The Cranberries, an Irish alternative rock band created in 1989, consists of lead singer Dolores O'Riordan, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan, and drummer Fergal Lawler. Their sound combines musical genres ranging from dream pop and indie pop to folk music styles. The unique Irish flair is achieved through O’Riordan’s traditional singing techniques (yodeling, lilting, keening, etc.) and sometimes with the help of Irish poetry. A prime example is the song "Yeats’ Grave" from the 1994 album No Need to Argue. Grave of W.B. Yeats in Sligo, Ireland
William Butler Yeats (13 June 1865 – 28 January 1939) was an Irish poet, dramatist, and writer, and one of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature. He was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature "for his always inspired poetry, which in a highly artistic form gives expression to the spirit of a whole nation." O'Riordan integrates Yeats' poetry into the song ("No Second Troy" and "The Lake Isle of Innisfree"), enriching its meaning and connecting past and present Irish experiences.
The song begins with O’Riordan’s visit to Yeats’ grave, setting a dark and mysterious mood. The first verse starts with Dolores singing what seems to be an Irish tune or lullaby with a soft guitar accompanying her. This tune continues throughout the song, signifying the calm before the storm. The calm atmosphere and simple harmonies then gradually transition into a louder chorus, building up like a cry within the singer. The Irish tune returns, and the first verse of Yeats’ poem “No Second Troy” echoes, as if W.B. Yeats speaks through Dolores:
Why should I blame her
That she filled my days
With misery or that she would of late
Have taught to ignorant men most violent ways
Or hurled the little streets upon the great
Had they but courage equal to desire?
Returning to the original, softer singing, the Yeats-O’Riordan mystic connection disrupts, and Dolores continues to the second verse:
Sad that Maud Gonne couldn't stay
But she had MacBride anyway.
Maud Gonne, an Irish republican revolutionary, suffragette, and actress, was the lifelong muse of Yeats. The poet quickly became infatuated with her and developed an obsession, dedicating many poems (including “No Second Troy”) to Gonne. Although aware of Yeats’ feelings, Gonne declined all four (or more) marriage proposals and married Irish republican and military leader John MacBride. Saddened by the news, Yeats wrote “No Second Troy”, where a note of inner frustration, which is however overshadowed by his descriptions and deep love for Gonne, exonerated her from any pain she may have inflicted on him.
What is interesting, is that aside from worshipping Maud Gonne's beauty, Yeats criticises Gonne’s radical nationalist activities during the troubled times of Ireland, Ireland's Fight for Independence and the Civil War. Maud Gonne, a very active nationalist, who frequently gave speeches, is criticised for promoting brute force and violence: “or that she would of late/Have taught to ignorant men most violent ways/Or hurled the little streets upon the great.” Maud Gonne was also compared to Helen of Troy, thus the title of the poem, questioning "Was there another Troy for her to burn?", alluding to the risks of violence, casualties, and civil war, which could possibly “burn down” Ireland. “No Second Troy” was written in 1916, before the official Independence of Ireland and the Civil war (1919-1923), so Yeats was right about his warnings. His muse, Maud Gonne, became the Helen of Troy, as her actions also to some extent contributed to the bloodshed. Yeats’ deep love toward his muse doesn’t affect his point of view. He advocates for peaceful resolution.
The song continues with the following lyrics:
And you sit here with me
On the isle Innisfree
And you are writing down everything
But I know by now
Why did you sit here
In the grave...
The isle Innisfree from the poem "The Lake Isle of Innisfree" signifies Yeats’ need for reconciliation with Mother Nature during the chaotic times of the 1920s’ Irish reality, in a child-like, nostalgic state of mind, as suggested in the poem:
And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet’s wings.
Dolores relates to and understands Yeats' wish to break away from the harsh reality, as she now is noticing how the history repeats itself.
From the late 1960s to 1998, Ireland faced a guerilla-like conflict known as "The Troubles", the key issue of which was the status of Northern Ireland. Marked by street fighting, sensational bombings, sniper attacks, roadblocks, and internment without trial, the confrontation had the characteristics of a civil war. It also had an ethnic or sectarian dimension but, despite the use of the terms Protestant and Catholic to refer to the two sides, it was not a religious conflict.
Despite the significant time interval between the two, Dolores notices that she and Yeats share common realities, which leads to the obvious devastation of the singer, because little had changed over the years. The disappointment, anger, and sadness apparent in the song stem from the realisation that violent human nature won’t change and there will always be bloodshed and conflicts, resulting in the deaths of innocents.
The song ends with William Butler Yeats name being called out, and the repetition of the verse of “No Second Troy”. The poet and the singer unite in their advocacy for peace and the critique of the brute force. With the 1994 album No Need to Argue, which is a protest album for the young victims of a bombing in Warrington, England, during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, O’Riordan and The Cranberries, like Yeats with his poetry, warn Irishmen about the consequences of their actions, and advocate to put aside personal beliefs and ego, for the sake of peace and the lives of the innocent.
Author: Lilit Kakoyan
Comments