Can I Be Him

* Album
* Acoustic
* Remix

## Single by James Arthur

"**Can I Be Him**" is a song by James Arthur, released on 15 April 2017 as the third single and fourth track from his second studio album, *Back from the Edge* (2016). He performed it on *Good Morning America* on August 3, 2017.

## Background

Arthur shared in a YouTube video, "It was just a song that came to me, I already had the bulk of the song before I went into the session; the melody was already in my head, the guitar chords were already there, I just needed some help structuring the song and making it something that people could get on board with. It needed structure, I just had the melody and the concept was being someone that someone could believe in really."

He told *Atwood Magazine*, "Writing a traditional love song for a girl wasn’t really at the top of my agenda. That song came about so randomly; I think I was kind of into this girl, and she was singing this song… I knew I wasn’t ready to receive love or be in a relationship, but I thought, "Can I Be Him?" Could I be that person? Unrequited love was more interesting to me than natural love, at that point. Could I be that person, I was questioning it myself, insecure."

## Credits and personnel

### Song

* Alex Beitzke, Bradley Spence – mixing engineer
* James Arthur – vocals, writer
* Jonny Solway, Mattia Sartori, Rick Parkhouse, Tom Upex – engineer
* Negin Djafari – writer
* Red Triangle (Rick Parkhouse and George Tizzard) – writer, producer
* Robin Schmidt – masterer

### Video

* Felix Urbauer – director
* Nikolas Hannack – producer

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Verse 1]

You walked into the room

And now my heart's been stolen

You took me back in time to when I was unbroken

Now you're all I want

And I knew it from the very first moment

'Cause a light came on when I heard that song

And I want you to sing it again

[Chorus]

I swear that every word you sing

You wrote them for me

Like it was a private show

But I know you never saw me

When the lights come on and I'm on my own

Will you be there to sing it again?

Could I be the one you talk about in all your stories?

Can I be him?

[Verse 2]

I heard there was someone but I know he don't deserve you

If you were mine I'd never let anyone hurt you

I wanna dry those tears, kiss those lips

It's all that I've been thinking about

'Cause a light came on when I heard that song

And I want you to sing it again

[Chorus]

I swear that every word you sing

You wrote them for me

Like it was a private show

But I know you never saw me

When the lights come on and I'm on my own

Will you be there to sing it again?

Could I be the one you talk about in all your stories?

[Bridge]

Can I be the one?

Can I be the one?

Can I be the one?

Oh, can I, can I be him?

[Refrain]

Won't you sing it again

Oh, when you sing it again

Can I be him

Won't you sing it again

Oh, when you sing it again

Can I be him?

[Chorus]

I swear that every word you sang

You wrote them for me

Like it was a private show

But I know you never saw me

When the lights come on and I'm on my own

Will you be there, will you be there

Can I be the one you talk about in all your stories

Can I be him

Can I be him

Can I be him

Can I be him

## Media

James Arthur - Can I Be Him (Lyric Video)James Arthur - Can I Be Him (KiddNation)James Arthur - Can I Be Him (Capital's Summertime Ball 2017)James Arthur - Can I Be Him (Capital Live Session)James Arthur - Can I Be Him (Steve TV Show)
## References

1. ↑ Cantor, Brian (July 28, 2017). "James Arthur Scheduled To Perform On August 3 “Good Morning America”". *headlineplanet*.
2. ↑ Mosk, Mitch (May 8, 2017). "Recovery, Redemption, and Finding Purpose: A Conversation with James Arthur". *Atwood Magazine*.