Song of the day – 385: Sinéad O’Connor

Sinéad O'Connor

Isaac and Daniel were watching Snow White And The Seven Dwarves. A great film.

I love the animation, the humour, the fiercely scary witch (Isaac always roots for her over the slightly anodyne Snow White) … and especially the songs. Unlike many later Disney films, the songs aren’t ruined by the interpretations (all those saccharine choirs in the earlier movies: Phil Collins singing most of the otherwise palatable Tarzan, bleeding Elton John): the voices are given a chance to shine. Several of these songs I would sing to Charlotte on the piano, especially before we were married … and ‘One Love’ (sung by my elder sister) even made it into the wedding service. (The other two featured songs were: ‘Fools Rush In’ and ‘Love Is A Song’, from Bambi, both sung by Amelia Fletcher, the second almost indecently salacious. “Sings in nightclubs, does she?” the vicar remarked.) I sang, and played on piano, a trembling ‘The Second Star To The Right’, from Peter Pan, at the reception.

Yet, this is the version  of a Snow White song that I remember above all else, taken from the 1988 Disney tribute album Stay Awake (which also features a hilariously on-song Tom Waits, tunneling his way through ‘Heigh-Ho! (The Dwarfs’ Marching Song)’ with inimitable swagger). Only 1.08 minutes long, but so sublime.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that this 1.08 minutes is why I love Sinéad O’Connor so.

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 21st, 2011 at 2:38 pm. It is filed under Song Of The Day and tagged with , , , , , , , , , . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

11 Responses to “Song of the day – 385: Sinéad O’Connor”

  1. hannah golightly says:
    August 22, 2011 at 8:29 am

    Sometimes Nothing Compares to a bit of Sinead O’Connor.

    Funny how a cover song can be the most revealing about a singer isn’t it?

    Sung by Sinead, this trite song is transformed into something touching, poignant and emotionally raw and compelling. That has to be called genius.

  2. Everett True says:
    August 22, 2011 at 9:02 am

    Sung by Sinead, this trite song is transformed into

    Dude, it so isn’t trite. (Well, no more trite than any song is.) The interpretation is always what matters

  3. hannah golightly says:
    August 22, 2011 at 9:35 am

    Come on dude. It’s lyrically trite. She makes it a masterpiece. I love it.

  4. Everett True says:
    August 22, 2011 at 10:05 am

    I never listen to words unless I’m singing them (and sometimes not even then). I’m talking about the melody, and the numerous incredible versions since done of it. And the context it exists in. Etc.

  5. Wallace Wylie says:
    August 22, 2011 at 12:48 pm

    In terms of being written as a plot device in a Disney movie about a Princess waiting for her handsome Prince, the lyrics are amazing. That surging melody is just heart-wrenching. It’s probably in my top five Disney songs. “Once Upon A Dream” is my number one. Miles Davis does a great version of “Someday My Prince Will Come”.

  6. Everett True says:
    August 22, 2011 at 1:20 pm

    Agreed. ‘Once Upon A Dream’ is astonishing.

  7. Everett True says:
    August 22, 2011 at 1:24 pm

    Also, I’ve come to many of these Disney tunes through piano songbooks, so I judge them on the song itself, not on the performance. There’s an incredible song in ‘The Little Mermaid’ (not a film I’m fond of, as you might imagine) that I might otherwise have ignored.

  8. hannah golightly says:
    August 22, 2011 at 11:25 pm

    I’m not a Disney fan

  9. Wallace Wylie says:
    August 23, 2011 at 12:45 am

    Is there room on Collapse Board for Top Ten Disney movies of all time? There must be.

  10. Matt O'Neill says:
    August 23, 2011 at 8:59 am

    Lion King, Aladdin – everything else. Seriously.

  11. Wallace Wylie says:
    August 23, 2011 at 1:54 pm

    I meant Disney songs.

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