“The Parting Glass” is a beautiful tribute to the legacy of Sinéad O’Connor
On Nov. 17, the queer band Boygenius and the Irish folk duo Ye Vagabonds, released their cover of “The Parting Glass”. The song is a tribute to the passing of the Irish singer and political activist Sinéad O’Connor, who died on July 26, 2023. The album cover of the single is a photo of O’Connor who looks happy with her hands over her heart. The history of the song has taken many identities, but was first associated with Celtic lands. The song was traditionally sung at the end of a meeting as the host would give those leaving a drink for the road.
In the summer, the loss of Sinéad O’Connor was felt around the world but the marks that she left will never be forgotten. Her music became popular in 1990 with her second album, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got. This album includes her infamous cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” and the album was #1 in the UK, Ireland, the US, Australia, Germany and parts of Europe.
O’Connor had a history of standing up for what she believed in. In 1989, she protested against the Grammys for not televising the first award for Best Rap Performance by wearing the shaved logo of the rap group, Public Enemy, on the side of her head during her performance. At the same performance, she wore her son’s onesie around her waist to protest against her record label’s wishes for her to abort her child. In 1990 at her concert in New Jersey, she refused to play the US national anthem due to its relation to systemic racism. She was also well known for her shaved head, which was in protest of her music executives wanting her to support a feminine look.
Then, in 1992, O’Connor performed on Saturday Night Live with an acapella cover of Bob Marley’s “War”. At the end of the song, she held up a photo of Pope John Paul II, ripped it to pieces, and threw it to the ground. She finished the performance by staring into the camera and told everyone watching to “Fight the real enemy.” Her calling out of the Catholic Church for its involvement in child abuse was met with brutal backlash but in 2021, O’Connor said she had no regrets.
Every fall, band member of Boygenius, Phoebe Bridgers, releases a cover and the proceeds go to a charity of her choice. This fall, the cover is in memory of Sinéad O’Connor and the proceeds are going to the Aisling Project, as chosen by the Sinéad O’Connor Estate. The Aisling Project is an after-school program where children can receive a hot meal and help with school. The project is located in five different centres in Ballymun, Ireland.
Although Boygenius’s cover of “The Parting Glass” is a truly heartbreaking piece, it’s filled with beautiful melodies that make you feel sad in a happy yet devastating way. The song is a goodbye to Sinéad O’Connor; a final whisper for her to rest peacefully. The final lyrics are “Good night and joy be with you all,” and Boygenius sang this in a righteous way that sounds like a nod to the ever-lasting legacy of Sinéad O’Connor.
