Prince originally began work on the track with the Revolution in August 1983, during the same sessions held for "Let's Go Crazy" and "Computer Blue".
[3] However, after a few months and the recording of a jam based on the song, Prince decided to completely redo the track on his own in January 1984, playing all of the instruments himself, with Wendy, Lisa, and Jill Jones contributing backing vocals.
[1] Lisa Coleman would later remark on how Prince would channel the song in an interview with The Guardian: He sang the part of the lonely person a lot, like "When You Were Mine" or "The Beautiful Ones".
[2]The song has since been claimed to be a forgotten masterpiece, with multiple positive reviews and acclaim given for its lyrics and themes.
Additionally, it proved to be a live favorite, with Prince frequently pulling the song out for his setlist until just a few months before his death.