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On Wednesday in a private home in London, the Irish singer and activist Sinead O’Connor was found dead. By the time she passed away, she was 56 years old and had given the world a very beautiful, thought-provoking, and dynamic discography. The vast discography consists of 10 studio albums that began in 1987 and with the huge variety and her immense versatility, it becomes hard to put Sinead in a particular box or tie her to a particular genre.
Since ‘Mandinka’, a single from her debut album or LP, she has proved how incredibly talented she is and long-lasting her influence will be on the music world. Now that she is no more and left her beautiful yet very real legacy between us, let’s remember the ever-so-talented artist through her most loved 7 tracks.
‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ [1990]
‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ was originally written and composed by one of the legendary singers of all time, Prince, for his side project ‘The Family’. The track then appeared on their debut album ‘The Family’ in 1985 and several years later, O’Connor recorded a version of the track for her second studio album ‘Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got’. Soon the track saw huge success with Sinead’s version and became one of the greatest heartbreak ballads ever recorded and published. Talking about how the track was first released by Prince, the artist said, “As far as I’m concerned, it’s my song.”
‘Drink Before the War’ [1987]
“Drink Before the War” is a part of O’Connor’s debut album ‘The Lion And The Cobra’ which was released in 1987. The artist was only 20 years old when the track was released and she was only 15 years old when she wrote the song filled with teenage angst. The track was written about the headmaster at An Grianán, the Catholic reform school in Ireland that Sinead attended. Apparently, the headmaster was against her making music or singing, and the hatred and revolt against the mindset was clearly reflected in the lyrics and composition.
Also Read: Sinéad O’Connor’s Unfinished Album ‘No Veteran Dies Alone’ Soon to See the Light of Day
‘Mandinka’ [1987]
This was the second single from her debut album ‘The Lion And The Cobra’ and everything about this album screams that the rules of pop were about to be rewritten. The title was inspired by West African people and Sinead paired corrosive guitars with the composition. Along with absolutely ruling the dance charts in 1987, the song also became a mainstream pop hit in the UK.
‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ [1990]
The track is definitely a stand out from her “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got” which even though has a bright and upbeat composition, weighs heavy on the subject matter. The song was written By Sinead after being inspired by the fairy tale “The King’s New Clothes”. The song is supposedly addressed to a former lover but at the same time, Sinead used this track to address people who kept judging her. “Millions of people/ To offer advice and say how I should be,” O’Connor sings in the song.
‘Black Boys on Mopeds’ [1990]
This track, released as a part of her album ‘I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got’ is based on a true incident that the artist had experienced. Through this track, the artist also makes her thoughts on England clear as she sings “England’s not the mythical land of Madame George and roses // It’s the home of police who kill black boys on mopeds”. The artist said she wrote this haunting ballad after two teenage black boys were riding borrowed mopeds one day and the police automatically assumed they were stolen, resulting in a crash and death of those two boys. The song also gained popularity recently amidst the Black Live Matter protest.
‘I Am Stretched on Your Grave’ [1990]
The lyrics come from a traditional Irish poem that dates back to the 1600s and in the track, ‘I Am Stretched on Your Grave’, the artist recites the poem with complete emotions and grief. It is about death and not leaving the gravesite of their dead lover. O’Connor brought her intense, and extremely charged vocals to the track that made the song alive. The artist connected the song to her mother, who passed away in 1985, where she was seen mourning the loss and displaying her not wanting to be apart from her mother.
‘The Last Day of Our Acquaintance’ [1990]
The track ‘The Last Day of Our Acquaintance’ gets the exposure of rock guitars and powerhouse vocals which makes it arguably the most emotionally devastating song in her second album. The song was released a year before her divorce from her husband was finalized and the track features the collaborative work between the two musicians. The story and lyrics are about an end to a relationship where the protagonist knows her partner no longer loves her. The painful lyrics came to life with O’Connor’s hauntingly beautiful vocals and arrangements.
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