Prince’s ‘Stone’ Emerges From the Vault Ahead of Career-Spanning Compilation

Prince’s “Stone,” recorded in 1995 but never officially released, will finally surface this August on the compilation Timeless. The track came from the same period as The Gold Experience, though it was written by Sandra St. Victor, Tom Hammer, and Jules Van Even, not Prince himself. It still carries the rhythmic spring of his mid ’90s work, a heavy beat and buoyant bass line pushing a lyric that turns a cold heart into a stone metaphor.

The Prince Estate plans to release Timeless on August 28, available on streaming platforms, CD, and vinyl. The 10-song set pulls one track from each decade of Prince’s career, starting with the 1977 home recording “I Am You” and ending with a live version of “How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore?” taped in 2016. The full tracklist includes “Tick Tick Bang” (1981), “Heaven” (1985), “I Wonder” (1989), and others, mapping a broad creative arc.

Earlier this year, the estate released “With This Tear” from the same compilation, marking the 10th anniversary of Prince’s death. That song, recorded in November 1991, was written and played entirely by Prince. Celine Dion later recorded it, and a snippet appeared on Carmen Electra’s self-titled album. “Stone” shows him interpreting material from outside his own pen, but with the same assurance that defined his most prolific years.

The compilation is being previewed this week during the annual Prince Celebration in Minneapolis.