Dolores O'Riordan has died at the age of 46 in a hotel in London on January 15, 2018. As a tribute to her, here's a list of the Top 10 best Songs of The Cranberries with a little bit of trivia that you may not know.
Growing up in the 90's, you'd most definitely have heard songs from the Irish rock band, The Cranberries, what with the hauntingly beautiful voice of lead vocalist, Dolores O'Riordan. Which one is your favorite?
I love all of The Cranberries' songs, below I choose five of the ones that have really been wildly popular all over the world.
So here they are, in no particular order.
1. Dreams - 1992
The Cranberries' debut single, released in 1992, written by guitarist Noel Hogan and vocalist, Dolores O'Riordan. This song is about feeling deliriously happy about being in love and was inspired by Dolores' first love.
It's been a staple in 90's movies. It has been featured on the soundtracks of movies like Mission: Impossible, Shot Through The Heart, The Next Karate Kid, You've Got Mail and Boys On The Side to name a few. It's also been featured on tv shows such as 90210, My So-Called Life and JAG.
2. Linger - 1993
The music for this song was written by The Cranberries' guitarist, Noel Hogan, with lyrics for the song partially written by first vocalist, Niall Quinn.
This was way before Dolores O'Riordan joined the band. When Dolores joined the band in 1990, she worked with the lyrics and it turned into the song we know today.
This song was supposedly inspired by her first heartbreak (same guy who inspired Dreams), who didn't break things off with her while seeing another woman and instead made the relationship "linger".
Today, it's a national anthem for people who are in a relationship they can't leave even if they know it's what's best for them. Raise your hand if you can relate to the lyrics: 'You know I'm such a fool for you You've got me wrapped around your finger, Do you have to let it linger?Do you have to, do you have to, do have to let it linger?'.
3. Ode to My Family - 1994
According to Dolores O'Riordan herself, this was a song she wrote when she was missing her family the first time she had to go to the US in 1993. She loved her family and missed them dearly but she knew that she had to make the trip to ensure the band's success.
Samuel Bayer, was the director of the music video for Ode to My Family and as well as the wildly popular song, Zombie.
4. Zombie - 1994
I don't think a lot of people outside of the UK or Europe know that this song is actually about peace. It's inspired by the IRA (Irish Republican Army) bombing in Warrington, Cheshire, England on March 20, 1993. So why Zombie? Perhaps because she wants people to think about what the war is doing to people and that it's time to stop being Zombies because the fighting is only happening in their heads and well, yeah, it's time to move on from 1916.
This song has been wildly popular in South East Asia and is actually one of the most popular songs sang in Karaoke bars in the Philippines.
5. Promises - 1999
This is definitely one of my personal favourites as it's a song warning men about keeping their promises. Or else. I particularly like the 'or else' part. It's an anthem for women who've been deceived, lied to or cheated on by men and have had enough and is finally putting her foot down.
This song was featured in the fifth episode of the second season of the wildly popular 90's show, Charmed, starring Holly Marie Combs, Alyssa Milano and Shannen Doherty.
What's your top five Cranberries songs?
I'd love to hear which Cranberries songs made it to your Top Five, so please do let me know!
