Could've been a politician
Tell people what to do
With intellectual vision
Hell, I could lie to you
Could've been the inspiration
For a love song or a prayer
Maybe start a new religion
Would anybody really care

Could've been, should've been
Could've been me somehow
Could've been, should've been
Could've been me

Well I'm not gonna get caught sittin' about
Waitin' for the world to go 'round
It's gonna be me, gonna be me
Not should've, it's gonna be me
Somehow, yeah yeah, somehow, yeah yeah

Could've been on television
Just one more talking head
Sell you an apparition
Buy this, and you'll wind up dead
If there's a God above
I shouldn't be so bad
It's open to interpretation
The best time that we never had

Could've been, should've been
Could've been me somehow
Could've been, should've been
Could've been me

Well I'm not gonna get caught sittin' about
Waitin' for the world to go 'round
It' gonna be me, gonna be me
Not should've, it's gonna be me
Somehow

You beat yourself up over the thing you say
And someone else is losing their life today
Before you walk away
Start givin it up, livin' it up, 'til you drop, you gotta
Diddle it up, diddle it up, up 'til you - hey - hey

It's gonna be me, gonna be me
I'll promise it's gonna be me
Somehow

Could've been, should've been
Could've been me somehow
Could've been, should've been
Could've been me

Well I'm not gonna get caught sittin' about
Waitin' for the world to go 'round
It's gonna be me, gonna be me
This time it's gonna be me
Somehow, someway, somehow
Somehow, someway

It's gonna be me, gonna be me
Not should've, it's gonna be me
Somehow, someway, somehow
[fading]

The flowers you gave me
are just about to die
when I think about
what could've been
makes me want to cry

The sweet words you whispered
didn't mean a thing
I guess our song is over
as we begin to sing

Chorus:
Could've been so beautiful
could've been so right
could've been my lover
every day of my life
could've been so beautiful
could've been so right
I'll never hold what could've been
on a cold and lonely night

The memories of our lovin'
still linger in the air
like the faded scent of your roses
they stay with me everywhere

Everytime I get my hopes up
they always seem to fall
still what could've been is better than
what could never be at all at all

Chorus:
Could've been so beautiful
could've been so right
could've been my lover
every day of my life
could've been so beautiful
could've been so right
you can't hold what could've been
on a cold and lonely night

Could've been so beautiful
could've been so right

You can hold what could've been
on a cold and lonely night? night night

How can you hold what could've been
on a cold and lonely night

The flowers that you gave me
Are just about to die
When I think about what could've been
Makes me want to cry
The sweet words you whispered
Didn't mean a thing
I guess our song is over
As we begin to sing

Could've been so beautiful
Could've been so right
Could've been my lover
Everyday of my life
Could've been so beautiful
Could've been so right
I'll never know what could've been
On a cold and lonely night

The memories of our lovin'
Still linger in the air
Like the faded scent of your roses
Stay with me everywhere
Everytime I get my hopes up
They always seem to fall
Still what could've been
Is better than what could never be at all

Could've been so beautiful
Could've been so right
Could've been my lover
Everyday of my life
Could've been so beautiful
Could've been so right
You can't know what could've been
On a cold and lonely night

Could've been so beautiful
Could've been so right
You can't know what could've been
On a cold and lonely night
Ni-ooh-ight
Ni-ooh-ight
How can you know what could've been
On a cold and lonely night

Could've been a politician
Tell people what to do
With intellectual vision
Hell, I could lie to you
Could've been the inspiration
For a love song or a prayer
Maybe start a new religion
Would anybody really care

Could've been, should've been
Could've been me somehow
Could've been, should've been
Could've been me

Well I'm not gonna get caught sittin' about
Waitin' for the world to go 'round
It's gonna be me, gonna be me
Not should've, it's gonna be me
Somehow, yeah yeah, somehow, yeah yeah

Could've been on television
Just one more talking head
Sell you an apparition
Buy this, and you'll wind up dead
If there's a God above
I shouldn't be so bad
It's open to interpretation
The best time that we never had

Could've been, should've been
Could've been me somehow
Could've been, should've been
Could've been me

Well I'm not gonna get caught sittin' about
Waitin' for the world to go 'round
It' gonna be me, gonna be me
Not should've, it's gonna be me
Somehow

You beat yourself up over the thing you say
And someone else is losing their life today
Before you walk away
Start givin it up, livin' it up, 'til you drop, you gotta
Diddle it up, diddle it up, up 'til you - hey - hey

It's gonna be me, gonna be me
I'll promise it's gonna be me
Somehow

Could've been, should've been
Could've been me somehow
Could've been, should've been
Could've been me

Well I'm not gonna get caught sittin' about
Waitin' for the world to go 'round
It's gonna be me, gonna be me
This time it's gonna be me
Somehow, someway, somehow
Somehow, someway

It's gonna be me, gonna be me
Not should've, it's gonna be me
Somehow, someway, somehow
[fading]