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.
Put Me Down
The Cranberries Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Away from here
To another land
Oh this land in which we live
Where people love and are meant to forgive
And you always prove me wrong
'cause you're always putting me down
I decided to leave
Walked out throught the door
Oh, and why do you think I go
Because you know it can never be so
And you always prove me wrong
'cause you're always putting me down
So let me take you by the hand
Away from here
To another land
Oh, this land in which we live
Where people love and are meant to forgive
And you always prove me wrong
'cause you're always putting me down
The song "Put Me Down" by The Cranberries is a melancholic tune about a relationship that is clearly toxic. The singer seems to be addressing a lover who does nothing but bring her down. She pleads with the lover to take her away from here to another land, a place where people love and forgive. She is clearly frustrated by the lover's constant belittling of her and she can no longer take the emotional abuse. She decides to leave and walks out through the door. The chorus repeats the main theme of the song, which is the lover always putting her down.
The lyrics are simple yet poignant, and the melancholic melody adds to the mood of the piece. The Cranberries are known for their socially conscious lyrics, and "Put Me Down" is no exception. The song highlights the importance of healthy relationships, where love and forgiveness should be the norm, not an exception. The singer's voice is powerful and emotive, conveying the hurt and frustration that she feels. The use of repetition in the chorus further emphasizes the central theme of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Let me take you by the hand
The singer is suggesting that she wants to take the listener away from their current situation.
Away from here
The singer wants to take the listener to a different place than where they currently are.
To another land
The singer wants to take the listener to a new, different place entirely.
Oh this land in which we live
The artist is expressing displeasure with the current land they are in.
Where people love and are meant to forgive
The artist is suggesting that in a better land, people are more loving and forgiving than where they currently are.
And you always prove me wrong
The singer is addressing someone who always doubts her or contradicts her, and she is suggesting that they are often incorrect in their assumptions.
'cause you're always putting me down
The singer is suggesting that the person addressed in the previous line always makes her feel bad about herself.
I can't take this anymore
The artist is expressing that she can no longer tolerate the current situation.
I decided to leave
The artist has made a conscious decision to depart from the situation.
Walked out throught the door
The artist physically left the situation by walking out of a door.
Oh, and why do you think I go
The singer is asking why the person she left behind thinks she left.
Because you know it can never be so
The artist is suggesting that the person she left behind knew that their relationship could never improve or be sustainable.
So let me take you by the hand
The singer is repeating her earlier suggestion to take the listener somewhere else.
Away from here
The singer still wants to take the listener away from their current location.
To another land
The singer still desires to take the listener to a better, different area entirely.
Oh, this land in which we live
The artist again disparages their current location.
Where people love and are meant to forgive
The artist again emphasizes the desirability of a place where people are more kind and loving.
And you always prove me wrong
The singer repeats the idea that whoever she is addressing always contradicts her, and often incorrectly.
'cause you're always putting me down
The singer still feels that whoever she is addressing brings her down.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DOLORES MARY O'RIORDAN, NOEL ANTHONY HOGAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind