I was hoping Sinéad O’Connor’s final two albums would be worthy successors to her great early work, and I’m happy to say that her penultimate album, How About I Be Me (and You Be You)?, definitely meets the challenge. I’ll have to wait for tomorrow to see if the final one does.
This one was released in 2012, a full five years after Theology. She kept a pretty low profile between the releases, but suffered a nervous breakdown right as this album was coming out. It’s touching and bittersweet to read old YouTube comments on the songs wishing her well and hoping she recovers.
She did recover in time to launch a tour in support of the album, her best since 2000’s Faith and Courage. Its ten tracks include whimsical love songs and scathing critiques of the Catholic church, empathetic character studies and tributes to her children.
After three albums that took strange detours, this feels like a proper Sinéad O’Connor release. I’m glad I finally got around to hearing it.
Be a boy
When
All the men have
Lost their joy
And they can’t find the ones they left behind
Harder still to think
Of being a man
In this world of
No lessons or love
It’s only war that men be thinking of
Should you stay
Or should you come down with me?
Is that the question
You are asking of me?
And do you think that you can
Take the answer?
As it turns
You have to wear life well
Come down with me
Come down
When you need me
But for now I want you
To be happy
Sometimes life does
Things to you
That will hurt you
And confuse you
But when you’re look behind
You’re sure to find
I am with you though I can’t
Come with you
I am in you and I’m
Always part of you
And all you ever have to do
To bring me to you
Is come down with me
Come down
When you need me
But for now I want you
To be happy
So you must go back home
That’s where you belong
You must go back home
You must go back home
That’s where you belong
You must go back home
And I can’t come along…
Meet Me In Montauk 
I really had no idea that Sinead had continued putting out new material, let alone original content, so late into her career. Such a shame that she was not able to conquer the mental health issues that ultimately cut her life short.