Happy 30th Anniversary to Sinéad O’Connor’s second studio album I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, originally released March 20, 1990.
There are moments in history that will forever remain unforgettable, no matter the age or generation. Moments that shape an era, a genre or a decade. In January of 1990, an Irish singer by the name of Sinéad O’Connor released a cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 You,” a song deeply rooted in emotion and despair which would go on to certify O’Connor and that song as one of music history’s most unforgettable moments.
O’Connor’s second album I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got was not only home to the aforementioned cover, but it also saw a shift in the singer’s attitude. The torment that prevailed on her debut, 1987’s The Lion And The Cobra, was still there. But like all things, O’Connor’s maturity started to come through on this album, giving way to a kind of hopefulness, rather than outright anger.
Listening to this album again is a walk down memory lane, but also a reminder of the depth and beauty in O’Connor’s music. Whilst this album’s breakout star most certainly was “Nothing Compares 2 You,” it may also be the standard that O’Connor never truly surpassed again on any other subsequent album. The simplicity of the video, which featured O’Connor with her trademarked shaved head, allowed for not only the singer’s beauty to be placed firmly in the spotlight, but more importantly, the emotion that O’Connor conveyed with an unabashed rawness was placed front and center. Very few have been able to achieve this since.
Moving away from the album’s standout hit and it is clear to see that O’Connor’s foot is firmly set in mostly folky types of tracks that make her voice the primary focus of each and every song. The album’s opener is the prayer-like “Feel So Different,” submerged in an initial spoken strength (The Serenity Prayer) that plays on the fact that this could easily be for an old flame, but could equally be an approach to questioning a higher power, something O’Connor has never shied away from.
O’Connor’s approach to religion has been well documented over the years, but as the singer herself stated in a recent interview with Tommy Tiernan, “I have always been interested in theology since I was a kid, because we all grew up in this theocracy and I wanted to know what was this book they were using to oppress my Granny.” O’Connor isn’t afraid to go deep with spirituality, and with this sense of curiosity comes a crossover effect that permeates into and throughout her music. I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got is living proof that just having a great song won’t cut it—the subject matter will always be the core that resonates with people.
Watch the Official Videos:
At its core, there is no denying that this album is about loss and the conflict associated with love lost and the possibility of conflict with a higher power, whatever that higher power may be —the government, society and yes, even God. The album’s second song “I Am Stretched Out On Your Grave” is a 17th century Irish poem translated to English and covered by O’Connor with an old school hip-hop base that works beautifully with her vocals on this grief-stricken track. “The Emperor’s New Clothes” shows a conviction that is part anger and part middle finger to the never-ending judgement the singer faced at the time with her star sky rocketing, scrutiny around her Catholic faith, and her role as a newly single mother.
Politics play a part on this album too, with the song “Black Boys on Mopeds” taking a firm swipe at the Thatcher government as well as the death of a black youth at the hands of the police. A strong reminder that although this album was released in 1990, the conversations that were had then seem to be ones that we are still talking about today. O’Connor’s personal struggles extend far beyond her broken heart and she wasn’t afraid to step into the harsh reality of a world that may not have affected her directly, but most definitely surrounded her as evidenced in this song.
It is no secret that O’Connor’s struggles with mental health and controversies surrounding her relationship with religion have sometimes been at the forefront of her public image, as opposed to her music. But sensationalism aside, O’Connor was—and still is—a woman who was unafraid to sit in front of the world and bare her soul. I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got serves as a reminder of O’Connor’s brilliance, expecting nothing more in return other than to listen and question what didn’t or possibly doesn’t feel right.
On the album’s closing title track, O’Connor speaks with a gentle wisdom, reflecting, “I have water for my journey / I have bread and I have wine / No longer will I be hungry / For the bread of life is mine.” Whilst redemption radiates throughout this song and some may say, most of the album, O’Connor managed to deliver an incredible follow-up that extended her curiosity into the unknown with a fearlessness and honesty that has rarely been matched since.
I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got remains a compelling document of a true talent that paved the way toward introspection for other artists to follow, while ensuring her legacy as a singer-songwriter committed to laying things out for all to see, uncomfortable as that may be sometimes.
LISTEN: