The Cranberries’ drummer, Fergal Lawler, still gets emotional when he remembers the group’s singer Dolores O’Riordan (1971-2018), one of the most recognizable voices in 90s rock, and listens to her again on the deluxe edition that the band has decided to release as a tribute to the Irish singer after 33 years of their first album ‘Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?’.
“It wasn’t something we planned in detail, it just happened, and that’s also part of what makes this project special—it didn’t come from a strategy, but from something more natural. It’s a tribute and a great act of respect towards Dolores,” the 55-year-old musician explained in an interview with EFE.
More than 8 years after the artist was found dead in a bathtub following a tragic accident involving pills and alcohol, Lawler believes that the band’s fans “deserved” to be able to hear songs like ‘Sunday’ once again.
“Sabrina Carpenter and the visual journey of ‘House Tour’: A tribute to film, music and nostalgia”
Related content
Sabrina Carpenter reveals the premiere of the ‘House Tour’ music video
So, what was supposed to be a sound overhaul for Dolby Atmos turned into an almost collector’s edition.
This recent release will feature new configurations of the tracks, artistic notes from the band on each song and most importantly, two versions performed by the Mexican artists Bratty and ANASOF of the tracks ‘Linger’ and ‘Dreams’, respectively, the latter being sung in Spanish.
“Dolores always had great respect for the people of Latin America; she would have loved the idea. She always wanted to inspire young artists. I liked that it was in Spanish; it makes it special for the Latin American audience,” Lawler argues regarding the choice of artists.
The band always felt grateful for the large number of covers of ‘Dreams’ that were done in the 90s, a gesture that was “flattering and in very good taste,” jokes Lawler, who remembers when he was young and listened as a fan to groups like The Cure or Depeche Mode of that era.
Possible documentary
It has been just under seven years since the band disbanded after the release of their last album, ‘In the End’ (2019), and Lawler is aware that, in the midst of the rise of streaming platforms, it is inevitable that they will have their own documentary, although he asks for patience from fans to find a “respectful” way to carry it out.
“It’s about finding the right person, someone you can trust, who will tell Dolores’s story with care and respect. We’re going to do it, but it’s going to take time,” he says, sounding hurt.
The current composer acknowledges that “it would be nice” for the “fans” to hear some unknown stories that happened and to narrate in a prosperous way what was the journey of ‘The Cranberries’, who went from being opening acts for bands like Suede to having more than 30 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
“It’s going to be very hard to see all that material again, to listen to interviews with Dolores. It’s too emotional to bear,” she says.
ANASOF version
Anasof, a native of Oaxaca, had one week to prepare ‘Dreams’, a challenge that the singer took on by recalling her beginnings in music, when at seven years old her father taught her to play the guitar and she learned to sing versions of songs by rock groups like ‘The Cranberries’.
“I had the opportunity to record with the original tracks, literally Dolores’s raw vocals, and it was very powerful for me. Obviously, there were tears,” explains the 26-year-old artist.
In the song, the voices of ANASOF and O’Riordan merge, sometimes in Spanish and sometimes in English, forming a kind of duet through the years with a “simple” lyric, but with a “deep and complex” essence that the Mexican singer did not want to alter.
“This is the greatest opportunity and honor I’ve had in my career as a singer and songwriter. This could open a big door for people to get to know me, especially among the Latin audience,” she concludes.
On May 22nd, the full version of the album will be released to the public so that fans can enjoy ‘The Cranberries’, whether with the voice of Bratty, ANASOF or Dolores O’Riordan.
