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.
Waiting in Walthamstow
The Cranberries Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
While I was thinking about when I wondered if you thought about me
I’ve got a pain in my heart whenever we are apart
I’ve got a pain in my head when I awake in my bed
And I was waiting there for you, you were waiting there for me
I was waiting there for you, you were waiting there for me
I took the underground, I went eastbound
I went to Walthamstow
While you were waiting to see me there, I really really want you to know
I’ll never forget your kindness (ah ah), I’ll never forget your grace (ah ah)
I’ll never forget your honor (ah ah), you make the world a beautiful place (ah ah)
I was waiting there for you, you were waiting there for me
I was waiting there for you, you were waiting there for me
Lalalala, lalalala-la, lalalala-la
(Ah-ah-ah) In Walthamstow, in Walthamsto-ow-ow, Walthamsto-ow-ow
I was waiting there for you, you were waiting there for me
I was waiting there for you, you were waiting there for me
Lalalala-la, lalalala-la
Lalalalaa lala, lalalalaa lalalalala
Lalalala, lalalala, lalalala
The lyrics of "Waiting in Walthamstow" by The Cranberries speak of unrequited love and the longing that comes with it. The singer has a person on their mind whom they wonder if also thinks about them. The absence of this person causes physical pain in their heart and head. Despite this, the singer makes an effort to see the person by taking the underground train to Walthamstow. The chorus is a repetition of the fact that two of them were waiting for each other. The refrain is a collection of sounds that emphasize the mood of the song.
The song’s lyrics describe the universal experience of unrequited love, asking if the person they are thinking about thinks about them as well. The focus is on the physical pain one feels when in love and the lengths one goes to see the person they desire. The reference to Walthamstow is arbitrary, and the place becomes symbolic of any location that one person goes to meet another.
Line by Line Meaning
I got this thing in my head, when I awake in my bed
I have thoughts about you constantly and they haunt me even when I sleep
While I was thinking about when I wondered if you thought about me
I wondered if you think about me as much as I think about you
I’ve got a pain in my heart whenever we are apart
I feel a hollow emptiness within me when we're not together
I’ve got a pain in my head when I awake in my bed
My thoughts about you weigh heavily on me and make my head ache when I wake up
And I was waiting there for you, you were waiting there for me
We were both eagerly waiting to see each other
I took the underground, I went eastbound
I traveled to Walthamstow using the underground train and went towards the east
I went to Walthamstow
I traveled to the location where we agreed to meet
While you were waiting to see me there, I really really want you to know
While you were waiting for me, I want you to know something important
I’ll never forget your kindness (ah ah), I’ll never forget your grace (ah ah)
I'll always remember how kind and graceful you are
I’ll never forget your honor (ah ah), you make the world a beautiful place (ah ah)
You are honorable and have a positive impact on the world around you
Lalalala, lalalala-la, lalalala-la
Instrumental
(Ah-ah-ah) In Walthamstow, in Walthamsto-ow-ow, Walthamsto-ow-ow
Vocalization
Lalalala-la, lalalala-la
Instrumental
Lalalalaa lala, lalalalaa lalalalala
Instrumental
Lalalala, lalalala, lalalala
Instrumental
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Dolores Mary O'Riordan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind