1.6 stars ... Ehh ~ - A very mediocre Sinead single here. The trippy reggae remix of Rebel Song is terrible. The loopy sound completely clashes with the serious emotion the lyrics were written to reflect. I have never yet found a good remix of one of her songs, however, so it wasn t too much of a surprise. While I my grandest hope was on her take of the Irish classic Her Mantle So Green, it doesn t even compare to previously performed traditionals such as On Raglan Road. So for those like myself who are looking for understated gems of the old Sinead caliber, in my opinion this single is wholly negligible.
Sinead s best song ever. - This song No Man s Woman is the only song that has ever made me give Sinead s music a second listen (and third, and fourth...). I personally am not a lesbian, and don t feel that this is a lesbian song as I ve heard some describe it. I could care less who Sinead goes to bed with, as long as she makes music like this! I would love to see this song become a sort of anthem for females of every age, because the truth of it is undeniable, and only comes with the experience of heartbreak and disappointment due to the princess-finding-the-prince fairy tale. I think it s a woman s true victory when she realizes that the only people in this world worthy of trust, the only ones worth depending on, are herself and God.
Minus the controversy, this is just an average single - As a long-term follower of Sinead s, I was excited to hear she finally had a new album coming out, and extremely gratified by the quality and variety of the album. I love it to death. But this single is another story. Basically I buy singles from the bands that I love for the non-album tracks and interesting versions of better-known songs. On this single, you get the ALBUM version of No Man s Woman, a dubbed-up version of Rebel Song, and a forgettable performance of Her Mantle. Why? The title song is great in the context of the album, but I would have liked to get at least an extended version of it rather than the same track I have on the album. And this new version of Rebel Song is just bad. If you want a better version, look for the original on the short-but-great Gospel Oak EP. In addition to these complaints, I am disappointed that this was the first single from the brilliant Faith and Courage. Musically, there are at least three other songs on the album that would do better as singles. This was a marketing move, I think - something along the lines of let s announce Sinead s comeback with her latest controversial opinion... if that works, later on we can release the really good songs!
Great Song...Bad Timing - No Man s Woman is Sinead s strongest radio-ready release since Nothing Compares, but the tune s lyrics are hardly geared for radio. It s not so much a preachy song, as it is defiant. As a male, I personally find her message to be good for women. She states that she doesn t want to define herself by being some man s wife or girlfriend. She wants to be judged by her own status as a person and as a woman. That s good stuff for the new millennium. It s not so much a feminist anthem as it is an anthem of individuality. Best of all, the string-laden, rockin beat is the most irresistibly catchy song she s done...ever. If she were not Sinead O Connor, and if this song were not able to be interpreted in certain male-bashing ways, it would be a shoo-in for No. 1. As it is, the next single off her great Faith & Courage album is Jealous. That is the best shot she s got for chart success again. A much better radio song than No Man s.her mantle So Green, on of the other tracks here, is lush and beautiful. The remix of Rebel Song is silly.
Anthem - Sinead O Connor s first full-length album in years, Faith and Courage was released on June 13, 2000, but the first single No Man s Woman found its way to radio stations months in advance. For a single that is obviously no chart-topper, and one that automatically excludes the listenership of 50% of the world s population (men, in case you were wondering), No Man s Woman is actually a wonderful piece of work. Listen to it now that all the fuss has died down.When O Connor timed the release of her album with the news of her coming out , critics were quick to point out that this song was all about her affirmation about being a lesbian. But who cares? From a strictly musical point of view, this is brilliant songwriting, and her voice sounds better than ever - yes, even better than on her hit 1990 record I do not want what I haven t got . As a mild O Connor fan, I hardly expected her comeback bid to be as strong as it is, and many listeners have expressed the same feelings. The opening vocals on the single are proud and willful - I dont wanna be no man s woman , she wails, in a style most reminiscent of her much-criticized Fire on Babylon . What I found most interesting about this song, is that each line that Sinead sings sees the addition of one new instrument in the background. Toward the end, the instrumentation is almost deafening, with Sinead doing a fine job of yelling loud enough to be heard. Very impressive indeed. For listeners who are debating whether or not to go ahead and buy Faith and courage , I recommend that you first purchase this single, as it sets the tone for the rest of the album. Its loud and preachy, yes, but behind that lies a lovely, melodious tune, and nothing can take away from that. Personally, I find this single to be one of Sinead s finest musical accomplishments till date. Strongly recommended.-----------