Monday March 15
Because we love ‘em all. Here’s your 90’s Video of the Day
The Cranberries - Zombie
This is another video that has now reached over a billion views on youtube and the first song to do so by an Irish band.
Back in 1993, two children, Johnathan Ball and Tim Parry, were killed in the IRA’s Warrington Bombings. The tragedy inspired the song, “Zombie,” serving as a protest song. (By the way here's a full rundown of The Troubles, which explains this thirty year historic time of conflict in Ireland). Dolores O’Riordan said the song came to her almost subconsciously as she wrote it on acoustic guitar. After showing it to the band, she realized it needed more power, translating it to electric and making it one of the band’s most aggressive songs in their catalogue.
O’Riordan was a free and loving spirit but also a fierce woman who wouldn’t be pushed around. She famously ripped up a million dollar check made out to her to write another single for the label to champion because they were worried “Zombie” was too political. She never stopped pushing back, and the label eventually released the song in 1994. And the video? It was everywhere.
Samuel Bayer directed it and much like the lyrics, the video didn’t shy away from the political and humanitarian ideals. The video had been banned by the BBC and RTÉ for “violent images,” and instead showed live footage of the band in place of the children playing war games, soldiers, and murals.
Hit me up with 90’s Video’s you wanna see featured at abby@wxdx.com