"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.
Man in the front got a sinister grin
Careen down highway 666
We wanna go, crush the slow
As the pitchfork bends, the needles grow
My arms are wheels
My legs are wheels
My blood is pavement
We're gonna ride to the Abbey of Thelema
To the Abbey of Thelema
Blood is pavement
The grill in the front is my sinister gun
Bugs in my teeth make me sick sick sick
The objects may be larger
Than they appear in the mirror
My arms are wheels
My legs are wheels
My blood is pavement
We're gonna ride to the Abbey of Thelema
To the Abbey of Thelema
Blood is pavement
When you ride you're ridden
When you ride you're ridden
I am fueled by filth and fury
Do what I will, I will hurry there, there
My arms are wheels
My legs are wheels
Blood is pavement
Blood is pavement
"Go home to your mother!
Doesn't she ever watch you?
Tell her this isn't some communist daycare center,
Tell your mother I hate her
Tell your mother I hate you!"
"I want my son off of your mailing list,
I have already contacted the post office about your pornographic material that has been received in the mail,
My next stop will be my attorney,
I do not want this number called anymore and I do not want anything delivered to my address,
If I receive anything else from this band or this [group?], my next phone call will be my attorney and you will be contacted,
Thank you and goodbye"
Careen down highway 666
We wanna go, crush the slow
As the pitchfork bends, the needles grow
My arms are wheels
My legs are wheels
My blood is pavement
We're gonna ride to the Abbey of Thelema
To the Abbey of Thelema
Blood is pavement
The grill in the front is my sinister gun
Bugs in my teeth make me sick sick sick
The objects may be larger
Than they appear in the mirror
My arms are wheels
My legs are wheels
My blood is pavement
We're gonna ride to the Abbey of Thelema
To the Abbey of Thelema
Blood is pavement
When you ride you're ridden
When you ride you're ridden
I am fueled by filth and fury
Do what I will, I will hurry there, there
My arms are wheels
My legs are wheels
Blood is pavement
Blood is pavement
"Go home to your mother!
Doesn't she ever watch you?
Tell her this isn't some communist daycare center,
Tell your mother I hate her
Tell your mother I hate you!"
"I want my son off of your mailing list,
I have already contacted the post office about your pornographic material that has been received in the mail,
My next stop will be my attorney,
I do not want this number called anymore and I do not want anything delivered to my address,
If I receive anything else from this band or this [group?], my next phone call will be my attorney and you will be contacted,
Thank you and goodbye"
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Just now caught the Aleister crowley reference.
Good show chap.