Am I Not Your Girl? album

Liner notes

Où est le roi perdu?

(If you're out there--I want to see you)

What happens to a child that has been invaded
mentally physically emotionally spiritually sexually
sensually made to lie naked on the floor
beaten spat at kicked scaled starved degraded
raped humiliated punished for scraping the plate
or stealing a few peanuts made to beg for mercy
mocked? MURDER the death of self-esteem
self-confidence self-love self-respect identity
boundaries trust faith ability to love and be loved
ability to be a parent to one's self or to one's
children leading to FEAR of feeling of acting on
feeling of not feeling of anger of saying no of taking
what's 'mine' fear of saying yes fear of people
fear of living fear of dying which creates pain and
emptiness ADDICTION drugs alcohol food sex
shopping religion gambing relationships cigarettes
valium coffee fame politics power money chaos
war EMERGENCY child abuse the evil of invasion
rape racism incest divorce abortion contraception poverty
hopelessness starvation deprivation isolation
overpopulation unwanted children addiction chaos
and destruction I You He She We are that child the
world is that child EMERGENCY we have not been told the truth
the message is love what can save us?
only God which is Truth--only The True God--ask Him for help.

This record is dedicated to the people of New York City. Especially the people who are living on its streets. And most especially to the people I met in St. Mark's Place. Not forgetting Blitzo the lovely rat and to the angel Peter Gabriel.

These are the songs I grew up listening to. They are the songs that made me want to be a singer. That's the 'why?'

Thanks to the musicians and respect from Sinéad to: Chris Parker, David Fink, Richard Tee, Ira Siegel, Dave Lebolt, Dennis Anderson, Dave Tofani, Ted Nash, Jerry Niewood, Ron Cuber, Bob Milikan, Brian O'Flaherty, Alan Rubin, Joe Shepley, Lew Soloff, Kim Cissel, Birch Johnson, Keith O'Quinn, Jim Pugh, George Flynn, Bob Carlisle, Jonn Clark, Fred Griffin, Dave Braynard, Shelley Woodworth, Gloria Agostini, David Nadian, Concert Master Elena Barere, Arnold Eidus, Barry Finclair, Charles Libove, Alan Martin, Nancy McAlhany, Jan Mullen, John Pintaville, Matthew Raimond, Laura Seton, Richard Sortamme, Marti Sweet, Gerald Tarack, Donna Tecco, Lamar Alsop, Julien Barber, Jesse Levine, Richard Locker, Charles McCracken, Frederick Slatkin.

Thanks and respect from Sinéad to: Torrie Zito, Sid Ramin, Rob Mounsey, Doug Katzarous, Patrick Williams, Eimear, Claire, Steve, Jill, Charlie, Tommy, Yvonne, Gary (you dumb fuck), Kelly, Nora, Obie, Niall Stokes, Mikal Gilmore, Adam, Jim, Helen Merrill, Shane, Csu-csu, Nadége, Karl and everyone at Sin-é, Clara, Jenealy, Jakey, Johnny, Elaine, Doreen, Kathryn Bigelow, Frank Merriman, Marianne Faithful[l], everyone at Chrysalis, Martin, Katell Keinig, Wobble, Justin, Mark, Neville, Ali, Christina, Deiter, Andy Charles Koppelman, Nigel & Chris, and of course--the one and only Mr Phil Ramone.

Special, special, special thanks and respect to: Julie London, Ella Fitzgerald, Doris Day, Sarah Vaughn, Loretta Lynn, Elaine Page, Marilyn Monroe, Billie Holiday, Alison Moyet, Astrud Gilberto and my mother and father.

Sinéad O'Connor