Most of us tend to think of singer-songwriters as self-contained individuals. We imagine them toiling away to write songs that they then record for public consumption. But many of them branch out and write for other artists. A few also make a habit of interpreting the songs of others.
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In the case of Stephen Bishop, he’s done a little bit of everything. On the 1983 hit single “It Might Be You”, he showed off his ability to get to the heart of another songwriter’s work.
The Bish
Stephen Bishop emerged in the mid-70s as a singer-songwriter with an inventive musical sense and a lyrical outlook utilizing self-deprecating humor to mask the heartache in the narratives. After earning some renown writing some songs for Art Garfunkel, he struck out on his own with the 1976 album Careless.
Bishop enjoyed a Top 10 hit from that album with the soulfully sad “On And On”. He managed to make a dent in the pop culture world in other ways. For example, he appeared in the 1978 classic comedy film Animal House, playing a folk musician whose guitar is bludgeoned by John Belushi’s character.
In 1982, Bishop was contacted by the producers of the film Tootsie to perform a song for the film. Only he wouldn’t have to write that track. It turned out that task was in the hands of two of the greatest movie-song writers of all time.
“Might” Makes Right
The songwriting couple Alan and Marilyn Bergman had proven time and again that they could deliver songs that both touched on the themes of major motion pictures while also staying relevant to those who’d never seen the film. Among their lyrical accomplishments tied to movies and television: “The Windmills Of Your Mind”, “The Way We Were”, and “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers”.
Tootsie stood out at the time for the cross-dressing plot and its wisecracking humor. But the Bergmans managed to uncover something bittersweet about the movie in their lyrics to “It Might Be You”. They focused on Dustin Hoffman’s character’s attempts to change his life and his outlook, which leave him vulnerable to heartbreak.
Dave Grusin handled the music to the track, knocking out a melody that captured those emotions as well. As for Bishop, he delivered a vocal performance of sweet longing. “It Might Be You” earned an Oscar nomination, hit No. 25 on the pop charts, and still stands as one of the most affecting film ballads of the era.
Behind the Lyrics of “It Might Be You”
“It Might Be You” finds the narrator deeply missing all the things that he’s never had. Lost in his thoughts, he muses on passing trains and swooping seabirds as time hurtles by. Loneliness drives these thoughts. “Wishing there would be,” Bishops sings hopefully. “Someone waiting home for me.”
Later, he admits to fixating on other couples while wondering if he might miss his chance. “If I found the place,” he says. “Would I recognize the place?” The feelings he’s desperate to reveal overwhelm him. “I’ve been saving love songs and lullabies,” he explains. “And there’s so much more/No one’s ever heard before.”
A few years after “It Might Be You”, the shoe was on the other foot for Bishop when it came to movie songs. “Separate Lives”, a song that he wrote, was included in the 1985 film White Nights and taken to the top of the pop charts by Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin.
Photo by NBC/NBCU Photo Bank
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