Linger (song)

"Linger" is a song by Irish alternative rock band The Cranberries from their debut studio album Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? (1993). Composed by band members Dolores O'Riordan and Noel Hogan, and produced by Stephen Street, "Linger" was first released as the second and final single from the album on 23 February 1993, by Island Records. It was later re-released worldwide on 17 February 1994.

"Linger"
Artwork for 1994 European release (UK CD single pictured)
Single by The Cranberries
from the album Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?
B-side	"Liar" "Reason" "Them"
Released	23 February 1993 17 February 1994 (re-issue)
Recorded	1992
Genre	Alternative rock soft rock
Length	4:34
Label	Island
Songwriter(s)	Dolores O'Riordan Noel Hogan
Producer(s)	Stephen Street
The Cranberries singles chronology
"Dreams" (1992) "Linger" (1993) "Zombie" (1994)
Audio sample
file help
Music video
"Linger" on YouTube
Alternative cover
Artwork for 1994 North American release (US vinyl and CD single pictured)

"Linger", which has an acoustic arrangement featuring a string section, became the band's first major hit, peaking at number three in their native Ireland, number eight in the United States,[1] and number 14 in the United Kingdom. The single remained on the US Billboard Hot 100 for 24 weeks. "Linger" was voted by Triple J listeners as number three on the Triple J Hottest 100, 1993 chart.

In 1990, "Linger" was released on a demo tape with "Dreams" in Ireland only in the summer of that year under their initial band name, The Cranberry Saw Us.[2] In 2017, an acoustic, stripped-down version of "Linger" was released as the lead single from the band's seventh studio album Something Else.[3]

Background

Originally, the lyrics to "Linger" were written by Cranberries' first singer Niall Quinn. After O'Riordan was auditioned as the lead singer for the band, she wrote her own set of lyrics, turning it into a song of regret based on a 17 year-old soldier she once fell in love with.[4][5] Drummer Fergal Lawler recalled the process in an interview, saying:

It was a Sunday afternoon. She arrived with a keyboard under her arm, just set it up and played a few songs. We couldn't really hear her because she was singing through a guitar amp or something. I gave her a lift up to the bus stop and I was saying, 'Will we see you next week?' 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'.[6]

In the documentary '99 Love Life & Rock 'n' Roll, O'Riordan says that the song is about her first serious kiss.

"Linger" has since become one of the band's most famous songs. In a 2012 interview, O'Riordan commented, "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".[7]

In an interview for New Musical Express, guitarist Noel Hogan said of the song:

It's only really since Dolores passed away that I've grown a proper appreciation for songs like 'Linger' and 'Dreams'. They were just songs in the set list for us; everybody else was losing their mind about them. And when I listen to them now I realise how great they are for someone so young, which I never, ever appreciated until a year ago. We must have played it a gazillion times in our lives and it just becomes a part of the set, but it’s different now. We’re so lucky to have left that behind, to have that legacy.[8]

Critical reception

Jason Elias of AllMusic described "Linger" as "a song of regret, epic in scope and sweeping", praising the instrumentation and O'Riordan vocals: "While this isn't lyrically novel, the full-on emotionality of lead singer Dolores O'Riordan makes this stand out. Singing in a strong Irish brogue she comes off both needy and detached here. It's that emotion that powers this track".[9]

The song ranked at number 86 on Vh1's 100 Greatest Songs of the '90s.[10]

Music video

The music video for "Linger", shot in grayscale, is a tribute to Jean-Luc Godard's 1965 science fiction noir film Alphaville. In one of the rooms of the hotel a silent film is being shown which features 1950s stripper Blaze Starr.[11]

Track listing

North American CD Single (1993)

1. "Linger" (Album Version) – 4:34
2. "Liar" (Previously Unreleased) – 2:22
3. "Them" (Previously Unreleased) – 3:43
4. "Reason"(Previously Unreleased) – 2:02

"Liar" has previously appeared on the Dreams single. "Them" and "Reason" are written by Dolores O'Riordan and Noel Hogan.

UK and European 12" Single

1. "Linger" (Album Version) – 4:34
2. "Reason" (Previously Unreleased) – 2:02
3. "How" (Radical Mix) – 2:58

US CD Single/Promo

1. "Linger" (Edit) – 4:11
2. "Linger" (Album Version) – 4:34

US 7" Single/Promo

1. "Linger" (Album Version) – 4:34
2. "Dreams" (Album Version) – 4:32

Cassette Singles

US Cassingle

1. "Linger" (Album Version) – 4:34
2. "How" – 2:56

UK Cassingle

1. "Linger" (Album Version) – 4:34
2. "Reason" (Previously Unreleased) – 2:02

UK and European CD Single (1994)

1. "Linger" (Album Version) – 4:34
2. "Pretty" – 2:16
3. "Waltzing Back" (Live at The Record Plant, Hollywood) – 4:01
4. "Pretty" (Live at The Record Plant, Hollywood) – 2:11

UK and European 7" Single

1. "Linger" (Album Version) – 4:34
2. "Pretty" – 2:16

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (1993–94) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[12] 33 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[13] 4 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[14] 5 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[15] 6 Ireland (IRMA)[16] 3 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[17] 38 Scotland (Official Charts Company)[18] 8 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[19] 14 US Billboard Hot 100[20] 8 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[21] 18 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[22] 4 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[23] 7 Chart (2018) Peak position Italy (FIMI)[24] 89 Portugal (AFP)[25] 100 US Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[26] 12[27] US Billboard Hot Rock Songs[28] 6 US Billboard Rock Digital Song Sales[29] 2 US Billboard Rock Streaming Songs[30] 9 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[31] 47 Ireland (IRMA)[32] 11

Year-end charts Chart (1994) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[33] 47 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[34] 68 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[35] 68 US Billboard Hot 100[36] 49 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales United Kingdom (BPI)[37] Platinum 600,000 United States (RIAA)[38] Gold 500,000^^ ^^shipments figures based on certification alone sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Usage in media

The song was used in episode 18 of the second season of ABC's show Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 where one of the main characters June called it "her breakup song". "Linger" also appeared on an episode of Hindsight.

The song was also used in the 1994 movie Camp Nowhere and twice in the 2006 movie Click, starring Adam Sandler. It first played during the flashback first kiss scene between Sandler's character and his wife (Kate Beckinsale); in addition, Dolores O'Riordan made an appearance performing a swing-style arrangement of the song at Sandler's character's son (Jake Hoffman)'s wedding reception scene towards the end of the movie.

The song was heard on the television show NCIS (S16 Ep 14 "Once Upon a Tim").

The song was used in the third episode of season two of Amy Schumer’s Inside Amy Schumer, during the “Calling the Cable Company” skit.

The song was used in the first episode of season two of Community. In the episode, an Irish singer hired by Abed, sang a revised version of the song as part of the episode's failed wedding ceremony between Britta and Jeff. The singer character was portrayed by the singer Kasey Truman, who goes by the stage name Deerheart.

Covers

• Brazilian TV host Angélica sang a cover version titled "Se A Gente Se Entender" ("If We Understand Each Other"), which also received a music video.
• Chicago punk band Screeching Weasel covered the song on their album Emo.
• Dolores O'Riordan sang this song as a duet with Simon Le Bon at the Pavarotti & Friends Concert for the Children of Bosnia.[39]
• Kelly Clarkson has covered the song.
• Collegiate a cappella group the Beelzebubs covered the song on their album Pandæmonium.
• The Malaysian band called Estranged made a cover of this track to be included on their second album, Anugerah Hidup.
• A section of the song is sung with the lyrics changed in the NBC comedy Community.
• American indie rock band Real Estate performed a version of the song in August 2014 for The A.V. Club's A.V. Undercover series.[40]
• Pakistani-American singer Nadia Ali released a cover of the song in 2018 under her side-project HYLLS.[41]
• American pop punk band Punchline (band) have covered the song.

References

1. Billboard.com.
2. Bray, Elisa. "The Cranberries on losing Dolores O'Riordan: 'She was in a good place – it made it harder to get that call'". The Independent. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
3. "The Cranberries Announce New Acoustic Album Something Else, Share "Linger": Listen". Pitchfork. 14 March 2017. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
4. "Linger" by The Cranberries - SongFacts (accessed 25 August 2016)
5. Mundy, Chris; Mundy, Chris (1994-04-21). "The Cranberries: The Hidden Power of Dreams". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2020-02-15.
6. Browne, David. "The Making of the Cranberries' Haunted Farewell". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
7. Kaplan, Ben. "The Cranberries: Everybody else is reuniting, so why can't they?" (PDF). National Post. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
8. Aubrey, Elizabeth. "The Cranberries on their final album: "It's like a little gift Dolores left behind"". NME. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
9. Elias, Jason. "Linger - The Cranberries | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved 2020-02-15.
10. "VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the '90s". spinditty.com. 18 November 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
11. The Cranberries - Linger on YouTube (uploaded 16 June 2009)
12. "Australian-charts.com – The Cranberries – Linger". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
13. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2389." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
14. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2408." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
15. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (17.–23. feb.)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 17 February 1994. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
16. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Linger". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
17. "Charts.nz – The Cranberries – Linger". Top 40 Singles.
18. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
19. "The Cranberries: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
20. "The Cranberries Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
21. "The Cranberries Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
22. "The Cranberries Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
23. "The Cranberries Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
24. "Italiancharts.com – The Cranberries – Linger". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
25. "Portuguesecharts.com – The Cranberries – Linger". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
26. "The Cranberries Chart History (Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
27. https://www.billboard.com/charts/digital-song-sales
28. https://www.billboard.com/music/the-cranberries/chart-history/rock-songs
29. https://www.billboard.com/music/the-cranberries/chart-history/rock-digital-song-sales
30. https://www.billboard.com/music/the-cranberries/chart-history/rock-streaming-songs
31. "Official Charts > Cranberries". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
32. https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/irish-singles-chart/
33. "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1994". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
34. "RPM Top 100 AC tracks of 1994". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
35. "Árslistinn 1994". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 January 1995. p. 25. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
36. Musicoutfitters.com
37. "British single certifications – Cranberries – Linger". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
38. "American single certifications – The Cranberries – Linger". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 3 July 2020. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
39. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxSwun3XMZQ
40. Modell, Josh (19 August 2014). "Real Estate covers The Cranberries". The A.V. Club. Onion, Inc. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
41. Damoui, Yasmin (28 January 2018). "EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Nadia Ali Steps Out of the Nightclub & Into the Spotlight with New Project, HYLLS". Ones To Watch. Archived from the original on 18 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.