THROWBACK: Sinead O’Connor Performs Nirvana’s “All Apologies”
As we’re still in shock of Sinead O’Connor’s death, we are reminded of an amazing yet haunting cover of Nirvana’s “All Apologies.”
The track appears on her 1994 album ‘Universal Mother,’ which came out shortly after Kurt Cobain’s death. O’Connor had this to say about Cobain in ‘Cuepoint‘: that he “represented a massive amount of people who were really kind of invisible and unheard, who had a lot of pain, a lot of stuff that needed to be heard.”
It goes without saying that Sinead O’Connor also lived a life similar to Cobain in that vain of being unheard, along with being misunderstood. Her legacy to many is her outspokenness on ‘Saturday Night Live,’ but one thing we can actually (and disturbingly given his recent takes) can agree with Morrisey on is his statement on O’Connor.
“‘She had only so much ‘self’ to give. She was dropped by her label after selling 7 million albums for them. She became crazed, yes, but uninteresting, never. She had done nothing wrong. She had proud vulnerability … and there is a certain music industry hatred for singers who don’t ‘fit in’ (this I know only too well), and they are never praised until death – when, finally, they can’t answer back.
The cruel playpen of fame gushes with praise for Sinead today … with the usual moronic labels of “icon” and “legend”. You praise her now ONLY because it is too late. You hadn’t the guts to support her when she was alive and she was looking for you. The press will label artists as pests because of what they withhold … and they would call Sinead sad, fat, shocking, insane … oh but not today!
Music CEOs who had put on their most charming smile as they refused her for their roster are queuing-up to call her a “feminist icon”, and 15 minute celebrities and goblins from hell and record labels of artificially aroused diversity are squeezing onto Twitter to twitter their jibber-jabber … when it was YOU who talked Sinead into giving up … because she refused to be labelled, and she was degraded, as those few who move the world are always degraded.
Why is ANYBODY surprised that Sinead O’Connor is dead? Who cared enough to save Judy Garland, Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse, Marilyn Monroe, Billie Holiday? Where do you go when death can be the best outcome? Was this music madness worth Sinead’s life? No, it wasn’t. She was a challenge, and she couldn’t be boxed-up, and she had the courage to speak when everyone else stayed safely silent. She was harassed simply for being herself.
Her eyes finally closed in search of a soul she could call her own. As always, the lamestreamers miss the ringing point, and with locked jaws they return to the insultingly stupid “icon” and “legend” when last week words far more cruel and dismissive would have done. Tomorrow the fawning fops flip back to their online shitposts and their cosy Cancer Culture and their moral superiority and their obituaries of parroted vomit … all of which will catch you lying on days like today … when Sinead doesn’t need your sterile slop.’
MORRISSEY
26 July, 2023.”
WATCH SINEAD O’CONNOR’S PERFORMANCE OF “ALL APOLOGIES” ON DUTCH TV HERE:
May her soul rest, and let her finally find peace.
LIKE WHAT WE DO AT ACRONYM? SEND US A COFFEE ON KO-FI.COM!
WE MUST KEEP OUR WRITERS CAFFEINATED, OR THEY STOP WORKING!
Ko-Fi is a great platform for creators because of the choice to support your favorites for as little as $3 for one coffee. To learn more and see our profile, visit Ko-Fi.com/ACRONYMIS!
ACRONYM ZINE strives to bring you the newest in Music, Politics, Pop Culture, and more by hunting down stories that matter most to you and those around you. Follow our ZINE pages on Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date on new stories!
Ami Nicole (Writer)
Ami Nicole AKA ACRONYM is a Swiss Army Knife of Creativity. Her talents range from Photographer to Journalist, Content Creator to Director, and Arts & Music Event Curator. Fluent in Social Media Strategy, Promotions, and Concert Coverage (Photo & Written), she has bylines in 'High Times Magazine,' 'Merry Jane,' 'The Oakland Press,' 'The Macomb Daily,' and over 60 Beasley Media Group Radio Station sites across the U.S.. Keep up with her adventures at @acronymis on Instagram, @acronymis on TikTok, Twitter, and more.