Jackie

"Jackie" (alternatively 'Jacky') is the affectionate diminutive of James, a common Christian forename used in both Catholic and Protestant Ireland and of course in many other Christian countries; James being one of the apostles. Sinead often references Irish literature (c.f. "Troy"), in this case perhaps it is J.M. Synge's one-act play "Riders to the sea", in which grief-stricken Maurya has lost her husband and all five sons to the sea. Sinead's story may be a personal one as so much of her work is part autobiographical. It is not uncommon in island nations to lose loved ones in drowning.

Grief, like love (the two are inextricably linked, grief being the reaction to the loss of a loved one; the inability to express and feel the reciprocity of love in the finality of death) 'is forever' - we cannot contemplate it ending and become unaware how long we have dwelt within it. A hundred years is irrelevant in eternity; likewise the twenty five years of no longer having feelings capable of responding to happiness or joy in others. The singer is in denial: "You're all wrong, I said...", which is the acknowledged first stage of grief, allowing us a view of the immediacy of that recollection when she was first told of Jackie's death. We hear her anger (second stage) in that denial, upbraiding the newsbringers for telling her and she runs to the sandy beach to be as near Jackie as physically possible, bargaining (third stage) with tears -and most likely prayers- for Jackie's deliverance, safe and able to laugh at the tale-tellers.

It is unclear whether she enters the fourth stage (depression), although the compulsive repetition of behaviour, waiting and crying and searching the shore, but she has clearly not reached the final stage of acceptance and thus it is this endurance of mental pain that gives the song its tragic hook.

p.s. I love the reletless, rising throb of that rhythm guitar; the gain distortion and rising crescendo.... Wow! Could this have been done any other way? Possibly, but not as powerfully.

I love a good ghost story, and this one is amazing. Obviously, you can read past the story and interpret this as pure grieving, longing for someone who's never coming back ... you can neither let go nor move on.

As a side note, I heard a clip of this song performed live, just Sinead & her guitar. It's every bit as powerful live as it is on record.

[Edit: grammar]

what no comments?! this song is great.....it always gives me shivers down my spine when i hear it!

I notice the "my Jackie-oh" part sounds like "my Romeo". I think that's the idea behind it. This song is really moving..

The vocals on this song are great, she reminds me of Dolores o'Riordian from the cranberries although Sinead came first obviously. Is anyone else confused though at why a man would be called Jackie? I mean in the UK at least, Jackie is a woman's name.