Yesterday, the world lost SInead O’Connor. With a voice like none other, the Irish singer-songwriter lived a life marked by critical acclaim and social scorn. To understand the siren that was O’Connor, it’s best to do so through these three incredible live performances.
Sinead O’Connor – Mandinka (Live on David Letterman)
O’Connor was 20 when she ushered The Lion and The Cobra onto the world. At the time, the alternative world was getting bigger, both in terms of fandom and in terms of sound. Sitting alongside now-iconic records like The Joshua Tree and Document, O’Connor cut through with a record that truly sounded like nothing else. The album’s best single, “Mandinka”, was performed first on Letterman’s show in 1988.
Sinead O’Connor – War (Live on Saturday Night Live)
The most iconic performance of O’Connor’s career, for better or worse. This effectively ended her career as a commercial entity, as after she got done performing a cover of Bob Marley’s “War”, she ripped up a picture of Pope John Paul II and said “Fight the real enemy”. This was her way of calling out the Catholic church’s abusive practices.
Sinead O’Connor – War (Live at Madison Square Garden)
Weeks removed from her SNL incident, O’Connor performed War, the aforementioned Bob Marley cover at Bob Dylan’s 30th Anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden. She had planned to do a Dylan cover, but decided to once again perform the song that had made her public enemy #1. The guts that it took to perform this song, again, in front of a hostile crowd, is truly remarkable.
Q101 extends their love to O’Connor’s family, friends, and loyal fanbase.
