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.
How Insensitive
Sinéad O'Connor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I must have seemed
When he told me
That he loved me
How unmoved and cold
I must have seemed
When he said it
So sincerely
Why, he must have asked
Did I just turn and
Stare in icy silence?
What was I to do?
What can you do?
When a love affair is over?
Now he's gone away
And I'm alone with
The memory of
His last look
Vague and drawn
And sad, I see it still
All the heartbreak
Of his last look
Why, he must have asked
Would I just turn
And stare in icy silence?
What was I to say?
What can you say?
When a love affair is over?
Why, he must have asked
Did I just turn
And stare in icy silence?
What was I to say?
What can you say?
When a love affair is over?
Over
Over
In "How Insensitive," Sinéad O'Connor explores the aftermath of a failed love affair. The lyrics describe her own reaction to her lover's confession of love, which she received in what he believed to be an honest and sincere manner. However, her response was one of coldness and indifference. In retrospect, she realizes that her aloofness was hurtful and she regrets her inability to respond with the same level of passion and emotion.
The chorus of this song reflects on the aftermath of the failed love affair. The lyrics question why she didn't respond differently, with a greater show of emotion, especially since her lover was clearly sincere. The song highlights the fact that sometimes, we are insensitive to the feelings of others, seemingly without any awareness.
The song also explores the emotions of heartbreak and loss. Sinéad O'Connor describes her feelings of loneliness following the end of the relationship, and how she still thinks about her lover's last look. Despite her regrets and feelings of loss, the lyrics also suggest that there might be nothing that could have changed the end result of the failed love affair.
Line by Line Meaning
How insensitive
I was not attentive enough
I must have seemed
I appeared as
When he told me
At the moment he expressed
That he loved me
His love for me
How unmoved and cold
I was indifferent and unfeeling
I must have seemed
I appeared as
When he said it
When he uttered his feelings
So sincerely
Genuinely
Why, he must have asked
He probably wondered
Did I just turn and
Why did I merely turn and
Stare in icy silence?
Stare with emotionless eyes?
What was I to do?
What could I have done?
What can you do?
There was nothing I could do
When a love affair is over?
When the romance ends
Now he's gone away
He has departed
And I'm alone with
I'm solitary with
The memory of
The memory from
His last look
His final appearance
Vague and drawn
Indefinite and stressed
And sad, I see it still
And sorrowful, I still see it
All the heartbreak
Every bit of heartache
Of his last look
From his final appearance
Why, he must have asked
He probably wondered
Would I just turn
Why did I only turn
And stare in icy silence?
And stare emotionlessly?
What was I to say?
What could I have said?
What can you say?
There was nothing I could say
When a love affair is over?
When the romance ends
Why, he must have asked
He probably wondered
Did I just turn
Why did I only turn
And stare in icy silence?
And stare emotionlessly?
What was I to say?
What could I have said?
What can you say?
There was nothing I could say
When a love affair is over?
When the romance ends
Over
Concluded
Over
Concluded
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Antonio Carlos Jobim, Norman Gimbel, Vinicius De Moraes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
K. Maczák
on Troy
The song is about her abusive mother, who locked her out of the house, and she sitting in the long grass in summer keeping warm , while her mother turned off the light inside the house , and she screamed . etc.