Heartbreaking tribute to Dolores O’Riordan recreates her gold paint “Zombie” look

The video to the Bad Wolves “Zombie” cover is a touching tribute to Dolores O’Riordan and the vibrant style with which she lived her life.

The music video has been released for a cover of Dolores O’Riordan’s hit “Zombie” on which the Irish singer had been set to feature.

The Cranberries frontwoman was said to be so taken with the cover from American group Bad Wolves that she wanted to contribute to this new 2018 version of her classic song. The Co. Limerick woman had been due to record the vocals on the day of her tragic death.

Bad Wolves since decided to release the song anyway, donating a portion of proceeds to O’Riordan’s three children. The cover has dominated the rock charts around the world since its release and has already earned over four million views on YouTube.

Read more: The demons that lingered for Dolores O’Riordan

The video itself, directed by Wayne Isham, is a stunning tribute to O’Riordan, featuring a lookalike recreating her unforgettable gold-paint look from the original music video. At one particular heartbreaking moment in the video, the singer’s lookalike writes out the date of her death in the gold paint while she stands trapped behind a panel of glass. The band stands in front performing her hit song as she looks on.

While the guts of the song remain the same on the cover, the band did make some slight lyrical changes in order to bring the track fully into 2018.

"Dolores was excited about plans to guest vocal on a cover version of her all-time classic Zombie by American rock band Bad Wolves,” said O’Riordan’s publicist Lindsey Holmes.

Read more: Best Cranberries songs to listen to as we mourn Dolores O'Riordan

Dolores O'Riordan was scheduled to record vocals on our rendition of “Zombie” on the very day of her unexpected passing. This is an incredibly personal song & she loved our version. A portion of the proceeds from the song will go to her children. https://t.co/4KYTYxHIVb

— Bad Wolves (@badwolves_band) January 19, 2018

"Although very different in style to the original, Dolores said she thought that the cover 'was killer' and she was intrigued by the simple but effective couple of lyric changes that make the cover version as relevant to current world events as the original was to the events that inspired her to write the song in the early nineties."

“Her lyrics, confronting the collateral damage of political unrest, capture the same sentiment we wanted to express a quarter-century later,” said Bad Wolves member Tommy Vext.

“That is a testament to the kind of enduring artist Dolores was and will remain forever.”

“I have very bittersweet feelings about the last two voice messages Dolores left me on the day she passed about recording 'Zombie' with Bad Wolves,” added Dan Waite, Managing Director Europe for Eleven Seven Label Group, who was also a friend of O’Riordan’s and had established the relationship for the cover to happen.

"She was telling me Bad Wolves version was 'awesome' and she could not wait to get into the studio, however ultimately her voicemails have brought comfort to her mother Eileen and her family as they heard her messages joking and talking passionately about music, her children, and future plans."

What are your thoughts on the video and the cover? Let us know in the comments section, below.

H/T: Limerick Leader