DUBLIN (Reuters) — Irish singer Sinead O’Connor, known for topping the charts around the world with the 1990 song “Nothing Compares 2 U”, has died at the age of 56, the Irish Times and national broadcaster RTE reported on Wednesday.
O’Connor crashed onto the global music scene with her mesmerizing version of the song originally written by Prince, facing directly into the camera for the music video that has subsequently been viewed almost 400 million times on YouTube.
Long known as much for her shaved head and outspoken views on religion, sex, feminism and war as for her music, she will be remembered in some quarters for ripping up a photo of Pope John Paul II during a television appearance on “Saturday Night Live.”
I’m singing this song for my sister Sinead
Concerning the god awful mess that she made
She told them her truth just as hard as she could
Her message profoundly was misunderstood
There’s humans entrusted with guarding our gold
And humans in charge of the saving of souls
And humans responded all over the world
Condemning that bald headed brave little girl
And maybe she’s crazy and maybe she ain’t
But so was Picasso and so were the saints
And she’s never been partial to shackles or chains
She’s too old for breaking and too young to tame
It’s askin’ for trouble to stick out your neck
In terms of a target: a big silhouette
But some candles flicker and some candles fade
And some burn as true as my sister Sinead
– Kris Kristofferson, “Sister Sinead”
Reporting by Padraic Halpin, Graham Fahy and Suban Abdulla, Editing by Kylie MacLellan and Rosalba O’Brien
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