After years of being unreleased, the original, Prince studio recording of “Nothing Compares 2 U” has been unveiled.  The posthumous recording is nothing short of epic.  

On April 21, 2016, the world lost an icon.  The death of Prince ranks among the most shocking in entertainment history.  Part of that is because icons truly seem immortal. While the multitalented, versatile pop, rock, and R&B musician was incredibly prolific throughout his career, it’s still sad, two years later, knowing that there will be no more brand-new music from Prince Rogers Nelson, sigh. But, despite the tragic loss, he left a vault full of unreleased music.  Speaking of unreleased music, finally, the sole studio recording of “Nothing Compares 2 U” sees the light of day.

As expected, the original version of “Nothing Compares 2 U” is EPIC. Simply put, this is Prince at his best.  His vocal tone is distinct and pure, perfectly suited for his own melody.  The overall vocal performance is nuanced, filled with emotion and personality.  The falsetto – magnificent.  Adding to the allure is the production, namely the beefy guitars, pummeling drums, the soulful saxophone solo (Eric Leeds), and the supporting vocals backing the masterful lead.

Final Thoughts

Matt Miller of Esquire Magazine accurately describes the original “Nothing Compares 2 U” best, if profanely: fucking incredible.  Listening to Prince nail one of his best songs which became a hit for someone else (Sinead O’Connor), one has to wonder, if he’d released this first… We’ll never know the answer to that – it just wasn’t meant to be.

Prince • Nothing Compares 2 U – Single • Warner Bros • Release: 4.19.18

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.