Sinead O'Conner

[Basstrap]

Last night I saw a muchmusic bio on her.

I had always been annoyed with her, always had no time for her ways. She always pissed me off.
But last night as I was watching that I just feel right in love(in the general sense )

I think she must be the most misunderstood singer of our time. I was almost in tears the whole time and at the end when she sang Amazing Grace with that eeiry beautiful voice, I broke down. That has not happened to me in a long time. I just broke down; so picked up my guitar to play it myself. I was a wreck.

It was weird, something really struck me and I can't quite put I finger on it. I couldn't even sing for God's sake I was crying too much.

Anyway, that was weird.
But back to the main thing.

I was gonna talk about her in the Lemonaid stand but when your talking about O'Conner you best put it here!

An idealist; a naive protester
but I admire her so much it.
I admire her fight against the record label not to grow her hair out and wear miniskirts, but to actually shave her head completely so people would like her just for her music.

I can now understand why she didn't want to have the US anthem played before her show.
She thought that any song that said "bombs bursting in air" is an anti-christian song.
She probably misread it, but you have to understand where she comes from. Abusive mom, violent country at times. to say bombs bursting is nothing to be taken lightly. But even old blue eyes threatened to "kick her ass" after that ordeal.

I can now understand why she ripped the popes picture in half. It was extreme but she was upset about the vatican for knowing about these child abuse cases and trying to hide it. And being an abused child herself...and VERY disturbed as you can see by her music...of course she got angry at the Head.

The Bob Dylan tribute was so sad. She got booed so loudly...so sad how ununderstanding people can be.

And her being a priest? Whats wrong with that? Why can't the vatican recognize women priests? Does God favor men above them?
And I say that anything that helps her right uplifting almost gospel music is a good thing. To finally get away from that angst filled stuff...which was necessary in itself. I can relate. Writing music is the best way to get out angst and sadness.

I think I want to pick up her latest album, Gospel Oak -
actually most everything I've heard by her is haunting and beautiful music.
Her cover of Nothing Compares to You is enough to almost bring me to tears everytime.

Anyway, I see her in a new light.
Shes a mystery...I love mysterys.

 

[BAW]

Basstrap, you've pretty much summed up the same thing that happened to me after I watched VH1 Behind the Music. I had always like Nothing Compares but I thought Sinead was an idiot. After I watched that, I suddenly "got" her, I understood what she was about and where she has been coming from. She is now one of my favorites and has actually gained a spot in my U2 CD album (not an easy thing to do).

She has a lot of guts but most people don't realize that she has feelings and is actually very vulnerable. I think her appearance makes her look much tougher than she actually is so its easy for people to pick on her.

Great post Basstrap!

 

[pax]

I think she has an album more recent than Gospel Oak, and possibly even something more recent than Faith and Courage. She also did vocals on a new Moby song, which I've not heard but I understand is lovely.

Try to track down a song by her called "Fire on Babylon." Positively chilling.

 

[adamswildhoney]

I really like her as a singer, she has a beatiful voice and she trys to get our attention on issues that she thinks are important.



sidenote: My gram can't stand her because she tore up the picture of the Pope on SNL. I tried to explain to my gram why she did that but she won't listen. My gram never liked and refuses to listen to her because of that and I think that it is terrible.

 

[oktobergirl]

Sinead has always been very misunderstood. I've always been a big fan of her's and my favorite Sinead song is "The Last Day of Our Acquaintance". I love "Fire on Babylon" too. WOW.

 

[zoomerang II]

i love her song Famine.

Amazing, extraordinary political dialogue that is uncomprimising in its tone. And she has a truly awesome voice.

 

[diamond]

I too have changed my opinion on Sinead a bit.
I was thinking about this subject recently too

Thanks for posting this BassTrap.

diamond

 

[melon]

sidenote: My gram can't stand her because she tore up the picture of the Pope on SNL. I tried to explain to my gram why she did that but she won't listen. My gram never liked and refuses to listen to her because of that and I think that it is terrible.

Why DID she do that, BTW? I have always wondered. I was about twelve or so at the time, so I really didn't notice that much, aside from the typical outrage.

Funny enough, I've been thinking about a thread like this as well. Sin?ad is a very talented singer, and, yes, that Moby song of hers is great.

Melon

 

[sulawesigirl4]

Why DID she do that, BTW? I have always wondered. I was about twelve or so at the time, so I really didn't notice that much, aside from the typical outrage.

I believe it had something to do with child sexual abuse and the church not doing something about it. I might be totally wrong tho, that's just the first thing that my memory brings up.

 

[diamond]

I believe it had something to do with child sexual abuse and the church not doing something about it. I might be totally wrong tho, that's just the first thing that my memory brings up.

:

Sula got it right

DB9

 

[melon]

I guess Sin?ad is vindicated then, now isn't she?

Melon

 

[diamond]

I guess Sin?ad is vindicated then, now isn't she?

Melon

Yes.
A bit.

I vacilate on this item wondering if it was necessary and what I would of did in her shoes.

Her career suffered for it as well, which is sad.

diamond

 

[BAW]

She has admitted that maybe the picture ripping thing wasn't the best way to get her point across but at the time, she was frustrated and furious with the church and lashed out. She also says that maybe the pope shouldn't have been her target but she can't take it back.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

I've always liked her a lot. Like diamond said, it really sucks her career has suffered in the wake of all those controversies.

 

[U2Bama]

THIS WILL PISS ALL OF YOU OFF, THOUGH IT IS NOT MY INTENT

I agree with her ideal criticisms of the problems of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church.

I disagree with her method of (or lack thereof) diplomacy. The Pope is very special to a lot of people around the world, perhaps moreso than any living figure. Ripping up his picture on television is, well, risky.

Compare and contrast, if you well, Bono's methods of communicating the importance Third World debt relief and remedying the African AIDS crisis to The Pope. Personally, I think Bono has been more effective in the shortest amount of time (a couple of years). The Church is now facing more clerical-sexual abuse cases/allegations than ever before, while we are now truly gettin somewhere with Third World debt relief and addressing the African AIDS crisis. But that is just my ignorant opinion. Don't mean to bug ya.

~U2Alabama

 

[Basstrap]

I'd also like to say that I like how U2 handled her little spat against them.
She was accusing them of monopolizing the music industry with Mother Records or something. She mas mishuided and I think they were very understanding.

I like how Bono never gets angry when people come up aginst him. A sign of a great man!

 

[Danospano]

Sinead O'Connor: I was 10 when 'Nothing Compares 2 U" was released. I was about 11 or 12 when she ripped up the picture of the Pope. What I'm saying is that I didn't know much about her at her height of fame and controversy. In hindsight it's easy for us to say, "Oh, she had some good points", but does it matter. I'd wager to say that anyone old enough to form an opinion during her heyday (1990-1994) joined in an almost unanimous hatred of this woman. It's sad, but true. I suppose the best thing we can do from this collective revealition concerning O'Connor true intent is LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES. The next time someone does something controversial don't join the bandwagon and bash what SEEMS to be the truth.

But getting back to Sinead's music. My personal favorite is that song she did for "The Talented Mr. Ripley" soundtrack. I think it's called "Cain's Love Song" or "Death of Cain" or something along those lines. It was written by the director of the film, Anthony Minghella, but Sinead's voice sounds beautiful.

 

[cass]

I don't have time to read and reply to your posts about Sinead.
she does bug some people.
I have only ever judged her on her music and how it makes me feel.

I am glad you can hear it now basstrap. Welcome

 

[Lilly]

i really like sinead. her voice is so beautiful, it has this texture that is so amazing!

as far as her personality, well, i try not to think of it as i'm enjoying her music. she's done some things i wouldn't, but who could you NOT say that about?

her ripping up the pic of the pope took serious guts. and think about it, there was so much that was stirred up (not in an eminem way, in a good way) that really got people talking about serious things. so that's cool.

 

[joyfulgirl]

I sat in front of my TV and applauded when she tore the Pope's picture up because that's where I was coming from with the Christian religion at that time. I remember calling my friend Steve right after that excitedly, "Did you just see...?!" She was young and perhaps it wasn't the best way to communicate her feelings, but she's an artist and artists do radical things to make their points sometimes. She was a bit ahead of her time.

I've always admired her. I saw first saw her at The World, a tiny club in NYC's East Village. I remember taking a cab downtown around 11pm because the show started at midnight (those were the days). She wore a fluffy pink tu tu with combat boots. She was raw, fierce, passionate, I could see her tonsils when she belted out those notes and I adored her. Then I nearly got trampled to death trying to get out of the club after the show...one of those scary scary situations where my feet weren't always touching the floor as I was moved along by the crowd.

Saw her again years later at the Beacon...all grown up and looking chic. I still like her.

/trip down memory lane

 

[bonoman]

Compare and contrast, if you well, Bono's methods of communicating the importance Third World debt relief and remedying the African AIDS crisis to The Pope. Personally, I think Bono has been more effective in the shortest amount of time (a couple of years). The Church is now facing more clerical-sexual abuse cases/allegations than ever before, while we are now truly gettin somewhere with Third World debt relief and addressing the African AIDS crisis. But that is just my ignorant opinion. Don't mean to bug ya.

~U2Alabama

Now if Bono had been an abused child would he be able to trust the Pope as he did. Bono didnt hate the Pope or the Catholic Relgion because they werent helping in third world debt he only wanted their support. Sinnaed hated the Pope, not personally, but for who he stood for. She was trying to get the message across. I think she did that i just think people over reacted. I love her voice and we need people in this world with the balls enough to do things like she does.

 

[zonelistener]

I can now understand why she didn't want to have the US anthem played before her show.
She thought that any song that said "bombs bursting in air" is an anti-christian song.
She probably misread it, but you have to understand where she comes from. Abusive mom, violent country at times. to say bombs bursting is nothing to be taken lightly. But even old blue eyes threatened to "kick her ass" after that ordeal.

I was at this show. Oddly, no one at the venue realized that this was (Or wasn't) going on. It wasn't until the next day when the media jumped on it did we even know.

I wish her career lasted - she has an amazing voice - and her songs are highly emotional.

 

[cass]

Sinead's carrer hasn't ended. She has just said her children are her priority for the next few years and she won't tour until they are older.
One of the most simple beautiful film clips I have seen(only saw it once) was Sinead's "To Mother you" oh I LOVE that song.
"...sweet bird although you did not see me....I saw you.."

and her duet with Christy Moore........."nobody came.." incredibly sad, but incredibly beautiful
oh and her verison of "Scarlet Ribbons" and 'Success Has Made Ae of My Home." so many..........