The song Kris Kristofferson wrote in defence of Sinéad O’Connor
Oxford scholar, military veteran, actor, and outlaw country pioneer Kris Kristofferson led a life marked by many distinct chapters. Despite his varied pursuits, he consistently upheld a robust set of morals, with his left-wing politics and commitment to social justice evident in significant works like the 1990 anti-war anthem ‘Don’t Let the Bastards (Get You Down)’. This facet of his character led him to see a kindred spirit in Sinéad O’Connor.
In 1990, O’Connor gained worldwide fame with her cover of Prince’s ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’. However, two years later, she ignited widespread condemnation during an appearance on NBC’s flagship comedy program, Saturday Night Live (SNL). Growing up in a deeply Catholic Ireland fueled O’Connor’s relentless advocacy for social justice and criticism of the Catholic Church. After performing an a cappella rendition of Bob Marley’s ‘War’ with altered lyrics addressing child abuse, she tore up a photograph of Pope John Paul II taken from her mother’s room and declared, “Fight the enemy”, as she threw the torn pieces to the floor—creating one of television’s most controversial moments.
That was when O’Connor became a folk hero and punk icon for those whose views aligned with hers. However, this was 1992. While many think of America as being one of the most forward-thinking places culturally during the decade, it was still a deeply religious country with many Catholics, and they, as well as their brethren across the globe, were outraged. The stunt led to criticism from the Anti-Defamation League and the National Ethnic Coalition of Organisations, with celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Joe Pesci, and pop royalty Madonna, who had emerged from the punk movement, also adding to the pile on. People even took to the streets to burn her records.
Two weeks later, O’Connor was booked to play the 30th-anniversary tribute concert for Bob Dylan at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Surely, this would have been the perfect environment for her messaging to be supported, given Dylan’s status as the ultimate protest songwriter of all time, the first to make popular music real. While this might have been the case backstage, it certainly wasn’t on it. As soon as O’Connor took to the stage, the 20,000-strong crowd loudly jeered her.
Kristofferson introduced her, saying: “I’m real proud to introduce this next artist whose name became synonymous with courage and integrity. Ladies and gentlemen, Sinead O’Connor.” Despite the evening being to celebrate Dylan and Kristofferson introducing her, the hate was deafening.
However, true to his legendary status, Kristofferson was quick to step forward and offer words of support to the defiant 26-year-old. Standing silently alongside her band and facing the uproar, O’Connor endured the tumult. Although her pianist began playing the introduction to ‘I Believe in You’, she eventually signalled for him to stop and launched into her powerful, unaccompanied version of ‘War’. The jeers persisted, and after delivering her message, she succumbed to emotion and left the stage, where Kristofferson was there once more to console her with the words: “Don’t let the bastards get you down.”
O’Connor would later tell the media that she was surprised at her treatment during the Dylan tribute concert, given his socially motivated substance as a songwriter. Demonstrating her real grit, she would always defend her SNL stunt and later call it “a blessing” for prompting a broader discussion about child sexual abuse.
That moment made a significant impact on Kristofferson. Soon after, the pair would deliver renditions of his 1970 hit ‘Help Me Make It Through the Night’ on several television shows. Then, years later, in 2009, on his album Close to the Bone, the outlaw country icon wrote ‘Sister Sinead’ in defence of her. A stripped-back country number, the words make his thoughts on the matter clear.
He opens the song: “I’m singing this song for my sister Sinéad / Concerning the god awful mess that she made / When she told them her truth just as hard as she could / Her message profoundly was misunderstood.” He later calls her a human “in charge of the saving of the souls” and a “bald-headed brave little girl”.
It’s a beautifully sincere moment. The most striking part is when Kristofferson references other icons like Picasso and the Christian saints, noting their inner fervour and declaring that O’Connor was exceptional because she was too mature to be broken and too youthful to be subdued, embodying an unstoppable force. Only Kristofferson could have captured her essence so perfectly in song.
