The Cranberries hit "Zombie" was voted as Ireland's favorite song on RTÉ 2fm's Ultimate Irish Playlist in 2022 but do you know the history behind this smash hit number one. "Zombie" was released by The Cranberries in 1994 as the lead single from the Irish rock group's second studio album "No Need to Argue." The song was written by lead singer Dolores O'Riordan as a protest against the Irish Republican Army bombing in Warrington, England in 1993.
The lyrics to " Zombie " describe the grief and anger felt by the loved ones of those killed in the bombing, with O'Riordan singing, "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.
" "Zombie" was a commercial success, reaching the top ten in several countries, including Ireland, the UK, and Canada. It also reached number one on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in the US, giving The Cranberries their first and only number-one hit in the country. Sign up to IrishCentral's newsletter to stay up-to-date with everything Irish! The success of "Zombie" helped "No Need to Argue" become one of the best-selling albums of the year, while also propelling The Cranberries to become one of the biggest bands of the 1990s.
The song, one of the most recognizable from the 90s, has been covered by many artists and used in various movies and TV shows. "Zombie" by The Cranberries is a powerful and emotional protest song and its commercial success and enduring message have made it a classic, still resonating with audiences today. 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 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 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, eh-eh oh, ya-ya. * This article was originally published in 2022 and updated in Aug 2024.
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