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.
The Picture I View
The Cranberries Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
People are strange when it's like us
I did something wrong to them
And I don't even know your name
No I don't even know your name
I swear that he's good for me
And I swear he looks after me
And I swear that he's good, good, good
Laha, laha, laha the picture i view
Laha, laha, laha the picture i view
Laha, laha, laha the picture i view
Laha, laha, laha the picture i view
All my plans and promises
Went tumbling down the hill
All my friends and promises
Went tumbling down the hill
I haven't changed but my life has
People are strange when it's like us
I did something wrong to them
And I don't even know your name
No I don't even know your name
Don't even know your name
In The Cranberries' song "The Picture I View," the singer seems to be reflecting on the changes in her life and the strange behavior of those around her. She acknowledges that she hasn't changed as a person, but her life has undergone significant shifts. The people in her life are acting strangely, possibly towards her, and she can't understand why. She acknowledges that she may have done something wrong to them but doesn't know what it is. This uncertainty adds to her confusion and frustration.
The singer then goes on to swear that someone in her life is good for her, looking after her and watching out for her. It's unclear if this person is a romantic partner, friend, or family member, but they seem to be a source of comfort and stability for her. However, the refrain of "laha, laha, laha the picture I view" suggests that even with this person in her life, she can't quite shake off the confusion and unrest she feels.
The last verse of the song sees the singer reflecting on the loss of her plans and promises, as everything seems to be falling apart. Her friends and promises have all "gone tumbling down the hill," leaving her feeling adrift and uncertain. The repeated line of not knowing the person's name suggests that the singer may feel disconnected from those around her, even those who are supposed to be important to her.
Line by Line Meaning
I haven't changed but my life has
Despite my own personal stagnation, my life circumstances continue to evolve and shift
People are strange when it's like us
People tend to act in odd or unexpected ways when they encounter those who are different or unusual
I did something wrong to them
I have behaved in a way that has caused some sort of harm or negative consequences to others
And I don't even know your name
I am unaware of the identity of the person who has been affected by my actions
No I don't even know your name
The identity of the person who has been affected is completely unknown to me
I swear that he's good for me
I strongly believe that the person I am with is beneficial to my well-being
And I swear he looks after me
I am confident that the person I am with is caring and attentive to my needs
And I swear he looks out for me
I believe that the person I am with is protective and watches over me
And I swear that he's good, good, good
Overall, I am convinced that the person I am with is a positive influence and a good match for me
Laha, laha, laha the picture i view
Sound effect - this line has no discernible meaning in and of itself
All my plans and promises
All of the hopes and commitments I have made for the future
Went tumbling down the hill
Fell apart or were destroyed in some way
All my friends and promises
All of the relationships and commitments I have made to others
I haven't changed but my life has
Repetition of earlier line - despite my own personal stagnation, my life circumstances continue to evolve and shift
People are strange when it's like us
Repetition of earlier line - people tend to act in odd or unexpected ways when they encounter those who are different or unusual
I did something wrong to them
Repetition of earlier line - I have behaved in a way that has caused some sort of harm or negative consequences to others
And I don't even know your name
Repetition of earlier line - I am unaware of the identity of the person who has been affected by my actions
No I don't even know your name
Repetition of earlier line - the identity of the person who has been affected is completely unknown to me
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DOLORES MARY O'RIORDAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind