Ode to My Family
"Ode to My Family" is a song by Irish band the Cranberries. It was released on 21 November 1994 as the second single from their second studio album, No Need to Argue (1994). The song was a hit in Oceania and several European countries, peaking at number one in Iceland, and number four in France, and number five in Australia. In 2017, the song was released as an acoustic, stripped down version on the band's Something Else album.[4]
"Ode to My Family" | ||||
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Single by the Cranberries | ||||
from the album No Need to Argue | ||||
B-side | "So Cold in Ireland" | |||
Released | 21 November 1994[1] | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:31 | |||
Label | Island | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Stephen Street | |||
The Cranberries singles chronology | ||||
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Audio sample | ||||
"Ode to My Family"
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Music video | ||||
"Ode to My Family" on YouTube |
Composition
"Ode to My Family" is written in the key of D major with a tempo of 100 beats per minute. The entire piece follows the chord progression 4/4 |: D | Bm | F♯m | Gsus2 D/A :| ostinato.[5]
Content
The song is about Dolores O'Riordan's yearning for her simple life as a child after having achieved success,[6] and includes a string arrangement composed by O'Riordan.[7]
Critical reception
Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "Let Dolores be your station's guardian angel. Real Christmas family spirit is generated by this ballad which surpasses all the rest currently available when it comes to sincerity."[8] In 2018, Billboard and Stereogum ranked the song number eight and number four, respectively, on their lists of the top ten Cranberries songs.[9][10]
Music video
The single's music video, shot in black-and-white, was directed by Samuel Bayer. Bayer had also directed the band's video for their preceding single, "Zombie".
Bayer stated on his Facebook account that the "Ode to My Family" music video was cut by Robert Duffy (video editor), and the "Zombie" video was cut by Eric Zumbrennen.
Track listings
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UK 7-inch and cassette single[15][16]
US CD EP and Canadian CD single[17]
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Personnel
- Dolores O'Riordan – vocals, string arrangement
- Noel Hogan – electric and acoustic guitars
- Mike Hogan – bass guitar
- Fergal Lawler – drums and percussion
Charts and sales
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
Certifications and sales
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References
- "Ode to My Family". Amazon. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
- "Musicians mourn the loss of the Cranberries singer Dolores O'Riordan". Alternative Press. 15 January 2018. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
- Peacock, Tim (6 September 2020). "Best Cranberries Songs: 20 Essential Tracks That Linger On". uDiscover Music. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
- "The Cranberries Announce New Acoustic Album Something Else, Share "Linger": Listen". Pitchfork. March 14, 2017. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
- The Cranberries "Ode To My Family" Sheet Music musicnotes.com
- Randi Reisfeld (1996). This Is the Sound: The Best of Alternative Rock. Simon Pulse. pp. 32. ISBN 978-0-689-80670-4.
- Vladimir Bogdanov; Chris Woodstra; Stephen Thomas Erlewine (2002). All music guide to rock: the definitive guide to rock, pop, and soul. Backbeat Books. p. 263. ISBN 978-0-87930-653-3.
- "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 26 November 1994. p. 12. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
- Weiss, Dan (15 January 2018). "The 10 Best Cranberries Songs: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
- Vozick-Levinson, Simon (16 January 2018). "The 10 Best Cranberries Songs". Stereogum. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
- Ode to My Family (UK CD1 liner notes). The Cranberries. Island Records. 1994. CID 601, 854 159-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - Ode to My Family (Australian CD1 liner notes). The Cranberries. Island Records. 1994. 854159-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - Ode to My Family (UK CD2 liner notes). The Cranberries. Island Records. 1994. CIDX 601, 854 161-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - Ode to My Family (Australian CD2 liner notes). The Cranberries. Island Records. 1994. 854161-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - Ode to My Family (UK 7-inch single sleeve). The Cranberries. Island Records. 1994. IS 601, 854 158-7.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - Ode to My Family (UK cassette single sleeve). The Cranberries. Island Records. 1994. CIS 601, 854 158-4.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - Ode to My Family (US CD EP & Canadian CD single liner notes). The Cranberries. Island Records. 1994. 422-854 199-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - "The Cranberries – Ode to My Family". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- "The Cranberries – Ode to My Family" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- "Hits of the World: Canada". Billboard. 13 May 1995. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
- "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9026." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
- "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 32. 12 August 1995. p. 15. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
- "The Cranberries – Ode to My Family" (in French). Les classement single.
- "The Cranberries – Ode to My Family" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (21.01.1995 – 27.01.1995)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 21 January 1995. p. 20. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
- "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Ode to the Family". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
- "Nederlandse Top 40 – The Cranberries" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
- "The Cranberries – Ode to My Family" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
- "The Cranberries – Ode to My Family". Top 40 Singles.
- "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- "The Cranberries Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
- "The Cranberries Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
- "The Cranberries Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
- "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
- "The Cranberries Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
- "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles 1995". ARIA. Retrieved 18 January 2018 – via Imgur.
- "Tops de L'année | Top Singles 1995" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
- "Árslistinn 1995". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 January 1996. p. 16. Retrieved 30 May 2020.