VIDEO: Prince Estate Releases Haunting Original Recording of ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’

After 34 years, Prince’s studio recording of “Nothing Compares 2 U” has finally seen the light of day.

On Thursday, ahead of the two-year anniversary of the late music legend’s death, Prince’s estate published his original version on YouTube along with previously unseen footage of Prince & the Revolution rehearsing the track at Flying Cloud Drive “Warehouse” in Eden Prairie, Minn., in 1984—six years before Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor released her own chart-topping version of the song.

While his studio version of “Nothing Compares 2 U” had previously never been released, Prince did sometimes perform the song in concert. In 1993, he even included a live version on his three-disc greatest hits album.

The newly released version of the ballad (above) features longtime collaborators Eric Leeds on saxophone and Susannah Melvoin on background vocals. Susannah, who reportedly also dated Prince around that time, on Thursday said she was “blessed and honored” to be on the track:

Many of Prince’s celebrity friends, colleagues, and admirers have joined the Stern Show over the years and several—including Sheryl Crow, Jamie Foxx, Fred Armisen, and Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine, to name a few—have even shared their favorite Prince stories with Howard.

Adam, who along with Train delivered a face-melting cover of “Purple Rain” at Howard’s 2014 Birthday Bash, recalled once attending a wild party at Prince’s house which lasted until the break of dawn. Listen to Adam tell Howard the story (below) and check out Prince’s original “Nothing Compares 2 U” recording (above).