Paul McCartney says an unreleased recording of The Beatles classic The Long And Winding Road by Prince has resurfaced, and the former Beatle now wants to explore completing it for release.
by Paul Cashmere
Paul McCartney has revealed that an unheard recording of The Long And Winding Road by Prince may eventually see the light of day, after the former Beatle said he recently discovered the late musician had recorded a version of the song in rehearsal. McCartney said he had never known the recording existed and was surprised by both the performance and Prince’s interpretation of the Beatles classic.
Paul McCartney discusses Prince on BBC2:
The revelation came during McCartney’s appearance on BBC Radio’s Tracks Of My Years with Vernon Kay, where he reflected on artists who shaped his own musical journey. During a discussion around Prince’s 1986 hit Kiss, McCartney unexpectedly disclosed details of the recording and indicated that he is considering taking the next step to transform it into a finished project.
For Beatles followers and Prince fans alike, the significance reaches beyond the novelty of one major artist covering another. Unreleased recordings have become a growing part of music’s archival era, with estates and surviving collaborators increasingly revisiting vault material to create new projects. The prospect of Prince recording one of McCartney’s best known compositions creates another intersection between two of popular music’s most influential catalogues.
McCartney said the recording reached him through a person closely connected to Prince’s circle several years after Prince’s death in 2016.
“I was with some guy a couple of years ago, so it was after Prince had died,” McCartney said. “This guy said, ‘Have you heard Prince do Long And Winding Road?’ I said, ‘Well no. That’s one of my songs. I don’t think he ever did it.'”
McCartney said he was told the performance was captured during a rehearsal rather than a formal studio session.
“He said, ‘Well he did. He did it in rehearsal. He was rehearsing it for something.'”
Prince performed The Long And Winding Road in Monte Carlo in 2009:
According to McCartney, the source was believed to be a photographer and longtime member of Prince’s inner circle. After receiving the recording, McCartney said his reaction was immediate.
“So he sent it to me and it’s really great,” McCartney said.
He then revealed he has already considered approaching those responsible for Prince’s catalogue.
“I’m going to sort of ask them if I could make it into something really good.”
McCartney described Prince’s version as departing from the orchestral ballad
traditionally associated with the Beatles recording.
“It’s kind of rocky. He plays some really good guitar on it.”
The comments emerged as McCartney reflected on Prince’s musicianship more broadly. While discussing Kiss, McCartney praised Prince’s guitar work and his instinctive approach to recording.
“He was a great player,” McCartney said. “He’s a wizard.”
The possibility of a newly developed version of The Long And Winding Road carries particular historical weight because the song itself has long occupied a complicated place in Beatles history.
Released as a single in May 1970 from the Let It Be album, The Long And Winding Road became The Beatles’ final US number one hit. McCartney originally wrote the song in 1968 at his farm in Scotland during a period of increasing tension within the band.
The recording became one of the central points of dispute during the Beatles’ final months after producer Phil Spector added orchestral arrangements and choir overdubs to the track. McCartney later publicly criticised those additions, saying the heavily arranged version departed from his original intention of a simpler recording. The disagreement became one of several issues cited in legal proceedings surrounding the dissolution of the Beatles partnership.
Ironically, McCartney’s comments about Prince suggest another reinterpretation of the song could now emerge decades later.
There are also broader questions around how Prince’s estate may approach the material. Since Prince’s death, extensive archive projects have gradually surfaced, including previously unheard songs, alternate takes and expanded editions from his catalogue. A McCartney backed release would represent one of the most high profile collaborative archive projects associated with Prince’s work.
For now, there is no indication that discussions have formally begun or that a release is imminent. McCartney offered no timetable and did not indicate whether the recording exists as a complete performance or a fragment from rehearsal sessions.
Stay updated with your free Noise11.com daily music news email alert. Subscribe to Noise11 Music News here
Be the first to see NOISE11.com’s newest interviews and special features on YouTube. See things first-Subscribe to Noise11 on YouTube
Follow Noise11.com on social media:
Facebook – Comment on the news of the day
Bluesky
Instagram
X (Twitter)
