"Zombie" is about the ethno-political conflict in Ireland. This is obvious if you know anything of the singer (Dolores O'Riordan)'s Irish heritage and understood the "1916" Easter Rising reference.
"Another head hangs lowly
Child is slowly taken
And the violence caused such silence
Who are we mistaken
-
Another mother's breaking
Heart is taking over"
Laments the Warrington bomb attacks in which two children were fatally injured on March 23rd, 1993. Twelve year old Tim Parry was taken off life support with permission from his mother after five days in the hospital, virtually braindead.
"But you see it's not me
It's not my family"
References how people who are not directly involved with the violence feel about it. They are "zombies" without sympathy who refuse to take action while others suffer.
The boy could play before he learned to grow
Worked in a band who had no name at all
Every mornin' at the break of dawn
You could see him draggin' home his drums
I was vaccinated with a victrolla needle
And I'm hooked on rock and roll
They called the family doctor to see what he could do
Doc said "No you can't cure his soul
Once he's infected with the blues"
So I travelled 'round from town to town singin' out the news
I was vaccinated with a little needle
And I'm hooked on rock and roll
When you find you got no mind
To work from nine to five
Find the back beat, set your heart free
And feel that music runnin' through your feet
Mama told me long ago
"Ain't no future in that rock 'n' roll"
And I said "Hey mama, it's burnin' hot inside my soul"
It's like a fever that won't cool down
I've been addicted since I heard that sound
I was vaccinated with a little needle
And I'm hooked on rock and roll
When you find you got no mind (bop shoo bop, bop bop shoo bop)
To work from nine to five
Find the back beat, set your heart free
(Bop shoo bop, bop bop shoo bop)
And feel the music runnin' through your feet
Mama told me long ago
"Ain't no future in that rock 'n' roll"
And I said "Hey mama, it's burnin' hot inside me soul"
It's like a fever that won't cool down
I've been addicted since I heard that sound
I was vaccinated with a little needle
And I'm hooked on rock and roll, yeah
Hooked on rock and roll
(I've been addicted since I heard that sound)
Hooked on rock and roll
Hooked on rock and roll
(It's like a fever that won't cool down)
Hooked on rock and roll, yeah, yeah, yeah
Hooked on rock and roll
(It's burnin, burnin, burnin in my soul)
Hooked on rock and roll
Hooked on rock and roll
(I've been addicted since I heard that sound)
Hooked on rock and roll
Hooked on rock and roll
Hooked on rock and roll
Hooked on
Worked in a band who had no name at all
Every mornin' at the break of dawn
You could see him draggin' home his drums
I was vaccinated with a victrolla needle
And I'm hooked on rock and roll
They called the family doctor to see what he could do
Doc said "No you can't cure his soul
Once he's infected with the blues"
So I travelled 'round from town to town singin' out the news
I was vaccinated with a little needle
And I'm hooked on rock and roll
When you find you got no mind
To work from nine to five
Find the back beat, set your heart free
And feel that music runnin' through your feet
Mama told me long ago
"Ain't no future in that rock 'n' roll"
And I said "Hey mama, it's burnin' hot inside my soul"
It's like a fever that won't cool down
I've been addicted since I heard that sound
I was vaccinated with a little needle
And I'm hooked on rock and roll
When you find you got no mind (bop shoo bop, bop bop shoo bop)
To work from nine to five
Find the back beat, set your heart free
(Bop shoo bop, bop bop shoo bop)
And feel the music runnin' through your feet
Mama told me long ago
"Ain't no future in that rock 'n' roll"
And I said "Hey mama, it's burnin' hot inside me soul"
It's like a fever that won't cool down
I've been addicted since I heard that sound
I was vaccinated with a little needle
And I'm hooked on rock and roll, yeah
Hooked on rock and roll
(I've been addicted since I heard that sound)
Hooked on rock and roll
Hooked on rock and roll
(It's like a fever that won't cool down)
Hooked on rock and roll, yeah, yeah, yeah
Hooked on rock and roll
(It's burnin, burnin, burnin in my soul)
Hooked on rock and roll
Hooked on rock and roll
(I've been addicted since I heard that sound)
Hooked on rock and roll
Hooked on rock and roll
Hooked on rock and roll
Hooked on
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
Hooked on Rock 'N' Roll Lyrics as written by Stanley Penridge Peter Criss
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Zombie
Cranberries, The
Cranberries, The
System
Mel And Kim
Mel And Kim
Just listening for the 784,654th time....and it's just perfect in every way. Just incredible. The only reason it was remade was to scoop up a boatload of money from a more modern and accepting audience. But it is a completely different song than the other one that sounds slapped together in a few takes without a thought for the meaning.
This song captivates me still, after 50+ years. Takes me to the deep South and the poverty of some who lived thru truly hard times. And the powerful spirit of a poor young girl being abandoned to her future with only a red dress and her wits to keep her alive.
She not only stayed alive, she turned her hard beginnings around, became self sufficient, successful and someone with respect for herself. She didn't let the naysayers and judgers stop her. She's the one sitting in the drivers seat at the end.
So, not a song about a poor girl, but a song of hope and how you can rise up no matter how far down you started.
There is a huge difference between a singer who simply belts out a song that is on a page in front of them, and someone who can convey an entire experience with their voice. Telling not just a story with words, but taking you inside it and making you feel like you are there, with their interpretation.
Blank Space
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift
This song is Swift's response to the negative reputation the media has given her.
"I can make the bad guys good for a weekend" - the bad guys are the paparazzi to Swift, but are good to the "player" since association with Swift immediately gives publicity. Any publicity is good publicity and Swift knows this.
"You can tell me when it's over" - the tabloids rumor relationships are over before the couple announces it officially.
With this song Swift is portraying the way she is portrayed by the media.
It is a sarcastic jab at how she views herself and how her "ex-lovers" only wanted to be with her to increase their fame.
I applaud the brilliance in writing about how you always write about relationships.
It is expected so Swift is giving the media what they want and profiting off the attention.
Alma Matters
Morrissey
Morrissey
The man has pseudo-friends who constantly criticize his actions. They moralize him, "teach" him and advise him to make a significant change in his life, because the way he is and what he does is not what they say it should be. They may find his life lame or immoral. They hold themselves up as role models. The man replies that he will make his own choices and decisions and he does not agree to unconditionally make himself under the influence of questionable quality advice. He justifies this by saying that there is always someone for whom he will be important, no matter what he does and no matter what he is. Although it is not said directly, I read it as meaning that he will always be important to himself in every way and he will always have his own support.
"Everyone is different and maybe that's a good thing, but you exceeded that mark 1000 times" - I remember very well how sad the words I once heard (from my peers and it was in negative context) at school made me feel.
Up 2020
Uncle Murda
Uncle Murda
This standout song of the rapper's latest studio album titled "Don’t Come Outside, Vol. 3" was produced by Great John. The track was released via major streaming platforms on January 1, 2021.