The Cranberries is one of my favorite bands. I never get tired of listening to their songs and I am always moved by the songs’ mysterious lyrics and passionate melody. Dolores O’Riordan, the band’s vocalist and songwriter, is very talented. I forget about everything when I’m listening to her voice, she actually reminds me of another famous artist, but she is way much better.

Aside from Zombie and When You’re Gone, I am particularly interested with Ode to my family. The words chosen by the composer are strong and ambiguous, they make me confused and also curious about what Dolores is trying to convey. My initial interpretation was that it’s a sad song. I was influenced by what I have read from forums saying the line “My father, my father, he liked me. Oh, he liked me, does anyone care?” was implying that she was sexually abused. But then, after listening to it over and over, I realized it’s not ironic nor it is talking about ugly childhood memories like what people are saying.

I think it’s about longing for the simple days when things are less complicated. As the title itself has suggested, this is in memory of the songwriter’s family. Perhaps, after all the successes and achievements that she had attained in life, she still yearns for the times when she didn’t care about fame, money or anything but her loved ones. So, the above mentioned line from the lyrics is literal. Her father liked her and that’s it.