Song Analysis 2 - The Cranberries "Zombie"

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,
Hey, hey, hey. What's in your head,
In your head,
Zombie, zombie, zombie?
Hey, hey, hey, hey, oh, dou, dou, dou, dou, dou...

Another mother's breakin',
Heart is taking over.
When the vi'lence 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,
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...

Throughout the world there is constantly war ravaging the land. From to this very moment, to hundreds of years in the past, people are constantly disputing over whatever they can. Ireland was once held in a bloody civil war where a terrorist organization named the IRA held power in the country. In The Cranberries song “Zombie” the band employs striking imagery and flowing metaphors to portray these devastating times.

The imagery within the song, combined with the powerful music, is a strong piece within the song. As the song opens “Another head hangs lowly/Child is slowly taken/and the violence caused such silence/who are we mistaken?” is sung out, these lines throw the image of a child being ripped from their mother’s arms. This could also relate to the Warrington, Cheshire bombing (the main event this song is based on) where two young children were killed, two young boys being torn from their families, killed at such young ages. The second half of the quote portrays the catch 22 of staying silent; if the citizens were to tell the government of the threats of the IRA, they will end up in trouble, but if they do not tell they are putting others into danger, leaving the emotional imagery of tension within this country.

“Zombie” is fully based upon the Warrington, Chesire bombing that killed two young boys, Jonathan Ball (3 years old) and Tim Parry (12 years old). The IRA had left an encoded message to a charity called The Samaritans that a bomb would be detonated outside of a shop in Warrington. The bombs were not stopped in time, though forces had been sent with great amount of time. The bombs were placed into cast-iron litter tins, causing large amounts of shrapnel that aided in the murders and injuries. It is said that fifty four other people were injured in these bombings, four of them seriously.

War tears throughout the world, it is inevitable, but terrorist organizations can be stopped, and this is what The Cranberries are saying. This bombing protest song has hit the hearts of many, proving that violence is not the answer. Though terrorist organizations will continue to ravage throughout the world, we can only hope that as time goes on they will dwindle away.