Salvation (The Cranberries song)
Encyclopedia
"Salvation" is the lead single for The Cranberries
third studio album To the Faithful Departed
. The single had some success in the US (where it was #1 on Billboard's Modern Rock chart for four weeks), it reached number 8 in the Irish charts and had success in the UK, and it showed the true colours of the new album having a darker and rawer sound than the group had previously showed.
It talks about drug abuse, and how one should refrain from falling into it. The directness of the song was regarded as bland and too preachy by the media and critics, but Dolores O'Riordan
said that it wasn't supposed to tell people what to do, but it was rather a personal reflection.
during the 1995 sessions for To The Faithful Departed.
The music on Salvation was written by Dolores O'Riordan
and Noel Hogan
. The lyrics were written by O'Riordan
. Produced by Bruce Fairbairn
and engineered by Mike Plotnikoff.
The horn section on Salvation was performed by Richie Buckley (Tenor Sax), Michael Buckley (Baritone Sax) and Bruce Fairbairn
(Trumpet).
There was no CD single issued in the US, and thus, it didn't make it into the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It reached #1 (and stayed there for 4 weeks) on the US Modern Rock Tracks
chart. In the UK, the single peaked at #13.
In the Irish Singles Chart
it got to #8, making it their third biggest hit on their home soil.
in France, for the company Bandits Productions.
It is one of the most acclaimed videos by the band's fans. It has a bizarre mood, and notorious references to drug use and abuse. It shows a clown with needles instead of hair, a confused girl whose parents are being held by the clown, all in a torn house at the top of a hill.
The bizarre images are supposed to represent the effects drugs have on people. The clown jumping on the teddy bear is a symbol of the loss of innocence, and the trapped parents show how drugs are a problem that affect not only the consumer, but also his or her close relatives/friends.
, a Christian group performed a live cover of this song during their last few tours.
Senses Fail
covered this song in a bonus track on their album Still Searching
.
Prayer For Cleansing
, a vegan straight edge hardcore band covered the song on their EP The Tragedy released in 2004.
Silent Majority
recorded and released a cover version on the obscure Dynamite Rose comp 7".
Dylan Sizemore, an indie artist from Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, recorded and released a cover of the song on his album released March 19, 2011.
The Cranberries
The Cranberries are an Irish rock band formed in Limerick in 1989 under the name The Cranberry Saw Us, later changed by vocalist Dolores O'Riordan. The band currently consists of O'Riordan, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan and drummer Fergal Lawler...
third studio album To the Faithful Departed
To the Faithful Departed
To the Faithful Departed is the third studio album by Irish rock band The Cranberries, released in 1996. This album was made in memory of Denny Cordell who signed the band to Island Records and Joe , who had both died that year.In the U.S., the album has sold 1.7 million copies as of April 2007...
. The single had some success in the US (where it was #1 on Billboard's Modern Rock chart for four weeks), it reached number 8 in the Irish charts and had success in the UK, and it showed the true colours of the new album having a darker and rawer sound than the group had previously showed.
It talks about drug abuse, and how one should refrain from falling into it. The directness of the song was regarded as bland and too preachy by the media and critics, but Dolores O'Riordan
Dolores O'Riordan
Dolores Mary Eileen O'Riordan is an Irish musician, singer and songwriter. She led The Cranberries to worldwide success and fame for 13 years before the band took a hiatus in 2003. Her first solo album Are You Listening? was released in May 2007...
said that it wasn't supposed to tell people what to do, but it was rather a personal reflection.
Song profile
"Salvation" was recorded at Windmill Lane StudiosWindmill Lane Studios
Windmill Lane Studios, also known as the "U2 studio", is a three-storey music recording studio located in Dublin, Ireland. It is located on Windmill Lane, a small street just south of City Quay and the River Liffey and a little north of Pearse Station. It was opened in 1978 by Brian Masterson who...
during the 1995 sessions for To The Faithful Departed.
The music on Salvation was written by Dolores O'Riordan
Dolores O'Riordan
Dolores Mary Eileen O'Riordan is an Irish musician, singer and songwriter. She led The Cranberries to worldwide success and fame for 13 years before the band took a hiatus in 2003. Her first solo album Are You Listening? was released in May 2007...
and Noel Hogan
Noel Hogan
Noel Anthony Hogan is the guitarist and co-songwriter of The Cranberries.With The Cranberries on hiatus from 2003–2009, Noel turned to focus on his own music. He began working with programmer Matt Vaughan, who had already done work on unreleased Cranberries songs and Dolores O'Riordan's solo...
. The lyrics were written by O'Riordan
Dolores O'Riordan
Dolores Mary Eileen O'Riordan is an Irish musician, singer and songwriter. She led The Cranberries to worldwide success and fame for 13 years before the band took a hiatus in 2003. Her first solo album Are You Listening? was released in May 2007...
. Produced by Bruce Fairbairn
Bruce Fairbairn
Bruce Earl Fairbairn was a Canadian musician and international record producer from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He was active as a producer from 1976 to 1999 and is considered one of the best of his era...
and engineered by Mike Plotnikoff.
The horn section on Salvation was performed by Richie Buckley (Tenor Sax), Michael Buckley (Baritone Sax) and Bruce Fairbairn
Bruce Fairbairn
Bruce Earl Fairbairn was a Canadian musician and international record producer from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He was active as a producer from 1976 to 1999 and is considered one of the best of his era...
(Trumpet).
Single release & chart performance
"Salvation" was released as a single in April 1996. A hit in the US, the song also crashed into the UK charts at #13, making it the band's second biggest hit.There was no CD single issued in the US, and thus, it didn't make it into the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It reached #1 (and stayed there for 4 weeks) on the US Modern Rock Tracks
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...
chart. In the UK, the single peaked at #13.
In the Irish Singles Chart
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
it got to #8, making it their third biggest hit on their home soil.
Music video
The music video for "Salvation" was directed in March 1996 by Olivier DahanOlivier Dahan
Olivier Dahan is a French film director and screenwriter. His third directed film, La Vie En Rose, was the first French cinema film ever to win two Academy Awards, including its first acting Oscar in the French language.-Biography:...
in France, for the company Bandits Productions.
It is one of the most acclaimed videos by the band's fans. It has a bizarre mood, and notorious references to drug use and abuse. It shows a clown with needles instead of hair, a confused girl whose parents are being held by the clown, all in a torn house at the top of a hill.
The bizarre images are supposed to represent the effects drugs have on people. The clown jumping on the teddy bear is a symbol of the loss of innocence, and the trapped parents show how drugs are a problem that affect not only the consumer, but also his or her close relatives/friends.
Cover versions
EarthsuitEarthsuit
Earthsuit was a short-lived New Orleans-based Christian rock band formed in 1995. The band consisted of guitarist Dave Rumsey, keyboardist/vocalist Paul Meany, bassist Roy Mitchell, drummer David "Hutch" Hutchison, and vocalist Adam LaClave...
, a Christian group performed a live cover of this song during their last few tours.
Senses Fail
Senses Fail
Senses Fail is an American post-hardcore band from Ridgewood, New Jersey. Formed in 2002, the line up initially consisted of vocalist Buddy Nielsen, drummer Dan Trapp, guitarists Dave Miller and Garrett Zablocki and being completed by bassist Mike Glita. The band quickly issued their debut EP, From...
covered this song in a bonus track on their album Still Searching
Still Searching
-Track listing:- Personnel :Senses Fail*James "Buddy" Nielsen – lead vocals*Garrett Zablocki – guitar, backing vocals*Dan Trapp – drums*Heath Saraceno – guitar, backing vocals*Mike Glita - bass, backing vocalsProduction*Produced by Brian McTernan...
.
Prayer For Cleansing
Prayer for Cleansing
Prayer for Cleansing was a vegan straight edge metalcore band from Raleigh, North Carolina with elements of hardcore punk and melodic death metal.-Biography:...
, a vegan straight edge hardcore band covered the song on their EP The Tragedy released in 2004.
Silent Majority
Silent Majority
Silent Majority was a Swiss rap and hip hop music group. Founded in 1994 they were produced by Goetz . Considered turntable pioneers at the forefront of Swiss hip-hop, Silent majority are unusual within the scene, defining themselves as "funky multi-linguals", and rap in “a mixture of English,...
recorded and released a cover version on the obscure Dynamite Rose comp 7".
Dylan Sizemore, an indie artist from Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, recorded and released a cover of the song on his album released March 19, 2011.