I love Sinead, always have, always will. She is a sister survivor of child abuse. I love how she took her rage, pain, sorrow, and fire and let it all out in her music ❤
Whether she was singing, talking, or still, joyous or sad or angry, Sinéad always let you see the pain in her. A phenomenal artist. I'm thankful she graced the earth. May you rest in peace, Sinéad.
as soon as she died everybody started posting about admiring her strength and courage. If people had said that to her while she was alive she'd probably still be here.
Sinead drew all cultures into her Art and Soul as a statement of world unity no division of beliefs, culture nor colour. Maybe you sensed her leaving us? the timing of this is uncanny. The morning of her demise I had a very strange dream and had listened to her especially this, the day before
RIP Sinead… there are very few women artists who can stand on stage with just a drum and base guitar and perform to the highest standard that she only knows how to do… a unique voice … stand alone… I will miss her and the joy her music brings
Rest easy, sweet Sinead. RIP. May your memory people of the blessing of the revolution and I hope you are with your son. You have to wait to hear the haunting Irish fiddle's at the end. She was given nothing but hate for speaking the truth 30 years before it was fashionable to do so. She worked with MC Lyte and supported Public Enemy.
Fair play to you Harri. A lesser music reactor would have crumbled in incomprehension. You are correct of course. It is a very traditional Irish song usually sung as a lament. The bravery to incorporate a strong rhythm without losing the meaning is quite extraordinary. Sinead is indeed a serious artist.
I am stretched on your grave And I'll lie here forever If your hands were in mine I'd be sure they would not sever My apple tree, my brightness It's time we were together For I smell of the earth And am worn by the weather When my family thinks That I'm safely in my bed From morn until night I am stretched at your head Calling out to the earth With tears hot and wild For the loss of the girl That I loved as a child Do you remember the night Oh, the night we were lost In the shade of the blackthorn And the cold chill of frost Oh, and thanks be to Jesus We did all that was right And your maiden head still Is your pillar of light The priests and the friars They approach me in dread Because I love you still Oh, my love and you're dead I still will be your shelter Through rain and through storm And with you in your cold grave I cannot sleep warm So I am stretched on your grave And I'll lie here forever If your hands were in mine I'd be sure they would not sever My apple tree, my brightness It's time we were together For I smell of the earth And am worn by the weather This is actually a translation of an old Irish poem from the 17th century, not that she was the one that discovered it, it was originally recorded by Scullion. Her version was released on her second album, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got in 1990. As you said, she has a sample of a drum riff from James Brown, I think that she says that she paid £50,000 for its use. The poem is written from the man's perspective as he talks about his uncontrollable grief for the death of his lover who died a virgin and how he spends all his days lying on her grave to be close to her, longing to die so that they can be together once more. It's a great poem and has been turned into a wonderful song where Sinead acts out the emotions it contains. It shows that Sinead is comfortable with her heritage and keeping the old stories alive.
"Incredible...like I said, the woman she was way ahead of her time man, and she was not scared to do anything, she was such a creative woman. And still is! I don't know why I keep saying 'was'..." A timely reaction video. RIP Sinead.
From her 1990 album, "I Do Not Want What I Haven't", the lyrics are from an Irish poem dating back to the 1600's. It's about a person who will not leave her lover's grave, Sinead connected the song to her Mom who died in 1985. Her dynamic vocals, only to get topped off with her wonderful Irish step dancing, and the great hip hop inflected backing track make this a great tune. Great reaction Harri. Thanks Harri and Paul. 👏👏 Cheers from Canada 🇨🇦
What a timely review. RIP Sinead. I'm thankful for you and your tendency to listen to songs that other reactors haven't touched. Great song, beautifully performed. I'll miss her.
Aw Harri. Brokenhearted over the loss of wee Sinéad. Ireland, and those who love music have lost a unique and fearless musician and advocate. Codladh sámh Sinéad.
When i was in a dark place, i always went to Sinead music, because no one else made me feel more. She has gone but will live on in my heart snyd ears 🇮🇪💛💚
Iconic woman , she gave my mom so much strength during her divorce from my abusive father. She would play Sinead O'Connor and as a child it soothed my whole world even for only a short while, I knew everything was going to be ok , because my mom was strong 💓bless u Sinead....
Thank you for choosing this. This is one of her greatest songs, her presence on stage is way more powerful than the NCTU video which most people know. Sadly, this song is more obscure - hopefully that will change now. 🙏 The song is based on an old Irish poem from the 1600s. If you haven't yet heard it, do listen to Sinead's Prayer for England on Massive Attack's 2003 album - 100th Window. It's beyond words. *Suaimhneas Síoraí SInead* 💟
❤️Sinead🙏🏽huge fan since 87….saw her n Atlanta at Fox theatre….this amazing song is a favorite & she amazed live….thx 4 this good job….oh yeah if I remember right she used a James brown line…oliver
Sínéad is singing in the ancient Irish Sean-nós style here. Scholars have often compared it to Arabic, Ethiopian and Eritrean music. Many things in common according to academics.
She’s channeling the ancient Irish spirits, Jesus and stretched out on the grave of her dead mother. She fearlessly exposing her heart and soul for all the world to see and experience
She's absolutely incredible...! She's got a heaping helping of a traditional "nyah" here, as well as textures I might think of as from traditional instrumental expression, but Sinéad goes wayyyyyy beyond the old styles with her stellar singing... so, so good.
I always loved this performance. Glad Harri references the frequently sampled "Funky Drummer" (Clyde Stubblefield/James Brown) drum beat featured here.
Gutted! Rip you beautiful person. These type of songs aren't really for me, but I loved her performance & video of "nothing compares 2 u" I remember when it first came out in 1990, it was brilliant, and it was no1 in the charts for many weeks. Watched it back hundreds of times through out the years
yeah, sinead is really impressive. some of her other songs to try: last day of our acquaintance, foggy dew, feel so different, you cause so much sorrow. you've already done Troy (thank you, that song is genius!) and she has many other fantastic gems.
Thank you so much for another Sinead reaction!!!! Keep ‘‘em coming! Strongly recommend her incredible cover of Elton John’s Sacrifice, album version of Fire On Babylon, Black Boys On Mopeds…. Soooo many great songs.
Sinèad has performed this song with other musical backing styles, all amazing of course.. I just discovered an acapella performance of this she had done as I scrolled down òn the search for your spot on reaction. Im fixing play it (& love it, I'm sure) right after this. Btw, this poem had already become a song by the 1600s when it was first translated from Gaelic to English. There's just no telling how old the poem is.
RIP Sinead....you were an amazing artist...one of my faves ....Harri hope you will continue to react to her...i strongly recommend Troy Live at Pinkpop and Last Dat Of Our Acquaintance live... theres a video where she isnt bald, but with a pixie cut....its mind blowingly good
I just love this entire album. You caused me to discover her cover of Ode To Billy Joe as I searched for You Cause As much Sorrow and there was her cover.
thank you, HarriB for a great, perceptive review of a GREAT spirit & "soul" singer -- & DAMN, I didn't see that Irish folk dancing coming either ...... WOW -- I feel I should have, MY bad
This is a 16th century Irish lament. This is serious grieving shit. There are a lot of similarities in old style sean nos style singing which I hope you look up.
A fabulous choice! What an amazing tribute- definitely one of my favorites of hers and the best liver performance by far. Rest in peace Sinēad. You changed more than just music💜
We had the Album with Nothing Compares with you / Prince cover ❤ Im quit sure that this was on the album too 😊🤨🤩 Took me a little getting used to, but love it ❤️🥰 God bless her 😇 Thank you Paul D and Harri
her voice was very VERY reflective of where she was from...Ireland. The lead singer of the group The Cranberries sounded just like her. Check out their song "Zombie".
Your use of the word "was" to describe Sinead and her talent sadly turned out to be prophetic, since she passed away a couple days after this video posted. I've been exploring her music library a bit since she passed, and I recommend "I Want your Hands On Me", "Mandinka", and "The Emperor's New Clothes", if you haven't heard them.
At this point, she's singing about her mother here. Her mother may have been abusive but she died in a car accident when Sinead was 18. Sinead was never able to come to terms with her mom's death. That's why she's crying in the nothing compares 2 u video. She started thinking of her mom. I do suggest listening to her sing Something Beautiful
I alwasy thought the song was about the suffering mentally that the abuse her mother caused her, and even her mothers death brougth no relief to her. RIP Sinead
For amusement, here's possibly the worst review I've read: This one was Sinead's big commercial breakthrough, mainly on the strength of her cover of Prince's 'Nothing Compares 2 U', which is why it is usually hailed as her masterpiece and all. But I'm not so impressed. She does get even sharper and angrier than before in some respects - mainly in the lyrics, with 'Black Boys On Mopeds' totally lambasting Thatcher-era England to pieces - but stylistically, this record is generally much more restrained and smoothed out than its truly excellent predecessor. Basically, when you rate an O'Connor record, you rate it by the force, and the force wasn't with her this time. The songs are mostly all slow and just kind of seem to lack the edge, you understand. Even 'Nothing Compares 2 U', good as it is, pales in comparison with stuff like 'Troy'. I mean, what is happening here is not that far removed from Sade already; for subtleness, I'll take Sade, for power, I want this shaven-headed monster. But there's not that much power! The thunderous vocal assault doesn't happen that time. Instead, there's moodiness and moodiness and more moodiness. And it's pretty moodiness, I'll give you that. I like the way she sings 'Nothing Compares 2 U'. But I don't see what makes it so outstanding compared to any other "diva delivery". Hey, gimme some radicalism already. And when she does embark on a mildly rockin' adventure, like with the distorted-guitar-driven 'Jump In The River', there's no power either - there's a subdued hushy vocal delivery. Sure she goes for subtleness, but you don't go for subtleness with distorted guitars. It's simply the wrong approach. Worse, the songs drag this time. With restrained, monotonous vocal performances numbers like 'Feel So Different' have a very high probability of boring you to death halfway through. Okay, a certain percentage of the population will probably be enthralled instead, but out of all the things to be enthralled with, a seven minute long song consisting of a primitive bassline, a vague orchestrated melody, and a never-really-developing vocal delivery will be one of the last on my list. I'm also very reluctant about being seduced about a six minute long song consisting of a repetitive vocal melody and nothing else (the title track, and I'm not joking - it's six minutes of accappella singing. Not even the Beach Boys with all their intricate harmonies allowed themselves that). Repetition rules supreme on this album. 'I Am Stretched On Your Grave' with its trip-hop beat also seems to go on forever, and when Sinead's monotonous voice disappears and is replaced by an equally monotonous fiddle jig you almost breathe a sigh of relief. 'Black Boys On Mopeds' may boast vicious lyrics ('England's not the mythical land of Madame George and roses/It's the home of police who kill black boys on mopeds'), but musically it's a rambling, incoherent acoustic ballad - monotonous as hell. Same goes for 'The Last Day Of Our Acquaintance'... I'm not even sure why I give the album such a high rating. 'Nothing Compares 2 U' would make my "best-of" compilation, I guess, and with a bit of luck, I could squeeze 'Jump In The River' on there, and also 'The Emperor's New Clothes' has a decent beat and some of that energy going on, but that's about it. The difference in quality and style from the debut is stunning - as if all the material was "trimmed" and polished specially for MTV or something. I guess that if we switch over to the positive side, I can say that this is very pleasant (if pretty generic) mood music, and the lyrics are really good sometimes, and there's no reason to doubt Sinead's sincere feelings and all the usual crap. It is kinda weird, though - it was around this time that she started getting all the "bad" reputation in the tabloids (even if the Pope-ripping was still several years away), yet there's really not much of a "bad girl" element in the music. It's perfectly normal, MTV-suited, adult contemporary. Pretty decent as far as adult contemporary goes. And as far as the critical reputation - again, it's amazing how a hit single can get critics write good things about you even if you don't deserve it. Yeah, well, there are also people who think Oingo Boingo's Dead Man's Party is their best album because they attained commercial success with the singles culled from it. However, don't let me get carried away - maybe my intuition sucks, and this is a big improvement over The Lion And The Cobra. If somebody asked me "in what way?", though, I would be at a total loss.
