Prince's Estate unveils unheard vault recording "Witness 4 The Prosecution (Version 2)"

14 August 2020, 15:52 | Written by Cerys Kenneally

(News)

(Prince)

The Prince Estate has returned with another previously unreleased and unheard track, "Witness 4 The Prosecution (Version 2)", which will feature on the deluxe reissue of Sign O’ The Times.

"Witness 4 The Prosecution (Version 2)" follows on from "Cosmic Day" that was released for the first time earlier this month.

The previously unheard track made available today (14 August) was recorded by engineer Coke Johnson at Sunset Sound's Studio 3 on 6 October 1986.

Version two of "Witness 4 The Prosecution" arrives after previous Sign O' The Times rarities "Witness 4 The Prosecution (Version 1)" and "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (1979 Version)"

A press release states, "When Country music artist Deborah Allen asked Prince if he could write a song for her, he decided to rework "Witness 4 The Prosecution" instead. The original song contained contributions from the Revolution, but this re-recorded version is almost exclusively Prince (with the exception of Eric Leeds and Atlanta Bliss on sax and trumpet respectively), and it includes at least five different Fairlight keyboard tracks and seven layers of Prince’s own background vocals. Prince decided to keep the song, and would instead offer her "Telepathy", which had been recorded and mixed on the same date."

The super deluxe edition reissue will feature 63 previously unreleased Prince tracks, alongside two full concert recordings.

"Witness 4 The Prosecution (Version 2)" is out now. Prince's super deluxe edition reissue of Sign O' The Times will be released 25 September, and is available to pre-order now.