Madonna was willing to play the game, Sinead wasn’t.
There is, I think, a not-thin line between “I reject Catholic values” (Madonna) and “I indict the Catholic Church, and its leadership in particular, for abuses” (Sinead).
But again, I will argue that, in hindsight, Sinead was trying to bring attention the exact thing that needed world attention. She could have spoken more clearly but as a young artist may not have honed that ability yet. I applaud her bravery.
I have the ol’ iPod plugged in at work, and ‘Haunted’ by Shane MacGowan and The Popes just played. I bought the The Snake album in 1994 because I loved The Pogues. Had to get it even though Shane MacGowan was on the outs and it was his first solo album. I never cared for the songs as much as I did the ones with The Pogues, so I never paid that much attention to who performed with MacGowan.
It turns out that Sinéad O’Connor sang the vocals with MacGowan on that song.
I didn’t see an update anywhere else on the board. From the NYT: (gift link)
[Sinead] O’Connor’s death certificate, which was registered last week, filled in some gaps. The singer died of “exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchial asthma together with low-grade lower respiratory-tract infection,” the report said. It was submitted by John Reynolds, Ms. O’Connor’s first husband.
Also:
It’s strange to think of someone with such a powerful voice having asthma, but then again I understand she was a smoker for many years.
RIP Sinéad, we shall not see your like again