Sinead O'Connor - Mandinka (1989 Grammy's)

[textureweb]

We will fax them their Grammys - very 1987 ;)

[nature1ize]

She was and still is one of the most beautiful,talented and honest people on the earth. God Bless her, and long may she voice the truth.

[paulymullo]

its her music i like couldnt giv a fuck about her lifestyle,its not harming anyone!!"

[ricanariel]

I like her music but always thought she was gay now u see u cant judge a book by its cover

[bastardfingers]

She sacrificed financial success with the american market for the truth, and still has had the grace to never say 'I told you so'.

[decoclarke73]

sinead is still beautiful...



[somegalfromcan]

What does Mandinka mean?

[Bozewani]

@somegalfromcan Mandinka is a ethnic group in West Africa(Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin and Nigeria and a language)

Much of today's African-Americans(but not all) derive from the Mandinka. That's what this song is about. Their capture and enslavement in America

[somegalfromcan]

@Bozewani I knew someone would tell me - thank you!

[Moonmanhasa]

playback, wonder why?

regarding being pretty-she is also very young here, most women are haggard in northern europe by mid their 20s. fat and ugly comes early with the lifestyle and poor genes.

[OMVC1957]

Is it true that Sinead had more husbands than hits !!!!

[sideburnbasher]

what a woman!!!

[BlueSmurf10]

A joke about fax machines - could this get more 80s?

[gareandrade]

que bostaa

[BennyB5555]

@vetb882 That would be Mrs. Right - remember she finally came out of the closet.

Thank goodness

[notisabellajustbella]

@BennyB5555 u tool. she is not gay!!!!!!!!!!!

[jeniowa]

@notisabellajustbella Um, yes she is.  Google it, or something. My team, and awesome!!!

[notisabellajustbella]

@jeniowa um no she aint.. she was recently married. if sinead were gay she wld be the first to say so.. she was on a talk show even discussing how she hadnt had sex in a long time and how certain vegetables were looking good to her.. she is not gay!!!

[notisabellajustbella]

@jeniowa check her twitter acct. u will see her asking for a man

[martineric1966]

makes me proud to come from an island where there are such beautiful people with great voices.

[rouxinolvevo]

zica

[TheReturnOED]

LOVE YOU S-O'C!!!!

[martineric1966]

i wanna shave my head

[baalexe]

für mich immer noch die beste weibliche stimme,die ich je gehört habe.da kommt nix ran.ich kenne sie von anfang an und bis jetzt kann ihr niemand das wasser reichen.ausserdem ist sie eine der wenigen frauen,die von anfang an ihren mann standen.die kriegt nix unter.auch nicht eine 4. kaputte ehe.scheiss druff,lebbe geht weida! i luv you sinead!

[martineric1966]

@baalexe tolles reaction,, grusse

[chocoholicSISTA263]

her voice is soo good and shes so brave walking around with her shaved head and that top and jeans but shes gorgeous and she can work it..most women today - well..let's just say not many women go out on stage and perform like this anymore. It's more quantity (of sexuality and sluttiness) than quality really

[Carrie581]

This sucks! How sad to shave your head when you don't have to be bald, you just want to be different. I have never liked yodel singers. I pulled this name up because I could not recall any songs she sang, I do remember nothing compares to you, but don't like this kind of singing so I never got into it.

[danielajusca]

this song is sou nice i love this song

[jenncosmetic]

SUPER!!!!

[catjoyyoung]

I am so glad I got to see her during this period. She was ridiculously powerful and good and so so pretty.

[SofiaAzulita]

Not many who can look as good as she doses in just boots, baggy trousers and shave head. She is so beatiful

[SergiFuss]

Goose bumps all over the place, clear example of pure art, style and authenticity without having to show a boob or wear a short-skirt. Female artist today have a lot to learn from the powerful and comitted Sinead back in the 80. Raw talent and genious. Just a timeless showcase.

[vetb882]

I hoe she finds her Mr Right, tons of money only buy things money can buy, cant buy love. She is looking older than I want to remember these days but so am I, this song, her art, her gift to us, will always stay with me. :-) rebel without a pause...

[tangoblonde]

How could something so beautiful turn so ugly?

[katalysis]

@tangoblonde She never wanted to be beautiful. She shaved her head because she stated she felt that she was too pretty, that the industry she was in would inevitably turn her into another Madonna, and people wouldn't take her songs seriously. She's a complex soul, that's for sure, if not merely possessing no care for the physical.

[tangoblonde]

@katalysis Yea, you're right, she's crazy. Maybe if she said no to drugs, things would be better for her.

[nogyog]

this something is just you!!

[hungryherbie]

@tangoblonde which is a pity

[TheGayhappy100]

@tangoblonde How could a human like yourself as a result of 4 billion years, Be so rude and ignorant!

[nicanicabad]

@tangoblonde

She is still otherworldly beautiful, inside and out. Open your eyes and heart and SEE.

[usedtowork]

@tangoblonde Billy Crystal has always been ugly

[jeniowa]

@usedtowork Lol! I never found him funny, either.

[BenHeafordArt]

@tangoblonde YOU lot went ugly. She has the same soul.

[quillber]

there are major feature similiarities with her and bjork when they are in screaming mode, kind of identical

[clabarth]

Thank you for posting it. I felt in love with her voice in that performance, so long ago!

[uruga18]

OH God! This in 89, i have 1 year! her voice is perfect

[bhoy029]

Was stunning and so talented, now she is rotten and nuts.

[SuperEvulinka]

O jak úžasné, díky za super zážitek !

[Camrodsclears]

SHE IS GOT THE LOOKS!!

[Camrodsclears]

SHE WAS SUPER HOT, PERFECT HEAD SHAPE, BAD ASS BAD ASS I WOULD HAVE MARRY HER IF I WAS HER AGE.....HAHAHA SHE IS OLDER THAN ME HAHAHH WAY BAD ASS AND BEATIFUL

[14344tristan]

idol,........

[tallcoolone09]

and who would've thought the following year she would have the biggest song of the year!

[laura1985abdn]

i have seen sinead live and her singing voice live is far superear to anything heard on her albums



[jydvsn]

right from the cd - I wish I'd never seen this

[TheSkeppers]

they shouldnt make such talent mime/lipsynch, and yeah she's a babe

[Gska812]

All the best Sinead! I have my birthday today too:)

[johnsteven001]

Happy birthday Sinéad !!!

[pbn1]

How much you want to bet a piece of her died that night - having to mime - probably to appease her label(?) and gain exposure of the kind only the Grammy's can offer.

[tangoblonde]

@pbn1 These "artists" need to get over themselves. You are there to entertain like a circus monkey if you want your money.

[dj2dxdream]

LOVE that entire album but she is clearly LIP SYNCING in this 'LIVE" MTV Show! (She's a Phenomenal vocalist too?!)

[Dakotaisunavailable]

@dj2dxdream she is likely singing along with a backing track. It was often up to the recording company whether an artist performed "live" at that time.

[tomb613]

Most powerful female singer in my lifetime...... Sinead please tour America. Northampton ma. If you wish to make an aging elf's wish come true. We love you. We need more dark haired Irish screaming their angelic hearts out. ~;{-

[sifodias69]

very good !

[carlo4697]

@sifodias69 und weiter?

[corbravo]

tank girl

[thefonze007]

stomp them feet bitch ha

[tallcoolone09]

Over 2 million views. See, we still love you Sinead!

[zerozulu]

@blazeofrazgriz eres una mierda sorda

[7erikgiles]

I am still amazed at how good Sinead is. She's got the best voice in music, bar none, hands down. And she had it right about the Pope, too.

[wristweed]

What a set of pipes..........

[octavius1augustus]

This was her best album. Actually The Lion and the Cobra is one of the best pop albums ever produced.

[progamus]

Are some of you fucking idiots? You can tell that she's obviously singing over her own backing track. She's definitely not miming :S

[LevitanLv]

Team Fortress 2 logo

[HaBenOni]

METALLICA WINS!! FUCK THIS TWAT!!

[MegaPaganwolf]

Sinead O'Connor in an interview in The Tech, April 12, 1988: "Mandinkas are an African tribe. They're mentioned in a book called Roots by Alex Haley, which is what the song is about. In order to understand it you must read the book."

[TheLonelyImmortal]

She redefines "gorgeous"!

[spangleJ]

She was absolutely stunning. Yes, she is miming as she sings with the mic waaay away from her face. A shame at the Grammies of all things

[mickokelly1]

she lives in bray nallinanyways.

[sergechartrand64]

,,, way- to- go- sinead you shock the fuckin music industry, call-illuminati!!!!!!!

[antonyblues]

qué gran playback se metió la flaca !!!!

[gg010170]

She has been my favorite since i heard her voice. Yet, to this day… i wonder (i could look it up, naturally) what Mandinka means. I miss her. Where ever she is i hope she knows she is amazing ; )

[Beppe161]

La trovo ... Grandissima...!!!...

@Beppe

[misticman3]

Sa coiffure fait très évadée de prison ou camp de concentration, j'imagine mal cette fille voir la vie en rose d'ailleurs ça se voit à ses chansons

[SCHRUBBE1966]

Sinead on crak

[PerfectTriad]

Is it her Florence & the Machine is taking inspiration from? 

[elperritopiloto]

G R E A T !!!

[user82453]

what is the best browser and player to use to ensure,

that vid is in synch with audio?

[schrikkel66]

Great voice, great song!!!!

[SmarteJakob]

so ugly, very unattractive

[i8tevverist]

@SmarteJakob get o the tabits

[TheLFarrell]

@SmarteJakob i disagree shes not ugly shes quite beautiful in my opinion but her bald head is a bit weird

[gg010170]

@TheLFarrell I love her bald head. Wait…i am disgusted by the fact that i am commenting on looks. She is there to share her voice. It is not a beauty contest.  Beauty contest really weird me out : ) peace

[THECURE81]

anyone know what the image on her head means?

[1990echo]

@THECURE81 Public Enemy logo

[rorybenson1]

@THECURE81 public enemy logo

[nmrz6711]

Love the outfit! LOL

[peachyTO]

From the Grammy's to being shunned. Wild. Sinead taught me how to feel music, to stand up to injustice, and most importantly, that I'm proud and understand what it means to be Irish.

[mplayer98]

Hope everyone knows this song is about very large black penises

[blazeofrazgriz]

Nowadays when people perform onstage they have backup dancers, a band, or the like. It's just her and a mic. That takes balls.

[hungryherbie]

@blazeofrazgriz Yes it's just Sinead and a silent mic ...excellent miming you really would think she was singing live..she had us all fooled

[verucasalt13]

@hungryherbie backtrack

[sminer27]

@hungryherbie She is absolutely singing live. LISTEN you idiot. It's called singing over a track.

[hungryherbie]

@sminer27 Your absolutely Wrong and don't call anyone an idiot because you disagree i've said this before and I will say it again She's Miming and there's no crime in that if you want to hear Sinead singing live scroll over to the video by scratch17 now that's proper live ...all artists on these awards shows all have to mime their songs and Sinead had no choice but to get on with it

[rogerson61]

@sminer27 Is that a target on the side of her head?

[bzurgland]

@hungryherbie It's not a silent mic and not a miming. There is a playback (with the voice) behind, but we can hear her voice on it because she's not as precise as the record. She's really singing. It's your ears that fools you...

[XXgav123xx]

She seemed really self conciouss here as the audience was massive. 

[DerRealLoewe]

could be the bravest live performence of all time

[naraicks]

god she was beautifull

[uradbosh]

@naraicks is

[MrPlanschQ]

@naraicks she IS beautifu

l ^^



[winy68]

She CAN sing whether she did live right then or not

Can you imagine the guts it took (at 21 years old) to deliver a performance like that on a huge Grammy stage

Politics aside

Craziness aside

You gotta give her props

[solariis888]

she was quite a wild, little, banshee when she was young.

[Hot80s]

such a cutie-patunie up there on stage.

[curtiswilliams1000]

I luv this artist did u all c her video of Sined O'Connor VS Pope John Paul ll? Its * very profound!!

[thom2805]

she was beautiful!!!

i was in love.....

[LolasTubular]

I love this woman soooo much. Every single song....every one....there's just no one like her. Intense songs like this one, as well as the beautiful Irish ballads that she practically whispers -- they've all touched me so deeply... we are indeed a blessed generation, to have witnessed this musical beauty for several decades now. Thanks for posting this! xo

[MsHalieann]

who gives a fuck if she's lip syncing..everyone knows she can sing. it's not like she's some talentless pop singer made by autotune...

[EricF101]

I love this video and her voice. She is so talented

[ilafan]

So beautiful!

[orestiskosko]

I believe she is singing over the original track. Her voice sounds pretty live and the consistent and flat vocals are from the backtrack but she is singing too and her voice is sticking out a little bit from the whole mix. In addition, at the end of the first verse right after the word "heart" she is making that little high pitched note that she so often does when singing live and doesn't sound on the original track. She is doing it again somewhere on the song. WHATEVER! SHE ROCKS!

[ammarnajjar4u]

NOT LIP-SINGING.

[MrHopper911]

Awesome and a fox !!!!!

[freestyleminibus]

she is singing over the track itself.

[countryassmutherfuck]

@freestyleminibus Dude, they ALL sing over "T.V. tracks"...I used to work in the business, that's just how its done. Now you know.

[TheElvisaka]

I absolutely love this vid of Sinead singing. I remember when I was about 17 I would watch it again and again and again,

[abecadloish]

Which of the present-day singers matches Sinead in equal nonchalance, beauty and genuineness?

None. There's a black hole left by stas like Sinead and few others "no ordinary talents".

[MySpeedqueen]

Totally outstanding performance .... Amazing !!

[csilofono]

yeap, @3:08 you can see she is miming....but I DONT CARE!!! She is amazing! I love this song, and THIS IS HER VOICE!!! In '80s years playback was used a lot, and even if a lot of singers in live session sucks..... she doesn't! Take a look of her real live performances.

[ThouShaltBeFIERCE]

She really is the original Florence and the Machine. Except probably with a slightly better voice, even though I love Florence.

[yolanda500]

I love this video! Thank you Sinead!

[2dogarage]

course it was the original but that was her voice, anyway she whooped it up, one of the most memorable performances of the Grammy's ever.

[dignan1000]

She looks like Natalie Portman here.

[MrMoncollier]

@dignan1000 Probably the other way around

[migu9999]

is background voices , is a corus (prerecorded, like the guitars and drums and all the rest instruments) but in top of that SHE IS SINGING!

[jacquelinetoronto]

Aside from the usual debating, does anyone else love that she wore a little baby sleeper attached to the back of her jeans in performances in 88-89? (Here and Pinkpop vids). I am guessing they belonged to then baby Jake and she wanted to keep him with her. I love her for always.

And yes, she is singing- very capably- over a backing track. This is the norm on some shows which sucks. Watch any Sinead live vid - unlike almost any artist I can think of, her live singing matches recorded quality.

[hungryherbie]

@jacquelinetoronto well jacqueline if you want to hear Sinead singing this song live with no backing track etc etc go to video by scratch17 now that's what I call LIVE not like this show she maybe singing/miming but what we hear is the recorded version that's the way these shows done things and I'm sure Sinead had to go along with it

[jacquelinetoronto]

@hungryherbie Thanks- I've seen her sing it live and it was amazing.

[purplepelican69]

This is what you can reliably call talent. Cheryl Cole please look on in impotent awe then fuck off back to that checkout in Asda that Mother Nature so skilfully designed you for.

[Gentleman106]

She's the last grest singer coming from the 80's. A great song. I thinks it's her best.

[ykb932]

I'd shag her...

[penal420]

and she IS singing the song with a backing track playing her voice as well. typical tv bullshit thats been going on since before the 60's. if you doubt her ability to perform live go look up her other performances and you can tell her voice is more than capable.

[penal420]

to the ones saying she cant sing this well live just listen to her sing You Made Me The Thief Of Your Heart live on david letterman. she can sing just fine...

[McAtack]

All you mad music fans that actually think this woman is "MIMING" have got to be so full of modern music you're lost the plot!

[9012823]

ella . da ina demostracion en cuerdas vocales asombrosa,,

[trufiend138]

i hate it when musicians mime... why even come out? we can just listen to the damn record over the PA, maybe with some nice visuals and smooth cocktail....

[kartyck]

beyond!

[fletcherarc]

No silly dancers, no pyrotechnics, no ridiculous costumes...just Sinead.  Love it.

[TheTheAndreiasantos]

ahahahahah loved that comment @CourtyardPigeon : D

[137gatocholo]

She looks so overwhelmed when she first steps on stage but does a great job anyway. What a wonderful talent and face! I miss you Sinead! I grew up on your stuff.

[NYCKittyGirl]

and just a weird memory for the curious, i believe she wore a jacket with mickey rourke on the back. they showed her waiting in the wings or backstage or something. :)

[NYCKittyGirl]

you can hear live vocal mixed on top of the whole recording, particularly around 2:10. "i have refused to take part...uhhhh." you can hear that's her on top. the audio guy was bringing her live vocal up and down. maybe she wasn't trying very hard, but she certainly wasn't silent and just moving her lips. i remember watching this when it aired. i saw her live on this tour, too.

[leesasocool]

shes live, you can tell because you can hear the poping in the microphone, a studio would use a pop filter, and so theirefore this is live.... shes nnot pulling an ashley simpson:P

[Markziz]

why she bald

[MrTaillac]

The best part, of 75 people, ran down their daddy's leg

[CourtyardPigeon]

stop arguing about it...she has said publicly that she was lip syncing during this performance....don't believe me look it up yourself...

[666Angelfuck]

@CourtyardPigeon bull shit you can tell when she shakes and daces and sings you can hear it her breath dumb ass.

[aimeed1968]

@CourtyardPigeon i agree dont care she was miming would have sung the same quality live

[countryassmutherfuck]

@aimeed1968 Its not 'Miming' or lip syncing....she IS singing, over "T.V. Tracks"...the original studio version of the cut, without the vocal track...understand?

[shreeyakurien]

@CourtyardPigeon I didn't know that... perhaps ignorance is bliss?

[madincx]

@CourtyardPigeon She is singing along to the track, she is doubling the vocals. I work in in Studios and with live music...She is singing a live vocal, but to the orig. studio track as well.

[user82453]

@CourtyardPigeon

-Even, if she was.. she CAN really sing like this. -Also, watch her esophagus, going up and down with the pitch.

Pretty EXCELLENT lip-synching - regardless of whether she was lip-synching or not,

this is an INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE!!!

[SuzanneatFirgrove]

Such a pure, original performance (may be mimed but so what) it is 23 yrs old and still is so fresh today....take note lady GaGa, Beyonce, Britney and the ilk...watch and learn...this is how you do it

[backotruck]

Yeah, she's miming. I've sung plenty live, and there are levels of audio mixing that have to happen in the studio to get the vocals flat and consistent, something that is not present here. Yet, the audio is flat and consistent. Miming.

[asy4]

@backotruck

Perhaps. But I saw her live in concert at the time, and she was AMAZING live.

[iriswigle]

@backotruck Corection!!! Sinead has never said that she was lip syncing!!! And, bullshit to your knowledge about audio mixing. Flat? What in the hell are you talking about? You sung where? The year was 1967...perhaps before the best of the microphones...debateable!?! Sinead wears the baby outfit after being axed in the head...after hiding her baby daughter among nuns. Don't become an expert when you are not knowledgeable to pass on judgment on anything relative. Go back too eating checkers!

[countryassmutherfuck]

@iriswigle What word in the English language is ALWAYS spelled incorrectly................inc­orrectly...with 2 'R's.

Kinda like coRRect...hello...go back to looking up words in the dictionary...Not to mention yo even misspelled "to"...and I thought I was stupid...boy are you dumb!

[sonicwingnut]

@backotruck just to play devil's advocate, even though she is miming you can use compression live as well as in the studio, which is the effect that controls dynamic range. I think here they had a mix, her voice is very quiet when the track ends so in this case they probably did have her live with a much louder backing track over it. There's definitely more than one vocal there.