Meaning of “Sister Sinead” by Kris Kristofferson
On 26 July 2023, the iconic Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor sadly passed away at the age of 56. That has compelled us to take a look at “Sister Sinead”, a song that singer/actor Kris Kristofferson dropped on 29 September 2009, in her honor. He did so as part of “Closer to the Bone”, his 20th studio album, which is a product of New West Records.
SINEAD DISSES THE POPE
Saturday Night Live, the legendary comedy-variety show aired from NYC, is called so because it is actually broadcast live on Saturday nights. During her appearance on the program on 3 October 1992, Sinead O’Connor decided to use that opportunity to protest against child sexual abuse committed by the Catholic Church.
Even though that was not the original plan, she did let the producers know beforehand that she would be doing so while rendering a cover of Bob Marley’s “War” (1976). What O’Connor didn’t make them aware of was that during the actual live airing, she would attack the Pope (John Paul II) directly by basically calling him “evil” and then proceeding to tear apart a picture of him, subsequently throwing the shreds directly towards the camera.
At the time she did so, the Church had already developed a reputation for committing such offenses. However, this was before the mainstream, including the Pope himself, really began to acknowledge those crimes. And besides that, he is a widely-revered religious figure with over a billion followers.So as to be expected, Sinead dealt with a backlash for committing that act.
For example a couple of weeks later, Sinead performed at a 30th Anniversary concert in honor of Bob Dylan. This was at Madison Square Garden, in the selfsame New York City. Upon entering the stage, she was met by an extremely-boisterous crowd, some cheering but others, obviously more notably, booing.
O’CONNOR IS SHOCKED
As the crowd booed her, O’Connor refused to perform unless they quieted down, which obviously they didn’t. Perhaps if she had let the music play, as planned, they would’ve got into the groove.
Or maybe the noise was too much for her to concentrate. In any event she just stood there, for the most part stoically looking out onto the crowd for about a minute in total, after which she lowered her head, having apparently resigned, which compels Kris to come out and comfort her.
To note, it was Kris Kristofferson who introduced her on stage, in the process referring to Sinead as an “artist whose name has become synonymous with courage and integrity”. Also, it should be kept in mind that O’Conner was a smallish young lady, one whom Kristofferson perceived as “a little girl” at the time.
So he wasn’t going to stand pat and let her take it on the chin. Being the host and all, he was actually encouraged by other organizers to “get her off the stage”. But instead, upon checking to see if she was okay, which Sinead verified she was, he proceeded to let her perform.
“EVERYWHERE IS WAR”
And if you look at the video, once the music starts playing afterwards, the crowd does simmer down. But we can’t see what Sinead saw or hear what she heard coming from the audience. So for whatever reason, she cuts the music and starts to sing, in what can be deemed a frustrated manner, Bob Marley’s classic song. (To note, the songstress performed the song similarly, though not as vociferously, when she appeared on Saturday Night Live).
O’Connor gets through her rendition, being the loudest voice in the room and reppin’ Rastafari in a way that the Garden has probably never witnessed before or since. Then she exits the stage, is embraced by Kristoferson and afterwards bursts into tears.
THE LYRICS OF “SISTER SINEAD”
This song is in fact a tribute to Sinead O’Connor. Most notably, the way Kris goes about doing so is by likening the songstress to the geniuses and “saints” of old. Or put more holistically, he recognizes that O’Connor, as an artist, has something that she needed to let out, which he terms as being “her truth”.
But the problem is that “her message” proved to be ‘profoundly misunderstood’. So instead she has dealt with a global backlash, which the singer seems to imply was economically motivated.
The vocalist also goes on to recognize that practicing such bravery, i.e. standing up for what you believe in, can have such ramifications. Kristofferson also had his counter-mainstream moments as an artist, as exemplified in his 1990 album “Third World Warrior” for instance. In fact the title of one of its songs, “don’t let the bastards get you down”, is reportedly what he whispered into Sineads’s ear when he came onto center stage to comfort her.
WAS KRIS’S MOTIVES PURELY ALTRUISTIC?
Looking at a young Sinead O’Connor, the first thing you’re likely to notice is the fact that her head was shaved practically bald. According to the late singer, she did so because she “did not want to be pretty” and furthermore in defiance of an unnamed music executive who wanted to more or less market her femininity.
Or viewed from a different angle, Sinead was a pretty lady. And over 20 years after the whole MSG incident, she did go on to imply, on Twitter, that Kris may have been compelled to defend her for his own personal reasons.
Or more specifically, she stated that he “took full advantage when he got the chance and then immediately turned nasty once…”, refusing to elaborate any further. Shortly thereafter, she did go on to clarify that she was not referring to any type of sexual assault on his behalf and that they did sleep together consensually. But she did infer that, in one way or another, he practiced toxic masculinity towards her.
CONCLUSION
Of course we wouldn’t know if whatever incident she’s referring to in that regard occurred before, after or during the whole MSG thing. But Kris Kristofferson did write these lyrics himself (with the song being produced by Don Was). And as presented, the “bald-headed little girl” that was Sinead O’Connor was his “sister”, someone whom he recognized as being a misunderstood soul who suffered for her outspokenness.
