The Emperor's New Clothes (song)


"The Emperor's New Clothes" is a song recorded by Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor for her second studio album I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got. It was released as the album's second single on 5 June 1990 by Ensign and Chrysalis Records and reached number three in Canada, number number five in Ireland, and the top 20 in Australia and Switzerland.

Composition

Lyrically, the song is about personal tribulations amid the oppression of the world around her, while she sings: "I will live by my own policies/I will sleep with a clear conscience".

Critical reception

Matthew Hocter from Albumism said that the song "shows a conviction that is part anger and part middle finger to the never-ending judgement the singer faced at the time with her star sky rocketing, scrutiny around her Catholic faith, and her role as a newly single mother." AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine described it as one of several "moments of brilliance". Jodi Cleesattle from American Eagle wrote that the song is "the album's closest thing to a typical rock song", noting it as "an up-front autobiographical song with even, somewhat gritty vocals and strong backing on both electric and acoustic guitars." Tom Moon from Knight Ridder called it a "show-stopping moment" and added that it is a "bitter what-I-learned-on-the-road song". The lyric "It seems like years since you held the baby/ While I wrecked the bedroom," according to Mark Richardson from Pitchfork, "is delivered with a muted lilt, O'Connor's voice bright and possibly a little hopeful, confident in her strength despite the weight of the past". Pop Rescue wrote that the song itself is "a rockier song" than the others on the album, adding that "it really has a great rhythm and shows that Sinéad is equally at home of these harder pop rock songs. This is a brilliant track!" William Shaw from Smash Hits stated that "this is the most confessional record ever" and described it as "goose-pimplingly honest" in his review.

Track listing

US CD single
  1. "The Emperor's New Clothes" – 5:16
  2. "The Emperor's New Clothes" – 4:37
  3. "What Do You Want?" – 2:58
  4. "Mandinka" – 5:58

    Personnel

Weekly charts

Year-end charts