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 (which included "Gotta Broken Heart Again" and "Uptown"). "When You Were Mine" was later the B-side for Prince's "Controversy" single in 1981. Prince 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. Cyndi Lauper's mid-tempo ballad cover version of "When You Were Mine" is also synthesizer-based for her 1983 debut album, "She's So Unusual". 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 Japan 7" single When You Were