But really, “Nothing Compares 2 U” was a Prince song; Sinéad made it a Sinéad O’Connor song the moment she sang it. And this is her greatest act of defiance, of confrontation, of self-possession. This is a hostile takeover. She embodies this song on a molecular level. She changes the fundamental meaning of the song. She steals this song. She owns this song now. Just the audacity of that. The greatness and the fearlessness that requires. Sinéad O’Connor saying, “I’m gonna steal a song from Prince” is like Nicolas Cage saying, “I’m gonna steal the Declaration of Independence.” But that’s what
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