Could've Been (Tiffany song)

Lois Blaisch said in an interview with Songfacts that the inspiration for the song came from her oral surgeon ex-boyfriend. She described her ex-boyfriend as someone who led her with lies and that she fell in love with the idea of him, not actually him.^[4]

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]

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]

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.^[4] However, a live music video was sent to networks which featured fans singing along to Tiffany's performance.

• 7-inch single and cassette single

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

• List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1988
• List of Billboard number-one Adult Contemporary singles of 1988
• List of RPM Top Singles number-one singles of 1988
• List of Irish Singles Chart number-one singles of 1988