Paul McCartney has uncovered a rare Prince recording and is now hoping it could see the light of day. During a recent appearance on BBC Radio 2’s Tracks of My Years, McCartney said Prince had recorded a version of the Beatles’ “The Long and Winding Road,” and that he would like to approach Prince’s estate about releasing it.
McCartney said the performance is unusual in the best way. He described the recording as “kind of rocky” and said Prince plays “really good guitar” on it. In McCartney’s view, the late icon brought a distinct edge to the Beatles song, giving him a version that felt fresh rather than simply imitative.
The Beatles legend said he first learned about the recording from a man connected to Prince after Prince’s death in 2016. At first, McCartney doubted the claim, saying he did not think Prince had ever covered the song. But after the recording was sent to him, he realized the cover was real — and that it was “really great.”
That discovery pushed McCartney to think bigger. He said he would like to ask Prince’s estate for permission to use the track because he believes he could turn it into something really good. Ultimate Classic Rock noted that Prince had actually performed “The Long and Winding Road” live 12 times, with most of those performances taking place during his 2007 Club 3121 residency in Las Vegas.
McCartney also used the interview to praise Prince in very direct terms. He said Prince was a “wizard” and called him a “special guy,” while naming “Kiss” as his favorite Prince song. Elsewhere in the same conversation, he compared Taylor Swift’s worldwide fame to the Beatles’ own level of global attention, but added that he did not think she needed any advice from him.
For now, the idea remains just that: an idea. But if the Prince estate agrees and the release happens, it would connect two of pop music’s biggest names in a way that feels both unexpected and completely fitting. A Beatles classic, a Prince interpretation, and McCartney’s touch on top of it could become one of the most intriguing posthumous releases in years.
