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Don’t Play With Love is an unreleased song by Prince and his father John L. Nelson, recorded on 28 June 1985, most likely at the Washington Avenue Warehouse in Edina, Minnesota.
It is unknown if the recording session was intended to produce material for release, or simply a personal family time. The tape was reportedly found in a box labeled "Prince and Dad". Don’t Play With Love features John L. Nelson on piano and Prince singing falsetto over a drum loop.
In 2018, an album called Don’t Play With Love by The John L. Nelson Project was released posthumously by Sharon L. Nelson (one of John L. Nelson’s daughter and one of Prince’s half-siblings). This album contained seven John L. Nelson compositions, included one titled Don’t Play With Love, which were not recorded and/or released during Nelson’s lifetime. These tracks were entirely recorded with a new cast of musicians in 2018. Prince is not credited as an author on this song on the album. Don’t Play With Love is not considered as a released song as The John L. Nelson Project version lacks Prince’s input and/or may be an entirely different song with the same title.
The 1985 version of Don’t Play With Love was played for attendees at the posthumous 2023 Prince Celebration at Paisley Park Studios.
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