Could've Been (Tiffany song)


"Could've Been" is the third single released from Tiffany, the debut album of American teen-pop singer Tiffany. Commercially, the song proved to be a successful follow-up to her debut single "I Think We're Alone Now", peaking atop the US Billboard Hot 100, the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart, and the Irish Singles Chart in early 1988. It also reached number four on the UK Singles Chart and number five in New Zealand.

Song information

Music industry insider Don McGovern first heard the song when he walked into a Hungry Tiger Restaurant in Thousand Oaks, California and heard a local performer, Lois Blaisch, singing the song. McGovern introduced it to producer George Tobin
The song is a slow ballad about love that could have been better. Both Tiffany's label, MCA Records, and her manager, George Tobin, were concerned that she was not old or mature enough to handle a song with such emotional depth. However, Tiffany convinced them that she could, and the song was recorded and included on her self-titled debut album, becoming its third single.

Chart performance

After debuting at number 86 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in November 1987, "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". The song was also a number-one hit on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, as well as in Ireland and Canada. The song reached the top 10 in Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United Kingdom and also charted well in Belgium, the Netherlands, and South Africa.

Music video

For the music video, music video stations played a live version of "Could've Been" where fans sang along to Tiffany's performance.

Track listings and formats

7" Single and cassette single
  1. Could've Been – 4:00
  2. The Heart of Love – 3:57

    Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

All-time charts

Sales and certifications

Cover versions

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