Could've Been (Tiffany song)

{{Infobox song

| name = Could've Been

| cover = Tiffany-Couldve-Been-18785.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Tiffany

| B-side = The Heart of Love

| released = November 20, 1987{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1980s/1987/RR-1987-11-20.pdf|title=Now, her second single: "Could've Been"|magazine=Radio & Records|page=26|date=November 20, 1987}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Pop{{cite web|first= Tom |last= Breihan |title= The Number Ones: Tiffany's "Could've Been|website= Stereogum |date= April 14, 2021|url= https://www.stereogum.com/2143830/the-number-ones-tiffanys-couldve-been/columns/the-number-ones/|quote= 'Could've Been' isn't an especially great pop song, either...|access-date= November 10, 2023}}

| length = {{Duration|m=3|s=32}}

| label = MCA Records

| writer = Lois Blaisch

| producer = George Tobin

| prev_title = I Think We're Alone Now

| prev_year = 1987

| next_title = I Saw Him Standing There

| next_year = 1988

| misc = {{External music video|1={{YouTube|sDZzlmGkb18|"Could've Been"}} }}

}}

{{Music ratings

| title = Professional ratings

| subtitle =

| rev1 = Number One

| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}

}}

"Could've Been" is a song by American teen-pop artist Tiffany, released as the third single from her debut album, Tiffany (1987). The track was written by Lois Blaisch and produced by George Tobin. It was released first to North America on November 20, 1987.

Background

Lois Blaisch said in an interview with Songfacts that the inspiration for the song came from her oral surgeon ex-boyfriend. She describes her oral surgeon ex-boyfriend as someone that led her with lies and that she fell in love with ideas of him, not actually him.{{Cite web |last=Wiser |first=Carl |date=December 12, 2016 |title=Lois Blaisch ("Could've Been") : Songwriter Interviews |url=https://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/lois-blaisch-couldve-been |access-date=October 23, 2024 |website=Songfacts}}

Chart performance

After debuting at number 86 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on November 28, 1987,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1987-11-28|title=The Hot 100 The week of November 28, 1987|magazine=Billboard|date=November 28, 1987|access-date=November 16, 2018}} "Could've Been" quickly rose up the chart and spent two weeks at number one in February, becoming Tiffany's second consecutive number-one hit following "I Think We're Alone Now". She became the first female artist in the rock era to have their first two singles top the chart and the first female teen singer since Brenda Lee to achieve the feat.{{Cite news |last=Grein |first=Paul |date=February 6, 1988 |title=Tiffany Gets Off To An Auspicious Start: 'Could've Been' Is Her Second No. 1 |work=Billboard |page=6 |volume=100 |issue=6 |issn=0006-2510}} It was also the third number one single in 15 months following Boston's "Amanda" and Michael Jackson and Siedah Garrett's "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" to not have a video to be promoted alongside it. She also became the first artist since 1985 to hold the top spot of the US and UK charts simultaneously with different songs; "Could've Been" was number one in the United States while "I Think We're Alone Now" was number one in the United Kingdom.{{Cite news |last=Grein |first=Paul |date=February 13, 1988 |title='Phantom' Reappears On Album Chart; Eurythmics, Foreigner Fight Fast Fades |work=Billboard |page=6 |volume=100 |issue=7 |issn=0006-2510}}

Critical reception

John Aizlewood from Number One declared the song as "mighty", noting how "she croons and how she moves the emotions like a large cheque."{{cite magazine|first=John|last=Aizlewood|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/57779449@N02/50236262276/in/album-72157715521570932/|title=Singles|magazine=Number One|date=March 12, 1988|page=44|access-date=March 12, 2023}}

Music video

Technically, "Could've Been" never had an official music video as network executives felt like the lyrics would not sound believable coming from a then 14 year old Tiffany. However, a live music video was sent to networks which featured fans singing along to Tiffany's performance.

Track listing

7-inch single and cassette single

Could've Been – 4:00
The Heart of Love – 3:57

Charts

=Weekly charts=

scope="row"\|Australia (Australian Music Report){{cite book\|last=Kent\|first=David\|author-link=David Kent (historian)\|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992\|edition=illustrated\|publisher=Australian Chart Book\|location=St Ives, N.S.W.\|year=1993\|isbn=0-646-11917-6\|page=310}} N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid-1983 and June 19, 1988. \|8
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !scope="col"\|Chart (1987–1988) !scope="col"\|Peak position
{{single chart\|Flanders\|17\|artist=Tiffany\|song=Could've Been\|rowheader=true\|access-date=October 26, 2013\|refname=}}
{{single chart\|Canadatopsingles\|1\|chartid=0932\|rowheader=true\|access-date=March 17, 2018\|artist=\|song=\|refname=}}
{{single chart\|Canadaadultcontemporary\|1\|chartid=8772\|rowheader=true\|access-date=March 17, 2018\|artist=\|song=\|refname=}}
scope="row"\|Denmark (Hitlisten)Danish Charts Archive. May 1988. \|4
scope="row"\|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine\|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/80s/1988/M&M-1988-04-09.pdf\|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles\|magazine=Music & Media\|volume=5\|issue=15\|page=26\|date=April 9, 1988\|access-date=August 9, 2020}} \|11
scope="row"\|Finland (Suomen virallinen lista){{cite book\|first=Jake\|last=Nyman\|year=2005\|title=Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja\|edition=1st\|publisher=Tammi\|location=Helsinki\|isbn=951-31-2503-3\|language=fi}} \|12
{{single chart\|Ireland2\|1\|song=Could've Been\|rowheader=true\|access-date=March 17, 2018\|artist=\|refname=}}
{{single chart\|Dutch40\|25\|year=1988\|week=21\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 9, 2018\|artist=\|song=\|refname=}}
{{single chart\|Dutch100\|21\|artist=Tiffany\|song=Could've Been\|rowheader=true\|access-date=October 26, 2013\|refname=}}
{{single chart\|New Zealand\|5\|artist=Tiffany\|song=Could've Been\|rowheader=true\|access-date=March 17, 2018\|refname=}}
scope="row"\|Panama (UPI){{cite news\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EQdDAAAAIBAJ&dq=canciones+y+retratos&pg=PA11&article_id=1135,5283416\|title=Las canciones más populares en Latinoamérica\|newspaper=La Opinión (Los Angeles)\|language=es\|access-date=October 26, 2023\|date=March 25, 1988\|page=11}} \| 3
scope="row"\|Paraguay (UPI){{cite magazine\|title=Las canciones más populares en Latinoamérica\|magazine=La Opinión (Los Angeles)\|date=March 14, 1988\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BgdDAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA7&dq=Las+canciones+m%C3%A1s+populares+en+Latinoam%C3%A9rica&article_id=5895,2968091&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjc68ro85eLAxULLkQIHbkkE1s4HhDoAXoECAwQAw#v=onepage&q=Las%20canciones%20m%C3%A1s%20populares%20en%20Latinoam%C3%A9rica&f=false\|access-date=January 28, 2025\|via=Google Books}} \|8
scope="row"\|South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web\|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(T).html\|title=SA Charts 1965 – March 1989\|website=South African Rock Lists\|access-date=September 11, 2018}} \|12
{{single chart\|Sweden\|7\|artist=Tiffany\|song=Could've Been\|rowheader=true\|access-date=March 17, 2018\|refname=}}
{{single chart\|UK\|4\|date=19880402\|artist=Tiffany\|song=Could've Been\|rowheader=true\|access-date=March 17, 2018\|refname=}}
{{single chart\|Billboardhot100\|1\|artist=Tiffany\|rowheader=true\|access-date=March 17, 2018\|song=\|refname=}}
{{single chart\|Billboardadultcontemporary\|1\|artist=Tiffany\|rowheader=true\|access-date=March 17, 2018\|song=\|refname=}}
scope="row\|US Contemporary Hit Radio (Radio & Records){{cite magazine\|title=The Back Page: Contemporary Hit Radio\|magazine=Radio & Records\|page=96\|date=January 29, 1988\|issue=722}} \|1
scope="row"\|US Adult Contemporary (Radio & Records){{cite magazine\|title=The Back Page: Adult Contemporary\|magazine=Radio & Records\|page=106\|date=January 22, 1988\|issue=721}} \|1

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !scope="col"\|Chart (1988) !scope="col"\|Position
scope="row"\|Australia (ARIA){{cite web\|url=https://www.ariacharts.com.au/annual-charts/1988/singles-chart\|title=1988 ARIA Singles Chart\|publisher=ARIA\|access-date=August 9, 2020}} \|38
scope="row"\|Canada Top Singles (RPM){{cite magazine\|url=http://rpmimages.3345.ca/pdfs/Volume%2049-No.%2010-December%2024,%201988.pdf\|title=Top 100 Singles of '88\|magazine=RPM\|volume=49\|issue=10\|page=9\|date=December 24, 1988\|access-date=March 24, 2019}} \|4
scope="row"\|New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ){{cite web\|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-singles/1988-12-31\|title=End of Year Charts 1988\|publisher=Recorded Music NZ\|access-date=February 28, 2020}} \|28
scope="row"\|UK Singles (OCC){{cite magazine\|title=Top 100 Singles: Year-End Chart 1988\|magazine=Music Week\|page=12\|date=March 4, 1989}} \|56
scope="row"\|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web\|url=http://billboardtop100of.com/1988-2/\|title=Billboard Top 100 – 1988\|website=Billboardtop100of.com\|access-date=August 9, 2020}} \|8
scope="row"\|US Adult Contemporary (Billboard){{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1988/adult-contemporary-songs\|title=Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 1988\|magazine=Billboard\|access-date=March 13, 2021}} \|34
scope="row"\|US Contemporary Hit Radio (Radio & Records){{cite magazine\|title=The Top 88 of Eighty-Eight: CHR\|magazine=Radio & Records\|page=62\|date=December 16, 1988\|issue=768}} \|7
scope="row"\|US Adult Contemporary (Radio & Records){{cite magazine\|title=The Top 88 of Eighty-Eight: Adult Contemporary\|magazine=Radio & Records\|page=92\|date=December 16, 1988\|issue=768}} \|37

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!scope="col"|Chart (1988)

!scope="col"|Position

scope="row"|Australia (ARIA){{cite web|url=https://www.ariacharts.com.au/annual-charts/1988/singles-chart|title=1988 ARIA Singles Chart|publisher=ARIA|access-date=August 9, 2020}}

|38

scope="row"|Canada Top Singles (RPM){{cite magazine|url=http://rpmimages.3345.ca/pdfs/Volume%2049-No.%2010-December%2024,%201988.pdf|title=Top 100 Singles of '88|magazine=RPM|volume=49|issue=10|page=9|date=December 24, 1988|access-date=March 24, 2019}}

scope="row"|New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-singles/1988-12-31|title=End of Year Charts 1988|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|access-date=February 28, 2020}}

|28

scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC){{cite magazine|title=Top 100 Singles: Year-End Chart 1988|magazine=Music Week|page=12|date=March 4, 1989}}

|56

scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|url=http://billboardtop100of.com/1988-2/|title=Billboard Top 100 – 1988|website=Billboardtop100of.com|access-date=August 9, 2020}}

scope="row"|US Adult Contemporary (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1988/adult-contemporary-songs|title=Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 1988|magazine=Billboard|access-date=March 13, 2021}}

|34

scope="row"|US Contemporary Hit Radio (Radio & Records){{cite magazine|title=The Top 88 of Eighty-Eight: CHR|magazine=Radio & Records|page=62|date=December 16, 1988|issue=768}}

scope="row"|US Adult Contemporary (Radio & Records){{cite magazine|title=The Top 88 of Eighty-Eight: Adult Contemporary|magazine=Radio & Records|page=92|date=December 16, 1988|issue=768}}

|37