I see you playing
In the garden
Outside my window
Oh, oh oh
You're like your father
I see right through you
Just like your father
I thought I knew you
Oh, oh oh, oh
It's a panic
In paradise
It's a panic
It's in paradise
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You can't cry
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You can't cry
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
I see her playing
In the garden
I was once like her
You did this to me
I don't remember
When this offense begun
I don't remember
I can't undo what's done
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You can't cry
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You can't cry
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You know why
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You know why
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
I'll keep my secret
With me until I die
I'll keep my secret
And I don't know why
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You can't cry
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You know why
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
I can't go there
I won't cry
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
I can't go there
I won't cry
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)....
In the garden
Outside my window
Oh, oh oh
You're like your father
I see right through you
Just like your father
I thought I knew you
Oh, oh oh, oh
It's a panic
In paradise
It's a panic
It's in paradise
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You can't cry
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You can't cry
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
I see her playing
In the garden
I was once like her
You did this to me
I don't remember
When this offense begun
I don't remember
I can't undo what's done
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You can't cry
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You can't cry
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You know why
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You know why
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
I'll keep my secret
With me until I die
I'll keep my secret
And I don't know why
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You can't cry
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
You can't come here
You know why
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
I can't go there
I won't cry
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)
I can't go there
I won't cry
(Round and round, and round)
(And round, and round)....
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The woman is looking out the window and watching her children play. When she watches her son, she sees his father in him. Perhaps when he plays, he seeks to control the situation by making the others always do what he wants to do. She can see right through it, and it bothers her that she sees his father in him because she thought she knew him.
When she watches her daughter, she sees herself as a child. She sees an innocent girl who is free and playful. She used to be like that, but she feels like this part of her is gone from the abuse that has been going on for so long.
However, it also shows the helplessness of the situation because she will keep this secret until she dies. She will continue to live in the situation instead of leaving.
The second level i see this song is on a spiritual level. Basically in the Garden i believe refers to eden a place of perfection/paradise and innocence although no ones life is perfect now in a fallen world i believe this woman felt her life was going good in many ways she felt as though she was in eden. Then i believe the guy who destroyed her is like his father the devil. Satan is a schemer he is subtle and uses people. This guy mimics the style of his spiritual father Satan as Satan deceived Eve i believe this guy got the woman deceived somehow and now she is paying so bad due to his awful offences. He caused a panic in her paradise as the Serpent Satan caused a huge panic due to deceiving Eve although she holds the responsibility as she chose to eat therefore i know this woman feels so much regret over her choice in getting involved with this man. I know Dolores is a Christian and it is evident in a few of the Cranberries songs and The Journey on following album and i feel she is using this biblical theme to show the deception and pain this man caused. As Adam and Eve were thrown out of the Garden and into a world of Turmoil so has this woman. She sees her daughter still in the Innocence of the garden and she remembers being in the garden as im sure many times after their expulsion Adam and Eve wished to be back in their state of innocence but to late they now suffer at the hands of Satan and the consequence of their rebellion against God.
Basically this is my in depth view of the song and the 2 meanings i sense are to do describing it but i could very well be wrong and i respect and also agree on some of the other interpretations listed above. Like most songs they can be interpreted any way the listener wants. I have always found the Cranberries and Dolores work very helpful in times of Pain and heartache.
Blessings Nate