I began the previous song article Dreams by The Cranberries with – ‘Can we all go back to the 90’s now‘? You know when Whitney Houston opens the 1991 Superbowl with this version of Star Spangled Banner that good times are in store.
Linger and generally The Cranberries material from this epoch encapsulated that carefree vibe and impressionable sound to a tee. Linger has an acoustic arrangement featuring a string section and became the band’s first major hit. It was voted by Australian Triple J listeners as number 3 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 1993 chart.
[Verse 1]
If you, if you could return
Don’t let it burn
Don’t let it fade
I’m sure I might be rude
But it’s just your attitude
It’s tearing me apart
It’s ruining everything
And I swore, I swore I would be true
And honey, so did you
So why were you holding her hand?
Is that the way we stand?
Were you lying all the time?
Was it just a game to you?
[Chorus]
But I’m in so deep
You know I’m such a fool for you
You’ve got me wrapped around your finger
Do you have to let it linger?
Do you have to, do you have to, do you have to let it linger?
When lead singer O’Riordan was auditioned as the lead singer for the band, she wrote the lyrics, turning it into a song of regret based on an experience with a 17-year-old soldier she once fell in love with. Drummer Fergal Lawler recalled:
We gave her a tape of the music for ‘Linger’, which she took with her. The following week she came back, and she had lyrics written out and melodies and she sang along to what we were playing, and it was like, ‘Oh, my God. She’s great’.
I’m going to finish this article with this immense quote from lead singer Dolores Mary Eileen O’Riordan which made me laugh out-loud:
“I remember when MTV first put Linger in heavy rotation, every time I walked into a diner or a hotel lobby, it was like, ‘Jesus, man, here I am again’. It was trippy, like Jacob’s Ladder. I didn’t even have to take drugs.”
Reference:
1. Linger (The Cranberries song) – wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
Such an enchanting song!
Yes indeed!
Lovely!
That’s one way of putting it Sharon. I hope you had a ‘lovely’ weekend!
Hello Matthew! Yes, I have heard ‘Linger’ before and always thought it was melodic, nice tune. My weekend was quiet, the weather is still wet and miserable! Hope you are well and that the sun is shining brightly for you. Kind regards, Sharon
The usually wet season hasn’t been anywhere as gloomy as previous seasons. Maybe that’s related with the El niño effect.
I’m sorry the weather isn’t so good where you are. But you are a bright spot. So all is not so bad.
Matt, that’s so nice of you to say! And, thank you for your Theodora Goss posts, she is actually on WordPress and I follow her now! I like her poetry! Catch you again soon, Sharon
Theodora Goss writes very sparingly, but I’m glad you are following.
That’s right, she has got an unusual style! Cheers! S
I think some of the best poems I have read in recent years are from you and Theodora. There was another blogger called Intellectual Shaman who was the ants-pants as well. Mind you I haven’t read much poetry in eons and I’m in no way a connoisseur..
There is one poem I published in my blog from Australian poet Chris Wallace-Crabbe called ‘Wet Ghost’. I highly recommend it!
Hi Matt, I am truly humbled! When you say you like my poetry AND Theodora Goss, who makes a living as a poet and a writer! Wow! Thanks. I really appreciate that. Yes, I have come across Intellectual Shaman before, will head over to his site again. Oh yeah, Wet Ghost, what an amazing poem! I’ve never come across Chris Wallace-Crabbe before, will look him up! So you see Matt, between the two of us we can come up with something grand! Lol! Have a great evening.
I don’t know what happened to Shaman, but I haven’t seen a thing from him in quite the while in my reader feed.
I had no idea Theodora Goss was a professional fiction writer and poet until you mentioned it. Then I searched her and read her wiki page. Wowee! Impressive.
‘Wet Ghost’ is something else isn’t it? I’m chuffed you thought so highly of it. Cheers Sharon.