Dolores O’Riordan: 5 Best Songs Of The Cranberries

As the news of Dolores O’Riordan‘s sudden death swept across the world, fans all over were in complete shock. The singer was just 46 years old and was in London for a recording session when she died unexpectedly at the London Hilton Park hotel in Mayfair.

We at Read Scoops take a look at 5 of her best songs with her band, The Cranberries.

5. Just My Imagination

Album: Bury The Hatchet (1999)

This is an acoustic pop song by the band which reflects on the days of most of our youths, back when we had no worries about tomorrow. Days would be spent drinking and wasting away, for we can never live those days again. Love this song or not?

4. Dreams

Album: Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Cant We? (1993)

This  pop-rock song has an eerie feel to it, just like most of The Cranberries’ songs. I think this song is about falling in love with someone we didn’t expect to, and knowing that we would get hurt by it but still ending up falling for that person.

3. Ode To My Family

Album: No Need To Argue (1994)

This is one of the best songs by the band, showcasing Dolores’ layered vocals. The song is about sweet family memories but it gradually turns into themes of loneliness and searching for that childhood love when you become an adult.

2. Linger

Album: Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Cant We? (1993)

One of the band’s first big hit, Linger has one of the most catchiest choruses of all time. Along with O’Riordan’s signature vocals, this has to be one of their greatest song ever; a beautiful song about wanting and loving someone who doesn’t feel the same for you.

1. Zombie

Album: No Need To Argue (1994)

One of the best rock songs of all time, the song which introduced me (and most of us) to The Cranberries. “This song is our cry against man’s inhumanity to man, and man’s inhumanity to child” – Dolores O’Riordon

A song which was a protest against the death of 2 children in an IRA bombing in the Cheshire town of Warrington, Dolores wrote this song in anger. She wrote it on an acoustic guitar before firing it up on the electric one. The distortion on the guitar grew heavy, the drum beats grew heavy and we got a classic rendition of a song which will never be forgotten.

A fine balance of melody, wailing chorus and vocals, Zombie will be forever missed as it was their closing record for all live concerts. O’Riordan’s primal howls will be echoed in the gateways of heaven.

“What’s in your head Zombie? Zomb-ie-ey, ay-ey,ay-ey, aoooooowwwwwwww!!”

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