Timeless is an album that promises to take listeners on the entire journey of the career of ‘The Purple One’, with the earliest track recorded in 1977, when he was yet to become a star, all the way through to 2016, the year of his tragic death.
To get excitement flowing with fans ahead of the release of Timeless, the unreleased track ‘Stone’, recorded in early 1995, has been shared by the estate.
The previously unheard composition, which has been gathering dust in the vaults at Paisley Park for more than 30 years, was written by Sandra St Victor, Tom Hammer, and Jules Van Even.
Prince – Timeless tracklist:
‘I Am You’ 1977
‘Tick Tick Bang’ 1981
‘Heaven’ 1985
‘I Wonder’ 1989
‘With This Tear’ 1991
‘Stone’ 1995
‘Calabama’ 2003
‘The Guilty Ones’ 2007
‘Bestest Friend’ 2012
‘How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore?’ (Live) 2016
Last month the estate of Prince has released a previously unheard recording of “With This Tear,” a song the late artist originally wrote and later gave to Celine Dion in the early 1990s. (Billboard reports)
The newly unveiled version, issued via NPG Records and Legacy Recordings, features Prince’s original recording of the piano-led ballad, which he wrote, produced and performed himself. The track was first recorded at Paisley Park in November 1991, but had remained unreleased until now.
Dion’s version of “With This Tear” appeared on her 1992 self-titled album, marking one of several instances in which Prince contributed material to other artists while keeping his own recordings in the vault. His original take offers a more stripped-back interpretation of the song, foregrounding his vocal and piano arrangement.
The newly released recording has been updated with a fresh mix by Grammy-nominated producer Chris James, who has previously worked on multiple Prince-related projects. The release forms part of a broader effort by the Prince Estate to continue opening the artist’s extensive archive of unreleased material.
The timing of the track’s arrival is notable, coming just ahead of the 10th anniversary of Prince’s death. Since his passing in 2016, a steady stream of archival releases — including deluxe editions, vault recordings and previously unheard collaborations — has helped maintain his presence within contemporary music conversations while offering deeper insight into his prolific output.
“With This Tear” also reflects Prince’s long-standing role as a songwriter for other artists. Over the course of his career, he wrote and produced songs that were recorded by a wide range of performers, often delivering compositions that took on new forms outside of his own catalog.
The release follows renewed interest in Prince’s archive in recent years. In 2024, a demo of “Baby Doll,” a previously unheard collaboration between Prince and Kylie Minogue, surfaced online, highlighting the depth of material still contained within the vault.
While details about a potential larger vault project have not been formally confirmed, reports have suggested that additional archival releases may be forthcoming.
