The Cranberries - Zombie (official Music Video) Now

Lead singer Dolores O'Riordan appears painted in gold, standing before a cross, surrounded by silver-painted children. This was intended to represent "the beauty that we see in the world" versus the pain people often ignore.

The song and video were a direct response to the 1993 IRA bombing in Warrington, which killed two children, and Tim Parry .

The video uses black-and-white footage of Belfast to emphasize the grim reality of the conflict, while the few colored shots represent "the perpetrators" or the "visceral nature" of the strife. Historical Background and Controversy

Decades after its release, the video continues to achieve record-breaking success:

The video's visual power stems from its stark contrasts and heavy symbolism:

To achieve authenticity, Samuel Bayer filmed real British soldiers and local children in Belfast under the guise of making a peacekeeping documentary.

The cross symbolized the suffering of Christ as a metaphor for the collective pain caused by political violence.