Be Anything But Be Mine (song)

"Be Anything (but Be Mine)" is a popular song composed by Irving Gordon and was published in 1952.

The song marked the debut release of Peggy Lee on Decca Records being recorded April 3 1952 and issued as Decca (catalog number) #8142: however the most successful version of the song was that by Eddy Howard was released as Mercury #5815) which reached #13 in the spring of 1952 besting the #21 chart peak of Lee's version, and also the #26 and #30 peaks of rival versions by Champ Butler (Columbia 39690) and Helen O'Connell (Capitol 2011) (#30).

Also Mercury Records cut a version for the R&B market with Wini Brown & her Boyfriends; released as Mercury 8270 the track reportedly featured the Ravens as the male chorale. Ruth Brown also recorded "Be Anything (but be Mine)" as Atlantic #2015 but her version was relegated to the B-side of the track "5-10-15 Hours".

Gloria Lynne recorded "Be Anything (but Be Mine)" early in 1964 as her debut release on Mercury Records' Fontana label as Fontana #1890. The track entered the Hot 100 in April 1964 but rose no higher than #88, its hit potential stymied by a lawsuit which barred the sales of any Fontana releases by Lynne, the singer's prior label Everest Records contending to still have Lynne contractually obligated. Fontana was prevented from releasing product by Lynne until February 1965, when her version of "Be Anything (but Be Mine)" made its album debut on her album Intimate Moments.

"Be Anything (but Be Mine)" did again become a major hit in 1964 via a remake by Connie Francis reocrded in an April 8 1964 session in New York City produced by Danny Davis with Alan Lorber as arranger/conductor. With "Be Anything (but Be Mine)", Francis returned to the mode of remaking traditional pop songs which had provided her with most of her early Top Ten hits although in the 1960s she'd abandoned that formula except for "Together" a #8 hit in 1961. "Be Anything (but Be Mine)" did not return Francis to the Top Ten rather maintaining her recent profile as a moderate chart presence with a #25 peak on Billboard Hot 100, where it would mark Francis' final appearance in the Top 40.1

The song has also been recorded by Vera Lynn, Queen Latifah, Lou Rawls, Eva Svobodová (cs) (as "Buď Můj), Jerry Vale, and Sarah Vaughan.


 * 1"Be Anything (but Be Mine)" peaked at #24 on the Cash Box Pop 100 where Francis would subsequently reach the Top 40 with "Looking For Love" (#34), "Don't Ever Leave Me" (#37), "For Mamma (La Mamma)" (#35) and "Jealous Heart" (#29).