‘You Could Be Mine’ is a song by American rock band Guns N' Roses from their fourth studio album, Use Your Illusion II. The song was released on June 21, 1991, as the first single from the Use Your Illusion albums. The song was originally released as a song in director James Cameron's 1991 film, Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Backed with ‘Civil War’ from Use Your Illusion II, the single reached number 29 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number three on the UK Singles Chart, and number one in Finland and Spain. It became a top-five hit in more than 10 additional countries.
Slash states that the song's writing began at the first preproduction session for Appetite for Destruction. ‘You Could Be Mine’ was selected to be included in the James Cameron film Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Arnold Schwarzenegger had the band members over for dinner at his own home to negotiate the deal.
The music video for the song was directed by Andy Morahan, Stan Winston and Jeffrey Abelson. A T-800 Terminator is assembled, given the appearance of Arnold Schwarzenegger, and dispatched to assassinate the band at one of their concerts. The video consists of clips from the movie, including its teaser trailer, intercut with footage of the band performing the song as the T-800 makes his way to the front of the crowd. After the song ends, he confronts the band as they leave the venue through a back door and analyzes each member individually; Izzy Stradlin is absent at this point, replaced by keyboardist Dizzy Reed. The T-800 scans Axl Rose last and concludes that killing the band would be a "Waste of Ammo". Lowering his shotgun, he gives Rose a brief smirk and walks away.
As the video features clips from the movie, it could not be put on the DVD Welcome to the Videos due to licensing issues. The video was also not included on any of the DVD releases of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, although it was included with a special double tape edition of the film, released on VHS in 1993. On October 6, 2022, a music video of ‘You Could Be Mine’, with only a mix of scenes from a concert in New York at the Ritz Theatre recorded on May 16, 1991, was released to promote the Use Your Illusion (Super Deluxe Edition) box set.
Label – Geffen, Uzi Suicide
Songwriters – Axl Rose, Izzy Stradlin
Producers – Mike Clink, Guns N' Roses
SONG LYRICS
[Instrumental Intro][Verse 1]
I'm a cold heartbreaker, fit to burn
And I'll rip your heart in two
And I'll leave you lyin' on the bed
I'll be out the door before you wake
It's nothin' new to you
'Cause I think we've seen that movie, too
[Chorus]
'Cause you could be mine
But you're way out of line
With your bitch slap rappin' and your cocaine tongue
You get nothin' done
I said, you could be mine, aw
[Verse 2]
Now, holidays come and then they go
It's nothin' new today
Collect another memory
When I come home, late at night
Don't ask me where I've been
Just count your stars, I'm home again
[Chorus]
'Cause you could be mine
But you're way out of line (Aw)
With your bitch slap rappin' and your cocaine tongue
You get nothin' done
I said, you could be mine
[Bridge]
You could be mine, you could be mine
You could be mine, you could be mine
You could be mine, mine, mine, mine
You've gone sketching too many times
Ooh, why don't you give it a rest?
Why must you find
Another reason to cry?
[Guitar Solo]
[Bridge]
Well, you're breakin' down my back and I've been rackin' out my brain
It don't matter how we make it, 'cause it always ends the same
You can push it for more mileage, but your flaps are wearing thin
And I could sleep on it 'til mornin', but this nightmare never ends
Don't forget to call my lawyers with ridiculous demands
An' you can take the pity so far, but it's more than I can stand
'Cause this couch-trip's gettin' older, tell me, how long has it been?
'Cause five years is forever, and you haven't grown up yet
[Chorus]
Oh, you could be mine
But you're way out of line
With your bitch slap rappin' and your cocaine tongue
You get nothin' done
I bet you could be, you should be
You could be mine
[Outro]
Oh, you could be mine (You could be mine)
You could be mine (You could be mine)
Aw, you could be mine (You could be mine)
You could be mine (You could be mine)
Aw, you could be mine (You could be mine)
Aw, you could be mine (You could be mine)
Aw, you could be mine (You could be mine)
You could be mine, yeah