I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got

The critically-acclaimed album contains O'Connor's most famous single, "Nothing Compares 2 U", which was one of the best-selling singles in the world in 1990, topping the charts in many countries including the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada. This rendition of the Prince song reflected on O'Connor's mother, who had died in an auto accident five years earlier.{{cite web|last=Stafford|first=James|title=25 Years Ago: Sinead O'Connor Releases 'I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got'|url=http://diffuser.fm/sinead-oconnors-i-do-not-want-what-i-havent-got-25-years-later/|website=Diffuser.fm|date=20 March 2015 |access-date=4 April 2016|quote=So a lot of the songs on this record were really about her. Even the f–ng title I got from having a dream about her, and in this dream she said to me, "I do not want what I haven't got." In my mind, even 'Nothing Compares 2 U' was me thinking about her ...'Feel So Different' was a song about my mother. 'I Am Stretched on Your Grave' speaks for itself really [she laughs bleakly] ...'You Cause As Much Sorrow' was about my mother ...|archive-date=16 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416135617/http://diffuser.fm/sinead-oconnors-i-do-not-want-what-i-havent-got-25-years-later/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.pauldunoyer.com/pages/journalism/journalism_item.asp?journalismID=260 |title=Paul du Noyer interviews Sinéad O'Connor |access-date=3 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413225920/http://www.pauldunoyer.com/pages/journalism/journalism_item.asp?journalismID=260 |archive-date=13 April 2016 |url-status=dead }} The single "Emperor's New Clothes" found moderate success, although it did top the Modern Rock Tracks chart in the US.

The first song on the album, "Feel So Different", starts with The Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr. The album also includes O'Connor's rendition of "I Am Stretched on Your Grave", an anonymous 17th-century poem that was written in Irish, translated into English by Frank O'Connor, and composed by musician Philip King in 1979.{{cite book|title=Love Poems of the Irish|chapter=I Am Stretched on Your Grave|translator-first=Frank|translator-last=Connor|editor-first=Séan|editor-last=Lucy|publisher=Mercier Press|location=Cork|date=1 August 1967|isbn=978-0853421030}}Sleeve notes to 1979 Album Scullion O'Connor's version uses a loop of "Funky Drummer" by James Brown.{{cite web |title=Who Sampled- Sinead O'Connor I Am Stretched on Your Grave |url=https://www.whosampled.com/sample/1933/Sin%C3%A9ad-O%27Connor-I-Am-Stretched-on-Your-Grave-James-Brown-Funky-Drummer/ |website=Who Sampled |access-date=1 October 2021}}

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/i-do-not-want-what-i-havent-got-mw0000654778 |title=I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got – Sinéad O'Connor |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=5 October 2015 |last=Huey |first=Steve |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011223932/https://www.allmusic.com/album/i-do-not-want-what-i-havent-got-mw0000654778 |archive-date=11 October 2015 |url-status=live}}

| rev2 = Christgau's Consumer Guide

| rev2score = B+{{cite book |chapter=Sinéad O'Connor: I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got |chapter-url=https://robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=3163 |access-date=12 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818174148/https://robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=3163 |archive-date=18 August 2017 |url-status=live |title=Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s |title-link=Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |publisher=St. Martin's Griffin |year=2000 |isbn=0-312-24560-2 |page=231}}

| rev3 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev3score = A{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/1990/03/16/i-do-not-want-what-i-havent-got/ |title=I Do not Want What I Haven't Got |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=16 March 1990 |access-date=12 December 2011 |last=Sandow |first=Greg |author-link=Greg Sandow |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715205820/https://ew.com/article/1990/03/16/i-do-not-want-what-i-havent-got/ |archive-date=15 July 2015 |url-status=live}}

| rev4 = Los Angeles Times

| rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-03-18-ca-757-story.html |title=Sinead O'Connor 'I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got' Chrysalis |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=18 March 1990 |access-date=5 October 2015 |last=Willman |first=Chris |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226150828/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-03-18-ca-757-story.html |archive-date=26 February 2020 |url-status=live}}

| rev5 = NME

| rev5score = 8/10{{cite magazine |url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19980101000019reviews.html |title=O'Connor-Clastic |magazine=NME |date=10 March 1990 |access-date=9 July 2015 |last=Quantick |first=David |author-link=David Quantick |page=34 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000817172855/http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19980101000019reviews.html |archive-date=17 August 2000 |url-status=dead}}

| rev6 = Pitchfork

| rev6score = 7.8/10{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12954-i-do-not-want-what-i-havent-got-limted-edition/ |title=Sinéad O'Connor: I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got [Limited Edition] |website=Pitchfork |date=24 April 2009 |access-date=12 December 2011 |last=Richardson |first=Mark |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929162223/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12954-i-do-not-want-what-i-havent-got-limted-edition/ |archive-date=29 September 2011 |url-status=live}}

| rev7 = Q

| rev7score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine |title=Shimmering |magazine=Q |issue=43 |date=April 1990 |last=Sandall |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Sandall}}

| rev8 = Record Collector

| rev8score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine |url=https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/album/i-do-not-want-what-ihavent-got-specialedition |title=I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got: Special Edition {{!}} Sinéad O'Connor |magazine=Record Collector |issue=363 |date=June 2009 |access-date=30 April 2021 |last=Shooman |first=Joe |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230617082056/https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/album/i-do-not-want-what-ihavent-got-specialedition |archive-date=17 June 2023 |url-status=live}}

| rev9 = Rolling Stone

| rev9score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/i-do-not-want-what-i-havent-got-94290/ |title=I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=22 March 1990 |access-date=12 December 2011 |last=Gilmore |first=Mikal |author-link=Mikal Gilmore |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181212102904/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/i-do-not-want-what-i-havent-got-94290/ |archive-date=12 December 2018 |url-status=live}}

| rev10 = Slant Magazine

| rev10score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/sinead-oconnor-i-do-not-want-what-i-havent-got/ |title=Review: Sinéad O'Connor, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got |website=Slant Magazine |date=3 October 2003 |access-date=12 December 2011 |last=Cinquemani |first=Sal |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200427222343/https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/sinead-oconnor-i-do-not-want-what-i-havent-got/ |archive-date=27 April 2020 |url-status=live}}

}}

I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got received critical acclaim. Entertainment Weekly ranked it as the best album of 1990, calling the record "a spiritual victory, full of wisdom wrested from audible pain."{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/1990/12/28/1990s-best-and-worst-music/ |title=1990's Best (and Worst) Music | first1=Greg |last1=Sandow |first2=David |last2=Browne |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=28 December 1990 |access-date=5 February 2025}} In 2012, it was ranked number 408 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-156826/sinead-oconnor-i-do-not-want-what-i-havent-got-68684/ |title=500 Greatest Albums of All Time |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=31 May 2012 |access-date=4 September 2019 |archive-date=4 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904101916/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-156826/sinead-oconnor-i-do-not-want-what-i-havent-got-68684/ |url-status=live }} The album was ranked number 457 on the 2020 edition of the list.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/sinead-oconnor-i-do-now-want-what-i-havent-got-1062776/ |title=The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=22 September 2020 |access-date=13 October 2020 |archive-date=13 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013225456/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/sinead-oconnor-i-do-now-want-what-i-havent-got-1062776 |url-status=live }}

{{Track listing

| headline = Original release track listing

| all_writing = Sinéad O'Connor, except where noted{{cite web|title=I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got by Sinead O'Connor on iTunes |url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-do-not-want-what-i-havent-got/id696112285 |publisher=iTunes Store |location=United States |date=4 April 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160420011305/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-do-not-want-what-i-havent-got/id696112285 |archive-date=20 April 2016 }}

| title1 = Feel So Different

| length1 = 6:47

| title2 = I Am Stretched on Your Grave

| writer2 = {{flatlist|

• Anonymous
• vocal melody: Philip King
• arranged by Chris Birkett, John Reynolds and Sinéad O'Connor

}}

| length2 = 5:33

| title3 = Three Babies

| length3 = 4:47

| title4 = The Emperor's New Clothes

| length4 = 5:16

| title5 = Black Boys on Mopeds

| writer5 = arranged by Karl Wallinger and Sinéad O'Connor

| length5 = 3:53

| title6 = Nothing Compares 2 U

| writer6 = Prince

| length6 = 5:10

| title7 = Jump in the River

| writer7 = {{flatlist|

• O'Connor
• Marco Pirroni

}}

| length7 = 4:12

| title8 = You Cause as Much Sorrow

| length8 = 5:04

| title9 = The Last Day of Our Acquaintance

| length9 = 4:40

| title10 = I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got

| length10 = 5:47

| total_length = 51:09

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Bonus disc track listing

| all_writing = Sinéad O'Connor, except where noted{{cite web|title=I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got (Special Edition) by Sinead O'Connor on iTunes |url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-do-not-want-what-i-havent/id693564626 |publisher=iTunes Store |location=United States |date=4 April 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160420014830/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-do-not-want-what-i-havent/id693564626 |archive-date=20 April 2016 }}

| title1 = Night Nurse

| writer1 = {{flatlist|

• Gregory Isaacs
• Sylvester Weise

}}

| length1 = 4:54

| title2 = My Special Child

| length2 = 4:48

| title3 = Damn Your Eyes

| writer3 = {{flatlist|

• Barbara Wyrick
• Steve Bogard

}}

| length3 = 4:46

| title4 = Silent Night

| note4 = long version

| writer4 = Traditional

| length4 = 4:45

| title5 = You Do Something to Me

| writer5 = Cole Porter

| length5 = 2:36

| title6 = Mind Games

| writer6 = John Lennon

| length6 = 5:26

| title7 = What Do You Want

| length7 = 2:58

| title8 = I Am Stretched on Your Grave

| note8 = Apple Brightness Mix

| length8 = 5:38

| title9 = Troy

| note9 = recorded live in London

| length9 = 6:41

| title10 = I Want Your (Hands on Me)

| note10 = live at Hammersmith Odeon

| writer10 = {{flatlist|

• O'Connor
• Clowes
• Reynolds
• Rob Dean
• Spike Hollifield

}}

| length10 = 3:53

| title11 = The Value of Ignorance

| length11 = 3:20

| total_length = 49:45

}}

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.{{cite AV media notes|title=I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got|others=Sinéad O'Connor|publisher=Ensign. Chrysalis|year=1990|type=booklet|id=CVKW-41759}}

• Sinéad O'Connor – vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboards, programming, arranger, producer, string arrangements
• Marco Pirroni – guitar on "The Emperor's New Clothes"
• David Munday – acoustic guitar and piano on "You Cause As Much Sorrow"
• Andy Rourke – bass guitar on "The Emperor's New Clothes", "Jump in the River" and "You Cause As Much Sorrow", acoustic guitar on "Jump in the River"
• Jah Wobble – bass guitar on "The Last Day of Our Acquaintance"
• John Reynolds – drums and percussion on "The Emperor's New Clothes", "You Cause As Much Sorrow" and "The Last Day of Our Acquaintance"
• Kieran Kiely – keyboards, accordion, piano
• Steve Wickham – fiddle on "I Am Stretched on Your Grave"
• The Muses – backing vocals
• Philip King – vocals, melody arrangement
• Nick Ingman – conductor, orchestra director, string arrangement on "Feel So Different"
• Karl Wallinger – arranger

Technical

• Nellee Hooper – co-producer on "Nothing Compare 2 U"
• Chris Birkett, Sean Devitt – engineers
• Dave Hoffman, Dominique Le Rigoleur – photography
• John Maybury – cover design

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Australia|award=Platinum|relyear=1990|certyear=1990|accessdate=18 November 2021}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Austria|artist=Sinead O'Connor|title=I do not want what I haven't got|award=Gold|certyear=1990| relyear=1990|access-date=7 June 2019}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Canada|artist=Sinead O'Connor|title=I do not want what I haven't got|award=Platinum|number=5|certyear=1991| relyear=1990|access-date=7 June 2019}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=France|artist=Sinead O'Connor|title=I do not want what I haven't got|award=Platinum|source=infodisc|relyear=1990|certyear=1991|accessdate=18 November 2021}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Germany|artist=Sinead O'Connor|title=I do not want what I have|award=Platinum|certyear=2008| relyear=1990|access-date=7 June 2019}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|title=I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got|artist=Sinead O'Conno|relyear=1992|region=Ireland|nocert=yes|salesamount=60,000|salesref={{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=haErAQAAMAAJ&q=ireland+copies+sold+album|title=Marketing Management: Providing, Communicating and Delivering Value|publisher=Prentice Hall|first=Frank|last=Bradley|date=1 May 1995|isbn=9780130653437 |access-date=16 November 2022}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|title=I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got|artist=Sinead O'Connor|relyear=1992|region=Italy|nocert=yes|salesamount=250,000|salesref={{cite news|url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,10/articleid,0902_01_1990_0095_0031_25583606/|title=Piccola irlandese, grandi passioni|newspaper=La Stampa|language=it|page=31|first=Marinella|last=Venegoni|date=26 April 1990|access-date=20 April 2021|archive-date=20 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420111456/http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,10/articleid,0902_01_1990_0095_0031_25583606/|url-status=live}}}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Netherlands|artist=Sinead O'Conner|title=I do not want what I haven't got|award=Platinum|certyear=1991|relyear=1990|access-date=10 June 2019}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=New Zealand|artist=Sinead O'Connor|title=I do not want what I haven't got|award=Platinum|id=1990-10-05|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|relyear=1990}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Spain|artist=Sinead Oconnor|title=I do not want what I haven't got|award=Platinum|certyear=1990|relyear=1990|certref={{Citation | title=Sólo Éxitos 1959–2002 Año A Año: Certificados 1979–1990 | url=http://www.mediafire.com/view/x263f6daopkswo8 | publisher=Iberautor Promociones Culturales | language=es | isbn=8480486392 | access-date=25 April 2018 | archive-date=28 September 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928101528/http://www.mediafire.com/view/x263f6daopkswo8 | url-status=live }}}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Switzerland|artist=Sinéad O'Connor|title=I do not want what I haven't got|award=Gold|certyear=1990| relyear=1990|access-date=27 November 2021}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United Kingdom|artist=Sinead O'Connor|title=I do not want what I haven't got|award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=1991|relyear=1990|id=3083-3468-2|salesamount=711,832|salesref={{cite web|url=https://www.musicweek.com/talent/read/sin-ad-o-connor-s-nothing-compares-2-u-could-go-top-20-for-first-time-in-33-years/088280|publisher=Music Week|title=Sinéad O'Connor's Nothing Compares 2 U could go Top 20 for first time in 33 years|date=31 July 2023|first=Andre|last=Paine|accessdate=12 September 2023}}}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United States|artist=Sinead O'Connor|title=I do not want what I haven't got|award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=1990| relyear=1990|access-date=7 June 2019}}

{{Certification Table Summary}}

!scope="row"|Worldwide

|{{n/a}}

|7,000,000{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/11007782/Sinead-OConnor-Live-with-the-devil-and-you-find-theres-a-God.html|title=Sinéad O'Connor: 'Live with the devil and you find there's a God'|newspaper=The Telegraph|first=Neil|last=McCormick|date=1 August 2014|access-date=7 June 2019|archive-date=29 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180629073343/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/11007782/Sinead-OConnor-Live-with-the-devil-and-you-find-theres-a-God.html|url-status=live}}

|-

{{Certification Table Bottom}}

• List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 1990
• List of Canadian number-one albums of 1990
• List of UK Albums Chart number ones of the 1990s

{{Reflist}}

{{Sinéad O'Connor}}

{{Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1990 albums

Category:Sinéad O'Connor albums

Category:Albums produced by Nellee Hooper

Category:Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album

Category:Chrysalis Records albums

Category:Ensign Records albums

Category:1990s in Irish music