Since then, while maintaining her singing career, she has occasionally encountered controversy, partly due to her statements and gestures—such as her ordination as a priest despite being a woman with a Roman Catholic background—and her strongly expressed views on organised religion, women's rights, war, and child abuse.
In addition to her ten solo albums her work includes many singles, songs for films, collaborations with many other artists and appearances at charity fundraising concerts.
Since converting to Islam in 2018 she has changed her name to Shuhada Sadaqat.
In December 2019 she gave her first UK concert in five years at the Shepherd's Bush Empire, London.
On 26 July 2023, O'Connor's family issued a statement that she had died at the age of 56, without indicating the date or cause.
In the statement, the singer’s family said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad. Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.”
The acclaimed Dublin performer released 10 studio albums, while her song “Nothing Compares 2 U” was named the number one world single in 1990 by the Billboard Music Awards. Her version of the ballad, written by musician Prince, topped the charts around the globe and earned her three Grammy nominations.
8 Good Reasons
Sinéad O'Connor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't know if it maybe might be wrong
But then again it maybe might be right
To tell you 'bout the bullet and the red light
You know I'm not from this place
I'm from a different time, different space
And it's real uncomfortable
But I got 8 good reasons to stick around
8 good reasons, well maybe nine now
I had a dream one night
About a bullet and a red light
You know it felt alright
You know it actually felt quite nice
If I could have gone
Without it hurting anyone
Like a child, I would have found me mum
Like a bird I would have been flown
You know I don't much like life
I don't mind admitting that it ain't right
You know I love to make music
But my head got wrecked by the business
Everybody wanting something from me
They rarely ever wanna just know me
I became the stranger no one sees
Cut glass I've crawled upon my knees
But I got 8 good reasons to stick around
8 good reasons, well maybe nine now
I had a dream one night
About a bullet and a red light
You know it felt alright
You know it actually felt quite nice
But I got 8 good reasons to stick around
8 good reasons, well maybe nine now
8 good reasons to stick around
8 good reasons, well maybe nine now
Well maybe nine now
Sinéad O'Connor's song "8 Good Reasons" is a deeply emotional and introspective song that deals with themes of alienation, despair, and suicidal thoughts. The lyrics speak from the perspective of someone who feels out of place in the world, struggling to fit in and find a sense of belonging. The opening lines express the singer's uncertainty about whether or not to share her feelings, possibly fearing judgment or condemnation. She then proceeds to describe her sense of displacement, feeling like she's from a "different time, different space".
The singer then reveals that she has eight or nine reasons to stay alive, despite her feelings of despair. These reasons are not explicitly stated in the song, leaving the listener to wonder what they might be. Perhaps they are personal relationships, artistic expression, or some other source of meaning and purpose in her life.
The song takes a dark turn when the singer recalls a dream she had about a bullet and a red light. She acknowledges that, in some twisted way, this dream felt "alright" and "quite nice". This is a powerful and unsettling moment that highlights the singer's internal struggle with suicidal thoughts. She expresses a desire to escape the pain of her life, but also acknowledges that hurting others is not an option.
Overall, "8 Good Reasons" is a raw and emotional song that deals with difficult topics in a sensitive and honest way. It is a reminder that even in our darkest moments, there are reasons to stay alive and that hope and healing are always possible.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't know if I should quite sing this song
It's uncertain whether or not I should sing this song
Don't know if it maybe might be wrong
I'm unsure if singing this song is morally incorrect
But then again it maybe might be right
On the other hand, singing this song might actually be the right thing to do
To tell you 'bout the bullet and the red light
I want to share a story about a bullet and a red light with you
You know I'm not from this place
I don't belong here
I'm from a different time, different space
I come from a different era and place than where I currently am
And it's real uncomfortable
Being in this unfamiliar environment feels uneasy
To be stuck somewhere you just don't belong
It's difficult to be in a place where you feel like you don't fit in
But I got 8 good reasons to stick around
I have 8 valid reasons to continue staying in this place
8 good reasons, well maybe nine now
Actually, I may have a ninth reason now too
I had a dream one night
I had a dream one night
About a bullet and a red light
The dream was about a bullet and a red light
You know it felt alright
It felt okay in the dream
You know it actually felt quite nice
In fact, it felt quite pleasant
If I could have gone
If I could have left
Without it hurting anyone
Without causing any harm to others
Like a child, I would have found me mum
I would have gone in search of my mother, like a child
Like a bird I would have been flown
I would have flown away, like a bird
You know I don't much like life
Truthfully, I don't enjoy life very much
I don't mind admitting that it ain't right
I'm not ashamed to say that it's not right
You know I love to make music
I have a passion for creating music
But my head got wrecked by the business
However, the music industry has negatively impacted my mental state
Everybody wanting something from me
Everyone always wants something from me
They rarely ever wanna just know me
People seldom seem interested in getting to truly know me
I became the stranger no one sees
I've turned into the person that nobody acknowledges
Cut glass I've crawled upon my knees
I've had to painfully crawl across sharp glass on my knees
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: GRAHAM KEARNS, JOHN CHARLES REYNOLDS, SINEAD MARIE BERNARDE O'CONNOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@RezellRezell
Don't know if I should quite sing this song
Don't know if it maybe might be wrong
But then again it maybe might be right
To tell you 'bout the bullet and the red light
You know I'm not from this place
I'm from a different time, different space
And it's real uncomfortable
To be stuck somewhere you just don't belong
But I got 8 good reasons to stick around
8 good reasons, well maybe nine now
I had a dream one night
About a bullet and a red light
You know it felt alright
You know it actually felt quite nice
If I could have gone
Without it hurting anyone
Like a child, I would have found me mum
Like a bird I would have been flown
You know I don't much like life
I don't mind admitting that it ain't right
You know I love to make music
But my head got wrecked by the business
Everybody wanting something from me
They rarely ever wanna just know me
I became the stranger no one sees
Cut glass I've crawled upon my knees
But I got 8 good reasons to stick around
8 good reasons, well maybe nine now
I had a dream one night
About a bullet and a red light
You know it felt alright
You know it actually felt quite nice
But I got 8 good reasons to stick around
8 good reasons, well maybe nine now
8 good reasons to stick around
8 good reasons, well maybe nine now
Well maybe nine now
@chrissillanpaa6235
Rest in power sweet lady! Your talent and light will be missed in this sad, angry world.
I'm singing this song for my sister Sinead
Concerning the god awful mess that she made
She told them her truth just as hard as she could
Her message profoundly was misunderstood
There's humans entrusted with guarding our gold
And humans in charge of the saving of souls
And humans responded all over the world
Condemning that bald headed brave little girl
And maybe she's crazy and maybe she ain't
But so was Picasso and so were the saints
And she's never been partial to shackles or chains
She's too old for breaking and too young to tame
It's askin' for trouble to stick out your neck
In terms of a target a big silhouette
But some candles flicker and some candles fade
And some burn as true as my sister Sinead
- Kris Kristofferson, "Sister Sinead"
@michaelahalinabianchini7944
Devastated by this morning’s news of Sinead’s passing and this song hits even harder now. She seemed like such a deep, intelligent, warm human being who was too sensitive for this world. Or maybe the world was just too hardened to appreciate her pure honesty and artistry. I hope she is at peace wherever she is now, and is reunited with her boy ❤
@nityarawal7598
#metoo
@nityarawal7598
Was she murdered???):
@nityarawal7598
Was she murdered???):
@rexrogers1859
@@nityarawal7598no
@maurocoimbra9624
It's even worse than that... It seems she's had took her own life.😢
@DS-wn4dx
This is one of her most underrated songs, along with take me to church, these should have been much bigger instead of being ignored by the industry.
@jessicafoulger2177
They didn't get the credit they deserved cos the industry cares more about commercial, regurgitated pop music. They also didn't like how Sinead spoke the truth.
@blondehairedbiker119
Totally agree. She said that I'm Not Bossy felt like her first album because it was the first album she truly wrote for herself. It's my favourite for that reason
@sandracubillos5155
She wasn't just one song