3 Eternal Songs From the Irish Band The Cranberries That Will Play Forever

The Limerick, Ireland-born band The Cranberries were one of the biggest groups of the 1990s. Formed in 1989, the band rose to sweeping popularity in 1994 thanks to their sophomore album No Need to Argue, which included their signature anti-war hit song “Zombie.” Thanks to the biting lyrics and catchy delivery of lead singer Dolores O’Riordan, the group remains in the public zeitgeist.

Here below, we wanted to explore three songs from the group that have stood the test of time. A trio of tracks that rock and roll and carry a message for listeners. Indeed, these are three eternal songs from the Irish band The Cranberries that will play forever.

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“Zombie” from No Need to Argue (1994)

This song opens bright and jangly before turning quickly into a heavy, buzzy offering that decries war. Boasting about 1.6 billion streams on YouTube alone, this may be the most well-known anti-war song of all time. The track highlights the longstanding conflict between England and Northern Ireland known as The Troubles. Specifically, it talks about the young victims of a bombing in Warrington, England. And on the offering, O’Riordan sings,

Another head hangs lowly
Child is slowly taken
And the violence caused such silence
Who are we mistaken

But you see it’s not me
It’s not my family
In your head, in your head
They are fighting
With their tanks and their bombs
And their bombs and their guns
In your head, in your head
They are cryin’

“Dreams” from Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? (1993)

Even before The Cranberries released their sophomore album in 1994, they were getting attention and airplay around the world. And for those of us who grew up in the 1990s and went to school dances, this song is a classic. Lots of arm-length slow dances took place between middle schoolers while listening to this tune. Using her breathy falsetto voice, O’Riordan sings about a life improved thanks to the benefits of love. Indeed, she croons,

Oh, my life is changing everyday

In every possible way
And oh, my dreams
It’s never quite as it seems
Never quite as it seems

I know I felt like this before
But now I’m feeling it even more
Because it came from you
Then I open up and see
The person falling here is me
A different way to be

“Linger” from Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? (1993)

Another from the band’s debut LP, this song also displays the dreamy vibes that helped put The Cranberries on the proverbial map. Another love song, this is one of devotion and admission that the object of the singer’s affection has her wrapped around his finger. It is inspired by O’Riordan falling in love with a soldier at 17 years old; she wrote the lyrics when she was first trying out for the band in the late 1980s. On the offering, she sings,

If you, if you could return
Don’t let it burn
Don’t let it fade
I’m sure I’m not being rude
But it’s just your attitude
It’s tearing me apart
It’s ruining every day

I swore, I swore I would be true
And honey so did you
So why were you holding her hand?
Is that the way we stand?
Were you lying all the time?
Was it just a game to you?

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