The Icicle Melts

The Cranberries

When
When will the icicle melt
The icicle, icicle
And when
When will the picture show end
The picture show, picture show
I should not have read the paper today
'Cause a child, child, child, child
He was taken away

There's a place for the baby that died
And there's a time for the mother who cried
And she will hold him in her arms sometime
'Cause nine months is too long, too long, too long

How
How could you hurt a child
How could you hurt a child
Now does this make you satisfied, satisfied, satisfied
I don't know what's
Happening to people today
When a child, child, child, child
He was taken away

There's a place for the baby that died
There's a time for the mother who cried
And she will hold him in
Her arms sometime
'Cause nine months is too long, too long, too long

There's a place for the baby that died
And there's a time for the mother who cried
And you will hold him in
Your arms sometime
'Cause nine months is too long, too long, too long (too long)


Lyrics submitted by Novartza

The Icicle Melts Lyrics as written by Dolores Mary O'riordan

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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The Icicle Melts song meanings
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24 Comments

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  • +5
    General Comment
    I'm from Australia and even i know what this song is about. A few years back, there was a whole saga when a couple of teenages stole a baby from a supermarket. they took the baby down to the railway station and beat it, threw rocks at it etc until it died. this is what the song is about.. the loss of a child and how people can be so cruel. make sense now? tunes xo
    tuneson September 29, 2005   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    I'm sure I read somewhere that it was about a case of child murder or abuse - maybe the Bulger case, maybe not, but it's abut the feelings engendered by hearing about anything like this; how can we, as human beings, inflict this on others. The pain of realising this kind of thing happens, and the fear that people are becoming more desensitized to other people's pain. "How could you hurt a child, Now does this make you satisfied?" It's a very human reaction to very inhumane events.
    Linmartinon August 10, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    I always thought that this song was about abortion cause of the nine months thing and they say that you'll see that child on your judgement day (hold him in her arms sometime) But who knows, it could be about war and what not...innocent civilian deaths, but then the 9 months thing comes out of no where.
    sixedhearton June 03, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    yeah, i think it's about abortion, but i think she's against it, sixedheart is right on about the judgement thing. i think it's like, a combination though, of abortion and war and death and stuff, because a lot of their songs are about how innocent children die from war (Bosnia on To the Faithful Departed soundtrack).
    lovelyritalucyon June 05, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    Abortion. And yes " I should not have read the papers today 'Cause a child,child he was taken away' This is about that in Ireland, Catholic religion is against abortion, so for the girls who have this done are basically looked down at. And "'Cause nine months is too long" is saying that she thinks abortion is wrong and that what's nine months in a life-time.
    Lonsteron January 26, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    This song is about abortion. What is wrong with people these days hurting, killing babies. A child died a mother cried because abortion hurts all involved. A babies life was ended because 9 months was too long to carry it to birth.
    manuel1127on June 20, 2019   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Sounds like it's about the James Bulger-case, I don't know much about it, but that makes the most sense. The picture show... was there a lot of media attention? It can't be abortion, because then you don't carry a child for nine months. Why would an abortion be in the papers? I think the icicle is the pain the mom's feeling: when will it end (melt)? when will the papers leave it alone? it's about a mom, losing her son, but still having the connection between them (because nine months is too long NOT to have one)
    miesnofxon February 09, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    And she will hold him in her arms sometimes 'Cause nine months is too long I never thought this was about abortion, about saying they had an abortion because nine months was too long to waste carrying a child. I always thought it was about a mother whose baby died, and she is grief-stricken because although he wasn't around for long, she carried him for nine months. And how can you hold an aborted child in your arms?
    ~Lexi~on July 11, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    wow I can't believe people actually thought this song was about abortion.
    motorbreath23on June 08, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I really cannot believe people at times...Abortion ? Dont make me laugh listen to the lyrics Theres a time for the baby that died & a time for the mother who cried, why oh why would the mothe cry if she`s just had her baby aborted, surely thats her choice ???...If you are a true Cranberries fan then you would know that The Icicle Melts is definately about James Bulger abduction & killing in 1993 when Dolores wrote the song & subsequently appeared on No Need to Argue in 1994..Awesomw Awesome song that really goes un-noticed on the album I think !!!!
    UNCERTAIN1992on March 30, 2010   Link

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