Prince Wrote One of the Greatest Ballads of All Time-and Then Handed It Off

Even years after his death, Prince remains one of the most influential figures in the music industry. He first rose to fame in the 70s before forming a band for his record label called The Family, where he wrote a song that would become one of the greatest ballads to exist years later after being written and recorded. However, it was a cover of the song that brought attention to the song, which was “Nothing Compares 2 U.”

Years before it was covered, he wrote “Nothing Compares 2 U,” about an abandoned lover and an upsetting breakup. As it was a track on The Family’s album and not released as a single, it was not well recognised. Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor covered the single, and it became one of the greatest ballads of all time.

Prince Wrote “Nothing Compares 2 U”

Prince began to work on The Family’s only album after watching The Jacksons perform on their Victory Tour in Dallas, Texas. During the sessions, he wrote “Nothing Compares 2 U” in under an hour in just one recording session with producer Susan Rogers. Instead of keeping the song to himself, he gave it away, as it did not align with his image at the time. When she recalled Prince’s writing processes when writing the song, she described it as a “sneeze” when she spoke to Uptown Magazine, as he wrote and recorded the song that quickly.

“I was amazed at how beautiful it was. He took his notebook and he went off to the bedroom, wrote the lyrics very quickly, came back out and sang it, and I was very impressed with it.”

The Family released their self-titled album in 1985. Five years later, O’Connor was working on her sophomore album, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, and came across the original version of “Nothing Compares 2 You”. She recorded the vocals in one take with a new arrangement with her producer Nellee Hooper, and she then double-tracked the song with another vocal take. She released her version of “Nothing Compares 2 U,” and was met with worldwide success and approval from Prince.

O’Connor’s version of “Nothing Compares 2 U” topped the charts in Ireland, Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. It reached the top five in France, was certified platinum in Austria and the United Kingdom, and was certified gold in Germany and Sweden.

Prince Released His Version Soon After

Three years after O’Connor released a cover of “Nothing Compares 2 U”, Prince released a live version of the song with Rosie Gaines on his compilation album The Hits/The B Sides, after adding the song to the setlist for his tour when promoting his 1991 album Diamonds and Pearls.

Prince’s 1991 version performed well on the charts, as it reached number seven on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100, and number 66 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Billboard chart in January 1994. In comparison, O’Connor’s version of the hit song spent four weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, was number one on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart and reached number two on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

Prince released more versions of the song after releasing a live version for his compilation album. He released a live version of the song on his concert film Rave Un2 the Year 2000, and on his 2002 live album One Nite Alone…Live! Years later, the song would climb the charts yet again, but only this time, tragedy struck.

Fans Turned To “Nothing Compares 2 U” As Part of Their Grief

In 2016, Prince made headlines when the news announced his shock death at the age of 57. Fans had hit songs such as “Purple Rain” and “When Doves Cry” on rotation to grieve the legend, but “Nothing Compares 2 U” was a single that truly touched fans during their grief. Two years later, the original demo version of “Nothing Compares 2 U” that Prince had recorded in 1984 was released by his estate, accompanied by rehearsal footage of when one of the most iconic ballads was recorded. Prince’s demo version reached number 21 on the US Hot R&B Digital Songs chart and was included as the final track on his 2019 posthumous compilation Originals.

Five years after Prince’s death, O’Connor’s death was also announced to shocked fans, as she died at 56. Her version of “Nothing Compares 2 U” returned to the UK Top 100 chart at number 45, and topped the UK Singles Downloads chart. With two iconic figures in music no longer on the earth, “Nothing Compares 2 U” has a new meaning. When listening to the song while grieving the icons, it is no longer about an abandoned lover. It is about the absence of influential musicians that can never be replaced in music.