No one compares to Sinéad O’Connor.
She was an incredible singer-songwriter and brief pop sensation following the success of her 1990 Prince cover, “Nothing Compares 2 U”. Sadly, after a controversial appearance on Saturday Night Live, her career took a downturn, something that didn’t seem to particularly surprise O’Connor that much. After all, she was a protest singer over a pop star. That was the goal.
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But even though she saw her music career as a vehicle for change, that didn’t change the fact that she was a genuinely amazing songwriter and singer. Her stage presence was something to behold. And in 1997, Sinéad O’Connor delivered what I consider to be the greatest live performance of the decade. Or at the very least, it’s my personal favorite.
“This Is A Rebel Song” by Sinéad O’Connor Deserved Just as Much Love as “Nothing Compares 2 U”
Sinéad O’Connor released a very underrated EP in 1997 titled Gospel Oak. In support of the album, O’Connor opted to appear on the television show Sessions At West 54th in New York. The program later aired on PBS.
She performed a medley of songs, but one particular track stands out from the rest. “This Is A Rebel Song” is a fairly simple ballad with a folk vibe about a relationship between the narrator and an Englishman that appears to be falling apart. Of course, it’s loaded with symbolism relating to the conflict between England and Ireland at the time.
At only three minutes long, the song is instantly attention-grabbing. I’m not sure if it was as big of a deal when it aired, but years later on good ol’ YouTube, O’Connor’s performance of this song blew up to 10 million views as of 2026.
I can see why. As the 1990s transitioned to the 2000s, we saw the beginnings of a notable lack of authenticity and honesty in pop music. Here, a final beacon of technical, musical, and emotional talent, O’Connor performed “This Is A Rebel Song” with jaw-dropping passion. Just as well, this performance aired just a few months before a treaty, known as the Good Friday Agreement, ended the ongoing violence in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles.
The performance has political weight, as one would expect from O’Connor. I can’t help but feel that, even with this performance’s retrospective love on the World Wide Web, O’Connor deserved more flowers for it. She deserved more flowers for the entirety of her career, honestly.
(Photo by Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
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