My Top 5 Sinead O'Connor Tracks

I first heard Sinead O’Connor perform live when I was 19.

It was a grey afternoon towards the end of a music festival - I remember standing close to the stage, ankle-deep in mud, cold, hung-over … and her performance was absolutely spell binding.

Her songs have been part of the soundtrack of my life ever since.

Here’s my top 5 Sinead tracks:

1. Mandinka from The Lion and The Cobra fierce pulsating energy and when she sings ‘I don’t know no shame I feel no pain’ we believe her.

2. John I Love You from Universal Mother starts sparse lullaby-like and builds to soaring piano and strings beauty.

3. Thankyou for Hearing Me also on Universal Mother simple repeated tune slow builds to full strings and pulsating dance climax.

4. Jump in the River from I do not want what I haven’t got for full love-sick fury.

5. I Am Stretched On Your Grave also from I do not want what I haven’t got death and grief explored through sparse mix of voice, bass and snare drum, building to gorgeous fiddle outtro from Steve Wickham of the Waterboys

Sinead paved the way for female artists to be unapologetic, use their voice and share their truth. Grateful for her activism, her spirituality, her voice.

➡️What’s your favourite Sinead O’Connor Track? What does her music mean to you?