When You Were Mine (Prince song)

"When You Were Mine"
Promotional single by Prince
from the album Dirty Mind
B-side"Gotta Broken Heart Again"
"Uptown"
ReleasedOctober 8, 1980
RecordedMay–June 1980
Genre
Length3:47
LabelWarner Bros.
Songwriter(s)Prince
Producer(s)Prince

"When You Were Mine" is a song written and released by Prince on his 1980 album, Dirty Mind.[6] Though not released as a single, the song received a promotional 12" release (which included "Gotta Broken Heart Again" and "Uptown"). "When You Were Mine" was later the B-side for Prince's "Controversy" single in 1981.

A live recording 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.

  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Dirty Mind – Prince". AllMusic. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  2. ^ Partridge, Kenneth (October 8, 2015). "Prince's 'Dirty Mind' at 35: Classic Track-by-Track Album Review". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  3. ^ Shoup, Brad (April 21, 2017). "Prince Albums Ranked". Stereogum. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  4. ^ "The 200 Best Songs of the 1980s". Pitchfork. August 24, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  5. ^ Molanphy, Chris (October 30, 2017). "Le Petty Prince Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  6. ^ Grow, Kory (April 21, 2016). "Prince Dead at 57". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 20, 2018.