Mine Would Be You
"Mine Would Be You" is a song written by Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington, and Deric Ruttan[1] and recorded by American country music artist Blake Shelton. It was released in July 2013 as the third single from Shelton's 2013 album Based on a True Story….[2] The song reached number one the US Billboard Country Airplay chart.
"Mine Would Be You"
Content[edit]
"Mine Would Be You" is a mid-tempo ballad in which the male asks his lover about her thoughts, with the final verse revealing that she is actually departing him. The song is set in the key of C major with a vocal range from G3 to E5. The verses are in alternating measures of 3/4 and 4/4 time signatures.[3]
Critical reception[edit]
While reviewing Based on a True Story... for Taste of Country, Billy Dukes lauded "Mine Would Be You" as the album's "signature song."[6] He described the last verse as "absolutely devastating" and called the track "a potential Song of the Year nominee".[6] After the song was announced as a single, Dukes gave it five stars out of five, writing that "Shelton’s performance is as easy and satisfying as ‘Honey Bee,’ but during each chorus he opens up full-throttle to send a desperate message to the woman he’s longing for."[7] Joseph Hudak of Country Weekly gave the song an A and wrote that it displays "exactly what makes Blake one of country’s smoothest crooners."[8] Chuck Dauphin of Billboard called it "another strong romantic performance from Shelton",[9] and later writing for Roughstock, called it "the best song on the album."[10] In an otherwise negative review of Based on a True Story..., Sam Gazdziak of Country Universe singled out "Mine Would Be You" as one of the few songs from the album that he enjoyed, writing that on the song, Shelton "demonstrates that he is still an outstanding country singer when he wants to be."[11]
Shelton himself described "Mine Would Be You" as "one of the best songs" he ever recorded and said, "It's just one of those songs that somebody plays at the Bluebird and the room stops and everybody has chills."[12]
Commercial performance[edit]
"Mine Would Be You" debuted at number 37 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of April 13, 2013. It also appeared at number 42 on the Country Airplay chart for the week of August 3, 2013.[13] It also debuted at number 100 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week of August 17, 2013. For the week of November 4, 2013 it became Shelton's 10th consecutive number one hit on the Country Airplay chart,[14] tying Brad Paisley for the longest consecutive streak of chart-topping singles. As of January 2014, the songs has sold 823,000 copies in the United States.[15] It was certified Platinum by the RIAA for a million units in sales and streams.[16]
It also debuted at number 79 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart for the week of August 24, 2013.
Versions[edit]
After Shelton recorded "Mine Would Be You", one of the songwriters, Jessi Alexander, recorded a version of the song for the 2019 EP Songs & Symphony.[17]