Critical Reception
* 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".
* In 2008, VH1 ranked the song the number 1 on "Final Countdown - Top 50 Heartbreakers".
Nothing Compares 2U
sinead o' connor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Since you took your love away
I go out every night and sleep all day
Since you took your love away
Since you been gone I can do whatever I want
I can see whomever I choose
I can eat my dinner in a fancy restaurant
I said nothing can take away these blues
'Cause nothing compares
Nothing compares to you
It's been so lonely without you here
Like a bird without a song
Nothing can stop these lonely tears from falling
Tell me, baby, where did I go wrong?
I could put my arms around every boy I see
They'd only remind me of you
I went to the doctor and guess what he told me?
Guess what he told me?
He said, "Girl, you better try to have fun
No matter what you do, but he's a fool"
'Cause nothing compares
Nothing compares to you
All the flowers that you planted, mama
In the back yard
All died when you went away
I know that living with you, baby, was sometimes hard
But I'm willing to give it another try
Nothing compares
Nothing compares to you
Nothing compares
Nothing compares to you
Nothing compares
Nothing compares to you
The lyrics to Sinead O' Connor's "Nothing Compares 2U" are emotionally raw, dealing with the aftermath of a love lost. The song communicates the depth of the singer's emotions, describing how their life has been empty and meaningless since the love of their life left. The opening lyrics "It's been seven hours and fifteen days, since you took your love away” communicates that the singer has been missing their loved one for a significant amount of time, emphasizing the depth of emotion that they are in.
Throughout the song, Sinead O’Connor communicates a feeling of emptiness, with the lyric “I go out every night and sleep all day” suggesting that the singer is using alcohol and sleep as a coping mechanism. The lyric “Nothing compares, nothing compares to you” is repeated throughout the song, hammering home the emotional turmoil the singer is going through. The line “I could eat my dinner in a fancy restaurant, but nothing, I said nothing can take away these blues” expresses that even though the singer can do anything they want, they are still missing their lover, and nothing can fill that void.
The song’s bridge moves from self-reflection to a plea for answers, with the lyrics, “Tell me baby where did I go wrong?” while the lyric “But he’s a fool” suggests someone misguided is giving the singer advice for moving forward. The final verse “All the flowers that you planted Mama in the back yard, All died when you went away” illustrates the hopelessness the singer is feeling. The song is a soulful ode to lost love, illustrating the emotional pain and longing with slow, mournful music.
Line by Line Meaning
It's been seven hours and fifteen days
It's been a significant amount of time since you left me.
Since you took your love away
Since you left me.
I go out every night and sleep all day
I'm in a constant state of sadness and depression.
Since you been gone I can do whatever I want
Since you left me, I have complete freedom to do anything.
I can see whomever I choose
I can have anyone I want, but it doesn't matter because I'm still heartbroken.
I can eat my dinner in a fancy restaurant
I can afford to eat at nice places, but it doesn't change the way I feel.
But nothing
No matter what I do...
I said nothing can take away these blues
...my sadness and depression cannot be cured.
'Cause nothing compares
There is nothing that can match the love and comfort you provided me.
Nothing compares to you
You were one of a kind and cannot be replaced.
It's been so lonely without you here
My life has been extremely lonely without you.
Like a bird without a song
My life is without purpose since you left.
Nothing can stop these lonely tears from falling
No matter what I do, I constantly cry over losing you.
Tell me baby where did I go wrong
I don't understand why you left, what I did to make you go.
I could put my arms around every boy I see
I could have intimate relationships with anyone, but they would not make me feel better.
But they'd only remind me of you
Being with someone else would only make me think of you even more.
I went to the doctor and guess what he told me?
I went to the doctor to seek help for my sadness.
Guess what he told me?
He gave me advice.
He said girl you better try to have fun
He told me to try to have fun, but I know that won't fix my emotions.
No matter what you do, but he's a fool
No matter what I try to do, my sadness cannot be cured, and the doctor is foolish for suggesting otherwise.
'Cause nothing compares
Because nothing can compare to the love and comfort you provided.
Nothing compares to you
No one can match the love and connection I had with you.
All the flowers that you planted mama
All of the memories you created for us.
In the back yard
Are now memories from the past.
All died when you went away
Those memories died when you left.
I know that living with you baby was sometimes hard
I know our relationship wasn't perfect.
But I'm willing to give it another try
But I am willing to work on our relationship and give it another shot.
'Cause nothing compares
Because nothing else in the world feels the same as being with you.
Nothing compares to you
No one can match the love and connection I had with you.
Nothing compares
Nothing else in the world feels the same way as being with you.
Nothing compares to you
No one can match the love and connection I had with you.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Prince Rogers Nelson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@wildmercuryfilms
Prince wrote this song.
I think everyone is simply reminded of when Sinead & Prince fought.
Sinead O’Connor & Prince - The Fight They Had In Los Angeles
This is from Far Out Magazine in 2021.
While most young and impressionable singers would likely do anything to impress Prince, O’Connor has always been an outlier, and her fiery Irish nature stops her from being submissive. “We tried to beat each other up,” O’Connor told Good Morning Britain in 2019. “This is not a joke, it was a really frightening experience. It was in LA, he summoned me to his house and foolishly I went along. He was uncomfortable that I wasn’t his protégé and he wanted me to be. He was wanting me to be a protégé of his and ordered that I don’t swear in my interviews. I told him where he could go”.
According to O’Connor, the mood changed after this comment, and then the situation descended into violence: “He went upstairs and got a pillow and he had something hard in the pillow. I ran out of his house, hiding behind a tree,” she claimed. “We meet on the highway in Malibu at five in the morning – I’m spitting at him, he’s trying to punch me. I had to go ring someone’s doorbell, which my father always told me to do if I was in a situation like that”.
@thevibeguide
Rest in peace Sinead
@Grubbly10
She was a nutjob
@memoriesmarmymind...5587
OMG what's wrong with you you also commented on Tina turner videos
@Grubbly10
@@memoriesmarmymind...5587 no I didn’t..
@Ramblin-Man
@@memoriesmarmymind...5587 She's dead, aged 56. Irish Times were the first to report it...
@editek5992
@@memoriesmarmymind...5587 She died...what is wrong with you?
@robertthompson5908
I saw her in concert with my wife , about 35 years ago. We were both big fans. My wife passed away about 10 years ago. RIP Sinead and RIP my wife.
@yevhenukrainianer4781
Keep strong. I hope you have a friend you can share your memories with.
@merkudo258
I am sorry to hear. Lets hope they jam togheter now
@KH_FYM
I'm sorry my guy. Hopefully one day you'll be with your wife again.