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Ode to My Family
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Ode to My Family
| cover = OdeToMyFamilycover.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = the Cranberries
| album = No Need to Argue
| B-side = So Cold in Ireland
| released =
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
* Alternative rock
* jangle pop
| length =
| label = Island
| writer =
* Dolores O'Riordan
* Noel Hogan
| producer = Stephen Street
| prev_title = Zombie
| prev_year = 1994
| next_title = I Can't Be with You
| next_year = 1995
| misc =
}}
"'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, topping the charts in Iceland, and reaching number four in France, number five in Australia, and number eight in New Zealand. In 2017, the song was released as an acoustic, stripped down version on the band's 'Something Else' album.
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 | Fm | Gsus2 D/A :| ostinato.[http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0091276 The Cranberries "Ode To My Family" Sheet Music] musicnotes.com
Content
The song, written by singer Dolores O'Riordan and guitarist Noel Hogan, is about O'Riordan's yearning for her simple life as a child after having achieved success, and includes a string arrangement composed by O'Riordan.
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." In 2018, 'Billboard' and 'Stereogum' ranked the song number eight and number four, respectively, on their lists of the top ten Cranberries songs.
Music video
The single's music video, shot in black-and-white, was directed by Samuel Bayer, who 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
'UK and Australian CD1'
# "Ode to My Family"
# "So Cold in Ireland"
# "No Need to Argue" (live on the 'Later with Jools Holland', June 1994)
# "Dreaming My Dreams" (live on the 'Later with Jools Holland', June 1994)
'UK and Australian CD2'
# "Ode to My Family" (live at File, Tipperary, 30 July 1994)
# "Dreams" (live at File, Tipperary, 30 July 1994)
# "Ridiculous Thoughts" (live at File, Tipperary, 30 July 1994)
# "Zombie" (live at File, Tipperary, 30 July 1994)
'UK 7-inch and cassette single'
# "Ode to My Family"
# "So Cold in Ireland"
'US CD EP and Canadian CD single'
# "Ode to My Family" (album version) 4:32
# "So Cold in Ireland" 4:43
# "Dreaming My Dreams" (live on the 'Later with Jools Holland', June 1994) 3:52
# "Zombie" (live at File, Tipperary, 30 July 1994) 5:17
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
Year-end charts
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"!Chart (1995)
!Position
|-
!scope="row"|Australia (ARIA)
|93
|-
!scope="row"|France (SNEP)
|28
|-
!scope="row"|Iceland (slenski Listinn Topp 40)
|10
|}
Certifications and sales
References
Category:The Cranberries songs
Category:1990s ballads
Category:1994 singles
Category:1994 songs
Category:Black-and-white music videos
Category:Jangle pop songs
Category:Music videos directed by Samuel Bayer
Category:Number-one singles in Iceland
Category:Rock ballads
Category:Song recordings produced by Stephen Street
Category:Songs about families
Category:Songs written by Dolores O'Riordan
Category:Songs written by Noel Hogan
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