Introduction
Following the sudden passing of Sinéad O’Connor attention is geared to the song Nothing Compares 2 U and the relationship Prince and Sinéad O’Connor had to the song and each other.
In The Netherlands the Sinéad O’Connor single Nothing Compares 2 U reached the first position in the charts. An outburst of pure emotion, both musically and vocally, with a video to back it up, the song was the go-to song of 1990. And it wasn’t just The Netherlands, millions and millions of copies were sold worldwide.
Origins
The general public regarded it as a Sinéad O’Connor song, but, given the son’s title, it soon became clear it was in fact a Prince song (not that the public cared too much). The “2” instead of “to” and the “U” instead of “you” were trademark Prince.
But, where was the Prince version, and where was it to be found in 1990? Nowhere, because it was released on the fantastic 1985 debut album by Prince protégés The Family. By 1990 the album wasn’t readily available anymore.
Prince – Nothing Compares 2 U – Handwritten lyrics
Prince version
Mid 1984 Prince and his organization were working in overdrive. The single When Doves Cry was released on May 16 as a precursor to the soundtrack, movie and tour Purple Rain. Op June 25 the soundtrack was released, on July 26 followed by the movie premiere. Rehearsals for the tour had started and the albums by The Time (Ice Cream Castle) and the debut by Sheila E. (The Glamourous Life) had also been released, with final touches being done on the upcoming Apollonia 6 album.
But, that wasn’t all. The next Prince album, Around The World In A Day, was well under way, B-sides were recorded, remixes were done for upcoming singles and Prince had started recordings for a new, yet to be constructed, group called The Family. In the meantime Prince visited the Born In The U.S.A. Tour by Bruce Springsteen and the Victory tour by The Jacksons. The day after seeing the latter was July 15, the day Nothing Compares 2 U was written and recorded.
Engineer Susan Rogers: “I was amazed how beautiful it was. He took his notebook and he went off to the bedroom, wrote the lyrics very quickly, came back out and sang it”. As was his modus operandi, Prince recorded the song by himself, aided by Rogers who operated the recording devices. Two days later Eric Leeds was asked to add saxophone to the recordings.
It’s not entirely clear what (or whom) the song is about. In a 2018 broadcast of the BBC6 Music program Susan Rogers said that she assumed the lyrics were about Prince’s housekeeper Sandy Scipioni, who had recently resigned after her father’s passing. Rogers: “Sandy was the person who made sure he had his favourite beverage, which was Five Alive, and she made sure the house was clean, and that there were fresh flowers on the piano, and that the socks and underwear were washed. She had been gone and Prince’s mood was getting darker and darker. He would just ask, ‘When is Sandy coming back?’ That might have been the inspiration for the song”. Asked if the song was about her, Susannah Melvoin, Prince’s love interest at the time, replied that it was a possibility, but not a given. She didn’t want to confirm. Around the time of the release of The Family‘s album Jerome Benton stated that Prince had written the song for him, following the dissolvement of Benton’s engagement.
The Family – The Family
The Family version
The song became part of the The Family project. The original recordings were altered (the drums were discarded, as were Prince’s vocals). The lead vocals were done by Susannah Melvoin and St. Paul Peterson, the future leaders of the great project The Family. On the album the song weas credited to St. Paul Peterson, even though the song is a Prince composition.
The project The Family and its album soon faded into oblivion, and Nothing Compares 2 U with it.
Sinéad O’Connor – Nothing Compares 2 U
Sinéad O’Connor version
Late 1987 Sinéad O’Connor’s impressive debut album The Lion And The Cobra was released, which immediately led to great success, especially in Europe, where the singles Troy and Mandinka fared pretty well. In the US O’Connor received her first Grammy nomination. In 1988 she toured the European festivals and left an indelible mark.
For her next album, her manager suggested she cover an unknown Prince song. O’Connor was up for the idea, as she admired both the artist and the composer. Upon hearing Nothing Compares 2 U she was immediately sold to the idea. It touched a nerve on a deeper level. To her, it signified the (extremely complicated and violent) relationship to her mother.
With Soul II Soul’s Nellee Hooper, O’Connor re-arranged the song, filled it with synthesizers, brought back the drums and got rid of the more baroque motifs. Two months before the release of her second album I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got the single Nothing Compares 2 U was released in January of 1990. It shot up the charts all over Europe and the UK. In February the song was at the top of most of the charts (in The Netherlands it held the first spot for 8 consecutive weeks). In April the song also reached the first position in the American Billboard charts, where it would stay for 4 weeks.
It was abundantly clear: Sinéad O’Connor touched a global audience, where Prince had failed to do so with The Family. O’Connor put her heart and soul into her vocals, and it hit a nerve worldwide.
An important element in the song’s success was the accompanying video. In the video Sinéad O’Connor walks through an autumn like Parc de Saint-Cloud in Paris. Those images are intertwined with an intimate close-up of Sinéad O’Connor’s face, oftentimes directly staring into the camera, while singing the song. Near the end she breaks when singing “All the flowers that you planted, mama, in the back yard / All died when you went away/ I know that living with you, baby, was sometimes hard / But I’m willing to give it another try”. O’Connor: “I didn’t know I was going to cry when I sang in the video because I didn’t cry in the studio recording it. Every time I sing that song I think of my mother. I never stop crying for my mother. I couldn’t face being in Ireland for 13 years because of it”.
Next to the overwhelming commercial success, O’Connor won award after award, including a Grammy and multiple MTV Video Music Awards.
Prince – Nothing Compares 2 U (single)
Future Prince versions
Obviously, Prince noticed the success also. That very same year he started playing Nothing Compare 2 U live on the Nude Tour, that premiered on June 2, 1990, in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The song was played on nearly every major tour ever since. On September 10, 1993, the first version (a Prince And The New Power Generation live recording) bearing the Prince moniker was released on the first Prince compilation The Hits(/The B-Sides). On November 24, 2002, it was part of the first Prince live album One Nite Alone… Live!. Ever since, it has found its way to many compilation albums.
On April 19, 2018, (2 years after Prince’s untimely passing) the original 1984 Prince recording (with some minor changes) was released as a digital single, later followed by the release on a physical format. It was also part of the posthumously released Originals album.
Prince and Sinéad O’Connor (1)
But what was Prince’s opinion on the matter? It’s widely known that Prince didn’t like others doing his songs. In January 2013 he said: “I do pay performance royalties on others’ songs I perform live, but I’m not recording these songs and putting them up for sale. Why do we need to hear another cover of a song someone else did? Art is about building a new foundation, not just laying something on top of what’s already there”. The statement in itself is fine and a great one to live by, but Prince bypasses the fact that he had actually released covers (let alone record them) under his own name, including Honky Tonk Woman (The Rolling Stones), House Of Brick (Brick House) (The Commodores), Betcha By Golly Wow! (The Stylistics), 
Can’t Make U Love Me (Bonnie Raitt), La, La, La Means Love U (The Delfonics), One Of Us (Joan Osborne), A Case Of U (Joni Mitchell) and Crimson And Clover (Tommy James And The Shondells). He also released several live cover versions on various NPHG Ahdio shows and streaming channels.
But, in this case, he apparently stated he was excited about it. The remark that the royalties had helped him secure several houses, seems an indication that Prince did acknowledge the upside of it all. However, the fact that the cover was recorded and released without his involvement, and the fact that that was even possible in the first place, must have stung him. He obviously tried to cash in on the song’s sudden success by incorporating the song in his setlist for the 1990 Nude Tour.
Prince and Sinéad O’Connor (2)
On July 26, 1988, Sinéad O’Connor was at one of the Prince aftershows he played while on the road for Lovesexy, at the Camden Palace in London. She met Prince’s then manager Steve Fargnoli. O’Connor had just cut ties with her manager. Soon after, Fargnoli would take over as O’Connor’s manager, a role he would fulfill until his early death in 2001. In 1989 Fargnoli was fired as Prince’s manager, ultimately leading to lawsuits between Fargnoli and his former client. Some claim that it was Fargnoli who suggested recording Nothing Compares 2 U to O’Connor.
Rolling Stone 01/27/1991
Prince and Sinéad O’Connor (3)
On January 24, 1991, the first reports (following an interview with the Irish Hot Press in December 1990) appear in the American Rolling Stone about O’Connor and Prince meeting each other. It was a total disaster. According to O’Connor Prince felt that she cursed (too much) and claimed that Prince physically threatened her, locked her in his house, hit her with weighed down pillows, followed her when she managed to escape and that Duane Nelson, Prince’s brother, who was constantly belittled by Prince, was the one who seemed genuinely concerned for her. Later that same year, she confirmed the story and stated: “It spoiled the song completely for me. I feel a connection with the song, but the experience was a very disturbing one”. In her 2021 biography she closes the tale with “I never want to see that devil again”.
According to the Januari 24, 1991 Rolling Stone article, Prince denied the story.
Prince and Sinéad O’Connor (4)
In 2022 the documentary Nothing Compares was produced and broadcast. The documentary follows Sinéad O’Connor’s life. Of course, Nothing Compares 2 U is a big part of that. The producers asked for permission to use the song and were denied. Prince’s sister Sharon Nelson to Billboard in September 2022: “Nothing compares to Prince’s live version with Rosie Gaines that is featured on the Hits 1 album. I didn’t feel Sinéad deserved to use the song my brother wrote in her documentary so we declined. His version is the best”.
Prince and Sinéad O’Connor (opinion)
Whether it’s true or not what Sinéad O’Connor states happened in her meeting with Prince, we’ll never know for sure. All three attendees have now passed on. From 1990 onwards, O’Connor stuck to her story end repeated it when asked. In general, the story isn’t considered to be very credible, but a major contributing factor to that are the mental health issues O’Connor struggled with for her entire life.
I don’t know what is true and what is not. What I do know is the unrelenting hatred by some so-called Prince fans claiming they know she lied, she would have never become what she was without Prince and they are (therefore) happy she’s dead. It is utterly sad that people actually think that way, and feel that it’s okay to actually say and type these absurd thoughts. All it shows is a complete lack of empathy and civilization.
Also, the argument that Prince isn’t able to defend himself now that he’s dead, is moronic. O’Connor went public almost immediately after it’s supposedly took place. They must have met somewhere between wrapping up the Nude Tour and December 1990 (when O’Connor first went public with the story). O’Connor has always told the same story, increasing its credibility. Prince has officially denied the story to be true.
The story seems to be off balance in regards to the experiences of many, many other women Prince held long term (professional) relationships with. The main difference of course is that O’Connor wasn’t a Prince discovered artist or would accept guidance from him. More sternly, she made it very clear this wasn’t the case (“I don’t work for you. If you don’t like it, you can fuck yourself”). Who knows what that might have triggered.
The decision of the Prince Estate to withhold the rights for using Nothing Compares 2 U in the documentary is nothing more than childish. They also don’t know what really went down between both artists. Besides, the remark “His version is the best” is simply wrong.
Sinéad O’Connor – Nothing Compares 2 U – Tears (video)
Conclusion
At times songs are better executed by others than the original artists, like Otis Redding’s Respect performed by Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan’s All Along The Watchtower performed by Jimi Hendrix (Experience), The Beatles’ With A Little Help From My Friends performed by Joe Cocker, Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Proud Mary performed by Ike And Tina Turner, Ed Cobb’s Tainted Love performed by Soft Cell, Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah performed by Jeff Buckley or The Zutons’ Valerie performed by Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse.
Just like Chaka Kahn’s version of Prince’s I Feel For You, Sinéad O’Connor’s performance of Nothing Compares 2 U belongs in that list. Both the versions of The Family and the 3 released under the Prince moniker, can’t live up to O’Connor’s version. Prince wrote it, but it’s O’Connor that breathes life into it and turns it into an emotional experience that touched many on a global scale. In May 2021 O’Connor stated in an interview with The New York Times: “As far as I’m concerned, it’s my song”. She’s not far removed from the truth.
In closing
What do you think about Nothing Compares 2 U? What version do you prefer? Maybe it’s the Chris Cornell version or Aretha Franklin’s? Let me know, I would love to hear it!
Video/Spotify
This story contains an accompanying video. Click on the following link to see it: Video: Nothing Compares 2 U: Prince and Sinéad O’Connor. The A Pop Life playlist on Spotify has been updated as well.
18 comments
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I liked your article and the way it was laid out. I loved Prince! We are all so different, does there have to be a best or a most? It’s just egos when we go there.
Author
Thank you! And, no, there does not have to be a best or a most. It’s fun though (sometimes).
Great article, thanks! Very balanced and I agree with your conclusions. Ironic that this song wasn’t viewed as significant by Prince initially became such a cornerstone for him and also turned Sinéad into a megastar.
Author
Thanks! Great point about the irony of the song’s significance. You’re right.
Lovely article. Disagree about which one is best, but it was fun to remember The Family and that era. A shame they didn’t get along…
Author
Thank you for replying!
This may be the only matter upon which I wholly agree with the caretakers of Prince’s estate and his unparalleled late-20th Century musical archive. The rendition recorded by its lyricist/composer and the soul-blessed songstress Rosie Gaines hauntingly reclaims “Nothing Compares 2 U'[s]” proper ownership. Prince’s original version of “I Feel for You” is superior to the glorious Chaka Khan’s urban contemporary hit version of that Prince disco ditty as well. Now Melissa Morgan’s take on Prince’s “Do Me, Baby” (Controversy) is another story entirely. That one hit wonder claimed one of the Minneapolis maestro’s sultriest ballads, made its lascivious pining all her own.
May whatever gods may be grant Ms. O’Connor soul due speed and mercy, no less.
Author
Thank you for taking the time to reply. Loved reading your opinion on the matter.
Well, for sure the article was very one sided. Sinead indeed changed her story many times, including the time were she envolved Arsenio Hall into it (something about Arsenio selling drugs to Prince), and she also envolved female Prince’s band members (in crazy and absurd allegations), plus Sinead had the opportunity to tell her story live at the Arsenio Hall tv show a few months after she broke “the story”, where she basically answered “is not the time or place to talk about it” once Arsenio was straight forward in a obviously “let’s clear this mess” interview. The fact of the matter is that Prince is one of the most analysed and researched artists ever, he is the object of many books, essays, podcasts, live panels, live debates and documentaries, almost every Prince’s ex-girlfriend/wife/close-friend had released a book about him were everybody’s denied Sinead’s story and Sinead’s Prince-description, specially all his female band members/girlfriends/wives/dancers/proteges etc. were he has been described as everything but violent. In the other hand, you can trace Sinead’s trainwreck in the early 90s, were she trashed publicly many of her once supportive friends and mock many (like U2) in media frenzy inexplicable attacks. At the same time Sinead made headlines for defending Axl Rose after the release of his racist and homophobic song One in A Million and she also defended Mike Tyson and call his rape victim a B***!!!!!!!!! BTW Tutti Frutti wasn’t an Elvis song, Twist and Shout wasn’t a Beatles, Respect wasn’t an Aretha Franklin song and for sure Nothing Compares 2 U is not Sinead’s song, just saying.
Author
Thank you for taking the time to reply. The article, nor I for that matter, never states that O’Connor’s claims are true. What it does state is that the ones that were allegedly there aren’t with us anymore. We, the public, most definitely don’t have the truth. The fact that someone is caught in one lie or falsehood, doesn’t make other claims true or untrue.
The fact of the matter is that many Prince ‘fans’ automatically jump to their conclusions based on the ole preposition that he didn’t make mistakes and (therefore) was godlike.
Well you sure go freely on Prince side HARD, with adjectives like:
“childish”
“absurd”
“lack of empathy and civilization”
“stung him”
“cash in on the song”
And not a single free willing negative opinion on Sinead, even tough she wasn’t Godlike ether and she did make horrible mistakes never made by Prince, like trashing fellow colleagues publicly, that actually meant that she burned bridges, that she had no manners, she was mean and envious and most of all she lacked empathy and civilisation, remember she also trashed Madonna, Bono, and Bob Dylan unnecessarily, in fact she blamed Dylan when she was booed because of her own childish behaviour.
The sad thing about your article is that you go against Prince fans for defending him of accusations of violent behaviour against women, a very delicate matter that does not fit Prince personality, a man well know for surrounding himself with talented, professional, ethic, intelectual and very independent female musicians. Sheila E. Jill Jones, Wendy and Lisa, Cat Glover all very intelligent and outspoken women from the Prince universe that denied Sinead’s claims, Do you quote them in your piece? no, still you find it reasonable to keep quoting Sinead over the years, like “I never want to see that devil again” (and you said Prince fans have complete lack of empathy!!!), YOU KNOW why you quote that line, you wanna start a thing, is so now, right?
BTW assuming that Prince fans jump into their conclusions “based on the sole preposition that he didn’t make mistakes as Godlike etc” is another one of your incoherent comments, ANY Prince fan knows he was no perfect human, and that’s why we loved him, because he was no manufactured perfect Pop artist. Don’t forget that Prince became a cult figure thanks to his songs about Orgies (Uptown), incest (Sister), casual sex (Darling Nikky) and every inpolitical-correct/taboo/transgressive topic. EVERY Prince fan knows he could be selfish, ego, control freak and cold, he had failed marriages, he fired people unfairly and was competitive with his own friends, yeah he was human and he made mistakes like any other human, BUT for sure he loved women and he treat them with respect and dignity, he put female musicians on pedestals. No male or female insider ever come up with a story not even close to Sinead’s story, THAT’S WHY is hard to believe, not because we are fans, but because we use our brains. Prince never had the Rick James reputation, or even worse he never had the Michael Jackson reputation, no rumours, nothing, but to quote your own article you said that Sinead “in her biography she closes the tale with “I never want to see that devil again” well for sure she wanted to keep seeing money from Prince’s songs again, Sinead released another Prince cover in 2014, her version of I Would Die For You…so much for her heartfelt concern about that devil of a man, right? right.
Author
I thoroughly enjoy discussions and comments, but please remain factual.
The adjectives you mention are not all targeted at Prince, but at:
And, finally, your statement “YOU KNOW why you quote that line, you wanna start a thing, is so now, right?” about the fact that O’Connor writes “I never want to see that devil again”, is false. You could have asked me, couldn’t you? She wrote it in her biography, it’s just a fact in the case of them meeting and things turning sour. I don’t want to start a ‘thing’, whatever that means. Again, please be factual, I try to be.
On addressing the other side, which you claim the article doesn’t, two literal quotes: “In general, the story isn’t considered to be very credible” and “The story seems to be off balance in regards to the experiences of many, many other women Prince held long term (professional) relationships with.”
You ask why I don’t address other examples of questionable O’Connor behaviour. Well, simply, because that’s not the topic of the article. They met because of the song and the aftermath of taht meeting was because of the song. Simple as that.
The use of caps with the words ANY and EVERY, doesn’t make your point viable. The reason I wrote the piece in the first place is I literally saw dozens of comments stating that O’Connor was a b***h and that people were glad she was dead (because she assumedly disrespected or harmed Prince). I read those in Prince communities on Facebook and Twitter/X.
The last thing I will say about the matter is that neither of us know what went down, and that’s the bottom line within the article. I sincerely thank you for taking your time replying and discussing. I do appreciate it a lot.
* Sinead’s management wasn’t “childish”? I mean she could have covered any other artist song, but “hey let’s prove him wrong”. She even stated on a interview that Steve Farnoli was doing it to f*** with Prince. Exactly.
*Sinead fans din’t applause Prince’s death? hey they keep doing it. BTW there are more people mad at Sinead (for many other reasons) then Prince fans, I mean she was canceled when been canceled was no easy thing to do.
Thank for your answer, your helping make my point, you actually had an opinion and extra comment on everything that could help Sinead’s looks more as a victim, like Prince’s “cashing” in his own song (LOL!), is his own song you know, is not Sinead’s song, she was the one cashing in on Prince songs, but for you there’s no logic on that, hey please let’s keep it “factual”…..against Prince.
The quote “I never want to see that devil again” it’s mean and it lack sympathy, because the quote has its opposite point of view, but hey “I don’t need to be specific in favour of Prince I already state that in general, the story isn’t considered to be very credible, so why get specific and quote women who knew Prince?” may be because Sinead is saying horrible stuff with no proof? may be because there’s not a single Prince story closer to Sinead’s story? Prince’s ex-wife Mayte wrote a book and did many interviews,
and she said that Sinead was lying. “But hey let THE DEVIL quote sink in, its more sensational!”
The irony of your responses, is that you defend your piece suggesting that your so ethic that you stay on the topic, not questioning O’connor behaviour but attacking Prince’s side (the state, his fans etc.) behaviour. Prince making money of his own songs is part of the topic? The State not letting Prince music to any project is part of the topic? talking about Prince communities is the topic? well you should edit the piece, change the title and ad some disclaimers, because your personal opinion and narrative is all over the place.
If this is about Sinead been a victim? is this about Prince’s songs? is this about your personal opinion on Prince private life? is this is about the music business? is this is about Prince fans? is this is about legal matters?
You don’t have a point, your not been impartial and it’s obviously a piece to keep the hate against Prince, may be you have a personal resentment against Prince (or a Prince fan?), I don’t know and I don’t care, just don’t expect people who actually think to not come here and have an opinion.
BTW, yes Sinead was famous for her absurd, crazy, irreverent, political incorrect not polite behaviour. Facts are that she supported Mike Tyson when he was found guilty of rape and she blamed the victim, she supported Axl Rose when he made that racist and homophobic song One in a Million (she said she wanted to take him home), she had a close relationship with long heroin addict Anthony Kiedis, how could this things be out of topic? if they were publish as interviews managed by HER TEAM, they were publish on official books, and they were talked about on Facebook and Twitter/X communities, BUT wait those excuses only apply to Prince right? RIGHT.
Author
Your mind is made up, I guess: I’m here to attack Prince, apparently. The last reply is more ranting now than coherent thoughts, which is a shame, because discussions can lead to knowledge. This stance can’t. You could just say that you don’t agree, without demanding I condemn O’Connor. I won’t, as I won’t and don’t condemn Prince as well.
You should read other Prince articles here to prove you wrong. I hope you will. Have a great one, life’s too short, really.
The last thing I believe is that Prince is “god-like”, no human is “god like” in my world. Bottom line for me is, the minute i heard the Family version, I stopped my car and pulled over to listen to it. (I was driving down Ventura Blvd into Studio City, I remember it that distinctly.) The LP/tape had just come out and right away I said, “My God he just writes these things like its nothing!” It was a very special song, I knew it right away. WB did not encourage Princes side projects EVER! Jill Jones? Ingrid Chavez? Taja Sevelle? the list goes on and on. SO how was anyone supposed to hear it? I knew it was a huge hit on one listen! SO here I am 5 yrs later at a desk job in Boston and this song comes on the radio and im like, “Are you Fin kiddin me?” LMFAO
All these people with the “Poor Sinead” now that shes gone is laughable. I was a fan, I loved her covers album of standards, Am I Not Your Girl? (She was one of the first contemporary artist to do this. Wonder why? LOL) and even bought “Universal Mother! That album was difficult to listen to. After the first 2 albums, she became unfocused and ambiguous. Then she refused to perform if the American National Anthem was played! LMFAO. Why doesnt she return all the American money she made? That would show integrity! Then she started ripping up the Popes picture while honoring Muhammed in her cloak and veil. I could no longer take her seriously as it was apparent she was mentally ill. Who knew what to believe anymore? God Bless you Sinead and you should thank Prince everyday, just as Dionne Warwick thanks Burt Bacharach and Lena Horne thanked Cole Porter!
Author
Thank you so much for your reply. I agree with most of what you say in the first paragraph. I don’t think it’s just WB’s fault his side projects weren’t encouraged or marketed enough. Prince and WB clashed on several occasions about that issue, where Prince demanded more support from WB and WB demanding more support and backing from Prince.
Sinéad O’Connor not wanting to perform after the National Anthem is a political choice, which you can endorse or not. To state that she should return all the money she made in the US is a bit of a stretch. She just didn’t like the nationalism at full display.
Ripping up the Pope’s picture was a shock to many at the time, yes, but in Ireland the reports about sexual abuse in the Catholic Church and the subsequential denial and attempts to bury the cases, were all over the news by the late 1980s, early 1990s. O’Connor was rightfully appalled and disgusted by that. That’s not a sign of mental illness, but of humanity.
I love her music, first album amazing, she was a pioneer, loved her style and qualities. I agree, apparent she was mentally ill and that’s how you should start a conversation about any Sinead’s controversial statements (do we call it “the crazy years?”). She indeed was a walking contradiction and I might say a hypocrite, after all that was the word she used to mock artists that went against their values, according to her. I wish I can say she was been human by Ripping up the Pope’s picture, anyone who seen that video (and I saw the original broadcast) couldn’t denied that going to SNL at the time it mean big sells, in my opinion it was the biggest marketing stunt that year, because at the same time she also did statements and support opposite ideas and radical individuals (Don’t get me started on Axl Rose). In Glen Danzing words: she was “insincere”. She should return all the money she made in the US, because she did that money by selling a philosophy of justice and humanity, that obviously she was far from it, I mean no one ever debate that she was a Billboard chart Pop act, she was signed to the biggest monopoly system in the planet the music industry (we know Hollywood is even worse then the Vatican), and she became a super star by stepping in other people shoulders (U2, RHCP, Dylan etc) and then betray them.
In conclusion I think she stay with the Prince story because that was her only easy source (fact?) to been a victim, because narrative speaking, she need it antagonism to be a hero and she was running out of good causes. As outspoken and up front that she was it always strike me that she din’t wanna address the Prince story at the Arsenio Hall show, my guess is because it was too soon and too on point, her script wasn’t clear. Arsenio was ready to fire, it is so obvious that she was scare to been caught lying because she keep complimenting him none stop (it was ridiculous), rare behaviour of hers, the rebel.
Trough the years her Prince story keep adding stuff to the script, the last draft was that he broke Wendy or Lisa ribs (or whenever female band member she was referring to), I mean come on, that’s some crazy statement right there! In my opinion she was a shock performance artist, that actually started to belive her shock tactics. Sad, because that tainted her legacy.
Author
I absolutely agree with your closing sentence. It really is a shame.
I think she was sincere at SNL when she tore up the Pope picture. In hindsight everything is arttributed to her illness, even when she was being honest. It isn’t fair to her or her legacy. The Catholic Church abuse was a very big story in Ireland. I believe she was genuinely disgusted about the whole thing. Defending Axl Rose may have been awkward, but he comes a background of abuse, which she could connect to.
But then again, who am I? I didn’t know her or her demons. She was a remarkable singer, that’s for sure.