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.'
In the Garden
Dolores O'Riordan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the garden
Outside my window
Oh, oh oh
You're like your father
I see right through you
Just like your father
I thought I knew you
Oh, oh oh, oh
It's a panic
In paradise
It's a panic
It's in paradise
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You can't cry
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You can't cry
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
I see her playing
In the garden
I was once like her
You did this to me
I don't remember
When this offense begun
I don't remember
I can't undo what's done
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You can't cry
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You can't cry
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You know why
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You know why
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
I'll keep my secret
With me until I die
I'll keep my secret
And I don't know why
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You can't cry
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You know why
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
I can't go there
I won't cry
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
I can't go there
I won't cry
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)....
The song "In the Garden" by Dolores O'Riordan is a reflective and somber piece about a painful past experience the singer is unable to forget. The lyrics delves into the singer's psyche as she gazes out her window and witnesses a child playing in a garden, becoming aware of how similar the child is to her father. This similarity triggers a traumatic memory, and as the song progresses, it becomes clear that the singer has been deeply hurt by this person, although she cannot recall when or how the offense occurred. She repeats throughout the song in a haunting melody that the offender can't come here and that they can't cry, while at the end of the song, she vows to keep her secret until she dies.
The lyrics reveal the depth of the emotional wounds that can come from being hurt by someone the singer cares for deeply. The garden is used as a metaphor for a place of innocence and joy which has been tainted by the act of another, and the child playing in it could represent the innocence that has been taken away. The song's refrain of "you can't come here, you can't cry" takes on a feel of rejection, as the singer is adamant in her conviction that the perpetrator of her pain cannot come near to her nor express remorse for their actions. In essence, the song is a powerful and profound meditation on the difficulty of coming to terms with past traumatic experiences and the struggle towards healing and recovery.
Line by Line Meaning
I see you playing
In the garden
The singer sees someone, likely a child, playing in a garden outside her window.
Outside my window
Oh, oh oh
The singer is emphasizing the proximity of the garden play to her own dwelling.
You're like your father
I see right through you
The singer is addressing the child, calling attention to their resemblance to the child's father and suggesting that she can see through the child in some way.
Just like your father
I thought I knew you
Oh, oh oh, oh
The artist reflects on a past relationship with the child, suggesting that previous familiarity and affection have been undermined by the child's resemblance to their father.
It's a panic
In paradise
It's a panic
It's in paradise
The artist suggests that something has gone awry in an otherwise idyllic environment. 'Paradise' is likely used ironically here.
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
This refrain indicates a looping, cyclical quality to the singer's thoughts and emotions.
You can't come here
You can't cry
The singer instructs the child that they are not welcome and not allowed to show weakness.
I see her playing
In the garden
The artist now refers to another girl playing in the garden, presumably causing similar emotional upheaval as the earlier child.
I was once like her
You did this to me
The artist suggests that she, too, was once an innocent child and that something done to her by the person addressed (possibly a parent or caregiver) has caused the same emotional turmoil her attention has focused on the other children.
I don't remember
When this offense begun
I don't remember
I can't undo what's done
The artist suggests that both the cause of her emotional turmoil and any solution are an elusive mystery to her.
You can't come here
You can't cry
The refrain repeats, driving home the sense of exclusion and prohibition previously established.
I'll keep my secret
With me until I die
I'll keep my secret
And I don't know why
The artist suggests that the source of her emotional distress is a tightly held secret, so much so that the artist herself may not fully understand why it affects her so deeply.
I can't go there
I won't cry
The singer now confronts the idea of visiting the garden or otherwise confronting her emotional source. She insists that she will not cry, either out of strength or repression.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dolores Mary O'Riordan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind