Dolores O'Riordan was the youngest of seven born and raised in Ballybricken, Limerick, Ireland. In 1990 she auditioned and won the role of lead singer for a band called The Cranberry Saw Us (later changed to The Cranberries). The band released five albums before they took a break in 2003.
Her first solo album Are You Listening? was released in May 2007. Her second solo album No Baggage was released in August 2009.
While in London, England, for a short recording session, Dolores died suddenly on 15 January 2018 aged 46. The cause of death was drowning due to alcohol intoxication.
'Dolores was discovered “submerged in the bath” at the time she was found, and an examination of her body found no signs of injury or self-harm. There was a bottle of champagne, as well as five miniature bottles of alcohol, plus containers of prescription drugs. The toxicology report showed that Dolores’ blood had “therapeutic” levels of medication, but her alcohol level was astronomically high — four times over the legal limit of driving.'
Carry On
Dolores O'Riordan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I never understood I really never knew
Carry on, carry on
The sun will always shine
carry on, carry on
We'll have a glass of wine
or a cigarette
Take destiny by the hand and lead it far away
take it to another land we will all decay
Carry on, carry on the sun will always shine
carry on, carry on We'll have a glass of wine
or a cigarette
In these lyrics, Dolores O'Riordan speaks about her lack of understanding when it comes to someone's struggles. She admits that she never knew what they were going through, and didn't comprehend the extent of their pain. However, she encourages the individual to continue on and reminds them that the sun will always shine. Her words serve as a source of comfort and hope to the person who may be struggling.
The chorus repeats the phrase "carry on" as a reminder to keep moving forward despite difficult circumstances. It is a message of resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity. O'Riordan also suggests taking control of one's destiny and leading it towards a different path, away from decay and towards hope.
Overall, "Carry On" is a song that provides hope to those who may be going through a tough time. It encourages them to keep going, to take control of their destiny, and to remember that the sun will always shine.
Line by Line Meaning
I didn't understand the things you're going through
I was not able to comprehend the struggles that you were facing
I never understood, I really never knew
I was genuinely unaware of the difficulties that you were experiencing
Carry on, carry on. The sun will always shine
Keep going and don't be disheartened because there will always be hope and happiness in the world
Carry on, carry on. We'll have a glass of wine or a cigarette
Even when times are tough, we can find small pleasures to help us through
Take destiny by the hand and lead it far away
Seize control of your life and steer it towards a better future
Take it to another land, we will all decay
If we don't make changes in our lives, we will all end up in the same place eventually
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Dolores Mary O'Riordan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind