The Foggy Dew, by Sinead O'Connor

The Best Version - Ever

In 1995, the renowned Irish group The Chieftains released the album The Long Black Veil.

It was the groups best selling album and featured collaborations with a number of famous musicians like Sting, Van Morrison, Mick Jagger, Tom Jones, and Sinead O’Connor.

While O’Connor was not the most famous guest - her career had been spotty after “Nothing Compares 2 U,” the Saturday Night Live popething, and the mental health issues that may have contributed to her death at the age of 56 yesterday - her song on the album is not just good, it is the transcendently definitive version of the Irish Easter Rising ballad “The Foggy Dew.”

Reportedly, the band was in the recording studio when O’Connor walked in and did her vocal and level checks. They were expecting to a do a few rehearsals, get a feel for one another’s style, etc. as the Chieftains and O’Connor had not worked together before.

O’Connor had other ideas and, after singaling the band, launched directly into the song and that was it - one take and done.

And the Chieftains were deep amazed.

And here is the live version - again, no rehearsal and it is not clear if she had sung the song again at all in the months between the studio recording and this appearance at the Irish Recorded Music Association awards event: