Salvation (The Cranberries song)

"Salvation" is the lead single from Irish rock band The Cranberries' third studio album, To the Faithful Departed. The single had some success in the United States, where it reached number one on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart for four weeks, and it was a chart hit in Europe and Australia, peaking at number four in Iceland, number six in Italy, number seven in New Zealand, and number eight in Australia and Ireland. It also reached the top 20 in Walloon Belgium, Finland, France, and the United Kingdom.

"Salvation"
Single by The Cranberries
from the album To the Faithful Departed
B-side	"I'm Still Remembering" "I Just Shot John Lennon" (live) "Go Your Own Way"
Released	6 April 1996
Recorded	November–December 1995
Studio	Windmill Lane (Dublin, Ireland)
Genre	Alternative rock punk rock[1]
Length	2:24
Label	Island
Songwriter(s)	Dolores O'Riordan Noel Hogan
Producer(s)	Bruce Fairbairn The Cranberries
The Cranberries singles chronology
"Ridiculous Thoughts" (1995) "Salvation" (1996) "Free to Decide" (1996)
Audio sample
Cranberries - "Salvation" file help

Content

"Salvation" talks about drug abuse, and how one should refrain from falling into it.[1] 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 be an anti-drug song per se, but "kind of anti the idea of becoming totally controlled by anything, any substance at all", O'Riordan stated to Kurt Loder—adding that she knew what it was like and that "it wasn’t a nice experience and it didn’t get me anywhere. It just confused me more".[2] She explained that the meaning behind the song was "reality [being] reality, and unfortunately, no how much you go away, you come back, and it's always here".[3]

Critical response

Dan Caffrey of Consequence of Sound wrote that the song "features an abrasive horn section and punk rock aesthetic that fit in quite nicely with the remainder of the video, which makes you forget about front-woman Dolores O'Riordan's overreaching words pretty quickly".[1] Roisin O'Connor of The Independent described "Salvation" as a "fast-tempo track that served as a scathing condemnation of growing drug abuse in Ireland was taken from the band’s 1996 album To the Faithful Departed, around the same time as ecstasy use reached alarming new heights.[4]

Music video

The music video for "Salvation" was directed in March 1996 by Olivier Dahan in France,[1] for the company Bandits Productions.[5]

The video was the last video for the band to gain heavy rotation on MTV, as later singles failed to gain traction on the network.[2] The video featured a crazed clown (a hybrid of horror monsters Freddy Krueger, Pennywise, and Pinhead) floating around a castle and its surroundings and driving around in a car a group of young girls, implied to be in the thralls of drug addiction.[1] The video cuts between images of Dolores O'Riordan singing the song and a pair of adults, who alternate between trying to wake a comatose daughter from her slumber, and the evil clown tying up and terrorizing the couple (who are now in latex catsuits) with the now awake daughter kissing the clown.[1]

"Salvation" was nominated for the MTV Video Music Award for Best Art Direction, held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, NY, 4 September 1996.[6][7]

Track listings

UK 7-inch single (ISJB 633) "Salvation" (Album Version) (2:24) "I'm Still Remembering" (Album Version) (4:49) UK limited-edition CD maxi-single (854 619-2 / CIDX 633) "Salvation" (2:24) "I'm Still Remembering" (Album Version) (4:49) "I Just Shot John Lennon" (Live Version) (2:23) UK and European CD single (CID 633 / 854 617-2) "Salvation" (2:24) "I'm Still Remembering" (Album Version) (4:49) "I Just Shot John Lennon" (Live Version) (2:23) UK cassette single (CIS 633 / 854 616-4) "Salvation" (2:22) "I'm Still Remembering" (Album Version) (4:48)

Australian CD maxi single (854 617-2) "Salvation" (2:24) "I'm Still Remembering" (Album Version) (4:49) "I Just Shot John Lennon" (Live Version) (2:23) European CD card sleeve single (854 616-2 / CIDT 633) "Salvation" (2:24) "I'm Still Remembering" (Album Version) (4:49) European CD single promo (CIDDJ 633) "Salvation" (2:24) Mexico CD promo (CDP 402) "Salvation" (2:24)

• Note: "I Just Shot John Lennon" (Live Version) was recorded live at The Point, Dublin on 2 June 1995 for Radio Telefis Eireann.

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (1996) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[8] 8 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[9] 27 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[10] 32 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[11] 18 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[12] 30 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[13] 2 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[14] 20 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[15] 15 France (SNEP)[16] 13 Germany (Official German Charts)[17] 44 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[18] 4 Ireland (IRMA)[19] 8 Italy (Musica e dischi)[20] 6 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[21] 39 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[22] 36 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[23] 7 Scotland (OCC)[24] 12 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[25] 33 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 35 UK Singles (OCC)[27] 13 US Radio Songs (Billboard)[28] 21 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[29] 1 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[30] 25 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[31] 33

Year-end charts Chart (1996) Position Australia (ARIA)[32] 79 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[33] 74 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[34] 43 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[35] 40 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales New Zealand (RMNZ)[36] Gold 5,000^* ^*sales figures based on certification alone

Cover versions

Earthsuit, a Christian rock group, performed a live cover of this song during their last few tours.[37][38]

Prayer for Cleansing, a vegan straight edge hardcore group, covered the song on their EP The Tragedy released in 2004.[39]

Senses Fail, an emo / post-hardcore group, covered this song as a bonus track on their 2006 album Still Searching.[40]

Ursula, a hardcore / crust punk group from California, covered the song on their 2019 second 4-track EP Regurgitate.[41]

References

1. Caffrey, Dan (12 November 2008). "Ridiculously Awesome Music Videos: The Cranberries' "Salvation"". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on 5 July 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
2. Snapes, Laura (15 January 2018). "The Cranberries: five of Dolores O'Riordan's best performances". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 5 July 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
3. "Cranberries "Departed"". MTV News. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
4. O'Connor, Roisin (15 January 2018). "Dolores O'Riordan dead: 9 of the best songs by The Cranberries - Iconic frontwoman has died aged 46". The Independent. UK. Archived from the original on 5 July 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
5. Rège, Philippe (16 December 2009). Encyclopedia of French Film Directors. 1. France: Scarecrow Press. p. 278. ISBN 978-0-810-86137-4.
6. Reece, Douglas (10 August 1996). "MTV Video Awards Noms". Billboard. 108 (32): 84. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original on 5 July 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
7. "1996 MTV Video Music Awards". Rock On The Net. n.d. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
8. "Australian-charts.com – The Cranberries – Salvation". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
9. "Austriancharts.at – The Cranberries – Salvation" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
10. "Ultratop.be – The Cranberries – Salvation" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
11. "Ultratop.be – The Cranberries – Salvation" (in French). Ultratop 50.
12. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3013." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
13. "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 2967." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
14. "Hits of the World: Eurochart (IFPI/Nielsen Marketing Research) 05/18/96". Billboard. Vol. 108 no. 20. Nielsen Business Media. 18 May 1996. p. 46. ISSN 0006-2510.
15. "The Cranberries: Salvation" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
16. "Lescharts.com – The Cranberries – Salvation" (in French). Les classement single.
17. "Offiziellecharts.de – The Cranberries – Salvation". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
18. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (1.6. – 7.6. '96)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 1 June 1996. p. 26. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
19. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Salvation". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
20. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13 no. 20. 18 May 1996. p. 28. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
21. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 19, 1996" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 23 February 2019.
22. "Dutchcharts.nl – The Cranberries – Salvation" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
23. "Charts.nz – The Cranberries – Salvation". Top 40 Singles.
24. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
25. "Swedishcharts.com – The Cranberries – Salvation". Singles Top 100.
26. "Swisscharts.com – The Cranberries – Salvation". Swiss Singles Chart.
27. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
28. "The Cranberries Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
29. "The Cranberries Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
30. "The Cranberries Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
31. "The Cranberries Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
32. "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles 1996". Australian Record Industry Association. Archived from the original on 2 November 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2019 – via Imgur.
33. "Rapports annuels 1996" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
34. "RPM Year End Alternative Top 50". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
35. "Árslistinn 1996". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 January 1997. p. 25. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
36. "New Zealand single certifications – The Cranberries – Salvation". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
37. "Earthsuit releases new album". The Christian Post. Washington, D.C. 12 November 2003. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
38. Aaron Saraco (27 July 2007). Earthsuit - Fire Escape 05/17/02 - Salvation/Distortion. New Providence: Aaron Saraco. Retrieved 5 July 2020 – via YouTube.
39. "Prayer For Cleansing - Tragedy - Released on July 23, 2004". Interpunk. n.d. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
40. "Senses Fail Still Searching". antiMusic. 1 October 2007. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
41. Ramirez, Carlos (15 April 2019). "Ursula: Cali Hardcore Punkers Take on The Cranberries' "Salvation" on New EP". No Echo. Archived from the original on 5 July 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.