Sinéad O'Connor holds a special place in my heart. Or rather, her first album does. I kind of liked "Nothing Compares 2 U" at the time, but it was really her entire first record The Lion and the Cobra that blew me away and gave me a shriek-along soundtrack for my early college life. Her voice was so soaring and the lyrics cut to the bone with shockingly surgical precision come from that beatific Natalia Portman face in spite of the skinhead topper.
"Mandinka," which I never knew was performed at the Grammys!
After that record, I lost interest in her work and in her persona. But she was brilliant for a short period of time, or maybe still is; I should say she was perfect for a short period of time, which is still more than most of us get.
I couldn't only pick the best four songs from her first album:
"Just Like U Said It Would B," "Troy"
"Jackie," "Jerusalem"
"Drink Before the War," "(I Want Your) Hands On Me"
Even though I've been married almost 20 years, whenever I hear "Nothing Compares 2 U" I have this sinking feeling that my husband is packing his bags and booking a one-way flight to very far away! SO sad.
Posted by: Anne | June 08, 2009 at 08:44 AM
I'm with you Matthew. I love TLATC and nothing since has held a candle to that recording.
Posted by: Trub | June 08, 2009 at 11:55 AM