Nothing Compares 2 U

by

Sinead O'Connor

Album: I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got      Released: 1990

US Chart: 1     UK Chart: 1

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Prince wrote this song. He did a live version with Rosie Gaines on his album Hits.

Prince originally wrote this for The Family, a band that was signed to his Paisley Park record label. The song was inspired by a member who had just broken up with his girlfriend. The Family was made up of former members of The Time, and they released only one album. (thanks, Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England)

This was a #1 hit in 17 countries. In the US, it was the #1 song of 1990, topping the charts for 4 weeks.

O'Connor released her first album 3 years earlier. It got a lot of play on College Radio, but this brought her widespread fame.

The director shot a lot of footage around Paris for the video, but ended up using just a simple tight shot of O'Connor singing. It was the first time most people saw what she looked like and were surprised that she was bald. She shaved her head when she first started recording because she wanted to make a statement and not be known for her beauty.

When Sinead cried In the video it was a real tear. In the Rolling Stone Top 500 songs issue, she said of the tear she shed in the video, "I didn't intend for that moment to happen, but when it did, I thought, 'I should let this happen.'" (thanks, Jade - London, England)

O'Connor claimed she hated the fame this brought her, and struggled with the commercialization of her music. This song earned her a Grammy for Best Alternative Performance, but she refused to appear on the awards show in protest.

This was O'Connor's last big hit. She turned off a lot of people with her political statements, which included refusing to let the National Anthem be played before a concert in New Jersey and tearing up a picture of the Pope on Saturday Night Live.

In 1998, MTV named this #34 on their list of the greatest videos ever made.

Although this was a mainstream hit, O'Connor was considered an "Alternative" artist at the time. The album won the 1990 Grammy for Best Alternative Music Performance. She boycotted the awards show to protest materialism in the music industry.

The "2 U" in the title is a Prince thing. He has songs called "I would die 4 U" and "If I Love U 2 Nite."

This was produced by Beresford Romeo (Jazzie B.) and Nellee Hooper, 2 members of the group Soul II Soul.

It was Sinead O'Connor's manager, Fachtna O'Kelly, who came up with the idea for the Irish singer to cover the Prince song.

Chris Hill, the co-director of O'Connor's label Ensign, recalled to Mojo magazine January 2009 the first time he heard this song: "Fachtna O'Kelly, Sinead's manager, brought in a cassette and when I heard it I actually started crying. I just sat there with tears in my eyes."
Then O'Kelly rang up Sinead OConnor and went, 'Chris is crying.' 'Was it that bad?' Sinead asked.

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Comments:

While Sinead claims the moment where she cried just happened the director of the video said she was great actress. He claimed she cried on queue more than once during the shoot. I know who I'd beleive
- PJironed, Dublin, Ireland

If she didn't want to be noticed for her beauty, then she failed miserably. If anything, her stunning features were more noticeable when she cut her hair.
- Carrie, Roanoke, VA

there are times when ther's a remake of a song. Although I'm not a big fan of Sinead Oconnor, I think her version captures the very essence of the song. Prince's version ( i mean he wrote and recorded it) lacks the emotion Sinead put into her version.
- Billy, West Unity, OH

While the Sinead version is truly beautiful, I get more meaning out of the one Prince recorded with Rosie Gaines - as a duet, you're seeing both sides of a couple struggling with each other's flaws. Best line, "I know that living with *me* baby is sometimes hard," showing you know that you share the blame in what went down. In Sinead's version, it's changed to "I know that living with *you* baby is sometimes hard," which while poignant, isn't as deep IMO as being able to admit you miss the other person, AND you're to blame. Still, both versions bring a tear to my eye.
- Stu, Philly, PA

it was first sung by a male, so originally the 'mama' adressed to the lost girlfriend. jan, holland
- JAN, Ossendrecht, Netherlands

Its hard to believe that she butchered her own career with an appearance on "Saturday Night Live", when she sang an a cappella song, then ripped up a picture of the Pope at the end. Her career had never been the same-
- Kristin, Bessemer, AL

It's difficult to remember now the image of Sinead O'Connor prior to the controversial television appearances that nearly brought down her career, but few pop performers have put together more powerful heart-stopping performances than this. The song itself, written by Prince, is outstanding, but Sinead's emotional, gutsy performance made it a classic. Painful loss meets stunning vocal beauty with a perfectly understated instrumental arrangement.
- Bertrand, Paris, France

caitlyn, the lyrics "All the flowers that you planted mama, in the backyard, All died when you went away," relate to her mothers life; the flowers represented her life and when she died they went away. they were an image of her mother because she planted them. atleast thats what i think. Dan, Cornwall, England
- Daniel, Truro, England

Sinead shaved her hair in response to the record company telling her to grow it longer to be more appealing.
- dana, charlotte, NC

Caitlyn, Sinead sang that lyric and was crying in the video because she was thinking of her dead mother.
- Matthew, Dalton, PA

Ha ha! I can see you're point, Harriet.
- Angel, somewhere in, AZ

This song is clearly about giving up smoking. Listen to the lyrics and you will see what I am talking about...
- harriet, birmingham, England

Excellent song. Sing along will ya?
- Matthew, East Brunswick, NJ

What a song. Blew me away when I first heard it.beautiful
- Stefanie magura, Rock Hill, SC

Its such a understandable lyric, even considering its loose metaphors. Read between the lines. - Also, your address is not 'Brooklyn and Long Island'. I don't say I'm from Australia and the world.
- Xavier, Melbourne, Australia

It might mean that the memories of her mother are nearly gone.
- Alex, New Orleans, LA

these lyrics dont make sense at the end. "All the flowers that you planted mama, in the backyard, All died when you went away," Whats with that?
- caitlyn, brooklyn and long island NY, United States

Song was originally recorded by The Family, a group on Prince's Paisley Park label. The single and the LP that contained it sank without a trace.
- Brad Wind, Miami, FL

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