Could've Been (Tiffany song)

"Could've Been"
Single by Tiffany
from the album Tiffany
B-side"The Heart of Love"
ReleasedNovember 20, 1987[1]
GenrePop[2]
Length3:32
LabelMCA Records
Songwriter(s)Lois Blaisch
Producer(s)George Tobin
Tiffany singles chronology
"I Think We're Alone Now"
(1987) 		"Could've Been"
(1987) 		"I Saw Him Standing There"
(1988)
Music video
"Could've Been" on YouTube
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Number One[3]

"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.[4]

Chart performance

After debuting at number 86 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on November 28, 1987,[5] "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.[6] 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.[6] 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.[7]

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."[3]

Music video

Technically, "Could've Been" never have an official music video as network executives felt like the lyrics would not sound believable coming from a then 14 year old Tiffany.[4] 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
  1. Could've Been – 4:00
  2. The Heart of Love – 3:57

Charts

Sales and certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[35] Gold 50,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

The song was heard in the television series Growing Pains, on the episode "Nasty Habits".

See also

References

  1. ^ "Now, her second single: "Could've Been"" (PDF). Radio & Records. November 20, 1987. p. 26.
  2. ^ Breihan, Tom (April 14, 2021). "The Number Ones: Tiffany's "Could've Been". Stereogum. Retrieved November 10, 2023. 'Could've Been' isn't an especially great pop song, either...
  3. ^ a b Aizlewood, John (March 12, 1988). "Singles". Number One. p. 44. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Wiser, Carl (December 12, 2016). "Lois Blaisch ("Could've Been") : Songwriter Interviews". Songfacts. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  5. ^ "The Hot 100 The week of November 28, 1987". Billboard. November 28, 1987. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  6. ^ a b Grein, Paul (February 6, 1988). "Tiffany Gets Off To An Auspicious Start: 'Could've Been' Is Her Second No. 1". Billboard. Vol. 100, no. 6. p. 6. ISSN 0006-2510.
  7. ^ Grein, Paul (February 13, 1988). "'Phantom' Reappears On Album Chart; Eurythmics, Foreigner Fight Fast Fades". Billboard. Vol. 100, no. 7. p. 6. ISSN 0006-2510.
  8. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 310. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid-1983 and June 19, 1988.
  9. ^ "Tiffany – Could've Been" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
  10. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0932." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  11. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 8772." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  12. ^ Danish Charts Archive. May 1988.
  13. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 5, no. 15. April 9, 1988. p. 26. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  14. ^ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  15. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Could've Been". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  16. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 21, 1988" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
  17. ^ "Tiffany – Could've Been" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
  18. ^ "Tiffany – Could've Been". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  19. ^ "Las canciones más populares en Latinoamérica". La Opinión (Los Angeles) (in Spanish). March 25, 1988. p. 11. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  20. ^ "SA Charts 1965 – March 1989". South African Rock Lists. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  21. ^ "Tiffany – Could've Been". Singles Top 100. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  22. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  23. ^ "Tiffany Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  24. ^ "Tiffany Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  25. ^ "The Back Page: Contemporary Hit Radio". Radio & Records. No. 722. January 29, 1988. p. 96.
  26. ^ "The Back Page: Adult Contemporary". Radio & Records. No. 721. January 22, 1988. p. 106.
  27. ^ "1988 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  28. ^ "Top 100 Singles of '88" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 49, no. 10. December 24, 1988. p. 9. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
  29. ^ "End of Year Charts 1988". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  30. ^ "Top 100 Singles: Year-End Chart 1988". Music Week. March 4, 1989. p. 12.
  31. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1988". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  32. ^ "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 1988". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  33. ^ "The Top 88 of Eighty-Eight: CHR". Radio & Records. No. 768. December 16, 1988. p. 62.
  34. ^ "The Top 88 of Eighty-Eight: Adult Contemporary". Radio & Records. No. 768. December 16, 1988. p. 92.
  35. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Tiffany – Could've Been". Music Canada.