Linger
The Cranberries Lyrics


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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?

But I'm in so deep
You know I'm such a fool for you
You got me wrapped around your finger
Do you have to let it linger?
Do you have to, do you have to, do you have to let it linger?

Oh, I thought the world of you
I thought nothing could go wrong
But I was wrong, I was wrong

If you, if you could get by
Trying not to lie
Things wouldn't be so confused
And I wouldn't feel so used
But you always really knew
I just want to be with you

And I'm in so deep
You know I'm such a fool for you
You got me wrapped around your finger
Do you have to let it linger?
Do you have to, do you have to, do you have to let it linger?

And I'm in so deep
You know I'm such a fool for you
You got me wrapped around your finger
Do you have to let it linger?
Do you have to, do you have to, do you have to let it linger?

You know I'm such a fool for you
You got me wrapped around your finger




Do you have to let it linger?
Do you have to, do you have to, do you have to let it linger?

Overall Meaning

The Cranberries' "Linger" is a melancholic song about a person who is torn between two worlds – the past and the present, love and pain. The song starts with the singer asking the person she is addressing to return, to not let their love burn or fade. She is bothered by their attitude and how it is slowly hurting her every day. She reminisces about the time when they both swore to be true to each other and wonders why the person was holding another woman's hand. Was their relationship a façade, just a game? The singer is deeply in love with this person, and they have her wrapped around their finger. She asks them if they have to let it linger, indicating that she cannot move on unless they give her closure.


The singer's emotions are palpable in the way she sings, with a mixture of vulnerability and strength. She speaks about how she thought the world of the person, and how wrong she was to think that nothing could go wrong. She wishes that they could be together without the confusion and the hurt, but she knows that it's too late for that. The chorus repeats the questions, "Do you have to let it linger?" as if the singer is begging for an answer. The song ends with a repetitious call to the person to not let their love for each other linger.


Line by Line Meaning

If you, if you could return
If only you could come back to me


Don't let it burn
Don't let our love die


Don't let it fade
Don't let our love disappear


I'm sure I'm not being rude
I don't mean to be impolite


But it's just your attitude
But your behavior is hurting me


It's tearing me apart
It's causing me a lot of pain


It's ruining every day
It's making every day difficult for me


I swore, I swore I would be true
I promised to always be faithful to you


And honey so did you
And I believed you did too


So why were you holding her hand?
So why were you being intimate with someone else?


Is that the way we stand?
Is that how we treat each other?


Were you lying all the time?
Did you lie to me this whole time?


Was it just a game to you?
Was our love just a game to you?


But I'm in so deep
But I'm deeply involved


You know I'm such a fool for you
You know I'm hopelessly in love with you


You got me wrapped around your finger
You have complete control over me


Do you have to let it linger?
Do you have to keep our love hanging in the air?


Do you have to, do you have to, do you have to let it linger?
Do you have to hold our love in limbo like this?


Oh, I thought the world of you
I had such high regard for you


I thought nothing could go wrong
I thought our love was invincible


But I was wrong, I was wrong
But I was mistaken


If you, if you could get by
If only we could make it work


Trying not to lie
If we both made an effort not to deceive each other


Things wouldn't be so confused
Our situation wouldn't be so complicated


And I wouldn't feel so used
And I wouldn't feel like a pawn in your game


But you always really knew
But you were always aware


I just want to be with you
I only want to be with you


You know I'm such a fool for you
You know I'm powerless against your charms


You got me wrapped around your finger
You have me under your spell


Do you have to let it linger?
Do you have to keep our love hanging in the air?


Do you have to, do you have to, do you have to let it linger?
Do you have to hold our love in limbo like this?


You know I'm such a fool for you
You know I'm hopelessly in love with you


You got me wrapped around your finger
You have complete control over me


Do you have to let it linger?
Do you have to keep our love hanging in the air?


Do you have to, do you have to, do you have to let it linger?
Do you have to hold our love in limbo like this?




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Noel Anthony Hogan, Dolores Mary O'Riordan

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Saqahayang

legend ,, i feel so nostalgic,, its all on you dolores

Francis Robert

A song to sing with a smile on your face and tears in your eyes.

Natalie Hale

Great words

WackoMagneto

Same here. 🙂

Jeff Chacon

💜

Larry Housley

@WackoMagneto
Wow

ANDRE1mang

Yes!! That was perfectly said. Just something about Dolores' voice and her harmonies make your heart so tender.

1 More Replies...

Antoine Roquentin

I’ve been thinking about Dolores a lot lately. I discovered The Cranberries when I was about 10 years old and I struggled with depression for many, many years. Dolores was one of the very first voices I fell in love with, and I wasn’t even fluent in English back then, so understanding the lyrics while being in the deep end was really powerful. I think she left a beautiful and timeless legacy. I cried so much when she passed, because in a way, I understand the pain she endured for most of her life. I wish I could tell her that she has inspired people to live another day, and I’m one of those people. I’m eternally grateful to her for the beauty that she brought to this world. Rest in power, queen. Love you forever.

Docteur Saad Bennis

❤✌

Michi Hendrix

😭❤

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