Sinead O’Connor may have secured her biggest hit with a 1990 cover of the Prince-penned “Nothing Compares 2 U” — still the definitive version despite the Purple One’s occasional efforts to reclaim it — but she turned her impressive interpretive talents on others’ material in the decades since, even if such subsequent efforts didn’t meet similarly gargantuan success.
One of my favorites from that side of O’Connor’s discography is “You Made Me The Thief Of Your Heart,” written by Bono and Gavin Friday for the soundtrack to In The Name Of The Father, released 19 years ago today, on January 25, 1994.
O’Connor completes the Irish musicians’ triumvirate, delivering the kind of haunting, near-primal performance that, at the time, hadn’t been heard on record since her 1987 debut, The Lion And The Cobra. Nothing compares to O’Connor when she’s at her best.
Produced by Friday, “You Made Me The Thief Of Your Heart” was mixed by Tim Simenon (Bomb The Bass) who also crafted the 12″ Stained Mix. Simenon also co-produced O’Connor’s Universal Mother album, released later that year.
Also worth a look is O’Connor’s live performance of “You Made Me The Thief Of Your Heart” on The Late Show with David Letterman.
Purchase Sinead O’Connor – “You Made Me The Thief Of Your Heart” via iTunes, Amazon MP3.