Song Meaning Nothing Compares 2 U Prince

Prince entered the history of modern music as a wonderful singer, excellent composer, author of many great songs, virtuoso guitarist, talented actor and director. In addition, he was actively involved in producing activities. One of his projects – although not the most successful – in this field was the funk group The Family. It was for her debut album that Prince composed this composition.

The history of creation and the meaning of the song Nothing Compares 2 U Prince

According to the most common version, Prince was inspired by an unsuccessful love story of one of The Family members. Allegedly, he broke up with the girl, because of which he suffered for a long time.

In 1985, the group released a single record, also called The Family, on which the track in question was given the sixth position. She was not released as a single, and the entire album was not a success with the public. Prince for some time attracted musicians to perform at his concerts, but refused to further produce the band.

Nothing Compares 2 U Sinead O’Connor

A new round in the history of the song Nothing Compares 2 U occurred in 1989, when Sinead O’Connor performed a cover version of it. Released in January 1990, the single climbed to the top of a dozen charts, including the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart.

Producer Chris Hill recalled the first time he heard the song:

Fachtna O’Kelly, Sinead’s manager, brought the cassette, I really started to cry when I listened to it. I just sat there with tears in my eyes. O’Kelly then called Sinead O’Connor and said, “Chris is crying.” And Sinead asked, “Is she really that bad?”

Clip Nothing Compares 2 U Sinead O’Connor

The famous video clip, filmed in the Parc de Saint-Cloud in Paris, won the hearts of the viewers of music channels. Many saw the singer for the first time and were surprised by her hairstyle (or rather, the lack thereof). According to Sinead, he deliberately shaved his head, speaking out against the commercialization of her work.

The tear that flowed from Sinead in the video was real. O’Connor said that she learned to show emotions in the frame thanks to the previously mastered singing technique:

It’s called bel canto, but it’s a bit like Stanislavsky’s acting techniques. You have to find something emotional inside you that you can use… I always think about my mother… That’s why I shed a tear in the video. My mother died when I was seventeen, and after not much time I was recording a video.

BBC

Now let’s watch the online music video for Nothing Compares 2 U, which won three MTV Video Music Awards in 1990 for Best Post-Modern Video, Best Female Video and Video of the Year.

Refusing to sing Nothing Compares 2 U

In 2015, Sinead announced that she would no longer perform Nothing Compares 2 U. She explained her decision as follows:

The first law of singing technique that I was taught is that we never sing a song with which we do not emotionally identify with ourselves. About nine months ago, after twenty-five years of playing it, I finally ran out of everything I could use to bring some emotion into it.
I don’t want the audience to be disappointed that they came to the show and didn’t hear it, so I’m letting you know that you won’t hear it. If I had to sing it just to please people, I would be doing my job wrong, because my job is to stay emotionally available. Otherwise I would be lying.

The composition became O’Connor’s last hit. Her resonant political statements, the ban on playing the national anthem before concerts and the scandalous episode with a photograph of the Pope alienated the audience from her.

Sinead and Prince’s relationship

When the track hit the world, Prince also started performing Nothing Compares 2 U. The live version of the song he sang with Rosie Gains was included on several of the musician’s best-of collections.

Sinead spoke about her relationship with Prince:

Yes, I met him a couple of times. But we didn’t get along at all. In fact, we even got into a fight. He invited me to his house after Nothing Compares 2 U. I recorded it without him. I would never have met him. He invited me to his house – and it’s stupid to do this with an Irish woman – and said that he did not like my bad words in an interview. And I sent him away. He got rather pissed off. I had to run away from his house at five in the morning. His slap was stronger than mine.

NRK, 2014

Clip Nothing Compares 2 U Prince

Next is a video clip for the song performed by the author.

Sinead and Miley Cyrus fight

The sensational Miley Cyrus video for the song Wrecking Ball has clear references to the Nothing Compares 2 U video. Miley did not hide the fact that the allusions arose not by chance:

It’s similar to Sinead O’Connor’s video, but, like, the most up-to-date version.

Rolling Stone.com

Because of this comment, a verbal skirmish broke out between the singers in the form of public appeals. Sinead posted a scathing message on her official website, to which Miley responded with a tweet alluding to O’Connor’s former mental health issues. Further battles continued in the same spirit until the conflict was settled. You can follow the development of those events on BuzzFeed.

Song Achievements

Nothing Compares 2 U has been featured on numerous bestseller lists. Among them are the famous top 500 from Rolling Stone and several ratings from VH1.

The composition was performed by other musicians, including the great Aretha Franklin. Let’s listen to her jazz version of the ballad.

Interesting Facts

Prince has relinquished copyright to all songs on The Family except Nothing Compares 2 U.
At the 2016 Billboard Music Awards, Madonna performed a song in memory of Prince.

Nothing Compares 2 U Lyrics

It’s been seven hours and fifteen days
since you took your love away
I go out every night and sleep all day
since you took your love away
Since you’ve been gone I can do whatever I want
I can see whomever I choose
I can eat my dinner in a fancy restaurant
But nothing
I said nothing can take away these blues
‘Cause nothing compares
Nothing compares to you

It’s been so lonely without you here
Like a bird without a song
Nothing can stop these lonely tears from falling
Tell me baby where did I go wrong
I could put my arms around every boy I see
But they’d only remind me of you
I went to the doctor guess what he told me
Guess what he told me
He said girl you better try to have fun no matter what you do
But he’s a fool
‘Cause nothing compares, nothing compares to you

All the flowers that you planted mama
In the back yard
All died when you went away
I know that living with you baby was sometimes hard
But I’m willing to give it another try
Nothing compares
Nothing compares to you
Nothing compares
Nothing compares to you
Nothing compares
Nothing compares to you

Nothing Compares 2 U Prince Lyrics

It’s been seven hours and fifteen days
Since you took your love
I go outside every night and sleep all day
Since you took your love
Since you left I can do what I want
I can date whoever I want
I can dine at a trendy restaurant
But nothing
I say nothing can dispel the longing
‘Cause nothing compares
Nothing compares to you

It’s been so lonely here without you
Like a bird without a song
Nothing can hold back the tears of loneliness
Tell me baby what did I do wrong
I could hug every guy I meet
But they would only remind me of you
I went to the doctor and guess what he told me
Guess what he said to me
He said “Girl you better try to have some fun no matter the cost”
But he’s a fool
‘Cause nothing compares, nothing compares to you

All the flowers that you planted, mother,
In the backyard,
All dried up when you left
I know that life with you, baby, was sometimes difficult,
But I would like to try again
Nothing compares
Nothing compares to you
Nothing compares
Nothing compares to you
Nothing compares
Nothing compares to you