The Cranberries‘ 1994 album, No Need to Argue, celebrates its 30th anniversary Thursday, and drummer Fergal Lawler is looking back at the record in honor of the milestone.
“We feel so honored that these songs have had such a lasting impact on people’s lives,” Lawler says in a press statement. “We have heard so many stories of when people first heard The Cranberries on a tape or CD borrowed from a friend and then explored further eventually becoming hardcore fans.”
No Need to Argue is certified seven-times Platinum by the RIAA, and it spawned the hit single “Zombie,” which late frontwoman Dolores O’Riordan wrote about the 1993 bombing in Warrington, England, during the time of conflict in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles.
“We had to fight to have [‘Zombie’] released as the first single as a lot of music industry people were concerned that it was too controversial,” Lawler says. “We felt justified when the song became a success.”
“‘Zombie’ meant a lot to us because of the heartbreaking story behind the lyrics and we are surprised but also very proud of the impact the song has had and still continues to have,” he continues. “It’s a testament to the belief Dolores had in writing about situations that moved her emotionally.”
Following O’Riordan’s passing in 2018, The Cranberries released a final album, In the End, in 2019. They’ve since put out a number of archival releases, and Lawler hints at a possible No Need to Argue reissue.
“It was difficult to trawl through all the old material as it brings up so many memories and it’s hard not to feel saddened by Dolores’ passing,” Lawler says. “Songs that not many people might be familiar with like ‘Yesterday’s Gone,’ ‘Away’ and ‘I Don’t Need’ bring up many conflicting emotions.”
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