- Nothing Compares 2 U
-
"Nothing Compares 2 U" 
Single by Sinéad O'Connor from the album I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got Released 8 January 1990 (U.K.)
11 February 1990 (U.S.)Format CD single, 7" single, 12" single Recorded 1989 Genre Alternative Rock, Pop Rock, Soft Rock Length 5:10 Label Chrysalis Writer(s) Prince Producer Sinéad O'Connor, Nellee Hooper Sinéad O'Connor singles chronology "Jump in the River"
(1988)"Nothing Compares 2 U"
(1990)"The Emperor's New Clothes"
(1990)Music video "Nothing Compares 2 U" on YouTube Music sample "Nothing Compares 2 U"Sinéad O'Connor's version of "Nothing Compares 2 U" from I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got"Nothing Compares 2 U" is a pop song written by American recording artist Prince for one of his side-projects, The Family. However, it wasn't until Sinéad O'Connor recorded her version for the album I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got when it became a worldwide hit, topping charts in 15 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.
Contents
Background
In 1985, The Family, a funk band created as an outlet to release more of Prince's music, released their first and only album, the self-titled The Family. "Nothing Compares 2 U" appeared on the album but it was not released as a single, and received little recognition.
Due to the popularity of the O'Connor recording, Prince began to perform the song in concert, and included a live duet between himself and Rosie Gaines on his 1993 compilations The Hits/The B-Sides and The Hits 1. Prince also recorded a solo version of the song for his 2002 live album, One Nite Alone... Live!.
Composition
The song is five minutes and 10 seconds in length and is composed in the key of F major.
Chart performance
The song became a worldwide hit, having topped 12 national charts. It spent four weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, in addition it was a number-one in Billboard Alternative Songs chart and reached number two on Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. It became the third best-selling single of 1990, the 82nd best-selling single of the 1990s, and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America in April 1990. The song's popularity sent I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got to the top of the Billboard 200, where it spent six consecutive weeks.
It was also a big hit outside the United States. It topped charts in Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. It also became a top-five single in France and a top-20 in Denmark. The single was certified platinum in Austria and the United Kingdom, and gold in Germany and Sweden.
Music video
Development
Mainly shot in Paris, the music video for "Nothing Compares 2 U" was directed by John Maybury. O'Connor's cry toward the end was accidental: she stated on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s that it was caused by the lyric "All the flowers that you planted, Mama/in the back yard/All died when you went away," because she had a very complex relationship with her late mother, who used to abuse her in childhood.
The sole face of O'Connor made the video one of the most recognizable of the 1990s
Concept
The clip consists almost solely of a closeup on O'Connor's face as she sings the lyrics, sometimes with angry expression; the rest consists of her walking through an area of Paris, known as the Parc de Saint-Cloud. Towards the end of the video, two tears roll down her face, one per cheek. In the middle and at the very end of the video there is a shot from O'Connor's photosession for the I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got album cover.
Reception
The clip won three moonmen at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards: Video of the Year (O'Connor became the first female artist to be awarded with it), Best Female Video and Best Post-Modern Video. It was nominated for Breakthrough Video, Viewer's Choice and International Viewer's Choice during the ceremony. The video also became the subject for many parodies and spoofs, for instance Gina Riley's parody "Nothing Is There" on Fast Forward, referring to the fact that she was bald.
Legacy
- In 2004, Rolling Stone placed the Sinéad O'Connor single at number 162 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, which contains only two songs of the 1990s ranked higher.
- In a 2006 poll for a Channel 5 program "Britain's Favourite Break-up Songs", Sinéad O'Connor's version of "Nothing Compares 2 U" was voted fifth.
- VH1 Classic listed Sinead O'Connor's version as the second greatest classic love song, behind Al Green's "Let's Stay Together".
- In 2002, VH1 ranked the song the 18th greatest one-hit wonder.
- In 2007, VH1 ranked O'Connor's rendition number 10 of the "100 Greatest Songs of the 90s".[1]
- In 2008, VH1 ranked the song the number 1 on "Final Countdown - Top 50 Heartbreakers".
- On July 4, 2009, VH1 Classic ranked #12 on "Top 20 Flashback from the 90s".
- In September 2010 Pitchfork Media included the song at number 37 on their Top 200 Tracks of the 90s.[2]
- The song was listed at number 77 on Billboard's "Greatest Songs of All Time".[3]
- TIME magazine included "Nothing Compares 2 U" in its 2011 (unranked) list of "All-TIME 100 Songs".[4]
Track listings
- 7" single
- "Nothing Compares 2 U" – 5:08
- "Jump in the River" – 4:13
- CD maxi
- "Nothing Compares 2 U" – 5:08
- "Jump in the River" – 4:13
- "Jump in the River" (instrumental) – 4:04
Credits and personnel
Nothing Compares 2 U
- Sinéad O'Connor – lead vocals, background vocals, producer, mixing
- Prince – music and lyrics
- Nellee Hooper – producing
- Chris Birkett – engineering, mixing
- Fachtna O' Ceallaigh – mixing
Jump in the River
- Sinéad O'Connor – music and lyrics, lead vocals, producer, mixing
- Marco Pirroni – music and lyrics
- Chris Birkett – engineering, mixing
- Fachtna O' Ceallaigh – mixing
Charts and sales
Peak positions
Chart Peak
positionAustralia (ARIA)[5] 1 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 75)[5] 1 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] 45 Belgium (Ultratop 40 Wallonia)[7] 3 Canadian Adult Contemporary (RPM)[8] 1 Canadian Top Singles (RPM)[9] 1 Denmark (Tracklisten)[5] 19 France (SNEP)[5] 5 Germany (Media Control AG)[10] 1 Ireland (Irish Singles Chart)[11] 1 Netherlands (Mega Single Top 100)[5] 1 New Zealand (RIANZ)[5] 1 Norway (VG-lista)[5] 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[5] 1 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[5] 1 UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[12] 1 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[13] 2 US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[14] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[15] 1 Year-end charts
Chart (1990) Position Australian Singles Chart[16] 1 Austrian Singles Chart[17] 2 Dutch Top 40[18] 1 Swiss Singles Chart[19] 6 UK Singles Chart[20] 2 US Billboard Hot 100[21] 3 End-of-decade charts
Chart (1990–1999) Position UK Singles Chart 61 US Billboard Hot 100[22] 82 Certifications
Country Certification Date Sales certified Austria[23] Platinum 15 May 1990 30,000 Germany[24] Gold 1990 250,000 Sweden[25] Gold 1 March 1990 10,000 UK[26] Platinum 1 March 1990 600,000 US[27] Platinum April 20, 1990 1,000,000 Cover versions
- Mr. Bungle performed the song during one of their live shows.
- Dune covered the song on their 1997 album Forever, which was recorded with the London Session Orchestra.
- A faster Eurodance remix of the song, "Nothing Compares", was made by DJ Fuze for Dancemania SPEED 2 issued in 1999.
- The song was covered by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes on their 2003 album Take a Break.
- The song was covered by Northern Kings on their 2008 album Rethroned.
- It was covered by Shiny Toy Guns for the Goth Electro Tribute to Prince compilation in 2005.
- The Welsh band Stereophonics performed a cover version of the song for the charity War Child Music.
- South African indie pop-rock group Fire Through the Window covered the song on their self-titled debut album.
- Daniel Ho (under the pseudonym The Coconutz) recorded a version of the song, translated into Hawaiian, for the soundtrack to the film Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
- A version of the song by Dan Kelly was included in the 2007 compilation tribute No Man's Woman.
- The classical girlband All Angels covered the song on their 2007 album Into Paradise. The music video for their version of the song currently has over half a million views on YouTube.
- Covered by jazz vocalist Jimmy Scott on his album Holding Back the Years.
- In 2007, the song was performed on Australian Idol by eventual winner Natalie Gauci on the Top 6 Contestant's Choice night. Gauci also recorded a cover for her album, The Winner's Journey.
- Aiden Grimshaw covered the song on The X Factor series 7, which was highly praised.
- R&B vocalist Goapele recorded a cover using an instrumental version of the Kanye West song Runaway as the backing music.
- Norwegian duo Brødrene Löwenstierne recorded a cover of the song for the Prince tribute compilation Shockadelica in 2008
- Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy covered the song at his live solo shows.
References
- ^ Breaking Dawn Soundtrack: Posted (2007-12-13). "Top 100 Songs of the ’90s | VH1 Blog". Blog.vh1.com. http://blog.vh1.com/2007-12-13/top-100-songs-of-the-90s/. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
- ^ Pitchfork Top 200 Tracks of the 90s
- ^ Billboard Hot 100 Chart 50th Anniversary
- ^ ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Medien, Hung. "SINÉAD O'CONNOR - NOTHING COMPARES 2 U" (in French). lescharts.com. http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Sin%E9ad+O%27Connor&titel=Nothing+Compares+2+U&cat=s. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
- ^ Medien, Hung. "SINÉAD O'CONNOR - NOTHING COMPARES 2 U (NUMMER)" (in Dutch). ultratop.be. http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Sin%E9ad+O%27Connor&titel=Nothing+Compares+2+U&cat=s. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
- ^ Medien, Hung. "SINÉAD O'CONNOR - NOTHING COMPARES 2 U (CHANSON)" (in French). ultratop.be. http://www.ultratop.be/fr/showitem.asp?interpret=Sin%E9ad+O%27Connor&titel=Nothing+Compares+2+U&cat=s. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
- ^ "Adult Contemporary - Volume 51, No. 25, May 05 1990". RPM. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.9135. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
- ^ "Top Singles - Volume 51, No. 25, May 05 1990". RPM. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.9051. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
- ^ "Top 100 single" (in German). charts.de. http://www.charts.de/charts.asp?cat=s&country=de&year=1990&date=19900305&x=23&y=4. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
- ^ "Irish Singles Chart – Search for song". Irish Recorded Music Association. http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
- ^ "Archive Chart" UK Singles Chart. The Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Sinead O'Connor Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Adult Contemporary Songs for Sinead O'Connor. Prometheus Global Media.
- ^ "Sinead O'Connor Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Alternative Songs for Sinead O'Connor. Prometheus Global Media.
- ^ "Sinead O'Connor Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot 100 for Sinead O'Connor. Prometheus Global Media.
- ^ 1990 Australian Singles Chart aria.com (Retrieved 3 September 2008)
- ^ 1990 Austrian Singles Chart Austriancharts.at (Retrieved 3 September 2008)
- ^ "Single top 100 over 1990" (in Dutch) (PDF). Top40. http://www.top40.nl/pdf/Top%20100/top%20100%20-%201990.pdf. Retrieved 12 April 2010.
- ^ 1990 Swiss Singles Chart Hitparade.ch (Retrieved 3 September 2008)
- ^ Music Week End of year Charts, 1990. pub.January 1991
- ^ "Billboard Top 100 - 1990". http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1990. Retrieved 2009-09-15.
- ^ Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade - The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. http://books.google.co.kr/books?id=9w0EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PP1&lr&rview=1&pg=RA1-PA4#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- ^ Austrian certifications ifpi.at (Retrieved September 3, 2008)
- ^ "German certifications – Nothing+Compares+2+U" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. http://www.musikindustrie.de/gold_platin_datenbank/?action=suche&strTitel=Nothing%2BCompares%2B2%2BU&strInterpret=&strTtArt=alle&strAwards=checked. Retrieved 3 September 2008.
- ^ Swedish certifications Ifpi.se (Retrieved 11 September 2008)
- ^ UK certifications Bpi.co.uk (Retrieved 3 September 2008)
- ^ U.S. certifications riaa.com (Retrieved 3 September 2008)
Sinéad O'Connor Studio albums The Lion and the Cobra (1987) • I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got (1990) • Am I Not Your Girl? (1992) • Universal Mother (1994) • Gospel Oak EP (1997) • Faith and Courage (2000) • Sean-Nós Nua (2002) • Throw Down Your Arms (2005) • Theology (2007) • Home (TBR)Compilations So Far... The Best of Sinéad O'Connor (1997) • She Who Dwells in the Secret Place of the Most High Shall Abide Under the Shadow of the Almighty (2003) • Collaborations (2005) • Essential (2005)Video albums The Value of Ignorance (1989) • The Year of the Horse (1991) • Goodnight, Thank You, You've Been a Lovely Audience (2003) • Live at the Sugar Club (2008)Singles "Troy" (1987) • "Mandinka" (1987) • "I Want Your (Hands on Me)" (1988) • "Jerusalem" (1988) • "Jump in the River" (1988) • "Nothing Compares 2 U" (1990) • "The Emperor's New Clothes" (1990) • "Three Babies" (1990) • "I Am Stretched on Your Grave" (1990)• "My Special Child" (1991) • "Silent Night" (1991) • "Success Has Made a Failure of Our Home" (1992) • "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (1992) • "You Made Me the Thief of Your Heart" (1994) • "Thank You for Hearing Me" (1994) • "Fire on Babylon" (1994) • "Famine"/"All Apologies" (1995) • "This Is to Mother You" (1997) • "This Is a Rebel Song" (1997) • "Chiquitita" (1998) • "No Man's Woman" (2000) • "Jealous" (2000) • "Troy (The Phoenix From the Flame)" (2002) • "My Lagan Love" (2002) • "A Hundred Thousand Angels" (2003) • "Marcus Garvey" (2005) • "Throw Down Your Arms" (2005) • "I Don't Know How to Love Him" (2007) • "Something Beautiful" (2007) • "We People (Who Are Darker Than Blue)" (2008)Guest singles "Heroine" (1986) • "Blood of Eden" (1992) • "Don't Give Up" (1993) • "Haunted" (1995) • "Empire" (1996) • "Guide Me God" (2002) • "Tears from the Moon" (2002) • "1000 Mirrors" (2003) • "Special Cases" (2003) • "Illegal Attacks" (2007) • "It's Only Life" (2010)Related articles DiscographyCategories:- 1990 singles
- Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
- Billboard Alternative Songs number-one singles
- Number-one singles in Australia
- European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles
- Number-one singles in Germany
- Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
- Number-one singles in Italy
- Dutch Top 40 number-one singles
- Number-one singles in New Zealand
- Number-one singles in Norway
- Number-one singles in Sweden
- Number-one singles in Poland
- Number-one singles in Switzerland
- RPM Top Singles number-one singles
- UK Singles Chart number-one singles
- MTV Video of the Year Award
- MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video
- Pop ballads
- Prince (musician) songs
- Sinéad O'Connor songs
- Songs written by Prince (musician)
- Singles certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
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