"When You Were Mine" is the name of a song written and released by Prince on his 1980 album Dirty Mind. The song, though not released as a single, did receive a promotional 12" release (which included "Gotta Broken Heart Again" and "Uptown") and was later the B-side for "Controversy" in 1981. "When You Were Mine" is often considered to be amongst Prince's best early works, and was one of his most pop-friendly songs at the time of its release. Prince has performed the song many times over the years in concert, one of which was included on his 2002 live set, One Nite Alone... Live!. The studio version was also included on The Hits/The B-Sides in 1993. Prince has mentioned that he was inspired to write the simple but effective rock song while listening to John Lennon. It is full of guitar licks, showcasing Prince's skill as a musician.
