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ROCK
ON THE NET:
Sinéad O'Connor
|
 
 Sinéad O'Connor was born on
December 8, 1967, in Dublin, Ireland. Since 1990,
the music scene has witnessed a young woman from
Ireland rise to the top of commercial success and
critical praise, and fall just as quickly.
Throughout it all, Sinéad never wavered from her
politics, nor did she abandon her love for music
to make a quick buck. Sinéad continued to tour
occasionally and seems to release music when she
felt the quality allows.
 October 30: Sinéad became known in
the music world with the release of her debut LP,
The
Lion And The Cobra. The LP was successful with
alternative and college radio, and Sinéad's
unique combination of strength and vulnerability
was a hit with critics and audiences. The track
"Mandinka" showcased Sinéad's powerful
voice and her art for becoming a part of the
song. The LP was praised as an impressive debut
as other tracks were played on the radio and
became staples in her concerts, such as "I
Want Your (Hands On Me),"
"Jerusalem," "Just Like U Said It
Would B," and the melodic, "Troy."
- Sinéad's politics
were often equally powerful and her opinions were
often misunderstood or taken out of context.
Sinéad would often find herself gaining
notoriety explaining her comments or actions
while her music would be over-shadowed. This
"political unrest" continued and grew
for Sinéad throughout the 80s. Between LPs,
Sinéad contributed a track to the Married
To The Mob soundtrack, "Jump In The
River," which heightened the anticipation
for her second LP.
    
- August 21: Sinéad could be heard on
Roger Water's live LP of The
Wall: Live In Berlin with "Mother."
- August 24: Sinéad created
controversy when she refused to perform a show in
New Jersey if the U.S. National Anthem was played
before the show (which is traditional for that
arena).
     
- September 14: Sinéad released an LP of
cover tunes, Am
I Not Your Girl? Although the LP showcased Sinéad's
vocals and gave a new style to older songs, the
LP was commercially disappointing and not many
critics new what to think of it.
- October 3: Sinéad found herself in
controversy when she ripped up a picture of the
Pope while saying "fight the real
enemy" on Saturday Night Live after
performing. The action was scene as a slap in the
face to religion. Sinéad later stated that she
was only protesting the Catholic church's
insistence on not allowing women to have more
power in the church.
 October 16: Sinéad was booed while
on stage at a Bob
Dylan tribute concert (which many people
found very ironic considering Dylan was viewed as
the classic political protesting musician).
Sinéad later said of the event: "It was a
symbol of tearing down of the church's secrets
and lies. In Ireland, it was coming out (that)
there had been child abuse within the church and
it had been shut up. It wasn't an attack on the
man."
- January 25: For a few years, the only
music Sinéad released was for soundtracks or
charity ("My Special Child"). Sinéad's
reminiscent early alternative sound was evident
for the track "You Made Me The Thief Of your
Heart" she recorded for the movie In
The Name Of The Father.
- July: Sinéad decided to remove
herself from a peace festival in Jerusalem due to
death threats against her by a pro-Israeli group,
Ideological Front. Sinéad issued a letter to
Jerusalem newspapers and the Associated Press
this week directed at the group, stating
"...I have always had the most passionate
love for the Jewish people, and sorrow for what
they have suffered throughout the centuries but
how can there be peace anywhere on Earth if there
is not peace in Jerusalem?...God does not reward
those who bring terror to the children of the
world. So you have succeeded in nothing but your
soul's failure." Sinéad's last LP was
dedicated to the people of Israel, Rwanda and
Northern Ireland.
- August: In Spin
magazine, O'Connor talked about her past actions
and the consequences of speaking her mind:
"No one's perfect... I mean, I didn't kill
anyone... which is a miracle... I'm changing in
that I no longer desire to have the **** kick out
of me... what I've always liked about my records
is there's been a schizophrenic diversity in
them. I think Alanis (Morissette)
is Sinéad O'Connor with hair... Alanis and The
Cranberries, they're kind of well-behaved
Sinéad O'Connors. I suppose it bothers me that
people like them have sold a lot more records
than I ever sold... they don't cause trouble and
they play a game... they're not controversial in
any way."
 December 1: Sinéad could be heard on
the soundtrack for the film You
Got Mail with "I Guess The Lord Must Be
In New York City."
- April 22: Sinéad was ordained as
the first woman priest in the Latin Tridentine
Church.
 June 8: Sinéad proclaimed
herself a lesbian in an issue of Curve:
"I'm a lesbian. Although I haven't been very
open about that, and throughout most of my life
I've gone out with blokes because I haven't
necessarily been terribly comfortable about being
a lesbian. But I actually am a lesbian." She
also stated on The View that she is
uncomfortable with labels regarding sexuality and
is now celibate. Sinéad told the Associated
Press: "I think age kind of mellows you. I
was 20 when my first record came out, 25 when
everything hit the fan. I'm 33 now, and having
expressed a lot of stuff helped mellow me. The
fact I did a lot of screaming and shouting was
quite healthy and helpful. Now my reasons for
writing songs are wanting to perhaps supply some
nurturing, soothing or healing through music...
provide little droplets of faith and courage
through music." The following year after
marrying a man she described herself as
"three-quarters heterosexual, a quarter
gay."  June 10: Sinéad hit the ARC Weekly Top 40 with "No Man's Woman."- June 13: Sinéad released her next
LP, Faith
& Courage.
 April: Sinéad announced she was
retiring from the music business in July
"... to pursue a different career."
- August 26: The live DVD, Goodnight,
Thank You, You've Been a Lovely Audience was released. The video
includes the tracks "Molly Malone,"
"Oro Se Do Bheatha Bhaile," "The
Singing Bird," "My Lagan Love,"
"I Am Stretched On Your Grave," "Nothing Compares 2 U," "John I Love
You," "The Moorlough Shore,"
"You Made Me The Thief Of Your Heart,"
"Paddy's Lament," "Thank You For
Hearing Me," "Fire On Babylon,"
and "The Last Day Of Our Acquaintance"
and bonus videos.
   
- July 29: Sinéad died at the age
of 56. It was later determined that she died from
'chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and
asthma'.
|
The
Lion And The Cobra
Released: October 30, 1987
US: Gold
Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: #: 36
Grammy Nominee: Best Rock Vocal
Performance - Female
Rolling Stone: 
Tracks: "Jackie" -
"Mandinka" - "Jerusalem"
- "Just Like U Said It Would B" -
"Never Get Old" - "Troy"
- "I Want Your Hands On Me" -
"Drink Before The War" - "Just
Call Me Joe"
|
 |
I
Do Not Want What I Haven't Got
 Released: March 12, 1990
US: 2x Platinum
Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 1 (for 6
weeks)
Grammy Winner: Best Alternative Music
Performance
Rolling Stone:  - Entertainment
Weekly: A
Rolling
Stone: '500 Greatest Albums of All-Time': # 406
Rolling Stone:
'50 Essential 'Woman In Rock' Albums': # 22
Tracks: "Feels So
Different" - "I Am Stretched On
Your Grave" - "Three Babies" -
"The Emperor's New
Clothes"
- "Black Boys On Mopeds" - "Nothing Compares 2 U" - "Jump In
The River" - "You Cause As Much
Sorrow" - "The Last Day Of Our
Acquaintance" - "I Do Not Want What
I Haven't Got"
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 |
Am
I Not Your Girl?
Released: September 14, 1992
Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 27
Rolling Stone:  - Entertainment
Weekly: A-
Tracks: "Why Don't You
Do Right?" - "Bewitched, Bothered
And Bewildered" - "Secret
Love" - "Black Coffee" -
"Success Has Made A Failure Of Our
Home" - "Don't Cry For Me
Argentina" - "I Want To Be Loved By
You" - "Gloomy Sunday" -
"Love Letters" - "How
Insensitive" - " Scarlet
Ribbons" - "Don't Cry For Me
Argentina" (Instrumental)
|
 |
Universal
Mother
Released: September 13, 1994
Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 36
Rolling Stone: - Entertainment
Weekly: B+
Tracks: "Germaine"
- "Fire On Babylon" - "John, I
Love" - "My Darling Child" -
"Am I Human?" - "Red
Football" - "All Apologies" -
"A Perfect Indian" - "Scorn
Not His Simplicity" - "All
Babies" - "In This Heart" -
"Tiny Grief Song" -
"Famine" - "Thank You For
Hearing Me"
|
 |
Gospel
Oak (EP)
Released: June 3, 1997
Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 128
Rolling Stone:  - Entertainment
Weekly: B+
Tracks: "This Is To
Mother You" - "I Am Enough For
Myself" - "Petit Poulet" -
"My Love" - "This Is A Rebel
Song" - "He Moved Through The
Fair" (live)
|
 |
So
Far.. The Best Of Sinéad O'Connor
Released: November 10, 1997
Entertainment
Weekly: A-
Tracks: "Nothing Compares 2 U" -
"Mandinka" - "The Emperor's New
Clothes"
- "The Last Day Of Our
Acquaintance" - "Fire On
Babylon" - "Troy" - "I Am
Stretched On Your Grave" - "Success
Has Made A Failure Of Our Home" -
"John, I Love You" - "Empire -
Bomb The Bass" - "I Want Your Hands
On Me" - "Heroine" -
"Don't Cry For Me Argentina" -
"You Made Me The Thief Of Your
Heart" - "Just Like You Said It
Would B"
|
|
Faith
& Courage
Released: June 13, 2000
Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 55
Rolling Stone: - Entertainment
Weekly: B+
Tracks: "The Healing
Room" - "No
Man's Woman" - "Jealous" -
"Dancing Lessons" - "Daddy I'm
Fine" - "'Til I Whisper U
Something" - "Hold Back The
Night" - "What Doesn't Belong To
Me" - "The State I'm In" -
"The Lamb's Book Of Life" -
"If U Ever" - "Emma's
Song" - "Kyrie Eleison"
|
 |
Sean-Nos
Nua
Released: October 8, 2002
Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 139
Rolling Stone: - Entertainment
Weekly: B+
Tracks: "Peggy
Gordon" - "Her Mantle So
Green" - "Lord Franklin" -
"The Singing Bird" - "Oro, Se
Do Bheatha 'Bhaile" - "Molly
Malone" - "Paddy's Lament" -
"The Moorlough Shore" - "The
Parting Glass" - "Baidin
Fheilimi" - "My Lagan Love" -
"Lord Baker" (with Christy Moore) -
"I'll Tell Me Ma"
|
 |
She
Who Dwells In The Secret Place Of The Most
High Shall Abide Under The Shadow Of The
Almighty
Released: September 9, 2003
Tracks: "Regina
Caeli" - "O Filii Et Filiae" -
"My Love I Bring" - "Do Right
Woman" - "Love Hurts" -
"Ain't It A Shame" -
"Chiquitita" - "Brigidine
Diana" - "It's All Good" -
"Love Is Ours" - "A Hundred
Thousand Angels" - "You Put Your
Arms Around Me" - "Emma's
Song" - "No Matter How Hard I
Try" - "Dense Water, Deeper
Down" - "This Is A Rebel Song"
- "1000 Mirrors Asian Dub
Foundation" - "Big Bunch Of Junkie
Lied" - "Song Of Jerusalem" - Live
Tracks: "Molly Malone" -
"Oro, Se Do Bneatha 'Bnaile" -
"The Singing Bird" - "My Lagan
Love" - "I Am Stretched On Your
Grave" - "Nothing Compares 2 U" - "John I
Love You" - "The Moorlough
Shore" - "You Made Me The Thief Of
Your Heart" - "Paddy's Lament"
- "Thank You For Hearing Me" -
"Fire On Babylon" - "The Last
Day Of Our Acquaintance"
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|
Collaborations
Released: June 21, 2005
Tracks: "Special
Cases" (Radio Edit with Massive Attack)
- "1000 Mirrors" (with Asian Dub
Foundation) - "Empire" (with Bomb
The Bass) - "Guide Me God" (with
Ghostland) - "Visions Of You" (with
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart) -
"Release" (with Afro Celt Sound
System) - "Wake Up & Make Love With
Me" (with Ian Dury's Blockheads) -
"Kingdom Of Rain" (with The The) -
"I'm Not Your Baby" (with U2) -
"Tears From The Moon" (with Conjure
One) - "Blood Of Eden" (Radio Edit
with Peter Gabriel) - "Harbour"
(with Moby) - "Up In Arms" (with
Asian) - "It's All Good" (with
Damien Dempsey) - "Heroine" (with
The Edge) - "All Kinds Of
Everything" (with Terry Hall)
|
|
Throw
Down Your Arms
Released: October 4, 2005
Rolling Stone: - Entertainment
Weekly: B
Tracks: "Jah Nuh
Dead" - "Marcus Garvey" -
"Door Peep" - "He Prayed"
- "Y Mas Gan" - "Curly
Locks" - "Vampire" -
"Prophet Has Arise" -
"Downpressor Man" - "Throw
Down Your Arms" - "Untold
Stories" - "War"
|
|
Theology
Released: June 18, 2007
Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 168
Rolling Stone: 
Tracks: "Something
Beautiful" - "We People Who Are
Darker Than Blue" - "Out Of The
Depths" - "Dark I Am Yet
Lovely" - "If You Had A
Vineyard" - "Watcher Of Men" -
"53" - "The Glory Of Jah"
- "Womesover Dwells" - "Rivers
Of Babylon" - "Hosanna Filio
David"
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|
How
About I Be Me (And You Be You)?
Released: February 21, 2012
Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 115
Rolling Stone: - Entertainment
Weekly: B+
Tracks: "4th And
Vine" - "Reason With Me" -
"Old Lady" - "Take Off Your
Shoes" - "Back Where You
Belong" - "The Wolf Is Getting
Married" - "Queen Of Denark" -
"Very Far From Home" - "I Had
A Baby" - "V.I.P."
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I'm
Not Bossy I'm The Boss
Released: August 11, 2014
Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 83
Tracks: "How About I Be
Me" - "Dense Water Deeper
Down" - "Kisses Like Mine" -
"Your Green Jacket" - "The
Vishnu Room" - "The Voice Of My
Doctor" - "Harbour" -
"James Brown" - "8 Good
Reasons" - "Take Me To Church"
- "Where Have You Been" -
"Streetcars"
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