Ode to My Family

"Ode to My Family"
Single by The Cranberries
from the album No Need to Argue
B-side	So Cold In Ireland
Released	21 November 1994 (UK)
Format	CD single, 7" single
Recorded	1994
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	4:32
Label	Island
Writer(s)	Dolores O'Riordan Noel Hogan
Producer(s)	Stephen Street
The Cranberries singles chronology
"Zombie" (1994) "Ode to My Family" (1994) "I Can't Be With You" (1995)
Music sample "Ode to My Family" Music video "Ode to My Family" on YouTube

"Ode to My Family" is a 1994 song recorded by the Irish band The Cranberries. It was released in November 1994 as the second single from their second studio album No Need to Argue. The song was a hit in most of the European countries where it was released, peaking at number four in France, its highest position internationally, and number five in Australia. This ballad was less successful than the previous Cranberries single, "Zombie".

Composition

"Ode to My Family" is written in the key of D major with a tempo of 100 beats per minute. It follows a chord progression of D-Bm-F♯m-Gmaj7-D^[1]

Content

The song is about Dolores's yearning for her simple life as a child after having achieved success,^[2] and includes a string arrangement composed by O'Riordan.^[3]

Music video

The single's music video, shot on black-and-white, was directed by Samuel Bayer. Bayer had also directed the band's video for their preceding single, "Zombie".

Track listings

7" single

1. "Ode to My Family"
2. "So Cold in Ireland"

CD single

1. "Ode to My Family"
2. "So Cold in Ireland"
3. "No Need to Argue" (live on the "Later with Jools Holland" BBC TV Programme)
4. "Dreaming My Dreams" (live on the "Later with Jools Holland" BBC TV Programme)

Limited Edition CD single

1. "Ode to My Family" (live at Feile, Tipperary, 30 July 1994)
2. "Dreams" (live at Feile, Tipperary, 30 July 1994)
3. "Ridiculous Thoughts" (live at Feile, Tipperary, 30 July 1994)
4. "Zombie" (live at Feile, Tipperary, 30 July 1994)

CD single - Canada

1. "Ode to My Family" (album version) - 4:32
2. "So Cold in Ireland" - 4:43
3. "Dreaming My Dreams" (live on the "Later with Jools Holland" BBC TV Programme) - 3:52
4. "Zombie" (live at Feile, Tipperary, 30 July 1994) - 5:17

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1995)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[4]	5
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[5]	18
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[6]	25
France (SNEP)[7]	4
Germany (Official German Charts)[8]	29
Ireland (IRMA)[9]	16
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[10]	19
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[11]	8
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[12]	18
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[13]	26
U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream[14]	35
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay[14]	38
U.S. Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks[14]	11

Year-end charts

Chart (1995)	Position
French Singles Chart[15]	28

References

1. The Cranberries "Ode To My Family" Sheet Music musicnotes.com
2. Randi Reisfeld (1996). This Is the Sound: The Best of Alternative Rock. Simon Pulse. p. 32. ISBN 978-0-689-80670-4.
3. 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.
4. "Australian-charts.com – The Cranberries – Ode to My Family". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
5. "Ultratop.be – The Cranberries – Ode to My Family" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
6. "Top Singles - Volume 61, No. 14, May 08 1995". RPM. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
7. "Lescharts.com – The Cranberries – Ode to My Family" (in French). Les classement single.
8. "Musicline.de – The Cranberries Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
9. Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie Archived 2009-06-03 at WebCite (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
10. "Nederlandse Top 40 – The Cranberries search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
11. "Charts.org.nz – The Cranberries – Ode to My Family". Top 40 Singles.
12. "Archive Chart: 1994-12-04". Scottish Singles Top 40.
13. "Archive Chart: 1994-12-03" UK Singles Chart.
14. Billboard allmusic.com (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
15. 1995 French Singles Chart Disqueenfrance.com Archived March 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. (Retrieved January 30, 2009)