I just listend to Prince's version again. His and Sinéad's are quite different so it's hard to compare them. I like them both. P's obviously more soul and I love how he sings it with Rosie! So I prefer his own version of it. I've never cried to Sinéad's but P's just makes me It's so so so beautiful!
[Edited 4/12/06 14:47pm]

Wow. I'm the exact opposite. I find Sinead's MUCH more emotionally powerful. I think the vocal delivery is so artistic. The emotions are perfectly reflected in the way her voice and intonations.

see im the other way...Sineads seems more emotional. I dont know if its because shes had time in the studio to mix it and get it down to capture the essence of the song but for me Prince live version (on The Hits) doesnt do it justice. Too much Rosie at the wrong time for me.....but Prince is the expert so he must know best

I wonder what it would be like with a studio version where its ploished, free from distortion and without Rosie doing her tradmark Dog Howl all over it
[Edited 4/12/06 14:42pm]

I never heard P & Rosie's version - but of the two I have heard, I'm givin' it to Sinead. Absoulutely heartbreaking, and don't get me started on the video.
[Edited 4/12/06 14:43pm]

Interesting. Well, I've always liked Sinéad singing it, but I feel more for Prince doing it. But,like I said before, they're quite different.

FruitToAttractBears said:

You've never heard P and Rosies version??....its on the Hits cd - in fact its the only Prince version isnt it - or have I got THAT wrong too

purpledoveuk said:

Aw. S'okay, man. We all make mistakes...well...most of us do.

But naw, I've only heard The Family's version and Sinead's. I guess I should get around to hearing the other version, I've got it around but never listened to it I guess...

FruitToAttractBears said:

Do it. I think it's just great! After that you can say whos version you think is the better.

FruitToAttractBears said:

I love the family's verison

VenusBlingBling said:

I was at Virgin Megastore and thought about getting Sinead's "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got." I love her voice.

She visited my campus back in the day and there was a Q&A where students could ask her questions. One guy asked about what happened between her and Prince and she muttered something about not wanting to get into it and called him a "vampire."

Cool! Yeah, I've heard that they basically lived in the studio for several days or so and that he refused to let her go until she did it like he wanted her to.

VenusBlingBling said:

Yeah, I've heard that story too. It's either a hostage situation or a very intense seduction.

He probably just wanted some bald Irish action and when she refused he had a hissy fit.

padawan said:

Well, you wanna have things your way. Obviously we don't know what happened. There's always someone you don't get along with. I'm sure she was quite a pain too. 2 artists together, what could ya expect?

VenusBlingBling said:

Okay so I found the version with Rosie and P and listened to it and I thought it was great! I think I still like Sinead's better. I just love her voice and it just sounds so sad, and I've always heard it that way, so blame it on conditioning I guess, lol. Also, a nice orger () hooked me up with another version where it's just P (he sounds AMAZING!) and then Candy wailing on the sax and I have to say I REALLY liked that version - so I think that's my new favorite!

Also, there's the part where he says "Livin' with me baby was sometimes hard" and he really pronounces the "R", which made me laugh for some reason.

VenusBlingBling said:

No doubt Sinead was a handful. And hey, so is Prince.

I respect both of them. Prince obviously is the bigger star and I had high hopes for Sinead. It was sad to see American audiences turn on her.

Her last LP was kind of an apology, "Faith and Courage," I think it was called. Pretty good stuff.

There's one song, "I don't want to be no man's woman." Tough feminist message.

andykeen said:

Its not just me that thought that then....his voice and emotion suits it so well and it goes so sweetly...next thing you know he wheels out Rosie and its down hill from there.

Howwwooowwww howowwww howwwwwoooowwwww..I know that living with me baby is sometimes hard...howowowoowowowo hoowwwwwooooo ...cake!!!!

padawan said:

Didn't know she had a new album out. Actually, the only songs I've ever heard from her are NCTU and one or two others. Bad marketing or what?

purpledoveuk said:

Ahh, you're forgetting the live version on ONA live!

I think Sinead's is the definitive version. Prince would never have brushed the dust of this song and started performing it if she hadn't made a global hit out of it first.

I thought Prince's version on the Ellen Show with Candy playing sax was the best version of his I've heard yet.

purpledoveuk said:

VenusBlingBling said:

Bad self promotion, I'd say. She's done little to ingratiate herself to the public after the whole pope and national anthem fiasco. She basically put down the Vatican and America.

She didn't quite have the gift for promoting herself the way Prince does. She was a bit too outspoken and opinionated for U.S. audiences. Sorta like Fiona Apple.

padawan said:

I Love "No Man's Woman." It's on a playlist I call KAW for Kick Ass Women songs

Definitely prefer Sinead's version; but people are surprised Prince wrote the song!!

It's kind of like "I Feel For You" I actually like the remakes better. My problem with Princes version of NC2U is the loud musical background on every verse.(ba, bababa, ba, bam) Sinead took that out, and it makes it better for me.

So I'm the only one who prefers Prince singing it? Whatever:) No, but one of the reasons I like his version better now is probably 'cause Sinead's one has been played so so many times on the radio and everywhere that it's a nice change!

While Sinead's is the best, Prince is certainly touching in his rendition. My favorite part is.when he says "nothing can stop this lonely ra-hee-hee-een, rain-hee-heen from fallin' (fall rain, fall rain)" that vocal delivery is awesome.

I loved Nothing Compares 2 U when I first heard it from the Family. Was definitely on repeat (but that was before CD players lol).
I loved it when I heard him finally put his own voice on it - with sweet Rosie, of course.
I always wondered what his original studio version sounded like - probably same music as the Family's version. Still, would like to hear his voice on the original version.
FOR THE LIFE OF ME, THOUGH, I never could get into Sinead O'Connor's version AT ALL. I respect her outspokenness and uniqueness as an artist who's found an audience, as this thread shows, most definitely. But the musical treatment and her voice on that song (NC2U) do NOTHING for me.
Peace

I've heard the original demo of NC2U for the Family. The tempo is faster and
it has a lot of Prince-playing style instrumentation including live drums, bass and rock guitar and DX-7 keyboards (Imagine the sounds from "Another Lonely Christmas" + more DX7)

With the Family version he simplified it from there. I've heard a mix with lite drums too.
For the released version by the Family, it is totally stripped down from there without drums.

Well, I prefer the instrumentation on Sinead's version (not to mention her delivery and the chord change toward the end "give it another try").

And, Eric Leeds from the Family's version.

And the churchiness of P's duet with Rosie.

So, I guess I like all 3.

Sinead's version is pure genius. Her delivery is raw and real. Prince's version is pretty but no soul. Prince doesn't have soul as a singer- he's just pretty