taken over her soul and she is completely broken.

The writer again mentions that the war is a mistake and can never be justified. She says that the this war is the war of 1916 and no matter what any body does, they will never be able to distance themselves from this war because the atrocities and injustice of the war ring in our ears. To summarize, the song is a description of the pain, misery and injustice met out to the victims of war.

The song is Zombie by the Cranberries. Another head hangs lowly Child is slowly taken And the violence causes 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,hey,hey,hey! What’s in your head, in your head? Zombie! Zombie! Zombie hey,hey,hey,oh dou, dou, dou,dou dou…

Another mother’s breaking Heart is taken over. When the violence causes silence We must be mistaken. It’s the same old theme Since 1916! 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,hey, hey,hey What’s in your head, in your head? Zombie! Zombie! Zombie hey, hey, hey, hey,oh, oh, oh, oh,oh, oh, oh, hey, oh, ya, ya-a!