"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.
When you hear the sound
When you feel it in the ground
When you want to let go
When you see but you don't know
When you're running through the ground
When you're lost in your own count
When you can but don't know how
When it's here but just not now
No one knows, no one knows
Chorus:
There's no road to this town
There's no map to the underground
It's a long way, it's a long way up
It's a long way, it's a long way up
It's a long way, it's a long way up
It's a long way, it's a long way up
If you start to get our head
If you keep up to the end
If you want that on your own
If you stand all alone
When you're falling under the clouds
When you call from the underground
There's no roads to this town
There's no map to the underground
There's no roads to this town
There's no map through the underground
This are strong than before
This are strong than before
It's a long way, it's a long way up x 4
2 x
When you hear the sound
When you feel it in the ground
When you want to let go
When you see but you don't know
There's no roads to this town
There's no map through the underground
It's a long way, it's a long way up x 4
When you feel it in the ground
When you want to let go
When you see but you don't know
When you're running through the ground
When you're lost in your own count
When you can but don't know how
When it's here but just not now
No one knows, no one knows
Chorus:
There's no road to this town
There's no map to the underground
It's a long way, it's a long way up
It's a long way, it's a long way up
It's a long way, it's a long way up
It's a long way, it's a long way up
If you start to get our head
If you keep up to the end
If you want that on your own
If you stand all alone
When you're falling under the clouds
When you call from the underground
There's no roads to this town
There's no map to the underground
There's no roads to this town
There's no map through the underground
This are strong than before
This are strong than before
It's a long way, it's a long way up x 4
2 x
When you hear the sound
When you feel it in the ground
When you want to let go
When you see but you don't know
There's no roads to this town
There's no map through the underground
It's a long way, it's a long way up x 4
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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
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.
High On Life
Viyaa
Viyaa
This track marks the first collaboration between the artists. It was produced in its entirety by Datbeatgod and released for public consumption on January 1, 2021.
Better Than Feeling Lonely
Olivia O'Brien
Olivia O'Brien
This standalone single is the latest in the artiste's album run out. It was produced by Rogét Chahayed, Taylor Dexter & Wesley Singerman, and released via major streaming platforms on January 1, 2021.
Still Luv
Kennedy Rd.
Kennedy Rd.
This standout song off her eponymously named album was produced by AVB & Itsashleetho and released on December 28, 2020.