Every Tuesday, the Analog Kid blog goes back in time and features some groovy R&B/soul songs from a specific year. Sometimes you’ll hear songs from individual artists, and other times you’ll get an entire full-length classic LP ripped directly from the Analog Kid’s vast vinyl vault. Warning: by R&B/soul, I also mean disco. I could go Cheryl Lynn on your ass at any given moment, so just be ready!
Although The Family was technically a band, Prince actually wrote and recorded most of their 1985 debut album himself. The vocals were added by Susannah Melvoin (Wendy’s sister) and St. Paul (aka Paul Peterson from The Time), and future New Power Generation member Eric Leeds supplied the saxophone. Other than that, it’s all Prince. As he had often done with The Time, Prince gave writing credits to the members of The Family even though he had written the songs by himself (with the exception of “River Run Dry,” written by Revolution member Bobby Z).
Of course, The Family is best-known as the original source for Sinéad O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U.” Sinéad’s version spent four weeks at number one in the spring of 1990, and Prince himself finally released his own version on The Hits compilation in 1993.
The Family’s one album was not a commercial success, and the band disbanded after only one live show. The Family has never been released on CD in the United States, and as a result it has become one of the rarest Prince recordings. The Analog Kid hopes you enjoy this smooth soul classic.
![The Family [320 kbps]](https://theanalogkidblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-family-320-kbps.png)
The Family: The Family
Paisley Park/Warner Brothers, 1985
320 kbps vinyl rip courtesy of the Analog Kid
1. “High Fashion” (St. Paul/Jerome)
2. “Mutiny” (Jerome)
3. “The Screams Of Passion” (St. Paul/Susannah)
4. “Yes” (Jerome/Jellybean)
5. “River Run Dry” (Bobby Z)
6. “Nothing Compares 2 U” (Prince)
7. “Susannah’s Pajamas” (Eric Leeds)
8. “Desire” (St. Paul)
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Bonus Tracks!
The first rule of The Analog Kid blog is that if you write about a song on the Analog Kid blog, you share the song on the Analog Kid blog.
Sinéad O’Connor: “Nothing Compares 2 U” (Prince)
From the album I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got
Chrysalis Records, 1990
![The Hits [Disc 1]](https://theanalogkidblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/the-hits-disc-1.jpg)
Prince: “Nothing Compares 2 U” (Prince)
From the album The Hits 1
Warner Brothers, 1993
The Analog Kid 
Yet another outstanding offering from the Kid.
FYI, they regrouped as fDeulxe and have released an album sans invovlement from Prince.
D’oh!
fDeluxe
D’oh! Dos
involvement
Typing on my iPhone is not a skill I have mastered yet.
Oh, I gotta hear this!
I do have a cd copy of this album, and the 12″ vinyl of The Screams Of Passion. Being a huge Prince fan, I always grabbed all the releases as soon as they were available. Detroit record stores, in the 80’s, were ripe orchards for anything associated with Prince… Glad to see someone keeping the interests alive.
Thanks. Steve!
I still think the family’s version of this is the best. It just has this sad haunting feel to it that brings me back to this one whenever I hear a cover of it.
You’re great for posting this. I’ve been looking for their version of “Mutiny” forever man. Thank you!
And what vinyl and programs do you use for your rips? I’m ripping vinyl with my player and it is nowhere near your quality.
THANK YOU! I had this album on vinyl but lost it in a move. I have been wanting to hear it for a long time.
Awesome! Glad you found the site. I really love the album too– it’s amazing how few people have actually heard the original “Nothing Compares 2 U.”
This post is how I found your site the other day. The tragic loss of Prince has made me nostalgic for all my old Prince-related material. I have this album on vinyl, but I’m not really set up to do my own digital conversions right now, so I’m happy to find it as a convenient download. I’ve been going through the rest of your site and finding plenty of other treasures to download, too. Thank you for doing all this work and sharing!
Thanks for the kind words– glad you are enjoying the site!