1. Song 1: "Zombie" by The Cranberries
1.1. "Zombie"
1.1.1. A Zombie itself is a mindless killing machine, following brutal orders without thinking.
1.1.2. Appearance-wise they are walking corpses – (supernatural element) and are tools of death (feed on humans/ brains).
1.1.3. Signifies apocalyptic state of world – another symbol of death and destruction.
1.2. IRA bombing in Warrington in 1993
1.2.1. Setting – Ruins of some buildings and debris
1.2.2. “a child is taken” repeated twice – signifies death of two children in the IRA bombing.
1.2.3. Disfigured children faces in video again alludes to the bombing.
1.2.4. Logos and Wall murals of men with guns (the fighters)
1.3. "Lyrics"
1.3.1. 1. “In your head…they are fighting”
1.3.1.1. Symbolizes the fighters as zombies. As well as the act of killing in war.
1.3.2. 2. “Crying”
1.3.2.1. These so-called 'zombie-like' fighters “Crying” in people’s minds resonates with War Cry before killing someone
1.3.3. 3. Weapons
1.3.3.1. “Tanks” “Bombs” “Guns”
1.3.4. 4. “Head” itself
1.3.4.1. Perhaps that the human head which embodies consciousness that is lacking in zombies, and is the target diet of zombies (kill humans for their brains), and also when lifeless becomes the skull.
1.3.4.2. Extra: Also symbolizes that war is immortal through memories – “violence causes silence”.
1.4. Children staging 'mock' fights
1.4.1. Children with ‘Bows and arrows’, ‘toy guns’ and their mock paper/wooden sword fights represents Killing of innocence, and becoming zombies.
1.5. Black Dog
1.5.1. Black Dog biting and chewing fresh bones – represents barbaric nature of the fighters, and black dogs themselves are omens of death.
1.6. Religious Symbolism
1.6.1. 1. Blood red, leafless trees
1.6.1.1. I like to think that the ‘Tree of Life’ that connects all forms of creation has been killed and leaves dead.
1.6.2. 2. Cross and children tied to it and their screaming
1.6.2.1. Symbolizes Christ’s suffering and death by the Crucifixion Act through these children.
2. Song 2: "The Trooper" by Iron Maiden
2.1. Skull/ Zombie-head
2.1.1. The Band’s mascot – Eddie – a zombie-like creature.
2.1.2. Appears right when the song starts remains through the rest of the song as the band's performing stage backdrop.
2.1.3. The alien skull has bloodied teeth symbolizing killing through cannibalism.
2.2. Charge of the Light Brigade: Crimean War
2.2.1. Clothing Imagery of the Lancers (though aspects of their clothing were not focused visually in the song)
2.2.2. Caps: Death Head Logo + Motto: Death or Glory (motive to kill opponents)
2.2.3. Red coat military uniform (scarlet actually)
2.3. Weapons
2.3.1. 1. Lances (spears) and sabre used by the Lancers. 2. Russian Guns ("pull the trigger", and "burst of rounds") 3. Artillery ("cannons") 4. "Musket fire"
2.4. Battlefield
2.4.1. The Battlefield itself symbolizes mass killing during the war.
2.5. Extra Note: Tactics
2.5.1. The event is itself a lesson learnt from failed cavalry tactics due to miscommunication and brigade’s rashness.
3. Song 3: "19" by Paul Hardcastle
3.1. Auditory Imagery using Electro-music effect of Synthesized Stuttering.
3.1.1. Creates a repetition rhythm that sounds like a soldier firing a gun.
3.1.2. Auditory imagery transformed into visual imagery of firing.
3.1.3. Examples: 1. Chorus: “Ni-ni-ni 19, 19, ni-19 19” 2. “De-de-destruction, wa, wa, war” 3. “Ne-ne-ne, ne-ne, none of them”
3.2. Number Wordplay on "19" in the chorus. (Hint: Prime number)
3.2.1. 19 emerges a symbol of killing youth
3.2.2. The number 19: represents the average age group of the Vietnam War veterans. With 19 being a prime number, the song hints the“destruction of men in their prime” i.e. they were killed in their crucial and primary years. They were still students!
3.2.3. Also the fact that it has a short screen-life in the song video, I feel perhaps this represents the transitory nature of war through murder.
3.3. Other Symbols
3.3.1. 1. Tanks, Loaded strips of bullets carried by soldiers.
3.3.2. 2. “Hostile Fire” – Firing of ammunition like Shoulder-fired missile, Aerial bombs, Smoke clouds exploding in background, Land mines.
3.3.3. 3. Number 19 shown in red: Color imagery of blood - several lives lost.
3.4. Omnipresence of “Shooting” weapons.
3.4.1. Symbols of “Shooting” weapons like guns used on land, water and air (in helicopters).
3.4.2. On a deeper level, I feel this brings out the inevitability of killing anywhere regardless of location in the war zone.
3.5. “Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder”
3.5.1. Symbol of killing mental health & inner peace
3.5.2. Implies the ongoing mental battle in these soldiers’ minds even after the war.