It’s been seven hours and fifteen days/
Since you took your love away.
“Nothing Compares 2U” by Sinead O’Conner is great song written by Prince. He never released a version that was anywhere near as good as O’Conner’s. That says a lot about how good this version is. Sometimes covers are better.
“Nothing Compares 2U” is a breakup song: the narrator had her love taken away. If she could give it another shot she would do it in a heartbeat…because no one compares to her ex. But she can’t. It is a very sad song.
There is a great bit of imagery at the end of the song. Whether due to her depression from the breakup, or her simple lack of knowledge of how to properly treat them, the flowers that her lover planted at his house died when she broke up with him: “All the flowers that you planted mama/ in my backyard/ all died when you went away.” Sad.
In “Nothing Compares 2 U” we can hear Sinead’s great voice and the ease with which she sings with emotion. We believe she wrote the song. The string arrangement and production do a lot of work for the song. It makes the song sound melodramatic and sorrowful and that is what it is going for.
O’Conner was a rising star in music after this was released; she was a budding superstar, really…just listen to her. Then she went on SNL and ripped up a picture of the pope and then next thing you knew everyone hated her and her career was basically over. At the time, it was not even really clear what she was upset about, but she was vilified and ostracized.
She was years ahead of her time.
Nothing Compares 2 U Lyrics
It’s been seven hours and fifteen days
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
But nothing
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
But 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
‘Cause nothing compares
Nothing compares to you
Nothing compares
Nothing compares to you
Nothing compares
Nothing compares to you
written by Prince