The Cranberries - Ode to My Family Meaning

Ode to My Family Lyrics

Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo...

Understand the things I say, don't turn away from me,
'Cause I've spent half my life out there, you wouldn't disagree.
Do you see me? Do you see? Do you like me?
Do you like me standing there? Do...

1. anonymous

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   Jul 24th 2017 !⃝

   On January 9, 1994 in an interview given to the Irish Times, Dolores explained that on No Need to Argue “there’s […] songs like Ode To My Family which isn’t very rock’n’roll, it’s about my parents and growing up in Limerick.”
   
   She added: “’Ode To My Family’ is a paean to the simple old days and the warmth and security of family life.” (January 1994, Hot Press)
   
   Dolores (Novembre 2002, Hot Press) : “You know who really gets that song? People who’ve lost their parents. It breaks their heart listening to that song, ‘cos they go, “Why didn’t I tell them when they were alive?” They go through that weird self-consciousness about certain relationships.”
2. anonymous

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   May 17th 2013 !⃝

   But she says she liked it ...
3. anonymous

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   Oct 28th 2011 !⃝

   I don't think she was molested by her father. In her biography she said that she never really knew her father. She was picked on by her older brothers though. She was a huge tom boy. I think the lyrics "my father, he liked me" correlates with most fathers that prefer boys over girls. Instead of ignoring her, he liked her because she wasn't girly.
4. anonymous

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   Feb 20th 2008 !⃝

   I think "ode" should be taken here as an irony. besides it's not like the Cranberries would actually write songs about praises. This song talks about the grim side of life that some people go through. and yeah, her father molests her so her mom comforts her after.
5. anonymous

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   Nov 17th 2006 !⃝

   When she sings,"my father, he liked me, does anyone care?" she is reffering to the fact that her father was sexually abusing her.

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
6. Deckard88

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   Sep 12th 2006 !⃝

   I grew up listening to this. Very nostalgic.
7. steph27

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   May 25th 2006 !⃝

   This song is just about her family. Ode is another word for dedication. It is purely about how her family was and what they mean to her.