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| |introduction = '''Nothing Compares 2 U''' is the sixth track on [[The Family]]’s first and only album [[Album: The Family|The Family]]. [[Prince]] wrote seven of the eight songs on the album, but [[Nothing Compares 2 U]] is the only track for which [[Prince]] took official credit. | | |introduction = '''Nothing Compares 2 U''' is the sixth track on [[The Family]]’s first and only album [[Album: The Family|The Family]]. [[Prince]] wrote seven of the eight songs on the album, but [[Nothing Compares 2 U]] is the only track for which [[Prince]] took official credit. |
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− | After becoming a worldwide number one single when covered by Irish singer [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinead_O%27Connor Sinead O’Connor], [[Prince]] began playing the song live, and in 1993, he released a live version (sharing lead vocals with [[Rosie Gaines]]) as the eleventh track (one of two new tracks) on [[Album: The Hits 1|The Hits 1]]. | + | After becoming a worldwide number one single when covered by Irish singer [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinead_O’Connor Sinead O’Connor], [[Prince]] began playing the song live, and in 1993, he released a live version (sharing lead vocals with [[Rosie Gaines]]) as the eleventh track (one of two new tracks) on [[Album: The Hits 1|The Hits 1]]. |
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| He played it live consistently from 1990 onwards, and in 2002, released another live version as the twelfth track on the second disc of his first live album, [[Album: One Nite Alone... Live!|One Nite Alone... Live!]] (along with [[Xenophobia]], [[Extraordinary]], [[Avalanche]], [[Family Name]], [[Raspberry Beret]], [[The Everlasting Now]], [[File:EyeBlue.png|link=I Wanna Be Your Lover]][[I Wanna Be Your Lover| Wanna B Ur Lover]], [[Diamonds And Pearls|Diamonds & Pearls]], [[The Beautiful Ones]] and [[How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore]] from the same show). | | He played it live consistently from 1990 onwards, and in 2002, released another live version as the twelfth track on the second disc of his first live album, [[Album: One Nite Alone... Live!|One Nite Alone... Live!]] (along with [[Xenophobia]], [[Extraordinary]], [[Avalanche]], [[Family Name]], [[Raspberry Beret]], [[The Everlasting Now]], [[File:EyeBlue.png|link=I Wanna Be Your Lover]][[I Wanna Be Your Lover| Wanna B Ur Lover]], [[Diamonds And Pearls|Diamonds & Pearls]], [[The Beautiful Ones]] and [[How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore]] from the same show). |
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| |date = [[Prince_Vault:Selected_anniversaries/July 15|15 July 1984]] | | |date = [[Prince_Vault:Selected_anniversaries/July 15|15 July 1984]] |
| |studio = [[Flying Cloud Drive Warehouse]],<br>Eden Prairie, MN, USA | | |studio = [[Flying Cloud Drive Warehouse]],<br>Eden Prairie, MN, USA |
− | |additional info = Basic tracking | + | |additional info = Tracking |
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| {{RecordingLine| | | {{RecordingLine| |
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| |sampled in = | | |sampled in = |
− | |first live appearance = 13 August 1985: First Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota <small>(first performance by [[The Family]])</small>; [[30 April 1990|30 April 1990: Rupert's, Golden Valley, MN, USA]] <small>(first performance by [[Prince]])</small> <br> | + | |first live appearance = 13 August 1985: First Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota <small>(first performance by [[The Family]])</small>; [[30 April 1990|30 April 1990: Rupert’s, Golden Valley, MN, USA]] <small>(first performance by [[Prince]])</small> <br> |
| * [[14_April_2016-2|14 April 2016 (Show 2): Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA, USA]] | | * [[14_April_2016-2|14 April 2016 (Show 2): Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA, USA]] |
| |performed regularly on = [[Nude Tour]]<br> | | |performed regularly on = [[Nude Tour]]<br> |
Nothing Compares 2 U is the sixth track on The Family’s first and only album The Family. Prince wrote seven of the eight songs on the album, but Nothing Compares 2 U is the only track for which Prince took official credit.
After becoming a worldwide number one single when covered by Irish singer Sinead O’Connor, Prince began playing the song live, and in 1993, he released a live version (sharing lead vocals with Rosie Gaines) as the eleventh track (one of two new tracks) on The Hits 1.
He played it live consistently from 1990 onwards, and in 2002, released another live version as the twelfth track on the second disc of his first live album, One Nite Alone... Live! (along with Xenophobia, Extraordinary, Avalanche, Family Name, Raspberry Beret, The Everlasting Now, Wanna B Ur Lover, Diamonds & Pearls, The Beautiful Ones and How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore from the same show).
Basic tracking for Prince’s original version took place on 15 July 1984 at the Flying Cloud Drive Warehouse in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. with Susannah Melvoin on backing vox (a slighlty altered mix of the original version was released posthumously in 2018). St. Paul Peterson and Susannah Melvoin overdubbed vocals onto the track in late 1984 - early 1985, and Clare Fischer added orchestral overdubs during the same period.
Miles Davis had requested an instrumental of Nothing Compares 2 U to record his trumpet on. But Prince wasn’t keen on that and thought it was corny just to do a trumpet on top of a song that already existed. So around 1991 Prince re-cut it and gave it a different flavor.
Prince was partly inspired in writing the the song by Sandy Scipioni, his personal assistant in the 1980s, who had to leave suddenly after her father’s death (Prince and Scipioni were not in a romantic relationship, however).
Prince’s live version from The Hits 1 went on to be simulcast on US radio stations at 5:07 p.m. CT (6:07 ET/3:07 PT) on 4 May 2016, marking exactly "7 hours and 13 days" since Prince was pronounced dead.
In 2018, a new mix of Prince’s original version was made and released on 19 April 2018 as download file on Tidal and Apple Music as well as streaming on Spotify and Deezer, and on youtube with an accompanying video made up of Flying Cloud Drive Warehouse rehearsal footage. A (limited to 1984 copies) purple vinyl single was available on 21 April 2018 at Electric Fetus in Minneapolis, while a picture disc was available through The Prince official store. A normal black 7 inch single of the song was subsequently available from 25 May. In 2019, Prince’s version was included as the fifteenth and last track on the posthumous album Originals.
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Recording Information
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Recording Sessions
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Date
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Studio
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Additional info
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15 July 1984
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Flying Cloud Drive Warehouse, Eden Prairie, MN, USA
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Tracking
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18 July 1984
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Flying Cloud Drive Warehouse, Eden Prairie, MN, USA
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Saxophone overdubs
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Late Summer 1984 (estimate)
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Flying Cloud Drive Warehouse, Eden Prairie, MN, USA
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Vocal overdubs by St. Paul Peterson
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October 1984 (estimate)
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Monterey Sound Studios, Glendale, CA, USA
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Clare Fischer Orchestral overdubs
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1991 (assumed)
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Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA
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Re-recording
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Recording Personnel
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The Family version
Prince and the New Power Generation version
Original version
Unreleased 1991 version
- Prince - all instruments (assumed)
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Versions
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Released Versions
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Title
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Length
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Released
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Version
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Additional info
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Nothing Compares 2 U
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4:31
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The Family
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Studio
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The Family version
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Nothing Compares 2 U
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4:57
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The Hits 1
The Hits / The B-Sides
Nothing Compares 2 U promo
My Name Was Prince promotional album
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Live
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Prince and the New Power Generation version; 27 January 1992 (a.m.): Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA. Also known as Nothing Compares 2 U (Live)
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Nothing Compares 2 U
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4:17
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Peach single
Nothing Compares 2 U promo
4Ever
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Live edit
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Prince and the New Power Generation version; edit of version above
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Nothing Compares 2 U
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3:47
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One Nite Alone... Live!
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Live
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30 April 2002, Portland Center for the Perf. Arts - Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland, OR, USA
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Nothing Compares 2 U
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4:40
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Nothing Compares 2 U (2018 release)
Originals
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Studio
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Prince original version, mixed in 2018
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Nothing Compares 2 U
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4:12
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Nothing Compares 2 U (2018 release)
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Studio
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Edit of Prince original version, mixed in 2018
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Nothing Compares 2 U (Cinematic Mix)
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4:20
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Originals (Target & Japanese version only)
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Studio
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Mix of Prince original version, re-mixed in 2019
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Video Versions
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Broadcasts/streaming (only)
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Title
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Length
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Released
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Version
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Additional info
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Nothing Compares 2 U
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T.B.C.
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Live concert radio broadcast
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Live
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22 July 1990, Estadio Vicente Calderón, Madrid, Spain
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Nothing Compares 2 U
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T.B.C.
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Delayed concert TV broadcast
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Live
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29 July 1990, Estadio Santa María del Mar, La Coruña, Spain
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Nothing Compares 2 U
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T.B.C.
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Delayed performance TV broadcast
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Live
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2 March 2004, The Ellen Degeneres Show, NBC Studios, Burbank, CA, USA
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Nothing Compares 2 U
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T.B.C.
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iHeartRadio Music Festival video stream
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Live
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22 September 2012, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV, USA; guesting with Mary J. Blige
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Nothing Compares 2 U
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T.B.C.
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iHeartRadio Music Festival TV broadcast
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Live
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22 September 2012, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV, USA; guesting with Mary J. Blige; same performance as above with different camera angles and editing
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Nothing Compares 2 U
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T.B.C.
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Live concert online stream
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Live
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10 May 2015, Baltimore, MN, USA, Royal Farms Arena
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Unreleased Versions
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Title
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Version
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Additional Info
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Nothing Compares 2 U
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Studio
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true 1984 original, without 2018 mix
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Nothing Compares 2 U
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Studio
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Alternate mix of The Family’s version, with stronger synth element
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Nothing Compares 2 U
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Studio
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Instrumental re-recording for Miles Davis
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