<P> "Ode to My Family" is a song recorded by the Irish band The Cranberries . It was released in November 1994 as the second single from their second studio album No Need to Argue . The song was a hit in most of the European countries where it was released, peaking at number one in Iceland and number four in France, its highest positions internationally, and number five in Australia . In 2017, the song was released as an acoustic, stripped down version on the band's Something Else album . </P> <P> "Ode to My Family" is written in the key of D major with a tempo of 100 beats per minute . The entire piece follows the chord progression 4 / 4: D Bm F ♯ m Gsus2 D / A:| ostinato . </P> <P> The song is about Dolores's yearning for her simple life as a child after having achieved success, and includes a string arrangement composed by O'Riordan . </P> <P> The single's music video, shot on black - and - white, was directed by Samuel Bayer . Bayer had also directed the band's video for their preceding single, "Zombie". </P>

What is ode to my family by the cranberries about