Sinéad O’Connor, the fiercely individualistic Irish singer-songwriter who passed away at the age of 56, left behind a powerful musical legacy. Among her most enduring contributions is her breathtaking rendition of “Nothing Compares 2 U.” While indelibly linked to O’Connor’s raw emotion and striking image, the song itself has a fascinating backstory, originating not from O’Connor, but from the legendary Prince. This is the story of how a Prince deep cut became Sinéad O’Connor’s signature song, a tale of artistic interpretation, personal resonance, and the complex relationship between artist and song.
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Prince’s Pen: The Genesis of “Nothing Compares 2 U”
Prince, a prolific songwriter known for his boundless creativity, penned “Nothing Compares 2 U” in 1985. Far from being intended for his own iconic voice, Prince originally conceived the song for The Family, a side project band under his Paisley Park Records label. The Family, fronted by Paul Peterson (known as St. Paul), released the song on their self-titled debut album in 1985. While a solid track showcasing Peterson’s vocal abilities, the original version remained relatively obscure, appreciated mainly by Prince’s dedicated fanbase.
Sinéad O’Connor’s Transformation: Claiming the Song as Her Own
Fast forward to 1990, and Sinéad O’Connor, already making waves with her debut album “The Lion and the Cobra,” was working on her sophomore release, “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got.” It was during this period that O’Connor encountered “Nothing Compares 2 U.” The exact circumstances of how she discovered the song remain somewhat unclear, but what is undeniable is the profound connection she felt upon hearing it.
O’Connor’s rendition, released as a single in 1990, was a revelation. She stripped away the original’s 80s synth-pop production, replacing it with a sparse, emotionally charged arrangement that centered her powerful vocals. Her voice, imbued with a vulnerability and intensity born from personal pain, resonated deeply with listeners. Suddenly, “Nothing Compares 2 U” was no longer a Prince side project song; it was Sinéad O’Connor’s anthem of heartbreak and longing.
The Music Video: A Masterpiece of Simplicity and Emotion
Adding to the song’s impact was its iconic music video. Directed by John Maybury, the video is strikingly simple, featuring mostly close-up shots of O’Connor’s shaved head as she sings against a black background. The raw emotion on her face, culminating in genuine tears during the bridge, was captivating and groundbreaking for MTV at the time, which was then dominated by flashy, high-production videos. This stark visual presentation perfectly complemented the song’s emotional rawness, amplifying its impact and solidifying O’Connor’s image as an artist unafraid to be vulnerable and authentic.
The tears in the video, often discussed and analyzed, were genuinely unplanned. O’Connor later explained that they were triggered by thoughts of her mother, who had passed away when O’Connor was 18. This personal connection further deepened the song’s emotional weight, making it resonate with audiences on a profoundly personal level.
“I Cried Like a Child at the Gates of Hell”: Success and Discomfort
“Nothing Compares 2 U” became a global phenomenon, propelling “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got” to the top of charts worldwide. The song earned O’Connor critical acclaim and numerous accolades, including multiple Grammy nominations. However, the overwhelming success brought her discomfort. In her memoir, “Rememberings,” O’Connor recounts being informed of the song and album’s number-one status in America while sitting on the toilet, and reacting not with joy, but with tears “like a child at the gates of hell.” This reaction speaks to O’Connor’s complex relationship with fame and her inherent unease with the trappings of pop stardom.
Prince’s Reaction and the Shadow of Conflict
While Prince publicly acknowledged O’Connor’s success with his song, their relationship was reportedly fraught with tension. O’Connor recounted a disturbing encounter with Prince in Los Angeles, detailing a bizarre and unsettling experience that involved a pillow fight with a hard object hidden in Prince’s pillowcase and a subsequent chase. This incident, described in detail in her memoir and in earlier interviews, cast a shadow over her feelings towards the song and its writer.
O’Connor stated that the encounter “spoiled the song completely for me.” While acknowledging a connection to the music itself, she expressed anger towards Prince and a desire to distance herself from “Nothing Compares 2 U,” even declaring boredom with performing it due to its overwhelming popularity.
Prince’s 1984 Version: A Posthumous Release
Following Prince’s untimely death in 2016, his original 1984 studio recording of “Nothing Compares 2 U” was posthumously released in 2018. This version offered a fascinating glimpse into Prince’s initial vision for the song, showcasing his signature vocal style and production sensibilities. While beautifully rendered, Prince’s version is noticeably different in tone and emotional impact compared to O’Connor’s. It lacks the raw vulnerability and heart-wrenching pain that O’Connor brought to the song, arguably the very elements that made it a global phenomenon.
Sinéad’s Unique Vision: Owning the Song’s Emotion
Sinéad O’Connor’s genius lay in her ability to take Prince’s song and infuse it with her own deeply personal experiences and emotions. She transformed “Nothing Compares 2 U” from a breakup song into a broader, more profound expression of loss, longing, and the enduring pain of human connection. Her interpretation resonated because it was authentic, raw, and utterly believable. She didn’t just sing the song; she embodied it, channeling her own grief and vulnerability into every note.
As Rob Harvilla aptly describes it, “Sinéad O’Connor’s ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ is the sound of her floating in Prince’s room.” She saw something in the song that even its writer may not have fully realized, extracting a depth of emotion that transcended the original composition. Her version is a testament to the power of interpretation and the ability of an artist to truly make a song their own.
Conclusion: A Song Defined by Two Artists
“Nothing Compares 2 U” remains a powerful testament to the artistry of both Prince and Sinéad O’Connor. Prince’s songwriting provided the foundation, crafting a melody and lyrics that resonated with universal themes of love and loss. However, it was Sinéad O’Connor’s transformative interpretation that elevated the song to iconic status. She took ownership of its emotion, imbuing it with her unique voice and personal pain, creating a version that arguably surpasses the original in its impact and enduring legacy. While the question “Who Wrote The Song Nothing Compares To You” leads to Prince, the song’s lasting power is undeniably intertwined with the unforgettable performance of Sinéad O’Connor, the artist who truly made it her own.
Rob HarvillaRob Harvilla is a senior staff writer at The Ringer and the host/author of ‘60 Songs That Explain the ’90s,’ though the podcast is now called ‘60 Songs That Explain the ’90s: The 2000s,’ a name everyone loves. He lives with his family in Columbus, Ohio, by choice.
