Have you been seeing the line, “Do you have to let it linger,” making its rounds on social media platforms? From Instagram memes to TikToks, The Cranberries’ song “Linger” is becoming popular once again 30 years later, considering that it was released in 1993.
The Start of The Cranberries
The start of this Irish band began in the 1980s; the drummer Fergal Lawler grew up in Limerick, Ireland with brothers Noel and Mike Hogan, the lead guitarist and bassist. The three shared a love for rock music and were inspired to form their own rock music group. At first, they formed a four-person band with another guy who was a singer, but he soon dropped out of the band. However, he suggested a replacement for him — his girlfriend’s friend, Dolores O’Riordan. She auditioned for the guys, and instantly they knew they found their lead singer.
Dolores and Noel were co-songwriters for the group. Despite this, they wrote songs in separate rooms. While Noel would come up with the music for the guitar parts, Dolores would write the lyrics and chorus. This worked well for them, as they soon released their demo of “Linger,” and the band started to become more popular. After playing a show at the University of Limerick in 1991, Island Records picked them up and promised to give them the freedom to develop at their own pace. And thus, The Cranberries blossomed.
Everybody Else is Doing it, So Why Can’t We?
The Cranberries’ debut album, Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?, was recorded the year following their signing with Island Records. The album’s title name was created by Dolores, in which she wanted to represent their determination to succeed in the music industry. Well, their drive certainly paid off, as the album was released in 1993 in the U.K., and one of the songs, “Linger,” was picked up by an American college radio station which made them recognizable in the U.S.
The album is comprised of 12 songs, including six bonus tracks. One of the other most well-known songs of The Cranberries, “Dreams,” was on this debut album as well. As for the meanings behind these two popular songs, “Linger” was inspired by Dolores’ first kiss, while “Dreams” was meant to represent the purity and wholeness of young love, despite its ups and downs.
“Elvis wasn’t always Elvis. He wasn’t born Elvis Presley, he was a person who was born in a random place. Why shouldn’t a band from a small city in the Southwest of Ireland get signed, conquer the world, and make a great record?” – Dolores O’Riordan
https://www.cranberries.com/biography
Addressing Social Issues
From the wistful tunes and romantic lyrics on Everybody Else is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?, the theme changed to a more serious tone in their next album, No Need to Argue. This album was produced during the end of The Troubles in Northern Ireland, in which Dolores was inspired to write “Zombie” after the IRA Warrington bombing that killed two children. This song addresses the inhumanity that was taking place due to the sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland. One day at a rehearsal for the band, Noel recalls how Dolores emphasized the anger that must lay within the song: “She was like ‘No this needs to be heavy, it’s an angry song, and it needs to reflect that.'” This realization that their music can hold this certain emotion — aggression, anger, etc. — led them to become a “loud, anthemic band,” as in Noel’s words.
The Cranberries’ discography consisted of eight albums: Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? (1993), No Need to Argue (1994), To The Faithful Departed (1996), Bury the Hatchet (1999), Wake Up and Smell the Coffee (2001), Roses (2012), Something Else (2017), and In the End (2019). After Dolores suddenly passed away in January of 2018, Noel, Mike, and Fergal decided to release In The End as their final album, in which they incorporated vocal demos Dolores had done to honor all her talent and all she had contributed to The Cranberries. The Cranberries’ music has a certain tune that evokes emotions that everybody experiences and can connect with, which is why they were such a special, unique band. Now, 30 years since the band first formed, I think it’s very appropriate that The Cranberries are making their comeback through their song “Linger” reigniting. The Cranberries deserve to be known as a great band that touched hearts and souls simply by their lyrical and musical talent.
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