"You Could Be Mine" is a song by American rock band Guns N' Roses, featured on their 1991 fourth studio album Use Your Illusion II. It was released as the band's seventh single, and the first from the Use Your Illusion albums, in June 1991. 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 ten additional countries.
The song was originally released as the theme song for director James Cameron's 1991 film, Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
"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 W. 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.
Lyrics
I'm a cold heart-breaker
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
'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 bet you could be mine
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
'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 bet you could be mine
You've gone sketchin' too many times
Why don't you give it a rest
Why
Must you find
Another reason to cry
While you're breakin' down my back and I 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 wearin' thin
And I could sleep on it 'til mornin'
But this nightmare never ends
Don't forget to call my lawyers
With ridiculous demands
And 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 5 years is forever
And you haven't grown up yet
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
Yeah!
