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Bryan Adams: Cuts like a Knife

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s

Artist: Bryan Adams
Title: Cuts like a Knife
Released: 1983
Label: A&M Records
Time: 36:58
Producer(s): Bryan Adams, Bob Clearmountain
Appears with:
Category: Pop/Rock
Rating: *****..... (5/10)
Media type: CD
Purchase date:  2002.01.26
Price in €: 6,63
Web address: www.bryanadams.com

 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] The Only One (B.Adams/J.Vallance) - 3:14
[2] Take Me Back (B.Adams/J.Vallance) - 4:49
[3] This Time (B.Adams/J.Vallance) - 3:18
[4] Straight from the Heart (B.Adams/E.Kagna/J.Vallance) - 3:30
[5] Cuts Like a Knife (B.Adams/J.Vallance) - 5:16
[6] I'm Ready (B.Adams/J.Vallance) - 3:58
[7] What's It Gonna Be (B.Adams/J.Vallance) - 3:39
[8] Don't Leave Me Lonely (B.Adams/J.Vallance/E.Carr) - 5:09
[9] Let Him Know (B.Adams/J.Vallance) - 2:56
[10] The Best Was Yet to Come (B.Adams/J.Vallance) - 3:04

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


BRYAN ADAMS - Guitar, Piano, Electric Guitar, Vocals, Background Vocals

MICKEY CURRY - Drums
TOMMY MANDEL - Hammond B3 Organ, Synthesizer
KEITH SCOTT - Guitar, Electric Guitar, Vocals, Background Vocals
DAVE TAYLOR - Bass, Vocals, Background Vocals
JIM VALLANCE - Bass, Guitar, Percussion, Keyboards

ALFA ANDERSON - Background Vocals
M. SIMPSON - Background Vocals
L. FRENETTE - Background Vocals
K. DAVIES - Background Vocals
MARK DOYLE - Background Vocals
J. WESLEY - Background Vocals
LOU GRAMM - Background Vocals
KEITH SCOTT - Background Vocals
BOB CLEARMOUNTAIN - Background Vocals, Engineer, Mixing

BOB LUDWIG - Mastering
JEFFREY KENT - Art Direction
LYNN ROBB - Cover Design
MIKE FINK - Cover Design
JIM O'MARA - Photography
ROXY RIFKIN - Photography
BRUCE ALLEN - Management

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


1983 LP A&M 4919
1983 CS A&M 75021-3288-4
1983 CD A&M 75021-3288-2


After the indifference which met his first album, Bryan Adams reportedly considered naming this sophomore release "Bryan Adams Hasn't Heard of You Either," but thankfully, the soon-to-be mega-star settled for the less offensive Cuts Like a Knife instead. Side one (for those of you who still remember vinyl sides) of this album is simply perfect. "The Only One," "This Time," and the title track are mid-paced melodic rockers with drop-dead choruses and hooks; they set the mold for most of Adams' finest and biggest hits. Though it rocks a little harder, "Take me Back" is just as radio-friendly thanks to its use of female back-up singers, and the fantastic "Straight Through the Heart" is Adams' first of many great ballads. Side two opens with a few misfires, but recovers soon enough thanks to the gutsy guitar of "Don't Leave Me Lonely" and the rather saccharine (but still good) ballad "The Best Was Yet to Come." Adams would finally achieve chart-topping perfection on his next release Reckless, but Cuts Like a Knife comes pretty close.

Ed Rivadavia, All-Music Guide, © 1992 - 2001 AEC One Stop Group, Inc.



This Time by Bryan Adams/Jim Vallance
performed on Cuts Like a Knife

"This Time" was the last single to chart from Bryan Adams' Cuts Like a Knife album, reaching number 24 in October of 1983. It followed the success of "Straight From the Heart" and the title track, both Top 20 hits within the same year, but it also cemented his breakthrough as a solid rock performer who would go on to be even more prosperous in the coming years. Adams' first two albums, 1981's self-titled debut and 1982's You Want It, You Got It, received considerable airplay in Canada, but then he released Cuts Like a Knife a year later, sporting a grittier rock & roll edge and sharper, more astute songwriting while shedding his teenage image. "This Time" is carried by the same formula as "Cuts Like a Knife," only its tempo is a tad quicker, its sound is tighter, and the drumming is more pronounced with Mickey Curry replacing Jimmy Valance behind the kit. Much of "This Time"'s elements carried over into Adams' next album, the number one Reckless that gave him six Top 20 singles and his first number one hit with "Heaven" in April of 1985. While Reckless would prove to be Bryan Adams' greatest achievement, it was the rock & roll eagerness of songs like "This Time" that paved the way to his success.

Mike DeGagne, All-Music Guide, © 1992 - 2001 AEC One Stop Group, Inc.



With one eye on production values and the other on the bottom line, Bryan Adams has crafted a flashy third album that's more a carefully constructed shot at the big time than essential rock & roll. Impeccably produced by Adams and Bob Clearmountain, Cuts like a Knife offers ten songs on the subject of love. Rarely has the notion of being in that enchanted state, or being wracked by its debilitating uncertainties, seemed so pedestrian. For despite Adams' appealingly throaty voice, there's simply nothing happening underneath the good looks and the smooth moves. Guided by a market researcher's cognizance of the requisites for airplay, such songs as "I'm Ready" and "Take Me Back" lack any rough edges that might reveal a hint of personality.

The problem may be one of roots: time and again, Adams pays tribute to the influential arena acts of the past several years – e.g., Foreigner, Billy Squier–and little else. Refusing to look either forward or backward and drawing from limited sources, Cuts like a Knife simmers in its own sameness. Which doesn't mean that stardom isn't imminent for this golden boy; in fact, this record is bland precisely because it grooms Adams for mass-market acceptance so shamelessly. To top off the gambit, Bryan Adams' name is barely discernible in large, faintly printed letters on the cover–a subliminal command, I suppose, for us to suddenly go out and request his songs. No thank you.

ERROL SOMAY - Rollig Stones 395
© Copyright 2001 RollingStone.com



This is the record that REALLY defined Bryan Adams' music!

Bryan Adams definitely found his sound in this recording. He had experimented with some different styles on his first album, YOU WANT IT, YOU GOT IT, including New Wave (he doesn't even sound like himself on that album's "One Good Reason"). This album abandons all experimentation in favor of two predominant styles: hard rock and ballad. On CUTS LIKE A KNIFE, we do get more hard rock than anything else. I bought this on vinyl back in the summer of '83, and it has always been one of my favorite records from that period.

The first track, "The Only One," is sort of a hard-pop song that is fairly forgettable (put it to you this way, when was the last time you ever heard this song, much less played it on your own?). But then things get busy: we get the wonderful "Take Me Back" which has a bluesy-keyboard tune which is slightly reminiscient of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, with some soulful screaming on Bryan's behalf. "This Time" is a straightforward hard rock/pop song which easily made the Top 40 at the time (it even sounds like a single), but is nevertheless a catchy tune with enough heartfelt singing from Bryan to ensure it never reaches bubblegum status. "Straight From The Heart" is the first of two ballads on this record, and is very good. Interestingly enough, later that same year (1983), Bonnie Tyler did a version of that song on her explosive FASTER THAN THE SPEED OF NIGHT, and while I do like her slightly harder take on the song, I think that the Bryan Adams original is more memorable.

Of course, after this song we get the most memorable song on here, the wonderful title track which caused me to sing "na-NA-na-na-na-NA-na-NA" for the better part of that year! After "Cuts Like A Knife," you would expect the rest of the CD to pale by comparison, right? Wrong! The very next track is "I'm Ready" which is the greatest keyboard-hook-and-guitar-lick-laden hard rock track that Bon Jovi never recorded. Bryan Adams screams with authority "I'm ready!" and he sure sounds like he is ready...to rock us REAL good!

The next three songs "What's It Gonna Be," "Don't Leave Me Lonely," and "Let Him Know" are all good, but not very memorable. However, just as was the case on his debut album, this record ends with another very good piano-driven ballad. This one is called "The Best Was Yet to Come." It is a heartfelt, plaintive song dealing with the breakup of a relationship that the protagonist felt was strong and would have gotten even stronger, that is, until his girl broke up with him. Having experienced this same type of thing myself, and crying myself to tears listening to this song at the time, I must say that this song hit a particularly strong chord with me. Of course, it is because of this that I have not played the song since-- it's just too depressing for me now.

Overall, this is a great Bryan Adams CD that no one who likes him should ever be without! It's definitely one of his very best.

Robert J. Schneider from Tacoma, WA , May 5, 2001



Bryan Adams' first classic

Everything about this album grabs you from the word go - the production is aggressive, the playing is unbelievably tight, the mix is perfect and the songs, with a couple of exceptions, are first class. Even the weaker songs, such as "I'm ready" and "What's it gonna be?" are acceptable.

The highlights here are "The only one", "Take me back", the title track, "Don't leave me lonely" and the first of BA's famous ballads, "Straight from the heart". The closing "The best was yet to come" is also a fine ballad, if a little sugary, and you'll end up wishing the album was longer than the rather miserly 35+ minutes - mind you, that was pretty much standard in the early '80s.

Anyone who likes Bryan Adams should not miss this album.

James (james.stringer@cableinet.co.uk) from London, UK, 6 September, 2000
 

 L y r i c s

 THE ONLY ONE

Well I made up my mind
Not gonna let you get away
To think that I'm the lucky guy
I've almost got it made
Cause it's been so long
Since I've felt so strong
About anyone at all
I get so excited
I ain't gonna fight it
I think I might be fallin' in love

So come on - let's get it right
Cause you're the only one
So come on - we ain't got all night
Cause you're the only one

Last night
I thought you mighta stayed
If I'd a' had the guts
I woulda pushed my luck
But then you mighta turned away
How do I explain
I know it sounds insane
But then I've been though this before
In just a matter of time
You could change your mind
You could turn and walk right through that door

So come on - let's get it straight
Cause you're the only one
So come on - I just can't wait
Cause you're the only one


TAKE ME BACK

I shoulda seen it coming
I shoulda seen the signs
Didn't really think that she needs me
Must've bin blind

She didn't give me a warning
Said I shouldn't treat you wrong
But when I woke up this mornin'
She was gone gone gone

She said....
Take me back won't ya
Take me back won't ya
I'll change my ways
Take me back won't ya
Take me back won't ya
I'm not the same

She didn't tell me about it
Am I supposed to read your mind
You make me get up and shout it
It's a crime crime crime

I shoulda seen it coming
I shoulda seen the signs
Didn't really think that she needs me
Must've bin blind

She said....
Take me back won't ya
Take me back won't ya
I'll change my ways
Take me back won't ya
Take me back won't ya
I'm not the same

Won't ya take me back
Won't ya take me back


THIS TIME

I think about her all the time
She's my fantasy
An image burnin' in my mind
Callin' out to me

While my imagination's runnin' wild
Yeah - things are getting clearer

This time everything is all right
No way she's gonna get away
This time everything is easy
Any day - I'm gonna make her mine

I've thought of every word I'd say
Give or take a few
But she turns and slowly walks away
What do I have to do

Hey - turn up your radio
Oh - there's somethin' I want you to know

This time everything is all right
No way she's gonna get away
This time everything is easy
Any day - I'm gonna make her mine

Well it's hard to take cause she's miles away
And I've waited a long time
But the feelin's right and darlin' one of these nights
Yeah - I'm gonna let you know

This time everything is all right
No way she's gonna get away
This time everything is easy
Any day - I'm gonna make her mine


STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART

I could start dreamin' but it never ends
As long as you're gone we may as well pretend
I've been dreamin'
Straight from the heart

You say it's easy but who's to say
That we'd be able to keep it this way
But it's easier
Straight from the heart

Give it to me straight from the heart
Tell me we can make another start
You know I'll never go
As long as I know
It's coming straight from the heart

I'll see you on the street some other time
And all our words would just fall out of line
Cuz I'm dreamin' - straight from the heart

Give it to me straight from the heart
Tell me we can make another start
You know I'll never go
As long as I know
It's coming straight from the heart


CUTS LIKE A KNIFE

Drivin' home this evening
I coulda sworn we had it all worked out
You had this boy believin'
Way beyond the shadow of a doubt

The I heard it on the street
I heard you mighta found somebody new
Well who is he baby - who is he
And tell me what he means to you

I took it all for granted
But how was I to know
That you'd be letting go

Now it cuts like a knife
But it feels so right
It cuts like a knife
But it feels so right

There's times I've 'bin mistaken
There's tines I thought I'd 'bin misunderstood
So wait a minute darlin'
Can't you see we did the best we could

This would be the first time
Things have gone astray
Now you've thrown it all away

Now it cuts like a knife
But it feels so right
It cuts like a knife
But it feels so right


I'M READY

I'd like to see you, thought I'd let you know
I wanna be with you everyday
Cause I've got a feeling that's beginning to grow
And there's only one thing I wanna say

I'm ready - to love you
I'm ready - to hold you
I'm ready - I'm ready
Ready as I'm gonna be

She left me a long note when she left me here
Told me that love was hard to find
But baby it's easy and I'll make it clear
That there's only one thing on my mind

I'm ready - to love you
I'm ready - to hold you
I'm ready - I'm ready
Ready as I'm gonna be


WHAT'S IT GONNA BE

If it was up to me
I'd say it's his decision
And maybe you should wait and see
You haven't got a choice
You gotta second guess him
So go ahead

What's it gonna be
Well you need an answer
What's it gonna be
All you get is no reply

If it was up to you
You'd say you need protection
When all you really need is me
Now that's the bottom line
It's your sincere intention
So go ahead

What's it gonna be
Well you need an answer
What's it gonna be
All you get is no reply

What's it gonna be
Well you need an answer
What's it gonna be
All you get is no reply

You've been waiting for so long
Now you say you can't go on
You can't go on, oh no


DON'T LEAVE ME LONELY

I won't stand bein' broken hearted
I won't be pushed around

The rules were set when we got started
But lately I have found

We've spent too little time and too much heartache
I feel we're losin' ground

And lately I've been hearin'
You won't be needin' me around

Don't leave me lonely
Just wanna be right by your side
Your one and only - tonight

So don't leave me lonely
I need you here all the time
So don't leave me lonely - oh no

You say you need your independence
Well I need mine

Separate lives and separate feelings
I guess that's fine

But that won't last - it's no solution
I know it can't survive

And lately I've been thinkin'
Thinkin' 'bout you all the time


LET HIM KNOW

Another day goes by and still you
wonder what happened
You'd give the world for one more try
But you're too shy to ask him
You don't wanna ask him now
I know your heart will pull you through
If he means that much to you -
you gotta let him know

Let him know that you love him
You gotta let him know

What can I say it's up to you
You gotta make up your own mind
Well it's your life it's up to you
Cause you didn't believe me
You still don't believe me
Now you're gonna see it's all comin' true
That's why I'm leavin' it up to you
Yeah you gotta let him know

The news is out I guess you heard
I shouldn't breathe a single word
The bottom line is nothing's gonna stop you now
You gotta let him know....


THE BEST WAS YET TO COME

Just a small town girl in the city lights
The best was yet to come
Then lonely days turned to endless nights
The best was yet to come

How were you to know
That you would be the lucky one
Ain't it funny how time flies
When the best was yet to come

You can cry yourself to sleep at night
You can't change the things you've done
You had it there then it slipped away
Yeah you left the song unsung

Even through your tears
I never saw you come undone
What's so good about goodbye
When the best was yet to come

I find myself thinkin' about yesterday
When you were here and livin' in a dream
In the moment that it takes
You find you made your first mistake
Like the setting sun....
You turn around it's gone

Just a small town girl who had it made
Or so the story goes
She had it there then it slipped away
Oh - how was she to know

Even through her tears
I never saw her come undone
Ain't it funny how time flies
When the best was yet to come
What's so good about goodbye
When the best was yet to come

 M P 3   S a m p l e s


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