When You Were Mine (Prince song)


"When You Were Mine" is a song written and released by Prince on his 1980 album, Dirty Mind. Though not released as a single, the song received a promotional 12" release. "When You Were Mine" was later the B-side for Prince's "Controversy" single in 1981.
Prince has performed the song many times in concert, and a live version was included on his 2002 live album, One Nite Alone... Live!. The original studio version was also included on The Hits/The B-Sides in 1993. Prince said he was inspired to write the rock song while listening to John Lennon. The track includes a Farfisa-inspired organ sound played on an Oberheim OB-X.

Cyndi Lauper version

's mid-tempo ballad cover version of "When You Were Mine" is also synthesizer-based for her 1983 debut album, She's So Unusual. Lauper recorded the song with the original lyrics, preserving the "he/him/his" pronouns. She performed the single at the 1985 American Music Awards. It was released exclusively as a promotional single in the United States and received a commercial release in Canada and Japan.

Track listing

Canada 7" single
  1. "When You Were Mine" – 4:00
  2. "Yeah Yeah" – 3:17
Japan 7" single
  1. "When You Were Mine"
  2. "I'll Kiss You"

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