The Death of Sinead O’Connor

 

By Null and SoDak

Not to be too dark, but we wondered how long Sinead O’Connor would be around following her seventeen-year-old son’s suicide in 2022. She was always quite open regarding her own health struggles. She battled deep and dark demons in front of the whole world, which was sad and tragic. This week, when the news of her death was shared, we welled up and shed some tears. 

The Lion and the Cobra (1987) was released when we were in high school. With every listen, chills would run up and down our bodies. Sinead had such a powerful and beautiful voice. She demanded attention. The full range of emotions were present on her albums. She was punk rock. Sinead had truckloads of courage in the face of lesser and more powerful entities. Famously, on Saturday Night Live, she torn up a picture of the pope in protest of the child abuse perpetuated and covered up by the Catholic Church. Her actions caused an uproar, as this issue was not being discussed in the news or by the public at the time. Shortly after this event, she attended a tribute concert to celebrate Bob Dylan. Upon being introduced, the weak-kneed reactionaries in the audience proceeded to boo her. Sinead stood there staring at the audience. Kris Kristofferson walked on stage telling her, “Don’t let the bastards get you down.” Rather than singing the planned Dylan song, Sinead had the volume turned up on the microphone, and she sang an a cappella version of Bob Marley’s “War.” She was defiant in the best possible way. Sinead was a comrade in arms. 

While we did not follow her entire career, both of us have many of her albums. These records are beautifully inspiring and absolutely heartbreaking—in particular, The Lion and the Cobra, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got (1990), and Faith and Courage (2000). She recorded so many songs that bring tears to our eyes—“Jackie,” “Troy,” “The Last Day of Our Acquaintance,” and “Nothing Compares 2 U.” The list goes on and on. Her version of “Rebel Song” is incredibly moving. In “Black Boys on Mopeds,” she exposes the racism and hypocrisy of Margaret Thatcher and the British government. She sings:

England’s not the mythical land of Madame George and roses

It’s the home of police who kill black boys on mopeds

And I love my boy and that’s why I'm leaving

I don’t want him to be aware that there’s

Any such thing as grieving

Young mother down at Smithfield

Five a.m., looking for food for her kids

In her arms she holds three cold babies

And the first word that they learned was please. 

Sinead was a fucking warrior. She was tough as leather and tender as a flower. Sometimes the cruel world eats you up. In 1994, Sinead wrote a simple, direct song, called “Thank You for Hearing Me,” extending love and appreciation. We still need artists, human beings, like Sinead to stand in defiance against the bullies and fascists. At this point, we simply say thanks.