RIP to a legend. Vocal ANALYSIS of Sinéad O'Connor's unreal cover - Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U"

[@lapiccolapaula]

I was there. I was 15. Chile was leaving behind Pinochet's dictatorship and this was my first massive concert (there weren't stadium concerts during his time ). Her performance was so intense and emotional. Everything was so intense and emotional for us. Our hearts were burning in hope and joy. Her performance full of emotion vibed with our feelings at an historical time for Chile.Thank you, Sinéad. Thank you, Elizabeth ❤

[@inscrutianaII]

🤟

[@christoffesedao3579]

That’s awesome you got to experience Sinead at such a special time in Chile 🇨🇱. One of her best performances. Thanks for sharing that. I live in USA but worked in Chile for a bit, so I have a love for Chile. . . . and Sinead 💔

[@vonmoose1]

How is Chile now after all these years?

[@ludoviko2169]

EL TATA.... 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@dorothymcmahon9995]

Thank you for the context.

[@TetedeMort666]

I'm a total brutal metalhead... But I cry everytime I watch this Sinead O'Connor live .... What an incredible artist she was...

[@joeorel5475]

so fricken true. I feel that

[@TheSaltySeaman]

Every metal head I grew up with had exceptions, Pink Floyd, The Cure, and Sinead.

[@lorijansen1986]

Exactly. Still makes me cry to this day. And to feel such utter sadness for her and the loss of her 💔

[@namuroisvantjaar]

Same here. I'm a Thrasher 'till I die, but I liked Abba, Bowie & Sinead from the first time I heard them.

[@niallmartin9063]

To think she insisted on producing her own debut album which is of the great 1st albums. She sang with her whole body.

[@Nimno74]

Powerful woman, powerful voice. She was a gem that the world could have polished, but broke instead. R.I.P.

[@niallmartin9063]

I love how you put that. Her record company wanted her to be “pretty” and tried to force her to have an abortion being inconveniently pregnant. Did they pick the wrong girl or what?

[@MrCharlesYoakum]

I've been listening to the Lion and the Cobra since it came out when I was in college, and I watched the world grind her down for speaking nothing but the truth. Her talent was incandescent. You nailed it with a single sentence far better than I ever did trying to describe her.

[@dianebansen8708]

Perfectly said.

[@MrHws5mp]

Wow - perfect choice of words. Thank you.

[@rowanmayfair9249]

I'm just going to echo everyone else. I only wish that I'd been able to see her live. My brother saw her several times, and I was so jealous but still a teen, so it was a no-go. She was bloody fantastic.

[@installtechireland]

I know this is about her voice but she dragged Ireland kicking and screaming into the twentieth century. She held up a mirror to church abuse and was pilloried for it in the press. She was our Cassandra. I’m a dyed in the wool metal head and I was never into her music, but holy shit could she sing. Some artists use their art as a mirror to hold up to reality, she used her art as a hammer, and for what she did for our country she has left us a debt that we can never repay. Fucking legend.

[@BLACULA-Skeewoah]

Well said bro, I actually fear to think of how long it would've taken for people to speak up, if it wasn't for our Sinéad!

[@uruk2023]

I'm an American cousin but I agree she influenced us all.

[@ClezVideos]

My sister and brother went to secondary school near where Sinéad lived. She used to come into the school once a week and give the kids singing lessons. She’d hang around for ages afterwards and chat with the kids. She was an angel.

[@templestark4779]

No shit? Wow. I struggle to think of a more beautiful person, inside and out.

[@ClezVideos]

@@templestark4779 So many stories came out after she died of beautiful, selfless things she did for people but done in private without any publicity or fanfare. She was a genuinely kind, generous, beautiful person.

[@Music-Is-Real-Love]

​@@ClezVideos 💯%

[@albrechtvdb6016]

I love to hear and see her singing. What a beautiful woman she was , inside and outside. Her life full of drama. She didn’t get the happiness she deserved. Still feel very sorry for her.

[@ChrisTroth]

@@ClezVideos shane and sinead both, haunted by the music and other things, spirit perhaps, kindnes s, the ghosts of what we could be and the insanity of religious wars , which we all are haunted by. thanks to both for their voices in song making ours a better space

[@frugalseverin2282]

The song 'Troy' from her 1st album show Sinéad's full vocal range with plenty of emotion. Highly recommended.

[@myrnav3155]

The 1988 live version of Troy in the Dominion Theatre is mindblowing.

[@amphetaminelogic7006]

​@@myrnav3155 prefer Troy version from pinkpop - the anger and emotion screams out onto 60.000 unsuspecting crowd ......

[@jamiedoull154]

Oh definitely.

[@SparksofHell]

@@amphetaminelogic7006you had no doubts she would slay a dragon after that performance.

[@AJ_NL_1963]

@@amphetaminelogic7006 The Pinkpop version is indeed awesome. I was lucky to be in the audience that day. Still goosebumps all over

[@Brighid45]

She was Irish to the core--a strong, fierce, tender, broken woman who let us see it all, and she sang because she had no choice, it was in her and had to come out. We are much the poorer for our loss, but we at least have her music. She's also using a Celtic singing style called Sean Nós. Delores O'Riordan used it as well.

[@glacieractivity]

As a Norwegian, your beautiful summary just broke me, my Irish friend

[@erikaprobst4438]

she had a haunting voice but sadly she was also haunted. I personally love her singing the foggy dew and other irish songs, and her Sean nós style. As an young irish girl in the 90s she was someone to look up too. rip 💔

[@albin2232]

Bless her sweet soul.

[@xyz-yf2kr]

Yes that's exactly what I was thinking too. Love it.

[@brheinfeldt]

You absotively nailed it!

[@srv2217]

It is EXTREMELY rare that an artist did a Prince song better than Prince but Sinead completely owned this song.

[@HerveBoisde]

Kind of like Whitney Houston and Dolly Parton. That’s how stars are born.

[@tomwhite1857]

The Charismatic Voice should look at Prince's vast library, no offense but Shinead's most famous piece was a b side of his.

[@elen5871]

not _entirely_ sure I agree, Prince has so many deep cuts from lesser known albums that people have covered _at least_ as good. I think it's mostly because he writes songs that have a ton of depth, and he dabbles in _so_ many genres, when he hits a genre that someone pretty much ONLY works in, they can take his song and kinda make it their own? i'm thinking 'I feel for you' by chaka Khan, Patti Smith's version of 'when doves cry,' or when Beyonce did a cover of 'the beautiful ones.' OH OR THAT TLC COVER OMG it ended up being kinda gay too that one owns. or that tom jones/art of noise version of 'kiss' that would feel like a joke if it wasn't _actually_ being sung by tom jones

[@elen5871]

tl;dr, I'm stonked and trying to say 'prince is a musician's musician'

[@jo_g.germany]

​@@tomwhite1857that's one way of looking at it. Another is that Prince (no offense) had a gem of a song but couldn't cut it with it. That happens all the time, and doesn't take away from anyone. So let's appreciate both, the writer and the performer. RIP to both 🤘🏻

[@bgrigg07]

Sinead was the real deal. No need for Auto Tune. Emotion, power, delicacy, she had them all. She knew how to work her voice. She knew how to work a mic, she knew how to work the crowd. She could have, she should have, been one of the greatest singers of our time. Instead she was punished for speaking the Truth. I hope she found the Peace she deserved.

[@Music-Is-Real-Love]

Amen

[@Nico12233]

She has been one of the greatest singers of our time, without a doubt.

[@hfortenberry]

I’ve heard her say in interviews that she envisioned her mother when she sang the line in the song “all the flowers that you planted Mama in the backyard, all died when you went away”. This is the precise point where she cries in the official video. The relationship with her mother was tragic. Her mother was extremely narcissistic and sadistic and Sinead never gave up trying to win her mothers love. Then her mother died in a car crash when Sinead was 18 or 19. It was devastating for her. Knowing this back story helps explain the intense raw emotions in her cover of this song.

[@ks5553]

A few weeks before she died she tweeted about the song Hi Ren and basically called it the greatest thing in the history of music. She was very kind and will be missed💔

[@TheCharismaticVoice]

That's impressive and I never knew about that. Makes me miss her even more not having the chance to speak with her!

[@distanceismyplastercast]

​@@TheCharismaticVoiceIn two Tweets she literally said that Ren had changed the game and said compared to him the rest of us are 5 year olds. If there's one thing you can say about Sinead is love her or hate her, she was honest. There wasn't a cause that she walked away from, often to her own detriment. Cancel culture was invented for Sinead after she tore up a photo of the pope as a protest against child abuse, live on US TV. Literally caused her to be banned and assize protests, which she put a wig on and went too. Never an apology from anyone in the US when she was proved right.

[@spaceman9599]

Class through and through, a true phoenix.

[@kittenklub1964]

@@TheCharismaticVoice I'm Irish - Sinéad was a master of 'keening' ☘it stretches deep into our culture heritage so I hope you are familiar with it? We are mourning our beautiful Daughter Sinéad💔She was a force of nature with unmatched talent, but she was also very fragile. *Please* react to her live acapella performance of 'I Am Stretched On Your Grave' - a 17th-century Irish poem that she transformed with just her voice and a 'beat box' sample; She was keening for our Country & it is pure perfection. The media and music industry cruelly shunned her for speaking THE TRUTH about the catholic abuse of innocent Irish children, including herself & she was eventually proven CORRECT - now an acknowledged fact globally. But the damage was already done to her and her career. I hope they're proud of their relentless victim shaming of a 23 year old girl who was brave enough to speak out. I hope that she's finally at peace with her beloved son, Shane💚

[@rosey_ie]

Ohhhh I didn’t know that! 🥺 I’m really touched to hear that. So glad she got to see another incredible artist expressing what she needed to get out there. And a huge compliment for Ren - I hope he knows about it too. Thanks for sharing ❤

[@lesgrice4419]

Sinead says apparently she studied whats known as 'Bel Canto' method under a coach called Frank Merriman (who still teaches I believe, you cant contact Sinead (well not that way) but maybe you can contact Frank) and she was continuosly in a Stanislavski' method of inserting herself into each song so every performance retained its power (in this case thinking of her mother who had her own mental issues and beat Sinead when she was a kid but nevertheless she wanted to love so much) - Frank would get her to reach for notes she thought she could not reach and just as she was going for it he would throw a ball, orange, apple at her to catch or avoid to get her to get out of her own way - its all emotion, thats what Sinead was, all emotion, all giving, RIP

[@HerveBoisde]

Jesus Christ. That’s wild.

[@muireobrien4642]

In exploring her voice, yes, she studied a little Bel Canto. Firstly, she is a Caointeoireacht (Keening) singer. She also uses Sean Nos. The English crown tried to destroy our ancient Irish traditions. Sinead O'Connor and Dolores Riordan can be credited with bringing our traditions to the may stream.

[@timtam79]

Many of today's artists studied Bel Canto with vocal coach Ron Anderson. Anderson also coached Myles Kennedy, Axel Rose, Chris Cornell, Adele, Ann Wilson, and on and on. He passed away in late 2021.

[@tyghe_bright]

​@muireobrien4642 The keening, I think, is such an essential part of her expression, but isn't talked about much

[@antoinelles]

Yes, but she met Merriman after that performance. Actually, after releasing her third album.

[@Spinterology]

As an artist and a human being, she was a raw, exposed nerve. I don’t think she was capable of *not* feeling and expressing everything. I didn’t know that music could sound like this, could feel like this, until I discovered The Lion and the Cobra, her debut album. It literally changed my life. Still can’t believe she’s gone.

[@thegreatermysteries4134]

Same here. Very well said.

[@dHolbach77]

Sucks she'll be remembered mostly for this song (I mean, really: the lyrics were probably written on the back of a napkin by Prince in about 3 minutes before he recorded it as a throwaway); she had so many better songs, that show off her vocal ability so much better (especially on her first album), and she could also sing classic jazz/pop standards as well as the best of them (but hardly anyone knows that): check out her Am I Not Your Girl?.

[@Spinterology]

@@dHolbach77 There are worse songs to be remembered for. But it’s hardly the only one her lifelong fans will remember her for. My favorite and the one I’ll personally most remember her for is Troy. Also, if you don’t like Nothing Compares because it’s a Prince cover, you do know that Am I Not Your Girl is almost entirely covers? 🤨😉 She could have sung the phonebook and it would’ve sounded amazing.

[@CyberChunk77]

well said! RIP Sinead.

[@ww7883]

Sinead was a monster of an angel with clipped wings trying to fly in a tenacious tempest. I used to play guitar along with her tunes and would go into a trance. Lion & the Cobra is also a fantastic album.

[@curtismorneault4556]

It doesn't matter who you are, this performance cuts right through you. Few performers have flown this close to the sun.

[@driftingdynamic]

She was so raw...everything about her. I've heard this song before and knew who she was, but watching this performance brings a whole new respect and understanding of her. No filters on her voice, no hiding her emotion, and no hair. Yet her voice soars, her emotions are strong, and she is stunningly beautiful here.

[@yannhollister9091]

Her talent is almost scary to me, i don't know how to explain it but you can tell just by her voice/presence that she had a very hard life and went through alot.. She was a very brave and an amazing human being. I hope she is at peace with her son now.

[@Donbro]

oh boy did she, she can rest now at least.

[@markmacpherson90]

❤

[@richardedenfield5167]

It feels like she's painting with her voice rather than just singing and you get all these different colors and it is beautiful like looking at a Monet or Van Gogh with sound.

[@TheEnnisfan]

I was a teenager when this song came out and it was MASSIVE. The music video is still one of the most emotional videos of all time. She just stares at the camera and displays so much emotion. It was unlike anything we'd ever seen. Sinead had a very unique and powerful voice. This is REAL singing; not some Cardi B bullshit. R.I.P. Sinead. 😢

[@kelsworthy]

Yes the original music video of Nothing is much better and more powerful.

[@blue4democracy]

​​@@kelsworthyMore emotional bc of the cinematography perhaps... but the depth of emotion in her expression in general in that video falls flat compared to watching her live... LIVE is where it is with her IMO

[@emriley5055]

❤❤

[@dwaynedeslatte2957]

Amen

[@BLACULA-Skeewoah]

I'm from Dublin, so Sinéad is very near and dear to my heart. I've been lucky enough to see her live in concert; a good 15 times, in different stages of her life and it was an honour that's hard to fathom. What she did on SNL was one of the most selfless acts I've ever seen, she was 100% right and she faced the wrath of religious zealots. The generation after my own are the first generation of Ireland that hasn't been exposed to abuse by the Catholic Church. Even the pope wrote a letter of apology to us 20 years after SNL. We still mourn her to this day here in Ireland. We don't even use her full name she's just referred to as "Our Sinéad" and I think that's so beautiful! Thank you for giving her the flowers she so deserved! 💚

[@YouEverSeeAFrogKid]

Even as a little boy I always thought that Sinead was the most beautiful woman. Never payed any mind to the shaved head she’s just gorgeous. I was 8 when this song came out. I’m actually proud of my 8yr old self for seeing the beauty of a woman without the need for hair as an accessory or beauty standard. Rip love

[@themamma341]

Sinead’s reason for shaving her head shows how incredible she really was😢

[@ItsAllJohnny]

If you're looking to cover more Sinéad O'Connor I highly recommend looking at her performance of "The Foggy Dew" with The Chieftains in 1995. You really get to hear her voice with minimal instrumentation behind it and you get a great look at her mouth control throughout, too.

[@Guttsdoyle]

Been plugging this for months. One of my favourite vocal performances ever. Hopefully she's gets to it.

[@Hashtag_Not_All_Hippies]

I'm of (mostly) Irish descent. I second Johnny 100% on this. It's a beautiful version and chokes me up, every time I hear it. There are two versions, one recorded in a studio when she was quite young, and another one, I think, a few years later. Also, also: her cover of "Danny Boy" is just phenomenal. Edit: I also play Dungeons and Dragons and have since 1979. About 8 months ago, my current bard, named Elspeth Agonarr :P , is a hobbit. I asked and got permission from the DM to write a song and have it put into the canon of his universe. I rewrote Foggy Dew. No other song could capture it. My character is a halfling bard (favorite race and class) of an institution known for hospitality and culture. So, during the "Orcish Wars", her institution helped with the feeding/housing of the wounded, and the refugees. She also wrote the following song, "The Dawning Moon" (sung to the tune of "Foggy Dew"), as tribute to those who lost their lives during that war, be they warriors or civilians. She then asked the local bards to spread it around, and to ask for donations to help the refugees. I was doing this on Twitch, through his Discord, with the other players. So, I spoke in an Irish brogue, and also drew designs and sigils for the character, using Ogham. “The Dawning Moon” As down the glen one Solstice morn to a city fair rode I There armed lines of marching men in squadrons passed me by No pipe did hum no battle drum did sound its loud tattoo But the Orcish Drums o'er the city's slums rang out in the Dawning Moon [Verse 2] Right proudly high over the Big Folk Town they hung out the flag of war 'Twas better to die 'neath a Hobbit sky than to face the elders' roar And from the plains did magicks strain, strong men came pleading too Save our folk from death, at the hands of the Orcs, in the Bloody Dawning Moon [Verse 3] 'Twas them who bade our warriors strong, fight on till break of day Their lonely graves, the city saved, on that fateful bloody day Oh, had they died, the city cried, what can we small folk do Their names not cheap, where now they sleep, 'neath the shroud of the Dawning Moon [Verse 4] Oh the bravest fell, and the sorrowed bells rang mournfully and clear For those who died that Solstice tide in the summer time o' the year While the world did gaze, in deep amaze, at those fearless Hobbits, few Who bore the fight that freedom's light might shine in the Dawning Moon

[@tireachan6178]

Great shout, I just suggested it too! Definitely one of the best performances to show her vocal range. The Chieftains providing music not unfamiliar to the old Clan Chiefs was very fitting tying in a modern era Revolution in Sinead's vocals with the ancient past.

[@joiedevivre2005]

YES!!! Came here to suggest the same.

[@mbfrezon]

I hear so much of the traditional irish singing style in her voice. Pretty amazing stuff. I also love that performance of The Foggy Dew. She wasn't afraid to go a capella

[@redlineshipping]

She's a force of nature. An icon. And a tortured, troubled soul. Also breathtakingly beautiful.

[@AnDre-yu4po]

I was looking for this, she's so pure, in and out.. "breathtakingly beautiful" - thats it.

[@nuada123]

Sinéad had a unique voice coloured by the influence of 'Sean Nós' a traditional form of Irish/Scots/Gaelic singing that can still be heard today. Traditionally, it is the singer's voice only that is heard; no accompaniment. Seldom spoken of is the quality of her lyrics; deeply personal at times,almost hard to listen to I have to say. 'Troy' would be among my favourite songs of hers.Hard to believe that she vws so young when she wrote it. Thank you , Elizabeth for paying a tribute to our Sinéad. Greetings and blessings to you and your family, from Ireland.

[@Timbotron]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqjIhnqeeL-Bn68 is a great example of her singing a traditional song, in this way.

[@Waylaid13]

I think another famous modern singer (that's also sadly passed) that might demonstrate this style is Dolores O'Riordan from the Cranberries. Absolutely love traditional celtic music and the modern stylings of it as well.

[@john43332]

Completely agree Troy is one of her rawest and most powerful pieces. She gives all of herself in that one. The album cut made me have to sit down. This live version captures all of it Sinéad O'Connor - Troy (Live At The Dominion Theatre, 1988)

[@FionasWriting]

I came to see if anyone had picked this up - what is being described as a 'yodel' is such a specific Irish technique. Dolores was also a master of it.

[@michaeloreilly2533]

@@Waylaid13Dolores incorporated keaning into many of her songs. May both of these beautiful and gifted women rest in peace. Ní bheidh a leithéidí arís ann.

[@caboyle79]

The "yodeling" sound, the elaborate vocal runs, & the breathy delivery are all part of the traditional Irish "sean-nós" singing style also known as "lilting". Both Sinead and Dolores O' Riordan of the Cranberries were known for it. Another favorite of mine that you ought to check out is Sinead's collaboration with the Chieftains for "The Foggy Dew", an old Irish folk ballad about the 1916 Easter Rebellion. Very powerful song and there's a great live version on KZbin.

[@jessicaromick1035]

Yes please check out that song!

[@Discipline76]

The Foggy Dew is a song I listen to regularly. It's one of my favourite tracks of hers.

[@michaelhinkley2598]

I thought it was a goose squaking

[@colinmitchell9212]

This was always Sineads song, no-one every did it better. She was unique, hauntingly beautiful. Shame she has passed. RIP Sinead.

[@AngelinaG.-cc5xb]

I remember seeing the iconic video on MTV, just her beautiful eyes and voice and emotions, full screen. absolutely magical and mesmerizing. RIP to the icon 🙏

[@comiccolorist]

You should really do a reaction to this video. The live version here covers up a lot of her nuance - even if she is a lot more outwardly emotive here, the same intensity is still there in the video, bubbling a bit deeper.

[@mst3ktemple421]

This song is like a rollercoaster between soft phrases and completely raw, primal screams. The duality describing the relationship in the song is so intense that when I listen to what she is really saying it brings tears to my eyes every time and I am so grateful for it. RIP Sinead. Critics and fans weren't always kind to you, but you touched every one of their lives.

[@moki1210]

I cry every time I hear her sing this song. Even when it first came out, the video brought me to my knees. The rawness of emotion, of loss, of heartache…all these years later and it’s always like hearing this for the first time.

[@MS-sm3er]

So so many of her songs have this duality - all truly intense and emotional - more than this song I can’t keep a dry eye during Jackie or Last Day of Our Acquaintance especially.

[@kathoney7908]

This cut made her a superstar... I remember reading a newspaper review of her debut album The Lion and The Cobra and going directly out to buy it -- I was NOT disappointed. A raw, exquisite banshee -- like nothing my young ears had ever heard before. SUCH a genius -- and such a brave, unique, principled and uncompromising artist.

[@IRISHTRETTO]

What’s your favourite song off that album? I’m just discovering it. I heard Drink Before the War in a Netflix show today, been listening to that and Troy. I grew up in the same town she lived in, I can’t wait believe I overlooked her music until now. Great description by the way!

[@squincegoddess]

I can’t look at this song the same anymore, after seeing her interview with Dr. Phil. The sexual and physical abuse she endured from her mother throughout much of her childhood is beyond heartbreaking. The reason why she keeps her hair short, the reason she shed a tear while singing this song in original video was all due to her mother. Everything she did, including her music was a cry for help. Very brave woman, such a tortured soul. 😢

[@hfortenberry]

I know it’s painful when you know what the lyrics meant to her. But she WANTED people to listen. She wanted the abuse to be seen. That’s why she sang. I heard her say once in an interview that the reason she became a singer is so that the abuses she and her siblings suffered would be known.

[@bug092007]

I have always loved this song by her but never knew it was about her mother in her version....Damn this hits hard .

[@mindykloster3540]

I know! It’s just so brutal and soul crushing! I know what it’s like to want the love and affection from a mother and get rejected. It stays with you forever! It feels like the ultimate betrayal! My heart just always broke for Sinead!😢

[@rachmann516]

At rock bottom some would open that door to our inner room and pray with sincerity. That stops the lashing out at the world bc its not the world that heals or to blame. The suffering that comes is simply reaping the seeds previously sown-karma.

[@annamakara182]

It’s heartbreaking what she and her siblings went through.

[@IamTheMom]

So raw, so naked and emotions exposed. I love her voice, her presence on stage, her ”l’ll dance and move like I want like it or not”. No hair, no shoes, no prestige just emotions and talant ❤ One a person that has lived a life of pain can do this. You ca’nt fake that very easily.

[@brettsiegel6934]

Sinead’s voice so beautifully and tragically mimicked her personal life. There is only one word to describe her - UNDENIABLE!

[@zelgkopitar8799]

I'm generally a metal head but this is easily a top 5 songs of all time for me. Easily. She really takes this song and does something extremely magical with it. Maybe once a decade you get something of such quality, and among those one songs per decade, this is tops. So much emotion, control and as was pointed out, she is completely absorbed by the song.

[@benoitrenaud519]

We want more Sinead! The live version of Troy, with just a 12 string guitar, is just amazing.

[@cjmc123]

Powerful every time.

[@LadyGX]

Yes! Troy, please.

[@cjmc123]

Pinkpop, I think it was.

[@geoffreyhawley503]

Yes. This.

[@msns1978]

Agreed. Not a simple feat to mesmerize 60k people with just a guitar and your voice for six minutes through a song with mostly just two chords.

[@JanuitGroningen]

I can still remember the moment; tearing up the Pope's photo. She came under a lot of criticism. It even cost her career in America. Only after her death did she receive recognition. She was ahead of her time. Greetings from the Netherlands.

[@SlightlyCrunchyMama]

She shares a piece of her trauma every time she sings. So much so that I almost always cry when I hear her sing, I can hear her pain that she expresses so honestly.

[@bobjanis3589]

I wept like a child. Art is all about feeling (audio or visual), whether it’s in the moment or how it makes a connection with you. Sinéad makes you feel every note, directly from her. I realize we can’t live forever and that she had suffered loss, but what a tragic loss to us all. She had so much more to offer. RIP Sinéad. 😔

[@brentsnavely424]

I saw her in 1992 or 1993 at the WOMAD festival in Columbus, Ohio. She came on stage with Peter Gabriel and her voice was like a sonic boom. It hit me more like a bass guitar. I swear her vioe made my rib cage rattle. It made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I felt the emotion. I felt the passion. It was precision. It was vulnerable. It was sad. it was hopeful. I have NEVER experienced anything close to this powerful of a voice. On top of all of that, I love Irish mythology and Irish folklore. And she modernized that style of singing and wailing and made it cool again. I am so sad that she retreated after her hiatus in the 1990s from the world stage. Still, her body of work after her pop star status is very underrated and deserves more attention. 2/2

[@isadorealire5722]

I saw the same tour in Denver at Fiddler's Green. She froze the entire crowd into silence. I will die on this hill.... During ' In your Eyes" there were times you could have heard a whisper from the other side of the arena. Chills, emotions, grown men weeping.

[@violetfemme411]

"Last Day of our Acquaintance" is my favourite Sinead song. This feels like an extension of the intense grief at her husband divorcing her. That song DIRECTLY addresses the deep sense of loss, grief and confusion 💜 RIP beautiful girl 💜

[@irishcoffeetruecrime]

Have you heard her "This is a rebel song" you will cry 😢

[@carlitochakra7169]

Sinead's version of Gloomy Sunday (Billie Holliday). Also check out Sinead's version of The Streets of London. My favourite song and performance is Mandinka. 💛💜💛

[@theasianelson]

She was a prophet, honestly. The way she just bypasses logic, captivates a human heart, and effortlessly lets it collapse in her hands ... nothing compares to her, honestly. There will never be another Sinead, and I'm so grateful she existed within my generation.

[@sophoklesgreek3237]

what impresses me most, is that you believe her every word. she is not just telling a story or singing a song, she let have you part of her inner feelings.. at least that what it is feels like when you listen to her .. beside all the amazing and brave stuff she did, that is what I miss most ..

[@modernmedeamedia]

It’s a sin that’s she’s mostly remembered for a cover song when she actually has an amazing catalog of her own music. I saw her live several times and her voice was astounding, one of the few performers who was even more impressive live. Even if you don’t do an analysis of it, please check out her singing “Troy” live. It will blow you away. kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5DXe3SMnL-LZsU

[@horkusone]

Sinéad said that this song reminded her of her mom and that every time she sang it, she felt like she was with her again. Even just a few years ago she said she still loved the song and would sing it herself when she needed to feel her mom near. I don’t think it’s tragic she’s remembered for this song. It obviously meant a great deal to her (as evidenced by the way she performed it). I think that’s a good way to honor her memory.

[@modernmedeamedia]

I just mean it’s a shame that people don’t really know her musical output aside from this song. It’s obviously a beautiful cover.

[@markferguson3745]

The larger population will always seize on one offs and lowest common denominator standard structural progressions.What's important is that there is much more for those who seek it out, - and there is. Most don't know, or couldn't really tell you why they like what they like; I'm afraid that most often, they are just accepting without question what they are fed.

[@annejeppesen160]

There are a few songs where the cover becomes THE song. This is one of them (Johnny Cash and Hurt are another) She hit a world nerve and had the entire world loving a single song, and then go back to her usual style and solid fanbase.

[@glasgavlen]

Yes Troy is amazing, also Jerusalem and Black Boys on Mopeds. I wore out the entire album (cassette tape) The Lion and the Cobra was deeply emotional and perfect.

[@dj_daem0n]

If you really listen close to when Sinead comes in, you can hear the crowd sing a choir synth line that doesn't actually appear until after the chorus. But hearing so many people sing out like that always gives me chills regardless.

[@maryeckel9682]

I think it's beautiful ❤️

[@benfoxworth9826]

If you would consider continuing evaluation of Sinéad's incredible music, please review Troy. It's one of my favorites, and a powerful song.

[@melrupinski88]

Agree. I’ve never heard a singer do so many different things with their voice in one song. Blew me away when I first heard it back in the 80s, and still does today.

[@Darf652]

I challenge anyone to listen to Sinead's voice and not shed a tear. Sinead was such a misunderstood person, even here in Ireland. She was a one in a generation talent and completely underrated.

[@DH-rj2kv]

Seeing young Sinaed makes one want to go back in time and someone take away all that pain. I am sure people have tried and I know that it doesn't work that way, but the world would soemhow be a better place if you could.

[@JM1OB]

Thank you so much for this . I really appreciated your analysis. Spot on. I was a professional opera singer for 25 years and I am in awe of Sinead O'Connor's fantastic technique and the immense emotion that she conveys. Absolutely unique and absolutely wonderful. R. I . P. Sinead. Total respect for an amazing musician and person. xx

[@Cadinho93]

This song was written by Prince, but Sinéad O'Connor sang the hell out of this song and made it her own. RIP Sinéad O'Connor. Such a beautiful soul inside and out. I hope she's finally at peace and with her son again.

[@joergojschaefer3521]

She was only 3 years older than me and had enough of "living at war" for two lives! Frightening... R.I.P 🙏

[@EdwardsNH]

It was written by Prince for her though, so not a cover

[@dbrooks76]

​​@@EdwardsNHsadly no, not true. It was recorded by Prince and The Family before O'Connor covered it on her 2nd album

[@Travelling_with_my_dog]

her version of this song gives me goosebumps EVERY SINGLE TIME

[@promiscuous675]

Thank you. Please take a listen to Sinéad O'Connor's earlier work on the album "The Lion and The Cobra" (1987).

[@jon-paulfilkins7820]

Jackie or Troy would be my top suggestions from that album... Solid classics and explains why Sinéad O'Connor was THAT important an artist.

[@peaceofiona9198]

​@@jon-paulfilkins7820Drink before the War is not bad either

[@sovereigndayyouthkafir3943]

The entire album is a hydrogen bomb of a performance--most debut albums don't have the energy that The Lion and the Cobra does. Every track is worth listening to, but I'll agree that Jackie, Troy, and Drink Before the War are stand-out songs.

[@promiscuous675]

I have never been able to select a favourite track, they are all mesmerising.

[@peaceofiona9198]

@@promiscuous675 Most of her work on last two albums is also mesmerising. At least for me. And last single she has released which was Mahalia Jackson 's "Trouble of the World" Is just breathtaking.

[@auntieree]

She absolutely was All that and a bag of chips. She talks in her memoir about how she practiced that whisper and how entwined in her music her entire life was. She was a walking angel with an entire repertoire of emotions that sprung out for us all to love. It's a crying shame that we didn't cherish her like we should have while she was blazing this unbelievable trail for all womankind to continue. I feel like she deserves for us to pick up the torch and continue the fight for women all over the world to be as free as we all deserve to be.

[@Lemonbees]

Beautiful

[@NoReplyAtAll9]

What a completely beautiful and perfect statement you've made. ❤

[@shelbyw1961]

You could have not told it anymore beautiful that. Thank you.

[@ameliabrown2282]

I was there. We knew exactly how great she was :)

[@crewealex1125]

I love that she chose to keep this song in her sets, and how much she sang it like it was brand new. Many artists would have dropped it for being old, or just phoned it in. It sounds like she was singing this like it was the most important thing in the world.

[@djbeema]

Her voice feels simultaneously so powerful and so fragile. I think its impossible not to be emotionally affected by it even if you're not a fan of the style.

[@leedsinshetland]

A beautiful, tortured soul. Her voice was an artists brush. A star grew, yet burned out with turmoil that would never leave her, and the deep pure sadness of her loss, a son who also suffered demons and blew out his own growing flame at a young age. RIP

[@i_am_m3384]

I remember, that I had quite similar feelings, when I heard this song in 1990, while at that time I of course didn't knew anything about the horrible things, that happened in her early life or in her future.

[@RhiannonClarkMusicofficial]

I am from Dublin Ireland myself... And a singer also ....❤ Sinéad O'Connor was someone who helped me understand my mother who was estranged for most of my life 🧬❤ I can tell you now Sinéad O'Connor was inspired... She was a woman made of pure spirit 🌹 Her choices come from her love of freedom 🙏 I understand this whole heartedly 🌹.... May she rest in Peace 🕊️✌️ She will be forever loved and appreciated 👍 Thank you for Sharing your love of the voice Sister ❤️ I get it ❤

[@DanielJ83]

That Version is one of the best i have Heard so far. Can't count how many Times i have watched that Video. Gives me goosebumbs and brings tears in my eyes everytime. She is so gorgous and an absolute Talent 😢😊

[@susanray7181]

She used her live performances to explore her voice and give new emotion. Each time she sang it was different. It gives the feeling that she’s giving you real emotion. You FEEL Sinead’s songs more than you hear them. If you listen to her studio recordings, they are a lot more uniform and typical. She always she was born for live performance, and she truly was.

[@spaceman9599]

Thank you. She was incredible. Mandinka even further vocal gymnastics. Her raw honesty and incredible, powerful voice will be missed.

[@oscardiggs246]

Sinead did a live recording of the entirety of The Lion and the Cobra on a college tour in 88 or 89.. It is a transcendent performance that shows exactly what she was capable of even that early in her career. The whole concert is amazing, but Troy and Jerusalem are absolutely haunting.

[@silasrobertshaw8122]

Live Troy is the quintissential Sinead to me.

[@jollyj3285]

Is that live version available somewhere? I would love to hear it...I know her Live at Pinkpop Troy is completely amazing

[@oscardiggs246]

@@jollyj3285 link I had has been taken down, but here's the version of Troy from the Dominion Theatre. This and Pinkpop are definitely the best I've seen kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z525Y2SAbJqpfKc

[@kimwiley4061]

Do you know where to find this recording?

[@oscardiggs246]

@@kimwiley4061 There are a lot of audio only, but this is the best video version I found. It's not everything, but it's a lot of the songs. kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5qVcmeCe6ymjNU

[@shrekswife2164]

Sinead reminds me a lot of Dimash. Audacious, unrestrained and fearless. She broke the mainstream mold of her time with this song and followed her own path without kowtowing to industry and pop culture expectations. She also had a strong sense of justice. A beautiful soul who graced us with her talent. Well done Sinead, now you can fly home and free.

[@augustjoseph629]

This is so beautiful. I love how in the moment she is. The connection to the song is so rich. ✨EMOTIONAL IMPACT dialed to 100%✨

[@paulsmith2516]

Sinead O'Connor was a true force of nature, a truly unique talent and an incredible human being. Prince himself even said that this was no longer his song, that it belonged to Sinead and I don't think anyone could argue that. NOTHING compares to Miss O'Connor nothing. Rest in peace you beautiful soul ❤

[@Parula06]

I love Chris Cornell's version of this, but Sinead's is the one. I remember seeing the astonishing video for this song on MTV back in the day. Totally mesmerizing. Sinead was an intense, fearless, courageous, straight from the heart singer, with a terrific voice. I cried when I heard she'd passed away.

[@HerveBoisde]

She wore her vulnerability like a coat of arms. It was her trademark in a way.

[@kingsgaurd]

The amazing cover with Sinead's voice combined a simple but powerful video (close up on her face) to really make a great musical moment,

[@jamiewilliamson641]

I think the breaks in her voice are very reminiscent of traditional Gaelic folk songs. She was absolutely brilliant. You can also hear some similar breaks in Delores O'riordan from the Cranberries. Both Irish.

[@csmccarthy123063]

Watching and listening to this, it's difficult to understand how it wasn't her writing. She embodies the song. Feels like her soul pouring out through her vocals.

[@honeybrown1997]

I am...still shattered. Back in the eighties when I heard her belting out "Mandinka", it was love at first sound. And then sight, when she stepped onto that Grammy stage in 1989. I knew then the world was dealing with a force unlike any other. She immediately became a member of my music girl crush list, joining Grace Jones, Nona Hendryx and Bjork. 🥰 It'd be nice to hear your take on "Just Like U Said It Would B", the live 1987 Whistle Test BBC2 version.

[@firedoc5]

She could bring out the emotion that just grabs you. In the official video it's a close up of her face that shows her tears that were legitimately real that just made it more emotional than just her voice. Just loved her.

[@derekbowbrick6233]

Notes from the angels, growl from the metal gods, and operatic emotions. You will be missed. R.I.P.

[@evillittlegoat8338]

I urge you to check out "Troy", as others have already suggested. I was blown away the first time I heard it and have been every single time I've heard it since. Also, you might like "He Moved Through the Fair". It's a traditional Irish folk song, and both live performances I've seen by her on KZbin have loads of close-ups of her singing :) I think her technique is very much influenced by the traditional Irish singing tradition. And now I have to go and check if you've covered Dolores O'Riordan already

[@ansfridaeyowulfsdottir8095]

I just said the same thing about _"Troy."_ But the studio video, not any live version where she just plays one or two chords. {:o:O:}

[@evillittlegoat8338]

@@ansfridaeyowulfsdottir8095 Yes, the strings add a LOT in the studio version. But if we just focus on the voice anyway, the live recording from the Dominion Theatre is pretty bloody amazing, too :)

[@jcnunny]

Onions are being chopped near me every time I hear this magnificent performance from this angel. Never fails.

[@bryden72]

One of the most bravest and generous souls to walk this earth. She always stood up for other people and didn't stop, She went to a dying fans beside and stayed there. Rest in power

[@I.Lostalim]

I am always amazed at the raw emotion Sinéad puts into every second 😍 She somehow makes us hear the complex set of changing emotions the song wants is to feel. Watching you break down every moment of it, being so amazed yourself, absolutely fascinating. ❤

[@solzimer]

A tragic song and a tragic life, sadly. Rest in peace Sinead, you deserve it.

[@tjvertigo]

I remember the first time I heard her, I had to listen to every single thing she did. Some of my favorites are the more obscure songs, and if I was asked to choose a favorite I couldn't. I was totally vibing to Mandinka in the car just the day before she passed. Man, her loss hit me hard.

[@tjvertigo]

@@tinoliera9480 totally! The studio versions are great, but live? Phew. Nothing beats it.

[@hfortenberry]

I’ve been waiting for you to cover Sinead. So glad you finally are. I was 19 when the Lion and the Cobra came out and that album, especially Troy, got me through some very rough times. It’s very near and dear to my heart. I’m 55 and have never cried over the death of an artist or celebrity before, but I cried over and over again for days when Sinead died. It was utterly tragic. I immediately came to your channel to see if you had reviewed her because I just wanted, needed to be around people talking about her and her music for about a week afterwards. I’ve kept checking back to your channel and am so happy, bittersweet, that you’re finally doing this. ❤ RIP sweet Sinead. There was never another artist who tried so hard to do what was right for those who had no voice of their own and she’ll always be a heroine to me for that.

[@glasgavlen]

Me too. Same age, album was a huge influence on me, cried for days over her loss. Still gutted. If she didn't know how deeply she was adored in life, she surely knows now.

[@naomiledger1374]

100%

[@circlewindranch]

Thank you for fully appreciating this beautiful, misunderstood artist of my time… her emotion and expression in song is what all of us fell in love with.

[@elbrooks]

My heart is so broken for her passing. She was a special one ❤

[@joecarr9476]

This Live version she did in Chile is my fave version of this song. I love the way she easily transitions between falsetto to normal tones then on up to harder expressive tones and back to falsetto. Brilliant. RIP Sinead.

[@brentsnavely424]

I've been waiting for this. Waiting for you to review her. I'm just a few minutes in and you are reacting with exactly the amount of awe that I expected. She is absolutely amazing. 1/2

[@tinoliera9480]

That’s my face with every song too! Love your words

[@DeadDad1]

My god I miss that woman. Her voice was so beautiful! I am not ashamed to confess that hearing this moved me to tears.

[@VickCheeseman]

Thank you for the analysis. Now you see why we all loved her voice. I was 15 when I first heard “Troy”. She changed my life… probably saved it on some level.

[@waterdragon2224]

I really enjoyed your analysis of her vocals. I’ve always liked this song. This live version is so much more emotional. She really did have such a beautiful and unique sound. RIP S.O. ❤

[@mistercrankypants]

Her creative palette was like a wrecking ball; her voice a vast dynamic pendulum that swung between absolute rage and love, both obliterating and rebuilding with each airy breath. She came out of nowhere when I was a teen and disappeared into relative obscurity in recent years. She will be missed although her unique footprint will continue to inspire for as long as people are here to remember her.

[@LeNaSmileyStar]

Sinèad O'Connor such a talent, herStory was tradical.... on oh so many levels. RIP❣ She chose to shave her head to have less attention on her looks Well, she didn't need hair to show off that beauty. The emotions in her voice....😢😢 ... I think only Dolores O'Riardon from Cranberries have simular qualities - both Irish... Anyways, thnx a million for analysing this masterpiece. I WISH you'd consider Prince's When DOVES CRY as a reaction/Analysis at some point. 🙏🤞🤞

[@axydlbaaxr]

I was waiting for this. Thank you so much. Sinead has been part of the soundtrack of my life since I was 17, and The Lion and the Cobra came out. An absolute icon and ARTIST.

[@bevalexander5897]

I remember seeing her video for “Nothing Compares to You” the first time. Those eyes! They were hypnotic and the rest of her was gorgeous, and she sounded like an angel! I was a lifetime fan with seconds. She had her demons, though, and I truly hope she has found some peace at last.

[@christinablackmore5222]

An emotion that needs to be torn loose is the most apt description of Sinead O’Connor’s singing style I have ever heard. There are a lot of requests for you to analyze her song Troy, and I completely concur. The song runs the gamut from sadness to seething rage, and it still gives me goosebumps when I listen to it today. Thank you for such an informative and entertaining reaction. I think my facial expression must have mirrored yours, the first time I heard Sinead O’Connor sing, all those years ago.

[@KARENCOGS]

This just brought tears to my eyes! I had never seen this performance before! ❤️

[@elen5871]

the physicality of her performance is so *fucking* incredible, especially because you can _hear_ it all. you can HEAR that she's like. arched her back and curled her fingers so hard it looks like she's having a seizure. or the little hop when she hits the higher register in 'no-THING compares.' you don't need to see the performance to know that, it's all there to hear. and it fits this _bitter_ ass song _so well._ she really channels some _shit_ for this performance. she's gonna be so, so missed.

[@RavenaDenver]

I saw Sinead 4 times in my life. I love her, she sang me through a really hard time in my life and I really don't know what I would have done without her Irish wail in my ears. When I had to be a warrior it was Sinead's voice that pushed the strength into me. Every concert I saw her at was like this. Emotion, that Celtic wail, you believed every thing that sounded out of her mouth. She was amazing. She spent her whole life doing the right thing whether it cost her personally or not. This woman saw and felt everything and did it without flinching or being a liar about it.

[@dabooser1048]

I saw her in 1989 at a fairly small venue. No band, the music was recorded so it was just her and her voice on the stage. The only concert i have ever been to where the audience was silent and sitting in their chairs with the exception of the applause between songs and the end. Its not that everyone was not into it, we were all mesmerized by her voice. I have never heard another singer live who was that amazing.

[@SaintPhoenixx]

It's such a tragedy what happened to her. An incredible singer, a victim of one of the first and biggest celebrity cancellation (and she was right all along) and a tortured soul. Publicly struggling with her mental health for years and losing her son last year, she sadly died by suicide. Really sad that her life ended like that, she was one of the good ones and a hell of a voice. Some people just have no luck.

[@georginachambers]

She did not kill herself. That is such an insult to this amazing survivor. Where did you get this BS conjecture?

[@SallySamsara]

Have you read her book Rememberings? She feels she has achieved all her dreams and more. Of course this was before her son Shane took his life.

[@georginachambers]

I've read her book twice and now have my own copy and will read again. Everything she believed in would indicate she could never have killed herself despite her deep, deep sorrow. I say this as a therapist who has worked with folks experiencing complex PTSD for the past 35 years. From the deeply spiritual place she has always come from as a survivor, it is almost impossible she died by her own hand. I could be wrong of course, but I think not.@@SallySamsara

[@SparksofHell]

Sinead was a fire cracker. Depending on her mood at the time, the way she’d perform a song varied greatly: sometimes almost breathing the words in a growl or a wild uncontrolled scream. It was always amazing to see/hear though. The emotion she packed into everything was always amazing.

[@CathyKeating]

You nailed it, Elizabeth. You found and spoke to the many voices of Sinead O'Connor. I loved hearing you talk about how she pushes up against the top of her chest voice and then, pretty freaking consistently and masterfully, opens it up to that yodel in her head. Don't know any other singer that accomplishes that so beautifully and with so much emotion. Yes, the breathy quality is also signature. And the ROAR, which you don't hear so much in this song, which is absolutely flesh melting. 🔥🔥🔥

[@maurocoimbra9624]

What a fabulous analysis of this beatiful singing angel!

[@colleenurban7673]

Over the past few weeks since Sinead's death I have been visiting her music, bios, and interviews and have fallen in love with her artistry and message. Sinead said that in NCTU she was singing about her dead mother who had also been her prime abuser. Thanks for your analysis of this awesome performance.

[@sithlordkaeyl21]

Sinead O’Connor definitely had a hauntingly, beautiful voice, and she took this song to another level when she sang it.

[@jimdez11]

Her entire first album "The Lion and The Cobra" is a force of nature, listen for your own enjoyment and you'll get some idea what a fresh influence she was.

[@madsquishy3410]

Man, she was so intense and emotional. When she held out that long random note in the middle of the song I swear I got chills and started tearing up. You can tell she is feeling every word of this song. RIP to a truly beautiful soul

[@redadamearth]

That's nothing. There's another live performance she did of the song in 1990, where she held it for much longer. This is actually the *weakest* version of her performing this song.

[@madsquishy3410]

@@redadamearth wow, that's crazy

[@thedahkterizzin8831]

I'm a fifty something man. There are few songs that affect me over and over with tears as this singer, this song. So pure. So moving. 😢😢

[@nicolemerrill4998]

RIP my sweet, old friend. You gave me voice when i had none. Thank you for everything. Until we meet again

[@waterdragon2224]

I also like Chris Cornell’s rendition of this song. But her voice is so unique and beautiful. So much raw emotion. ❤