Linger (song)



"Linger" is a song composed by Irish musicians Dolores O'Riordan and Noel Hogan of the rock band The Cranberries, released in 1993. The song, which has an acoustic arrangement featuring a string section, became the band's first major hit, peaking at #3 in the Republic of Ireland, #8 in the United States, and #14 in the United Kingdom.

The song remained in the Billboard Hot 100 for 24 weeks.

The song was voted by Triple J listeners as #3 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 1993 chart. In 2017, the song was released as an acoustic, stripped-down version on the band's lead single for Something Else album.

Content
In the documentary  '99 Love Life & Rock 'n' Roll, O'Riordan says that the song is about her first serious kiss. Originally, the lyrics were written by Cranberries' first singer Niall Quinn. After O'Riordan was hired as the lead singer for the band, she wrote her own set of lyrics, turning it into a song of regret based on a soldier she once fell in love with.

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.

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

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 2006 movie Click where it first played during the bar scene. In addition, Dolores O'Riordan made an appearance performing "Linger" in the wedding reception scene.

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.
 * 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 A.V. Undercover series.
 * Pakistani-American singer Nadia Ali released a cover of the song in 2018 under her side-project HYLLS.