Meaning of “Linger” by The Cranberries
Linger is a song by the Irish rock band The Cranberries. According to the late lead singer of the Cranberries Dolores O’Riordan, the lyrics of Linger are about the very first serious kiss she ever had. O’Riordan revealed this in the Ciaran Donnelly directed documentary ’99 Love Life & Rock ‘n’ Roll. In an interview with Songfacts, O’Riordan went on to say she wrote the song about how she felt after a soldier she once fell in love with left her broken-hearted.
Facts about “Linger”
- The song was composed by Dolores O’Riordan (lead singer of the band) and Noel Hogan (lead guitarist of The Cranberries), with Hogan writing the music and O’Riordan writing the lyrics of the song.
- The song was produced and engineered by the renowned English music producer Stephen Street, who gained first gained international stardom working with the English band The Smiths.
- Linger was first released on February 23rd 1993 as the second single from the band’s debut studio album titled Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?
- The current lyrics of the song (which were written by O’Riordan) aren’t the original lyrics. The song’s original lyrics were written by the band’s first lead singer Niall Quinn however, they were changed by O’Riordan when she joined The Cranberries in 1990.
- This song, which was The Cranberries first international hit, till date remains one their best known songs.
- Linger peaked at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart and number 8 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
- The song’s music video, which was entirely filmed in grayscale, pays tribute to the 1965 mutliple award-winning French science fiction Alphaville directed by French-Swiss film director Jean-Luc Godard.
- The woman in the silent film that is shown in the music video is the legendary American burlesque Blaze Starr.
Frequently Asked Questions about “Linger”
Q: Did “Linger” win The Cranberries a Grammy?
A: No, it did not. As a matter of fact despite the song being so famous and selling millions of copies around the world, it never won any major music award. However, the music video of the song was nominated for the Viewer’s Choice (Europe) award at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards but lost to Babe by Take That.
Q: What films and TV series has “Linger” appeared in?
A: Since its release in 1993, the song has been featured in a number of movies and TV series, including the ABC sitcom The Real O’Neals and the 2006 science fiction comedy film Click starring Adam Sandler. In the movie Click, Dolores made a cameo appearance where she performed Linger at the reception of a wedding.
Q: Has “Linger” been covered by any artists?
A: Over the years, many notable singers and musical acts have covered this song, including American singer Kelly Clarkson and American punk rock band Screeching Weasel.
