Combining the melodic jangle of post-The Smiths indie pop with the lilting, trance-inducing sonic textures of late-80s dream pop and adding a slight Celtic tint, The Cranberries became one of the more successful groups to emerge from the indie scene of the early 90s. Led by vocalist Dolores O'Riordan, whose keening, powerful voice was the most distinctive element of the group's sound, the group initially made little impact in the United Kingdom.
It wasn't until the lush ballad "Linger" became an American hit in 1993 that the band also achieved mass success in the U.K. Following the success of "Linger", The Cranberries quickly became international stars, as both their 1993 debut album, Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?, and its 1994 follow-up, No Need to Argue, sold millions of copies and produced a string of hit singles like "Dreams", "Zombie" and "Ode to My Family".
By the time of their third album, 1996's To the Faithful Departed, the group had added distorted guitars to its sonic palette and attempted to make more socially significant music, which resulted in a downturn in the band's commercial fortunes.
During the next few years, the band cancelled a large tour and rumours of a breakup were widespread. In 1999, they released Bury the Hatchet to mixed reviews. In 2001, the band issued Wake Up and Smell the Coffee to rave reviews. The album debuted at number 46 in the US charts.
In 2002, The Cranberries released the compilation Stars: The Best of 1992-2002, which was supported by the single "Stars".
In 2003, The Cranberries announced they were taking some time to pursue individual careers. They decided to put the next album on hold. After more than a dozen years of relentless touring and promotion, which had seen them clocking up album sales in excess of 43 million and playing to hundreds of thousands of fans around the globe, the band decided it was time for a break.
In 2007, Dolores O'Riordan released her debut solo album titled Are You Listening?. Two years later she released her second solo album, No Baggage.
On 25 August 2009, Dolores O'Riordan announced that The Cranberries will be reuniting for a North American tour to begin in mid-November 2009, to be followed by dates in Europe in early 2010. O'Riordan indicated that the band will be playing songs from her solo albums and a lot of The Cranberries classic hits as well as some new music written by the group together.
The Cranberries recorded Roses at the Metalworks Studios in Toronto (Canada) from 18 April to 15 May 2011 with producer Stephen Street, who previously collaborated with the band on first, second and fifth albums. The Cranberries worked on 15 tracks during the Roses session, although not all will be included on the album. The album is scheduled for release on 14 February, 2012.
On 26 May 2016, the Cranberries announced that they would start their next tour in Europe. The first show was held on June 3.
A new "unplugged" Cranberries album titled Something Else, featuring the band's hits along with three new songs, was released on 28 April 2017 through BMG. The album received mostly positive reviews.
On 15 January 2018, lead singer Dolores O'Riordan was found dead of drowning in a London hotel room. The Cranberries confirmed in September 2018 that they would not continue as a band, releasing their final album In the End in April 2019 and disbanding afterward.Noel Hogan stated: "the Cranberries was the four of us. We don’t want to do this without Dolores. So we’re going to leave it after this."
The Cranberries' final album In the End has been nominated for Best Rock Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards. The awards take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on January 26, 2020.
Official site: http://www.cranberries.com.
I Will Always
The Cranberries Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Be whatever you want to be
Go wherever you need to go
And when it all seems like a mistake
Take whatever you need to take
Leave the rest for my own sake
I will always
You will always
Understand it
And now, it's all the same to me
So be whatever you want to be
Go wherever you need to go
And when there's nothing left behind
Taken whatever you needed to
And leave it all into my mind
I will always
Go beside you
You will always
Understand it
The Cranberries’ song “I Will Always” tells the story of a person who’s ready to move on from a relationship and gives the other person the freedom to be whoever they want to be and go wherever they need to go. The singer lets go of what doesn’t serve them and allows the other person to take whatever they need to take of themselves. They also promise to always be there beside the other person, while also acknowledging that the other person will understand it.
The lyrics convey a sense of acceptance and letting go of what doesn’t serve us. It’s about giving the other person the freedom to be who they are and acknowledging that sometimes, relationships don't always work out. It's a poignant reminder that even though a relationship may end, there is still love and understanding between two people.
The chorus is a beautiful repetition of the message that, no matter what happens or how far the other person may go, the singer will always be there to support them. It’s a message of unconditional love, a reminder that true love doesn’t always take the form of possession, but rather in giving the person you love the liberty to be themselves.
Overall, “I Will Always” is a bittersweet and emotional song that captures the feelings of those who have had to let go of a relationship, but still cherish the love they shared with another person.
Line by Line Meaning
And now it's all the same to me
I have come to terms with whatever outcome may arise
Be whatever you want to be
You have the freedom to pursue your own wishes and desires
Go wherever you need to go
You have the right to make your own choices and live your own path
And when it all seems like a mistake
If things go awry and don't quite work out as expected
Take whatever you need to take
Take what you need from the experience and move forward
Leave the rest for my own sake
Let the rest of the consequences fall on me to handle
I will always
I promise to
Go beside you
Support you in all your endeavors
You will always
You are guaranteed to always
Understand it
Have my full understanding and empathy
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DOLORES MARY O'RIORDAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind