Studio Album · No. 4
Universal Mother Songwriting Credits by Sinéad O'Connor
Produced by Sinéad O'Connor, John Reynolds, Tim Simenon, Phil Coulter
Ensign / Chrysalis
Chamber FolkAlternative Rock
Songwriter
71%
Authorship
Holds writing credit on 10 of 14 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 10 / 14 documented
Who wrote the songs?
Scored across the 14 tracks with documented writers, by whether Sinéad O'Connor carries a lyricist or composer credit.
10 trackswritten by Sinéad O'Connor
4 tracksoutside writers
Sinéad O'Connor's roles on this album
Share of the 14 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
Lyricist71%
Composer71%
Producer93%
Performer100%
By the Numbers
14
Tracks
10
Lyricists
5
Producers
1994
Released
Data Insight
Ten of the fourteen tracks are hers and seven of those have no other name. The record also opens with a spoken extract from Germaine Greer and closes with a Kurt Cobain cover.
Universal Mother came out on Ensign in September 1994, quieter than anything before it and built around piano and voice.
Track Listing & Credits 14 tracks
Written by the artist
Written by outside writers
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Germaine
|
Germaine Greer | Germaine Greer | Sinéad O'ConnorJohn ReynoldsTim SimenonPhil Coulter | Sinéad O'Connor (Performer) |
| 2 |
Fire on Babylon
|
Sinéad O'ConnorJohn Reynolds | Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'ConnorJohn Reynolds | Sinéad O'ConnorJohn ReynoldsTim Simenon | Sinéad O'Connor (Performer) |
| 3 |
John I Love You
|
Sinéad O'Connor | Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor | Sinéad O'ConnorJohn ReynoldsPhil Coulter | Sinéad O'Connor (Performer) |
| 4 |
My Darling Child
|
Sinéad O'Connor | Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor | Sinéad O'ConnorJohn ReynoldsPhil Coulter | Sinéad O'Connor (Performer) |
| 5 |
Am I a Human?
|
Jake Reynolds | Jake Reynolds | Jake Reynolds | Sinéad O'Connor (Performer) |
| 6 |
Red Football
|
Sinéad O'Connor | Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor | Sinéad O'ConnorJohn ReynoldsPhil Coulter | Sinéad O'Connor (Performer) |
| 7 |
All Apologies
|
Kurt Cobain | Kurt Cobain | Sinéad O'Connor | Sinéad O'Connor (Performer) |
| 8 |
A Perfect Indian
|
Sinéad O'Connor | Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor | Sinéad O'ConnorJohn ReynoldsPhil Coulter | Sinéad O'Connor (Performer) |
| 9 |
Scorn Not His Simplicity
|
Phil Coulter | Phil Coulter | Sinéad O'ConnorPhil Coulter | Sinéad O'Connor (Performer) |
| 10 |
All Babies
|
Sinéad O'Connor | Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor | Sinéad O'ConnorJohn Reynolds | Sinéad O'Connor (Performer) |
| 11 |
In This Heart
|
Sinéad O'Connor | Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor | Sinéad O'ConnorJohn ReynoldsPhil Coulter | Sinéad O'Connor (Performer) |
| 12 |
Tiny Grief Song
|
Sinéad O'Connor | Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor | Sinéad O'ConnorJohn ReynoldsPhil Coulter | Sinéad O'Connor (Performer) |
| 13 |
Famine
|
Sinéad O'ConnorClaytonTim SimenonJohn ReynoldsLennonMcCartney | Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'ConnorClaytonTim SimenonJohn ReynoldsLennonMcCartney | Sinéad O'ConnorJohn ReynoldsTim Simenon | Sinéad O'Connor (Performer) |
| 14 |
Thank You for Hearing Me
|
Sinéad O'ConnorJohn Reynolds | Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'ConnorJohn Reynolds | Sinéad O'ConnorJohn ReynoldsTim Simenon | Sinéad O'Connor (Performer) |
Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 11 contributors
SO
Sinéad O'Connor
Writer · Producer · Performer
SM
Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor
Writer
JR
John Reynolds
Writer · Producer
PC
Phil Coulter
Writer · Producer
TS
Tim Simenon
Writer · Producer
JR
Jake Reynolds
Writer · Producer
C
Clayton
Writer
GG
Germaine Greer
Writer
KC
Kurt Cobain
Writer
L
Lennon
Writer
M
McCartney
Writer
More from Sinéad O'Connor
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Theology
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Frequently Asked Questions Universal Mother
Who wrote Universal Mother?
Sinéad O'Connor on ten of the fourteen tracks, seven of them alone, with John Reynolds sharing three. The album also carries a Germaine Greer text, a Nirvana song and a Phil Coulter piece.
Did any single chart in the Hot 100?
No. "Fire on Babylon" and "Thank You for Hearing Me" both missed the chart.
How did it sell?
The discography publishes certifications for it rather than a sales figure.
Are engineering credits published?
No. The album article lists the players and producers and names no engineer.
Who produced it?
Sinéad O'Connor with John Reynolds, Tim Simenon and others.
Was it nominated for anything?
The videos for "Fire on Babylon" and "Famine" were nominated for Best Short Form Music Video at the Grammys.
How long is the album?
52:50 across fourteen tracks.