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.
Sorry Son
The Cranberries Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is what I've done
It was a long sad supper without you
I had to be cruel to be kind
We have to leave the past behind
La la la
And isn't it strange how people can change
And isn't it weird how people I feared
I will ride on my bicycle, I ride thinking of you
As I'm riding on my tricycle, I ride
I see the sun in the trees,
And I feel the psychedelic breeze
And I see the sun in the trees, and I feel the
Psychedelic breeze
Sorry son, this is what I've done
This is what I've done
It was a long sad supper without you
Please don't hold me responsible
I tried and tried
It wasn't the same without my brain
It wasn't a game, it wasn't a game
Oh not now
I will ride on my bicycle, I ride thinking of you
As I'm riding on my tricycle, I ride
I see the sun in the trees,
And I feel the psychedelic breeze
And I feel the psychedelic breeze
La la la
Sorry son
Oh I am so sorry son
The lyrics of The Cranberries' song Sorry Son appears to be about a mother's apology to her son for something that she has done. She starts the song by saying sorry to her son and explains that she has done something she is not proud of. The phrase "It was a long sad supper without you" suggests that they had a fallout, and she had to go without her son's company. The lyric "I had to be cruel to be kind" implies that the mother had to do something harsh, but it was for his own good, and it was necessary. She then stresses the importance of leaving the past behind and moving on.
The next verse is about how people can change. She reflects on the fact that those that she once feared and thought highly of, are now worthless to her. It seems that she has been through an experience in which her perspective has changed. The repetition of "la la la" emphasises her thought process and her struggle to come to terms with what has happened.
The mother then mentions riding on her bicycle and tricycle, which could represent her personal journey through life, and her need to reflect and think about her actions. She feels the psychedelic breeze and sees the sun in the trees, which could be a metaphor for the new perspective she has gained, representing the beauty in the world around her as she comes to terms with her own mistakes.
In the final verse, she apologises once again, asking for forgiveness and trying to explain that she had tried her best, but it wasn't the same without her brain because of what she had done. This could imply that she was under the influence of drugs or alcohol and made a mistake. The fact that she says it wasn't a game reinforces that it was a serious matter. The song closes with another repetition of the psychedelic breeze, emphasising the peace she has gained by coming to terms with her own mistakes.
Line by Line Meaning
Sorry son, this is what I've done
Apologizing for the wrongs done
This is what I've done
Accepting responsibility for the mistakes
It was a long sad supper without you
Remorseful feeling for the consequences of actions taken
I had to be cruel to be kind
Making a tough decision for the sake of a better outcome
We have to leave the past behind
Emphasizing the need to move on from past events
La la la
Instrumental portion of the song
And isn't it strange how people can change
Reflecting on how people can transform over time
And isn't it weird how people I feared
Surprising realization of how unworthy people once feared are
They all seem worthless now
Changed perspective on the worth of individuals
I will ride on my bicycle, I ride thinking of you
Transportation used to take time to think of you
As I'm riding on my tricycle, I ride
Reinforcing the use of a mode of transportation to process emotions
I see the sun in the trees,
Appreciation of nature and scenery
And I feel the psychedelic breeze
Sensory perception of a unique and mind-altering experience
Please don't hold me responsible
Begging for forgiveness
I tried and tried
Putting in effort to make things right
It wasn't the same without my brain
Acknowledging how mental state can affect actions
It wasn't a game, it wasn't a game
Repetitive statement to emphasize the seriousness of the situation
Oh not now
Denying or avoiding consequences
Sorry son
Continuing the apology
Oh I am so sorry son
Deeply sorry for the actions taken and the impact on others
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DOLORES O'RIORDAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind