Prince| “Nothing Compares 2 U”
Two years after Minnesota lost one of its biggest icons in Prince, we are still receiving classics from him posthumously. The man who made purple more than just a color has had his previously unreleased single “Nothing Compares 2 U” put out by Warner Bros. Records. Originally recorded in 1984 for Prince’s band the Family, it was made famous via a 1990 re-recording by Sinéad O’Connor which spawned her greatest hit.
After an opening that features a peaceful melody and simple kick drum in the background, we are abruptly introduced to a guitar riff that sends chills throughout the body and soul. Like any breakup that you’re unprepared for, the beginning of the song will leave you in awe till Prince begins to sing. The signature guitar riffs, along with Prince’s iconic voice, turns this slow ballad into an instant classic.
The lyrics are for anyone who has dealt with a loss of love in any shape or form. “Since you've been gone I can do whatever I want/I can see who ever I choose/Eat my dinner in a fancy restaurant, oh yeah/
But nothing, nothing can take away these blues” Prince’s vocal range helps emphasize emotion in each line. “Nothing can stop these lonely tears from falling/Tell me baby, where did I go wrong?” Listening to this track will have Prince fans new or old on the edge of their seats.
The song’s rock approach feels more layered in contrast to O’Connor’s 1990 pop-vocal version. Saxophone sounds exchange blows with guitar riffs, making the end sound like a final goodbye from local legend.
With the Prince Estate and Warner Bros. Records on better terms than in the past and “Nothing Compares 2 U” being the first official song released out the Paisley Park vault, we’re hopeful that more unreleased Prince music may be on the way.
