Zombie English Paper

Karver Murphy
English 105
ZOMBIE
During the 1990s, a revolution was taking place in Ireland. A political battle that had been going on for decades, sparked the world’s interest when two children were killed during a bombing of the IRA. The revolt took a huge turn in relation to the deaths of the two children. Igniting questions for the end of the fighting, and the killing to stop. The Irish band the cranberries released a song about the deaths of the two boys. Calling for a resolve of the British and IRAs fighting. The song and music video that was released, some could argue, caused the IRA to declare a ceasefire with the British. A ceasefire that had been waiting to happen for twenty five years. The song has over 200 million views on YouTube. The song was played on Saturday Night Live in 1995. To further understand and come to a more concrete understanding. The setting of the music video, the lyrics, mannerisms, costumes, and the music itself, will all be deciphered for a greater understanding. The song provokes questions of the listener, which are unspoken and create a storm of material, that can be further scrutinized for a different understanding. The evaluation will be based on set criteria that will introduce and give a view to a particular opinion. The criteria of this paper will be: a strong purpose, good lyrical/musical tone, and the use of imagery. The criteria will give greater understanding and depth to The Cranberries song, “Zombie.”
The purpose of the song was given, when the song was released. With further evaluation and analysis, the song Zombie, may give a deeper meaning then just, a plead to stop fighting. With more evaluation, the purpose can be interpreted as; children playing a game of “war” using sticks and fake guns to play out a battle scene. Along with that, the images of solders in a defensive mode are continually played. These scenes combined, tell the story, that even though young children play games. Those games should not be continued and played out when those children are grown up. Because when they are older, those “games” have real consequences and are no longer just games. The song has three sets of images that testify to the purpose, that these are no longer just games. The first is children, specifically young boys running around playing a battle or a fight. Some have sticks and fake guns, those boys are playing and acting as if to shoot and hit each other, then two of the boys end up dropping to the ground. Then the other children leave their friends in the mud, forgetting of the game and continuing on to the next adventure. The second set of images, is that of a woman covered in gold and wearing an Egyptian type of outfit. Around her, are small boys covered in silver, acting or mimicking angles. Throughout the scenes they are either praying as they sit, standing or wondering around aimlessly. Then screaming as their eyes are closed, with their hands outstretched in the air. The back ground is red and black like hell, but the women and the children are around a cross. The last set of images is that of solders, either walking around or raising the guns they are holding. Also solders running around in a battle. These images all tie into each other, giving that deeper meaning. The children as they play, are running in and out of demolished buildings. That is along the lines of the solders. Even though they are separate images, they tell of this purpose that these games are no longer just games. The woman and the angels signify limbo. Neither in heaven or hell, just before, waiting to get into either one. The images alone are not enough to give the full meaning. The musical tone will help give conclusion to the song in its entirety
The lyrical and musical tone starts out in a melancholy slow rhythm, then picks up as the song goes through the choirs, then into the last bridge and body. The song does not have particularly a large amount of material. Only two different bodies and a

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