You Could Have Been with Me (song)

"You Could Have Been with Me" is a 1981 single by Sheena Easton from her album of the same name. The single reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, while its Adult Contemporary peak was number 6.

The song was composed by Lea Maalfrid who had considerable success in her native land New Zealand as frontwoman for the mid-70s acid glam rock band Ragnarok. Maalfrid came to London at the behest of Elton John with whom she'd toured Australia. After plans for Maalfrid to record for John's Rocket Records fell through she shopped her demos - including that for "You Could Have Been with Me" - & caught the interest of producer Christopher Neil although his involvement with Easton meant postponing his recording of Maalfrid. Eventually Neil had Easton cut two of Maalfrid's songs: "You Could Have Been With Me" & "Trouble in the Shadows". Maalfrid had little awareness of Easton & "wasn't too bothered [ie. interested]" re Easton's cutting her songs as she confided to a record company receptionist who responded: "You will be when you get the money." Soon afterwards Maalfrid abandoned her own singing career in favor of songwriting. [1]

"You Could Have Been With Me" peaked at #15 - #12 in Cash Box [2] - the week of the 1982 Grammy Broadcast (February 25) on which Easton received the Best New Artist Award [3], the single's moderate peak indicating that in fact Easton's prospects as a strong chart presence were uncertain. After the follow-up "When He Shines" peaked at #30 Easton would be absent from the Top 40 until the end of January 1983 when both she and Kenny Rogers would consolidate their faded popularity via their duet of "We've Got Tonight" which would reach #6.

"You Could Have Been With Me" had little chart impact in the UK (#54), evincing that Easton's career prospects were stronger in the U.S. than in her native land. "You Could Have Been With Me" also charted in the Netherlands (#17), in Belgium (#23 on the Dutch charts) and in Japan (#46 with sales of 48,000).