The first Cranberries album,, was written and recorded in Ireland over a span of a few years. After that album was released in 1993, they went on a lengthy tour and began writing songs for their second album,. "Zombie" was written while they were touring England that year.The lead single from the album, it marked a stark departure in both sound and meaning, taking an aggressive political turn away from songs like " Linger " and " Dreams ." In a Songfacts interview with Dolores O'Riordan, she said, "On the road, writing things became more alive. I think that's why 'Zombie' emerged. The first album was more tame and more reserved, and then we started to rock out a bit more. So, we started to write more rock and roll songs."