Review: Sinead O' Connor's Faith & Courage




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Review: Sinead O' Connor's Faith & Courage
by William S. Repsher

published 8/14/00

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William Repsher is a LeisureSuit.net staff writer based in Queens.

MOST RECENT YAK ABOUT THIS ARTICLE:

Subj: Daddy I'm fine
Re your snarky comments on this song: if u had read her interviews about this song, you'd know that it was written about her early years in London. So yeah, it is written from the point of view of a 17/18 year old singer who was just starting to make a splash on the music scene. Which is what it sounds like!
-- dc
Mar 28, 2007 at 10:10PM
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It’s reassuring to know Sinead O’Connor is still as crazy as a shithouse rat. What’s even more comforting is that her new album, Faith and Courage, moves beyond “best album in years” status to qualify as the best she’s ever done.

O’Connor’s "Gospel Oak EP" (1997) offered signs of hope, with her acknowledgement of celtic routes mixed with more contemporary sounds. Her first album, "The Lion and the Cobra" (1987), was a nice breakthrough with the single “Mandinka” even if critics tended to rave about her a little too much. An uneven decade followed, wherein she put out a solid album that made her a star (1990’s "I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got"), a collection of so-so covers (1992’s "Am I Not Your Girl?"), and one of those incense and Kotex 90’s chick classics (1994’s "Universal Mother") that made The Oprah Winfrey Show come off like professional wrestling.

She took a bad rap for refusing to let “The Star Spangled Banner” be played before one of her shows in New Jersey, and later got booed off the stage by Dylan fanatics (who are more reactionary than any patriotic yahoo) for trying to sing a Bob Marley song at a Dylan tribute at Madison Square Garden. And, of course, the infamous “fight the real enemy” episode of "Saturday Night Live" where she tore up a picture of the Pope. (She might have been more honest tearing up a picture of herself if battling a “real enemy” was her true motive.)

Confused? Angry? Yes, which is fine and no doubt has contributed to her best moments. The thing about Sinead O’Connor is that her anger seems beyond affectation or image, that she really is this crazed. Unfortunately, she became famous at a time when only boys like Kurt Cobain and Eddie Vedder were supposed to be this depressed and misunderstood--all part of grunge’s lame image which kids unfortunately lapped up by the millions. This was also the age of Riot Grrrls, led by Courtney Love, a moderately-talented blatant opportunist if ever there was one, but they never reached the same commercial heights as the boys. O’Connor was more human than the grunge bullshit, as she offered more than a one-sided, gloomy façade, which is why I’ve always liked her, regardless of whether or not I’ve agreed with her.

She’s since become a minister in some apparently renegade sect of Catholicism in Ireland--sort of like Hitler joining a synagogue, as she’s railed righteously against the Catholic church throughout her career. But let’s get to the music. "Faith and Courage" is simply the strongest collection of songs she’s put out yet with at least two (“No Man’s Woman” and “What Doesn’t Belong to Me”) sounding like hits, although it stands to reason that this may not happen in America with all her past negative publicity. Then again, thanks to Sarah MacLachlan’s Lillith Fair tours, it’s a different world since her last album came out, and she may at least find herself a respectable little niche in the now robust chick market she helped lay the ground work for.

You will hear asshole critics crowing about the song “Daddy I’m Fine”--and most likely in a highly positive light as a statement of purpose. But, frankly, the song’s a load of shit. Here are the lines they’ll be carrying on about:

Cuz see I wanna look cool and I wanna look good
With my hair slicked back and my black leather boots
Wanna stand up tall with my boobs upright
And feel real hot when my makeup’s nice
I get sexy underneath the lights
Like I wanna fuck every man in sight
Baby come home with me tonight
Make you feel good, make you feel all right

Jesus, what a mess--not the song--her. Do I sound like a father? Good, because the song is apparently a letter to her father, whose head would be spinning like that of Linda Blair’s in The Exorcist upon reading such a letter. Coming from a grown woman who’s put herself and her significant others through various relationship hells, doesn’t this sound kind of lame? On one hand, and in the much better song, “No Man’s Woman” she rails against the thought of ever identifying herself as a man’s property. The song is great, even though she indulges in the kind of inter-gender slander that’s always the mark of someone with bad taste in romantic partners and a personal blind spot a mile wide.

With “Daddy I’m Fine” she revels in the sexual power she can hold over men. But what kind of men? Easily misled and manipulated? The kind of men she slagged off so coarsely in “No Man’s Woman”? Is this how she sees men? She wouldn’t be wrong--there are plenty of men she could no doubt lift her little finger over and have them in bed. But what’s the point? It’s as if she wants to chastise men for being “evil,” yet she wants them to see her in a way that justifies her cynicism. Don’t get me wrong - I’m sure there are plenty of men out there lusting after and fucking women they really hate. The thing is, most of those guy aren’t making artistic statements where they otherwise position themselves as voices of calm sanity and spiritual reason.

This song might work for a 19-year-old woman only beginning to realize the power she can hold over men, but for a woman well into her 30s who’s been through the ringer a number of times? And then to try to justify it all as a bizarre open letter to her father? This song is an unwitting example of someone using sex as a false comfort to replace the emptiness where a parent’s love should be. Now that she has two children of her own, she must understand this. But I guess she’d rather pretend her slate is still clean.

Thankfully, the rest of the album isn’t that annoying, even when she consistently veers off into “earth mother” territory. The album sounds great--well produced, with varied styles, from affecting ballads (“Hold Back the Night”) to straight pop (“The State I’m In”) to celtic (“If U Ever”). I wouldn’t say she’s found peace so much as she’s running out of mistakes to make. The most Irish aspect of O’Connor (not to mention her most feminine) is her ability to confound. She’s a pain in the ass, a complete moron one moment, and a genius the next. Thank Christ I don’t have to live with her, that angry, emaciated celtic Curly Howard. But then again, I find myself saying that about a lot of the musicians whose work I respect. It’s to her credit that my vision of hell is being caught in a broken elevator with her, Jerry Lee Lewis and Van Morrison.

Name: dc
Subject: Daddy I'm fine
-- Mar 28, 2007 at 10:10PM
Re your snarky comments on this song: if u had read her interviews about this song, you'd know that it was written about her early years in London. So yeah, it is written from the point of view of a 17/18 year old singer who was just starting to make a splash on the music scene. Which is what it sounds like!

Name: rev14.info
Subject: rev14.info
-- Feb 17, 2006 at 7:22PM
Too bad more people aren't tearing up the pope's picture.

The pope is the antichrist. My website has full information on that, the traditional view of Christians and te reformation.

http://www.rev14 .info

Name: Steve
Subject: faith
-- Oct 28, 2005 at 6:48PM
i share Sinead's hate for Catholicism, because Catholicism hates the Jesus that i know & love, and Hitler was a Catholic, and the Jesuit(Catholic) empire not only tolerated Hitler's plan for mass extermination of people who the Nazi Reich thought were "genetically inferior", but the Pope and the Vatican Council blessed and encouraged and empowered the entire Nazi war machine. i love Jesus but i hate commercial "Christianity&q uot; and i hate new-age "Bible" Versions. There is no copyright on the Authorized King James Version, but if you share a verse or 2 of the NIV with someone, you're in danger of copyright(©)infringe ment(!).The only other thing i want to say is i'm praying for Sinead and i hope she knows she's loved by someone who really loves Jesus and Jesus really loves her.
i like all kinds of music and Sinead is really cool.

Name: Mads
Subject: The Walrus
-- May 27, 2005 at 11:15PM
The Walrus was Paul? Are you sure it wasn't John?
Or Maybe Even Ringo?!

Name: Raven
Subject: Kathy's post 3-11-2005
-- Apr 25, 2005 at 12:14PM
We are what we have learned. A person is the sum total of all the experiences that he/she has gone through and how they have responded. We are created to love and to be loved - anytime we hate it defeats the purpose that we were created for. We were created out of love and to serve the Creator. God has given signs to show where the truth is...Fatima, Portugal in 1917 was one of the signs God has given. The road to eternal happiness is a road of many sorrows but nothing in this life is free so why should eternal life? No one wants to be taken for grant, neither does God. The Roman Catholic Church contains the fullness of Truth...it is what you need to discern and aid you to get to heaven. The world is so full of lies and much is taught to us as truth. I may seem crazy but these words here are a great gift that no one expressed to me most of my life. First I had to hit ground bottom and I still keep falling. May you find the path that so many miss. I hope in His mercy.

Name: Kathy
Subject: i dont know
-- Feb 11, 2005 at 6:41PM
I like sinead, not so much her music, just her. And I liked when she ripped that fucking pope's picture. Deep inside she hates the catholic church...who the hell started this shit anyway?

Name: William S. Repsher Responds
Subject: Re: William s. Repsher is dirty fucking idiot and directly victim of himself
-- Mar 5, 2003 at 6:45AM
Yes, Paul, your wise words are as soothing and powerful as a Sinead ballad. Her spirituality has clearly had a positive effect on you graceful, eloquent life force. I am humbled in your presence.

And, yes, Sinead was a minister in a renegade Catholic sect for awhile there -- might still be for all I know. Would you like me turn up evidence of this? Or would you rather give Oscar Wilde a run for his money with your brilliant witticisms?

Name: Paul
Subject: William s. Repsher is dirty fucking idiot and directly victim of himself
-- Mar 5, 2003 at 5:08AM
I only would like to tell you dear bullshit Willy, taht when you mean really what you wrote i think you sniff the paint colors, petrol or very bad crack (self made ?) .

At first Sinéad was never minister of some catholic sect, and really not like Hitler -in - synagogue.

At second you seems to me like old fat man who was kicked by women directly to ass and who wants to solves his own sexuall complexes.

Go to doctor, cracked Willy.

Paul

Name: William S. Repsher Responds
Subject: Re: GRRRRRR
-- May 15, 2001 at 7:14AM
Sort of like life itself, eh, Ms. (?) Fly?

Name: lezzie fly
Subject: GRRRRRR
-- May 15, 2001 at 1:06AM
she rocks

she sux

she rocks

she sux

Name: Vo0d0o
Subject: Re:Re: big vagina??
-- Aug 28, 2000 at 10:41PM
your right, I was wrong. I thought that part were she said going to london and having fun was going to china with a big vagina. Come on, listen to it again. Its that part of the song were it shifts to a wanna be punk sound. Come on ya gotta believe me.Does the walrus talk to you too????

Vo0d0o

Name: William S. Repsher Responds
Subject: Re: big vagina???
-- Aug 28, 2000 at 9:42PM
Yes, Voodo, you are hearing things. Strange things. By the way, I'm the one who's going to china with a big Vagina. And the Walrus was Paul.

Name: Vo0d0o
Subject: big vagina???
-- Aug 28, 2000 at 7:33PM
Alright since a lot of your review had to do with "daddy, i'm fine" perhaps you could help me out. My friend has this record and i swear she states something about going to china with a big Vagina. Am I hearing things??

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Review: Sinead O' Connor's Faith & Courage by William S. Repsher

Review: Sinead O' Connor's Faith & Courage
by William S. Repsher