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.
Saving Grace
The Cranberries Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It could happen here today
And I can't wait to see your face
No I can't wait to see your face
Can you hold on while I take hold of myself
Can you hold on while I take hold of myself
You're just a little thing, my saving grace
It could happen here today
It could happen here today
You aer my saving grace
You are my saving grace
Will you be strong while I take hold of myself
Will you be strong while I take hold of myself
It could happen here today
I could happen here today
You are my saving grace
You are my saving grace
The lyrics of The Cranberries' song Saving Grace speak of the possibility of something happening suddenly, and it is implied that this happening is not necessarily a good event. The repetition of the opening line with the emphasis on the word "today" underscores the urgency of the situation. However, amidst the chaos and fear, the singer finds solace in the presence of someone else, their "saving grace." This person is described as a "little thing," suggesting that they may not be physically imposing, but their emotional support is invaluable to the singer.
The chorus of the song, which repeats twice, reinforces the importance of this person as the singer's saving grace. The repetition of this line, along with the lines "Can you hold on while I take hold of myself" and "Will you be strong while I take hold of myself," suggest that the singer may be struggling with their own emotions and needs someone else to help them through the situation.
Overall, Saving Grace speaks of the uncertainty of life and the importance of having someone to rely on when things get tough. The lyrics are open to interpretation, but they could be about anything from a natural disaster to a personal crisis, making it a resonant and relatable song for many listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
It could happen here today
There's a chance that something important may occur at any moment
It could happen here today
Reaffirming the previous line, emphasizing the possibility of an event happening suddenly
And I can't wait to see your face
Expressing excitement to witness something in person, perhaps a person's reaction to an event
No I can't wait to see your face
Reiterating the anticipation to see someone's reaction to a certain event or situation
Can you hold on while I take hold of myself
Requesting for someone to be patient while one composes oneself mentally, emotionally, or physically
You're the little thing, my saving grace
Comparing the importance of someone to something little that has a major impact, particularly in difficult situations
You're just a little thing, my saving grace
Reiterating how someone has made a significant impact even though it may have been in a small way
Will you be strong while I take hold of myself
Asking for someone's support while one deals with a personal issue or challenge
I could happen here today
Echoing the opening lines to emphasize how anything can happen at any moment
You are my saving grace
Reaffirming the importance of someone as the key factor in overcoming a difficult or uncertain situation
You are my saving grace
Repeating the previous line to emphasize how much someone means to the singer as a source of comfort or help
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DOLORES MARY O'RIORDAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind