It Should Have Been Me
Recording Artist: Carly Simon
Writers: Jim Vallance
Bryan Adams
Date Written: April 1985
Albums: Comin' Around Again (Arista Records, March 30, 1987)
Audio:
 

Carly Simon: vocals
Keith Scott: guitar
Dave Pickell: keyboards
Dave Taylor: bass
Mickey Curry: drums
Jimmy Maelan: percussion
Marc LaFrance: backing vocals
 
Produced by Bryan Adams
Cover Versions:
Also recorded by Neil Diamond
Comments:
Carly Simon >
Bryan Adams and I wrote "It Should Have Been Me" at the request of fellow-Canadian David Foster. Foster was producing Spanish crooner Julio Iglesias at the time and needed songs for the album. As it turns out, Julio didn't like our song, so it remained "on the shelf" for another year or two until Foster recorded it with Neil Diamond.

A year after the Neil Diamond recording Bryan Adams produced a second version of the song with singer Carly Simon, at the request of Arista Records president Clive Davis.

While I prefer Carly's recording over Neil's, in my opinion Bryan's vocal on our basement demo remains the definitive version of the song.

Apparently the Carly Simon session was not without it's problems. Carly later reported in the press that Bryan was difficult to work with, and that he'd had her in tears on several occasions. Bryan vehemently denies the charge.
Lyrics: I think of you now and then
Cuz I remember when
Love was new and you were mine, my love

So why should we pretend
We were lovers - now we're friends
I don't want to say goodbye to you again, my love

It should have been me that's lovin' you
Instead of someone else
I needed you but how was I to know

It should have been me that's holding you
Through all the lonely nights
I knew that I should never let you go
My love

What we once had is gone
No tears, no right, no wrong
It could never be the same again, my love

The more we see the less we know
Now you believe our love will grow
I don't want to say goodbye to you again, my love

It should have been me that's lovin' you
Instead of someone else
I needed you but how was I to know

It should have been me that's holding you
Through all the lonely nights
I knew that I should never let you go, my love

My love, how would I survive
With another broken heart
On my own again
When I need a friend
To help me find a place to start