The beauty of living in a diverse world is that everyone’s interpretation of music is unique. The same set of clothes worn by different people can look entirely different. The same ingredients cooked in various cuisines can come out completely different. Just like this, the same piece of music can be very different depending on the artist/singer behind the microphone. It is critical to hear “Zombie” from artists other than The Cranberries to understand the song from multiple angles. “Zombie” is not just a song against war and violence; instead, it is a symbol of resilience. It extends the potential application of the song beyond just protests and wars and connects readers on a personal level to the song. Everyone faces moments when resilience is necessary regardless of whether that conflict/situation involves violence or not. This symbolism can be seen from the different covers of the song since many of the cover artists created their versions not to specifically target war, but to spread the general message of fighting for your rights.

Bad Wolves - Zombie

This cover by Bad Wolves was released in 2018 after the death of Dolores O’Riordan, the lead singer of The Cranberries. It follows the structure of the original song closely without much modification to the original melody. Also, the instrumentals are used very similarly to the original version. For instance, the electric guitars produce a heavy, grunge sound. According to the group, the minimal modification was because that the purpose of the cover was to commemorate Dolores O’Riordan (Camp). Therefore, rather than changing the structure or elements of the song, the group simply followed her styles (Camp). The lead singer, Tommy Vext, adapts a singing style that closely follows Dolores O’Riordan; he controls the roughness of his voice by starting out soft but then equipping coarse and emotional vocals near the climax of the song. However, this does not mean that there was no new insight on the song. Tommy Vext’s voice is much deeper and echoes more, which gives a more grand feeling to the song. Overall, this song’s message is not about violence, but about praising the resilience that Dolores O’Riordan showed throughout her life, battling alcoholism and depression (Powell). Even though the lyrics did not change, the contextual background that the group stands on gives the song a whole different meaning.

This version of “Zombie” by Clödie changes many of the musical components from the original version. First of all, the instrumentals are acoustic, meaning that all of the ‘rock-sounding’ instruments such as electric guitars and bass are removed. Instead, only an acoustic guitar and a piano comprise the backbone of the melody line. The singer’s voice is naturally harsh-sounding, which makes the cover have a similar dystopian feel as the original version. However, because of the difference in the instrumentals, this version appears more mellow and calm. It feels as if this version of the song would take place after the peak of the violence – when everything has happened and people are calmly reflecting. The Cranberries' version feels more powerful and energetic because of the vocals and the instrumentals, but it may not be appropriate for a site of mourning. However, this version tells a similar message that can be presented for a more toned-down setting. In fact, the group is originally from Poland, where wars and violence have taken over the nation in the past (McGregor). Most notably, the occupation of Poland by the Nazis is a representation of the pain that Poland experienced from violence. However, they did not have any armed conflicts as recent as Ireland depicted by The Cranberries (McGregor). Even so, having a similar experience of violence evokes sympathy that cannot be imitated by those that have never had that experience. This context matches the more nostalgic atmosphere that is built by the singer, indicating looking back to an event from a long time ago.

SARA’H - Zombie (français)

 

Music and language are closely connected in our perception (Jancke). Even the same piece can be perceived completely differently when sung in a different language. The specific intonations and accents of that language can also affect how people interpret the piece (Jancke). Also, since the lyrics have to be written again, the message of the song might vary as well. The version of “Zombie” by SARA’H was completely rewritten in French. First of all, this has an effect on a new level of audiences – those that speak French. This group of people is now able to hear the lyrics and understand them closer to heart since it is spoken in their language. But more importantly, the song feels softer from the change in the language. The rounder and more subtle endings of ‘e’ in French (Jancke) make the song more elegant and polite. While personal perception varies, it is undeniable that the use of French gives a makeover to the song.

There are countless covers of the song “Zombie,” but the above three covers show distinct similarities and contrasts from the original version. As with a typical cover, most of these covers do not completely transform the piece. Instead, they interpret the song in their own ways that will change how listeners perceive it. Overall, we see that the change in instrumentals and vocals made the song more collected and mellow, while some of the artists like Bad Wolves imply a different message to be said in their versions (honoring Dolores). The key point, though, is that the covers show that the song is not just about war as described in other parts of this project. It is about the spirit of defending yourself and fighting for what you believe in. And this is critical for anyone because everyone has something to fight for throughout their time in life.