Sinéad O’Connor, acclaimed Dublin singer, dies aged 56

boem@lemmy.world to World News@lemmy.world – 877 points –
Sinéad O’Connor, acclaimed Dublin singer, dies aged 56
irishtimes.com
55

I’ve been aware of her since she was the background singer for World Party. And that ages me, I know.

Also her first album was The Lion and the Cobra, NOT the one with Nothing Compares 2 U, as the media keeps reporting. And that first album is pretty much an under-appreciated masterpiece.

She was so mistreated by the media and the world, man.

Such a fucking shame :(

RIP

Thank you for setting her music in a contest for (slightly less old) people like me (not that I’m young).

I just listened to her debut album and you are right, this is extremely good stuff. I was a bit surprised that it came out in 87, the production reminds me more of a more spacious trip hop record - so far it seems to have aged very well.

Thanks again for recommending this, you made a person which would probably have never listened to that do it with headphones on a stormy evening - guess that’s the most you can do for a musician you adored.

And that first album is pretty much an under-appreciated masterpiece.

Indeed! Her love versions of "Troy" give me the chills. It's a good song on record but her intensity of the live performances lifted it into legend territory.

Edit: spelling (two words).

Yes.

Troy is the first Sinead O'Connor song I ever heard. It's filled with so much love and pain and rage. I was too young to understand it, but I listened to it a lot. It remains one of the most powerful artistic expressions I've encountered. Here is a live performance and the music video.

She was so ballsy and ahead of her time. So heartbreaking.

Standing up to the church was brave. Great singer as well. RIP

I grew up in the 80s and 90s in catholic house, so all I really knew about her was she ripped up a picture of the pope on SNL. I wasn't familiar with her music at all. Then around 2001 I went to a Dropkick Murphys concert and before they came on stage they played The Foggy Dew by The Chieftains. I had never heard this song before and I remember being absolutely enamored by the ghostly vocals and having no idea it was her singing. 20+ years later I still get chills listening to it.

And for those who haven't heard it - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keWnPZOd2cw

Chills every time I hear that song…it’s incredible especially if you get the Chieftains cranking on a good stereo with that angelic voice.

It’s especially poignant now.

Stood up to the Church when few would. Her Cover of The Foggy Dew is one of the greatest performances I've ever heard. Lost a legend today.

thank you for sharing this. she was a very powerful presence. great rendition

Dropkick Murphys used to (maybe still do?) play her Foggy Dew as the lead-in track to their set, and it never failed to get the crowd stomping, and well up tears in my eyes.

Has she been ill? I haven't heard anything...

Her son committed suicide last year, seems like she followed suit

I wouldn’t be surprised. She’s had a number of wellness checks called on her

Low key this is why I'm happy I am an externalized. As I told my psychologist once years ago when I was going through a rough patch "it's not that I want to kill myself. It's that I want everyone else to die"

That said I'm not insane and clearly ain't noone got the time and energy to kill the world nor is that a healthy thing to do. Lol

For what it’s worth, the times I’ve been closest to suicide I no longer expressed it as “I want to die” it was “I can’t live anymore”. I know it sounds pedantic but for me it’s a good indicator of when I’m having a bad depressive episode vs when I’m a suicide risk. Wanting to die means you still care enough to want something, if that make sense? When I can’t bring myself to care about life, death, my loved ones, anything at all, that’s when I need help asap. Everyone is different of course, I just thought it might be worth sharing in case someone reading this recognises that apathy in a loved one.

I fear that this is likely the case. I can't imagine losing one of my children and wanting to go on living.

Estate isn't saying but she's had a public struggle with extreme depression following the death of her son.

She's struggled with her mental health for a long time.

She's struggled with her mental health for a long time.

Aw man....that's sad. Say what you want, She was herself and fuck anyone had a problem with that. Will miss her.

I hope that the people who criticized her for tearing the Pope's picture in half die in a violent fire.

It was cool at the time but she converted to Islam, became a finatic and became the very thing she was taking a stand against.

So criticism... should lead to painful death?

Are you okay?

She was protesting about the physical and sexual abuse of children by the church. The criticism helped to continue the protection of pedophiles, which continued for decades and still happens.

Joe Pesci (a study in short man syndrome) said on TV he wanted to slap her for ripping up a photo and the audience applauded him for it.

Okay? So speech warrants death? Very dangerous precedent to set.

So someone off-handedly expressing their disdain for a group of people in a Lemmy comment is tantamount to setting a precedent about all speech?

hyperbole
hī-pûr′bə-lē
noun
A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect, as in I could sleep for a year or This book weighs a ton.

i wasnt really familiar with her, but my wife likes her a lot.

just reading about all she did makes me sad I am so late to her music and story. def lost a true artist.

Rest in Power

Tiocfaidh ár lá

Whatever is on the other side, I hope she's at peace now. She's earned that much at least.

When I first heard her on 'The Lion and the Cobra' in '87 her voice hit me like a truck, and it left a mark that never went away. She was 100% an artist, never a mere entertainer. Such a loss 💔

Very sad. She was an inspiration through difficult times for me. Rip Sinéad.

I was having a great day and a great week so I will pretend I haven't seen this post :)

Damn. This news just ruined my lunch break. Rest in peace.

Since she took her breath away. Awww awww aww awww!

Absolute legend.

RIP!

I've been bingeing one of her more recent hits "Take Me To Church" from 2014 these past few days. The tune of this song really slaps.

Whatever is on the other side, I hope she's at peace now. She's earned that much at least.