Salvation (The Cranberries song)

"Salvation"
Single by The Cranberries
from the album To the Faithful Departed
B-side	Go Your Own Way
Released	6 April 1996 (UK)
Recorded	November - December 1995 Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin
Genre	Alternative rock, new wave, indie rock
Length	2:24
Label	Island
Writer(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)
Music sample Cranberries - "Salvation"

"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^[1] 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.

Content

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.

Track listing

1. Salvation
2. I'm Still Remembering
3. I Just shot John Lennon (Live)
4. Go Your Own Way

Music video

The music video for "Salvation" was directed in March 1996 by Olivier Dahan 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

Earthsuit, 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.

Chart performance

It 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 number-one (and stayed there for 4 weeks) on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart. In the UK, the single peaked at number 13. In the Irish Singles Chart it got to number 8, making it their third biggest hit on their home soil.

Charts

Chart (1994-1995)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[2]	8
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[3]	27
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[4]	32
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[5]	18
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	30
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[6]	20
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[7]	15
France (SNEP)[8]	13
Germany (Official German Charts)[9]	44
Ireland (IRMA)[10]	8
Italy (FIMI)[11]	5
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[12]	39
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13]	7
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[14]	12
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[15]	33
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[16]	35
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[17]	13
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay	21
U.S. Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks[18]	1
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks[18]	25
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Top 40[18]	33

References

1. http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement?page=1
2. "Australian-charts.com – The Cranberries – Salvation". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
3. "Austriancharts.at – The Cranberries – Salvation" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
4. "Ultratop.be – The Cranberries – Salvation" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
5. "Ultratop.be – The Cranberries – Salvation" (in French). Ultratop 50.
6. "Hits of the World: Eurochart (IFPI/Nielsen Marketing Research) 05/18/96". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. 108 (20): 46. 18 May 1996. ISSN 0006-2510.
7. "The Cranberries: Salvation" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
8. "Lescharts.com – The Cranberries – Salvation" (in French). Les classement single.
9. "Musicline.de – The Cranberries Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
10. "The Irish Charts – All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. IRMA. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
11. "Hit Parade Italia - Indice per Interprete: C". Hit Parade Italia. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
12. "Nederlandse Top 40 – The Cranberries search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
13. "Charts.org.nz – The Cranberries – Salvation". Top 40 Singles.
14. "Archive Chart: 1996-04-16". Scottish Singles Top 40.
15. "Swedishcharts.com – The Cranberries – Salvation". Singles Top 100.
16. "Swisscharts.com – The Cranberries – Salvation". Swiss Singles Chart.
17. "Archive Chart: 1996-04-16" UK Singles Chart.
18. "The Cranberries > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". allmusic. Retrieved 13 August 2009.