Artist: The Cranberries
Released on: Roses (Track #11)
Duration: 3:41

LYRICS

Life is no garden of roses, more like a thistle in time
Sailing passed, waiting for no one is time
Sailing fast, waiting for no one this time

Now that you’ve killed me with your eyes
Why did you push me away
How will I make it without you
How will I go on my way

Everything feels cold in the winter, everything feels cold
Everything feels cold in the winter, everything feels cold

Aaah, life is a garden of roses
Roses just wither and die
Now that you’ve killed me with your eyes
Why did you push me away
How will I make it without you
How will I go on my way
Life is a garden of Roses
Roses just wither and die

CREDIT INFORMATION

Music by Noel Hogan & Dolores O’Riordan
Lyrics by Dolores O’Riordan
Produced & Engineered by Stephen Street
Recorded at the MetalWorks Studio, Toronto (Canada) · April-May 2011
Published by Kobalt Music Ltd./Fairwood Music (UK) Ltd

MEANING

According to Dolores in an interview given to the website Ultimate Guitar in late December 2011 (and published on 26 January 2012), “the Roses song [is about her father as] he passed away three weeks ago and I was there holding his hand. (…) he was sick and had cancer for six-and-a-half years (…) actually he was so sick for so long, it was good that he was out of pain. But I was actually holding his hand, which was like a long dream for me that I’d be with him. And so there’s a kind of feeling of peace when you find that your loved one is at peace. And so, yes, Roses is reflecting on that thing in life. You know what I mean? The circle of life and how when someone goes someone new comes in the door. Little babies are being born and all that stuff.”
When asked if she’s expressing hope is Roses‘ refrain, Dolores answers, “Oh, there’s definitely hope because everybody dies but with death comes spiritual peace and peace in your heart. It’s the end of any struggle that you might be having because we all get old and we all die but that’s a new beginning.”

NOTES

On 23 December 2011 a preview of this song was put online on the Australian iTunes store along with the other tracks of “Roses”
On 27 January 2012 lefigaro.fr posted an acoustic version of the song recorded in their studios in Paris on 20 January 2012, which thus corresponds to the first time the song was played and heard.
It was played live in concert for the first time in Auckland during the Roses Tour on 15 March 2012.