[1] How Do Ya Feel Tonight (Adams/Thornalley) - 4:46
[2] C'mon C'mon C'mon (Adams/Peters) - 3:36
[3] Getaway (Adams/Peters) - 3:28
[4] On a Day Like Today (Adams/Thornalley) - 3:47
[5] Fearless (Adams/Kennedy) - 3:52
[6] I'm a Liar (Adams/Peters) - 4:16
[7] Cloud Number Nine (Adams/Martin/Peters) - 3:45
[8] When You're Gone (Adams/Kennedy) - 3:24
[9] Inside Out (Adams/Peters) - 4:43
[10] If I Had You (Adams) - 4:03
[11] Before the Night Is Over (Adams/Martin) - 3:48
[12] I Don't Wanna Live Forever (Adams/Peters) - 3:14
[13] Where Angels Fear to Tread (Adams/Peters) - 3:48
[14] Lie to me (Adams/Kennedy) - 4:40
[15] Cloud Number Nine [Chicane Mix] (Adams/Martin/Peters) - 4:12
tracks [14] and [15] are not available on US release
BRYAN ADAMS - Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano, Arranger, String Arranger,
Wurlitzer, Mellotron, Producer, Photography, Package Design
KEITH SCOTT - Bass, Guitar
MICKEY CURRY - Drums
DAVE TAYLOR - Bass
DANNY CUMMINGS - Percussion
PHIL THORNALLEY - Bass, Guitar, String Arrangements on [4], Producer, Engineer
PHIL WESTERN - Keyboards, Programming, Producer, Engineer
ROBBIE BUCHANAN - Keyboards
VINCE JONES - Hammond Organ
DAVE PICKELL - Hammond Organ, Acoustic Piano
VANCOUVER ORCHESTRA - Strings
BOB BUCKLEY - String Arrangements
DAVID MUNDAY - String Arrangements on [4]
MELANIE C. - Voclas on [8]
BOB ROCK - Producer
DEAN MAHER - Engineer, Mixing
RANDY STAUB - Recording Engineer
BOB CLEARMOUNTAIN - Mixing
CHICANE - Mixing on [15]
MIKE GILLES - Programming
OLLE ROMO - Programming
GOTA YASHAKI - Samples
DEAN MAHER - Samples Assistant
RON VERMEULEN - Technical Assistance
CHRIS POTTER - Technical Assistance
BOB LUDWIG - Mastering
BRUCE ALLEN - Management
SANDRA BRUMMELS - Art Coordinator
GREG ROSS - Package Design
Australian reissue of the veteran Canadian rocker's 1998 album with
'Cloud #9' (Chicane Remix) added as a bonus track. Also featured are
the singles 'Cloud #9', 'On A Day Like Today' and 'When You're Gone'.
14 & 15 - only on the international version of on a day like today
on 20 October, 1998 the CD "on a day like today" was released by
A&M records, it's bryan adams's tenth album of new material since
the 1980 self titled debut. since then, adams has sold 55 million of
albums worldwide, enjoyed two dozen hit singles in the u.s., achieved
#l status in over 30 countries and received three academy award
nominations. not bad for a guy that started out washing dishes in a
cheap diner in Canada in 1975.
"it's not the desire for fame or celebrity status that drives me,"
explained adams. " i just try to make records that have a good flow and
are well listenable from track one to track twelve, that's all."
the infectious first single from the new album "on a day like today",
hit radio airwaves around the world on 23 September 1997, but it wasn't
until the release of "when you're gone" his duet featuring Mel C. from
the spice girls, that the CD took off around the world, reaching number
5 in Germany, 2 in Australia and number 3 in England (the single is
triple platinum there). the new single is 'cloud number nine' and is
off to a brilliant start in Europe and the UK.
the video for "on a day like today", was shot on the 15th and l6th of
august 1997 and directed by Joseph Kahn. this video explains the
obscure CD cover of "on a day like today" with an elephant walking
across the street in NYC. it goes like this:
- pick a number between one and nine
- then multiply the number by nine
- add the two digit number together to make one number
- subtract five
- find the corresponding letter in the alphabet to the number (a=1, b=2 etc.)
- think of a country that starts with that letter
- take the second letter in the country's name and think of an animal
- think of a colour
if you did it correctly, you thought of a grey elephant in Denmark
adams who has garnered five annual ASCAP (American society of
composers, authors and publishers) awards for most performed song, a
recent Juno award in Canada for songwriting (1997), and two Ivor
Novello awards in Britain, wrote the bulk of the CD "on a day like
today" during the period he was assembling the material for his l997
Bryan Adams MTV unplugged performance and recording. says adams about
his craft, "in many ways songwriting is a sort of an exorcism. in that
i mean that i'm able to says things in my songs that i wouldn't
normally say to someone. sometimes the things that surround us have a
far greater influence than we care to acknowledge or can actually
articulate verbally. working in song is a different way of expression,
it's my foil"
meanwhile while all this recording and songwriting was going on, adams
created 'the warehouse studio' in the oldest brick building in
Vancouver, Canada, which housed a klondike supply house during the gold
rush of the l800's. he designed the studio with Ron his technical
consultant and world famous Danish furniture designer, Niels Bendtsen.
they were rewarded for they're efforts by the city of Vancouver with a
heritage award for the brilliant renovation.
"on a day like today" is the second album completed by adams at the
warehouse studio and. the first one was the mixing of MTV unplugged.
Both albums were mixed there by bob Clearmountain. BA also spends a lot
of time in Jamaica recording with the warehouse studio mobile unit.
speaking of Jamaica, the previous album to MTV unplugged was '18 'til i
die', which was almost entirely recorded on the mobile unit on the
small Caribbean island. now we all know that creating instantly
memorable, adrenaline-surging rock 'n roll isn't an easy task - but if
you're one of the few with the innate knack, you're not likely to lose
it. BA proved that on 18 'til i die, a release that contains the hits
'the only thing that looks good on me is you' and 'lets make a night to
remember' not to mention the mega hit "have you ever really loved a
woman?". there always seems to be one song on each adams album that
takes off, and it's those gems that have made him one of the most
important and largest-selling artists in the past two decades.
"i was looking for something more basic than the album previous (waking
up the neighbours) and that album is a lot simpler in its arrangement
and production" said adams of "18 til i die".
on his voice, adams was quoted at the time as saying "i've always
thought of myself as a second-generation white soul singer, there are
influences that range from Jagger and Steve Marriott maybe even to Lou
Reed on '18' til i die'. "
the smash hit "have you ever really loved a woman?" which attained
similar success to his other massive hit "(everything i do) i do it for
you" propelled him to international stardom in the '90's. the
stripped-down energy of this album lives up to adams' rough
characterization. from the good-natured swagger of "the only thing that
looks good on me is you" (which is accompanied by a Matthew
Rolston-directed video), to the raucously defiant energy that imbues
the punky "we're gonna win", adams has clearly took the album's title
to heart.
"i wanted to make an album that would be very representative of how i
perform in concert. it has highs and lows, good energy, mid - tempo and
I think the sequence flows as if you were standing in the audience."
that upbeat mood extends throughout 18 'til i die, from the playful
sexuality that percolates through the harmonica-fueled juke-jump "do to
you" and the tongue-in-cheek "(i wanna be) your underwear", to the
unabashed romanticism instilled deep in affecting interludes like
"let's make a night to remember". as ever, adams emotion-filled voice
carries the show.
Adams was ironically 18 when he signed his first contract with A&M
records in 1978, and spent the early part of the '80's in a nonstop
whirlwind of touring, often spending upwards of 250 days on the road.
despite his chronic refusal to embrace rock-star trappings, his
incendiary live shows soon became legendary across America.
'cuts like a knife' (1983), which took just eight months to hit
platinum, gave Adams his first stateside top 10 smash - the anthemic
"straight from the heart". before long, the album's thumping title
track and the compelling "this time" likewise climbed onto the chart.
with reckless (released in 1984 on Adams's 25th birthday) he earned his
first #1 album as well as a Grammy nomination - appropriate recognition
for an album that catapulted several tracks into the top 10, including
the #1 single "heaven", "run to you", and "summer of '69".
with yet another multi-platinum album to his credit - 1987's into the
fire- adams ended the decade on a high note: in his native Canada, he
was named recording artist of the decade for an unprecedented string of
successes, including a dozen Juno awards and a diamond sales award for
reckless, which went on to become the best-selling Canadian album of
all time; he also accepted the 'order of Canada' (similar to the
British OBE) for his work with causes both social (he contributed
"tears are not enough" as his home country's contribution to liveaid)
and environmental. his ongoing work with Greenpeace played a major role
in establishing a whale sanctuary in the Antarctic.
then came 1991's waking up the neighbours before undertaking a lengthy
world tour that lasted nearly three years! this CD also included his
first foray into film music - "(everything i do) i do it for you", from
prince of thieves. abetted by producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange (with
whom he co-wrote the aforementioned song with film composer Michael
Kamen) it monopolized the #1 billboard slot for seven straight weeks
and earned BA a Grammy and his first academy award nomination. it has
become an international standard and placed bryan's name in (of all
places) the Guinness book of world records for the longest stay at
number one in England of all time (18 weeks - four months!).
adams soared to #1 again in 1993, this time with Sting and Rod Stewart
with the song "all for love" from the soundtrack to another film - the
three musketeers. that same year he released so far so good, a greatest
hits compilation, which spawned the top 10 hit "please forgive me", and
sold more than 13 million albums worldwide. an 18-month world tour
followed that included a concert in Vietnam (the first western artist
to play the country) in January 1994. later that year, a stop in
Modena, Italy featured a performance with maestro Luciano Pavarotti.
adams performed in Italian that night, and the recording was later
released on Decca records entitled Pavarotti and friends ii. a rare
live version of "please forgive me" is available on that CD.
"have you ever really loved a woman?" from the don Juan Demarco
soundtrack (1995), earned adams yet another #1 hit, (a position where
he stayed for five weeks in the us), as well his second academy award
nomination.
so after selling countless millions of albums what does the guy do? he
goes back in and does what he loves the most - spends some time with
some low key, recording, and returns with an album. as for the future?
well, as the title "18 til i die' implies, don't expect bryan adams to
stay in one place for too long. "i'm moving around all the time and i'm
interested in seeing as much of the world as i can", he says. "i have
this burning curiosity, this adventurous spirit."
With his new album On a day like today, (the first album recorded in
his new studio) Bryan Adams has hit the nail on the head. Being a fan,
I love all his albums but this particular one seems to appeal to a
wider audience than most of his previous albums. Even those who are not
die hard fans will most likely find something to sing along to.
I have heard it bandied around that his duet with Mel C (of the Spice
Girls) When you're gone, was an attempt to make this album sellable.
This may or may not be the case. The song is certainly catchy but I
find myself leaning towards other songs in the album. My eight year old
daughter who is a Spice Girls and Mel C fan loves that particular song
as does my husband who thinks it's "catchy", not to mention the fact
that it is streaming up the charts here in Australia. If it was an
attempt to sell albums it served its purpose however, after all the
hype has died down I think this album will still be bought by people
who want to listen to some good music.
My favourite would have to be Where angels fear to tread it's probably
not the best of the lot but I personally like it with it's beautiful,
melancholy words and that famous Bryan Adams drawl.
If you're looking for an easy to listen to album with some very catchy
lyrics that you'll find going around in your head long after you've
turned off the stereo, have a listen to his latest release...
Review by Dream Weaver
lmccorry@space.net.au
Der Kanadier Bryan Adams gehört ohne Frage zu den Giganten des
Rock, und das seit nunmehr 15 Jahren. Seinen internationalen Durchbruch
schaffte er 1983 mit dem Album Cuts Like A Knife, dem sich die
Studioalben Reckless (1984), Into The Fire (1987), Waking Up The
Neighbours (1991), 18 Til I Die (1996) sowie die Compilation So Far So
Good (1993) anschlossen.
Mit seiner Mischung aus bodenständigen Rocknummern, zarten
Balladen und griffigen Popsongs fügt On A Day Like Today nun dem
umfangreichen Schaffenskatalog Bryan Adams' ein bemerkenswertes
weiteres Album hinzu, seine zehnte Studio-Produktion. "Ich habe kein
Verlangen danach, gefeiert oder mit Ruhm überschüttet zu
werden," sagt Adams. "Ich denke, ich habe wieder versucht ein Album zu
machen, das aus einem Guss ist und vom ersten bis zum zwölften
Song gut durchzuhören ist."
Der Titelsong und die erste Single des Albums, On A Day Like Today, ist
ein gutgelaunter Rocksong, der gemeinsam von Adams und Phil Thornalley
(Ex-Bassist von The Cure und Produzent van Natalie Imbruglias
Hit-Single Torn) produziert wurde. Er wurde in Jamaica im Warehouse
Studio Mobile Unit aufgenommen und in Vancouver im Warehouse Studio von
Bob Clearmountain gemixt, wo Bryan Adams und Bob Rock (Metallica) auch
das gesamte Album produzierten. On A Day Like Today ist dabei das erste
Album, das in dieser state-of-the-art Soundwerkstatt aufgenommen wurde,
die 1997 ihre Pforten öffnete. Bryan Adams richtete es ein. Dabei
erhielt Adams seine wahrscheinlich ungewöhnlichste Auszeichnung,
nämlich den Heritage Award der Stadt Vancouver für die
Instandsetzung des ältesten, aus dem 19. Jahrhundert stammenden
Steingebäude der Stadt.
Eine der größten Überraschungen des Albums dürfte
das Duett mit einem gewissen weiblichen spicy Superstar sein, denn
obwohl Bryan Adams mit einer Reihe hochkarätiger Sänger und
Sängerinnen zusammenarbeitete, zu denen Barbra Streisand, Luciano
Pavarotti, Tina Turner, Celine Dion, Rod Stewart und Sting
gehören, hat er diesmal die sportlichste Wahl getroffen. Auf When
You're Gone findet man ihn in vokaler Eintracht mit Mel C., dem Sporty
Spice der Popsensation Spice Girls. "Mel war einfach die Richtige. Ich
wollte einen fröhlichen Song machen und dabei mit einer
Sängerin zusammenarbeiten, die das auch verkörpern kann."
Adams, der im Laufe seiner Karriere fünf Awards der ASCAP
(American Society Of Composers, Authors and Publishers) für den am
häufigsten aufgeführten Song erhielt, schrieb On A Day Like
Today kurz nach seiner MTV Unplugged-Session. "Songs zu schreiben ist
für mich in vielerlei Hinsicht eine Art Exorzismus," so Adams
über sein Schaffen. "In meinen Songs kann ich viele Dinge
ausdrücken, über die ich im normalen Leben nie würde
sprechen können oder wollen. Die Dinge, die uns umgeben, haben
zumeist eine viel größere Wirkung auf uns, als wir
zunächst annehmen. Das ist mir in meinen Songs im Laufe der Jahre
immer wieder aufgefallen."
...Adams has started searching for that perfect balance of mature grace
and useful guitar grind. No fumbling around; Adams' new restraint
energizes this gently jangling material... - Rating: B+
Entertainment Weekly (10/30/98, p.116)
Amongst the usual barrage of relentless and gratuitous rhyming, catchy
pop hooks and rock cliches on his latest album (out Tuesday), there's a
song called If I Had You that contains the line, "The sun is up, the
sky is blue, there's nothing I can't do if I had you». The line
in the Beatles' 1968 song Dear Prudence goes, "The sun is up, the sky
is blue, it's beautiful and so are you».
I doubt whether this was an unconscious thing. Bryan Adams was guilty
of writing facile pop songs that aim for the lowest common denominator
and now he turns out a plagiarist. Just kidding...
The truth is that the man never managed to persuade me of being a true
musician. He may be a hit-making machine but he needs a lot more to
convince me and I think now is too late...
On A Day Like Today is nothing more than the day like yesterday or the
day before that. Childish pop songs with a fake rock attitude for fake
teenagers. After all, Canada has far more interesting persons than Mr
Adams. I believe that Neil young, Joni Mitchell, Alanis and others have
something to say about rock apart from these naïve tunes included
here.
Niki Kapsi 6/10 www.babylon.gr
In retrospect, it's hard not to have seen it coming. When Bryan Adams'
eighth regular studio album, On a Day Like Today, was released nine
days before his 39th birthday, it spent only two weeks in the charts,
becoming his least successful effort since his debut 18 years earlier.
The fall seemed sudden, but it had its roots back in 1991, when Adams
made a classic Faustian bargain: the massive success of Adams'
film-soundtrack ballad "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" set him on a
path of more such songs that destroyed his legitimacy as a mainstream
rock album artist. The erosion did not become fully apparent until the
release of his seventh album, 18 'Til I Die, which stopped at gold but
spent nearly a year in the U.S. charts. By the time of On a Day Like
Today, however, Adams simply had no contemporary audience left, and
this was not the record to rebuild his career. It was defiantly bereft
of ballads, nothing to break on the AC chart, and even if his rock
audience had been listening, there was nothing here to rank with his
earlier signature hits. Adams constructed a series of pleasant, catchy
pop/rock songs, their tunes sometimes so derivative that they made you
want to play Spot the Riff. The lyrics usually touch on romance,
especially romantic triangles, but the words contain so many
clichés that they are nearly generic. Some of the commercial
failure of On a Day Like Today was due to the Universal-PolyGram
merger, which left the album an orphan with no marketing push. But
Adams needed to seriously rethink his career, if he expected to have
one as a front-line artist past the age of 40.
William Ruhlmann, All-Music Guide
The twelve tracks from On A Day Like Today contain the same Bryan Adams
songs we've heard before - surefooted rockers, uplifting pop tunes, and
romantic ballads. However, Adams brings to the studio the same
freshness and simplicity as an upcoming songwriter pushing his musical
boundaries. "C'mon C'mon C'mon" sandwiches his tenderly delivered lines
between rocking choruses, while "Getaway", a funky guitar-driven tune,
is very reminiscent of Adams' hit "Cuts Like A Knife". "How Do Ya Feel
Tonight" and "Cloud Number Nine" are both romantic tunes about loving
and losing and the fear it produces - thematic threads appearing in the
fabric of this record. The first single, "On A Day Like Today" ,starts
out with an intimate acoustic delivery that gradually builds into a
declaration of romantic hope and the dream of finding something (and
somebody) new. Besides Adams, one more vocalist makes a guest
appearance -- Spice Girl Melanie C. (the Sporty one) who duets with
Adams on "When You're Gone". The album is an easy listen and destined
to become a staple in his discography, falling somewhere in between
catchy pop tunes and the humble offerings of a talented
singer-songwriter.
Adams' new restraint energizes this gently jangling material.
Entertainment Weekly
Mehr als 55 Millionen Tonträger hat der sportliche Leiter der
Stadionrock-Liga schon verkauft, aber amtsmüde ist er keineswegs.
Ein musikalisches Risiko mag Adams freilich auch auf diesem zehnten
Studioalbum nicht eingehen. Munter trabt er mit "How Do Ya Feel
Tonight" los, dirigiert seine Jungs für "When You're Gone" nach
vorn, bringt als Joker gar das Spice Girl Mel C. ins Spiel. 55 Minuten
und ein paar schmusige Umarmungen später dürfen die Fans dann
die "Replay"-Taste drücken; gute Unterhaltung! ** Musik: 02-03
Wäre nur dieses eine Album nicht gewesen, man könnte sich im
Fall von Bryan Adams zügig darauf einigen, daß der Mann ein
ordentlicher Haudrauf-Rock'n' Roller ist, aber ganz gewiß nicht
eingereiht werden müßte in die Riege der großen
Musiker der vergangenen zwei, drei Dekaden. Aber da war 1984 eben
"Reckless": ein Geniestreich des Mainstream-Rock, der Hymne an Hymne
reiht. Damals mit von der Partie: der Songwriter Jim Vallence, von dem
sich Adams freilich kurz darauf trennte. Seither rennt er, dem einen
oder anderen (Balladen-)Hit zum Trotz, vergangenen Glanzzeiten
hinterher. Mit "On A Day Like Today" folgt nun also der nächste
Versuch, "einfach wieder ein Album aus einem Guß machen, das man
vom ersten bis zum letzten Song anhören mag", wie Adams
kommentiert. Nanu, ein Anflug von Selbstkritik? Überhaupt
präsentiert sich der Kanadier auf den 14 neuen Songs
einigermaßen geläutert. Den Schmalzfaktor seiner Balladen
reduzierte er auf ein erträgliches Maß, und "18 'til I die"
sein zu wollen, davon hat er wohl auch erstmal Abschied genommen. Nur:
Was bleibt vom bewährten Adams-Sound ohne den Zuckerguß und
die muskulöse Rock-Mucke? Mit Liedern wie "Fearless" oder "If I
Had You" gibt der Sonnyboy seine bislang seriöseste Antwort auf
solche Fragen. Seine im positiven Sinn erwachsenen Midtempo-Songs
zeigen ihn gereift, nachdenklich-reflektierend statt halbstark-juvenil.
Ganz große Melodien sind zwar nicht dabei, aber die
zurückgenommenen Arrangements mit Keyboard und mehr
atmosphärischen denn lärmigen Gitarren funktionieren auch
ohne sie - viel besser jedenfalls als die bemühten
Stadionrock-Versuche der letzten Jahre. ** M: 6-7
When Bryan Adams produced one of his worst albums ever, 18 Til I Die,
most people were scared to hear more new material from the Candian rock
star.
However, Bryan bounced with his best production to date with his
Unplugged album. With On A Day Like Today, Bryan Adams turns from the
Gucci shoes and Designer boots and hops back to the basic look and
produces some of his best material ever.
The songs on here are classic Bryan Adams, ranging from cheesy goofball
stuff in "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" to amazing lyrics in songs like,
"Where Angels Fear to Tread," (which is one of his best songs EVER, by
the way.) There's even the radio friendly duet with Sporty Spice, "When
You're Gone." Personally, the version with just Bryan is best, but who
am I to decide?
The lyrics, the sound, the production, and everything is superb. I
could have made a few changes that would have made this album perfect,
but hey, this is as close as we're gonna get. So go buy it.
Bruce Lee, March 14, 2000
Strong follow-up to spectacular project
"18 Til I Die" was classic Bryan Adams...all at once hard rock, adult
contemporary, and pop. "On a Day Like Today" plays it a little safer
but still stands out in Bryan's considerable body of work.
"How Do Ya Feel Tonight" and "C'mon C'mon C'mon" are fine rockers, and
the title track was a wise choice for a single. "Getaway" is a true
gem, however, with its hard rock matched up to computer-enhanced rhythm
section; the contrast of real instruments with sonic boom, along with a
terrific chorus, makes this one of Bryan's finest songs ever. Also
enjoyable, "Fearless" manages to sound like classic Adams without
slipping into the realm of redundant.
"I'm a Liar" and "Cloud Number Nine" have a lighter quality that
reminds one of the Eagles and other 70's light rock...and that's no
insult. The inclusion of a Spice Girl surely gives pause to some, but
Melanie C. manages to blend well with Bryan on the engaging rock tune
"When You're Gone."
The album slips into a trio of average tunes near the end: "Inside
Out," "If I Had You," and "Before the Night is Over" are nothing
special but still listenable. "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" is this
album's token speed-rock tune usually found on an Adams project;
however, Bryan's recent inclusion on a charity album for breast cancer
research (he was on the cover as well) make its title seem a little
eerie. Surely he meant it to be another fun, rock-while-you're-young
anthem, and it's definitely a fun track if you can look past the irony.
The album closes with a Lennon-esque ballad, the beautiful "Where
Angels Fear to Tread."
All in all, the album isn't as diverse and striking as "18 Til I Die,"
but this is still Bryan Adams at his most listenable. A day like
"Today" is a good one indeed.
John Jones (BoysNTrees@aol.com) from Seattle WA, December 13, 1998
Bryan's Best Ever! Too bad it has been overlloked!
I came to this party late, but glad I finally got there. I have long
been a Bryan Adams fan but sort of fell out with the movie soundtrack
stuff. I recently picked up this now 3 yr old CD and WOW!!!!! This is
truly best of past, present, and I hope the future Bryan Adams. I have
been listening to the CD incessantly for 3 weeks and just do not tire
of any of the songs. It flows so smoothly with a mix of rockers, mid
tempo, some ballads, and a mature subject matter content coupled with
still youthful music. This CD clearly got lost in the shuffle of
various factors. It is not too late...go get it and make believe it
came out today...it sure sounds like it.
For those of you who admire audio production values, the CD is of
spectacular production quality. The wonders of digital audio production
are abundant here. Turn it up and let it crank...you will love it! Also
novel is the way the disc flows, at times almost concert like in the
way one song merges into the next. This creates a very nice effect.
Get this CD....5 Stars ...no question!
Stephen Odell from Mount Kisco, New York United States, May 3, 2001
Bryan Adams Grows Up - Finally
I have never been a Bryan Adams fan. His music (and songwriting) has
always seemed so childish and immature. His foray into AC ballad land
didn't help the situation. However, something happened to change my
opinion on this CD. Quite simply, it's the songwriting. His
collaborations with Phil Thornalley and, most importantly, Gretchen
Peters has raised the level of quality of his music. Unfortuantely, not
a whole lot of people got to hear this in the U.S. with the problems
over the A+M/Polygram/Universal merger. The Bryan Adams on the title
track may have been a bit too much of a shock for them. It's
acoustic-rock sound a la Brit Rock was a good departure. The meaty part
of this CD is found in the middle with a succession of good songs -
"Fearless" sounds great; as does "I'm A Liar". The studio version of
"Cloud Number Nine" is infinitely better than the danced-up single
release. And "When You're Gone" is just fun to listen to. A good
collection from an artist who seems to be very directionless these days
- 2 live albums and 2 greatest hits albums in the space of 5 years??
Come on...
is there anybody out there?
anyone that's loved in vain
anyone that feels the same
is there anybody waiting?
waiting for a chance to win
give it up and start again
we all need something new
something that is true
and someone else to feel it too
i feel so high - no one else would know it
i don't know why i feel the way i do
i can' t let go - and i'm not scared to show it
cuz being here feels right
tell me - how do ya feel tonight?
is there anybody out there?
anyone that can't explain
anyone that feels no pain
is there anybody dreaming
dreaming of better day
when everything goes your way
we all need something new
something that is true
and someone else to feel it too
someone just like you
C'MON C'MON C'MON
c'mon c'mon c'mon - we're gonna make it home tonight
c'mon c'mon c'mon - everything's gonna be alright
the nite is alive - the world is asleep
dreaming of promises they can't keep
we gotta be tough we gotta be strong
it's only love we're waiting on
so c'mon c'mon c'mon - we're gonna make it home tonight
c'mon c'mon c'mon - everything's gonna be alright
it's only a dream - it's all in your head
it's only some words somebody said
we can believe what we wanna believe
and you can believe in me
GETAWAY
drove all night from new york city
in your best friend's car
knocked on my door about five thirty
nursing a broken heart
still got your keys in your back pocket - still got your jacket on
back door's open baby - i don't lock it
we can leave anytime we want
i got my motor runnin' - fingers drummin'
i never planned to stay
getaway - ya know it's now or never
getaway - nobody lives forever
we're only waitin' just to make our getaway
hey baby we were good together
seemed like you'd always be my girl
but looking back now we were just too clever
thinking love could change the world
ya know there's no point in waitin' - hesitating
we gotta leave today...
ON A DAY LIKE TODAY
free is all you gotta be
dream dreams no one else can see
sometimes ya wanna run away
but ya never know what might be comin' round your way
ya ya ya
on a day like today
the whole world could change
the sun's gonna shine
shine thru the rain
on a day like today
ya never wanna see the sun go down
ya never wanna see the sun go down
somewhere - there's a place for you
i know that you believe it too
sometimes if you wanna get away
all ya gotta know is what we got is here to stay
all the way
on a day like today - the whole world could change
the sun's gonna shine - shine thru the rain
on a day like today - no one complains
free to be pure - free to be sane
on a day like today
ya never wanna see the sun go down
ya never wanna see the sun go down
free is all we gotta be
dream dreams no one else can see
but ya never know what might be comin' for you and me
ya it's gonna be
on a day like today - the whole world could change
the sun's gonna shine - shine thru the rain
on a day like today - no one complains
free to be pure - free to be saved
on a day like today
ya never wanna see the sun go down
ya never wanna see the sun go down
FEARLESS
it's 3am - and i'm lying here next to you
what cha gonna do?
will you tell a story - when he asks you where the hell you've been
or will you tell the truth?
i ain't holdin back - i know where i stand
i just want to be with you
ya gotta face the fact - baby i'm your man
i've gotta get it through to you
i'm fearless
you don't have to hide - you don't have to share half your life
with some other guy
baby we're so strong - and it's been going on so long
it's time to make it right - 'want you to spend the night
i ain't holdin back - i know where i stand
i just want to be with you
ya gotta face the fact - baby i'm your man
i've gotta get it through to you
i'm fearless
I'M A LIAR
maybe i told you right from the start
you can have me
but you can't have my heart
it's easy enough to say but i couldn't care less
ya i mighta said you were on my mind
guess i talked a pretty good line
but hey i can talk all day
but i just can't confess
that i'm a liar
i'm a victim of desire
i'm moth into the fire
i'm over my head - forget what i said
tell ya i'm a liar
i'm just walking on the wire
i couldn't get much higher
i'm over my head - forget what i said
baby i'm a liar
when i told you i was hard to pin down
ya know i was just messin around
guess you know by now that's just my way
and if you want stories - well i got a few
but hey - this is the truth i swear to you
how many more times do you want me to say...
if i told ya to go away
baby you can't believe a thing i say
listen...
CLOUD NUMBER NINE
clue number one was when you knocked on my door
clue number two was the look that you wore
n' that's when i knew, it was a pretty sign
that something was wrong up on cloud number nine
Chorus
well it's along way up and we won't come down tonight
well it may be wrong but baby it sure feels right
and the moon is out and the stars are bright
and whatever comes s'gonna be alright
cause tonight you will be mine - up on cloud number nine
and there ain't no place that i'd rather be
and we can't go back but you're here with me
yeah, the weather is really fine - up on cloud number nine
now he hurt you an you hurt me
and that wasn't the way it was supposed to be
so baby tonight let's leave the world behind
and spend some time up on cloud number nine
Chorus
well it's along way up and we won't come down tonight
well it may be wrong but baby it sure feels right
well we won't come down tonight
ya we won't come down tonight
no we won't come down tonight
we can watch the world go by - up on cloud number nine...
WHEN YOU'RE GONE
i've been wandering around the house all night
wondering what the hell to do
i'm trying to concentrate but all i can think of is you
well the phone don't ring cuz my friends ain't home
i'm tired of being all alone
got the tv on cuz the radio's playing songs that remind me of you
baby when you're gone - i realize i'm in love
the days go on and on - and the nights just seem so long
even food don't taste that good - drink ain't doing what it should
things just feel so wrong - baby when you're gone
i've been driving up and down these streets
trying to find somewhere to go
ya i'm lookin' for a familiar face but there's no one i know
this is torture - this is pain - it feels like i'm gonna go insane
i hope you're coming back real soon - cuz i don't know what to do
INSIDE OUT
the biggest lie you ever told - your deepest fear 'bout growin' old
the longest night you ever spent - the angriest letter you never sent
the boy you swore you'd never leave - the one you kissed on new year's eve
the sweetest dream you had last night - your darkest hour, your hardest fight
i wanna know you - like i know myself
i'm waitin' for you - there ain't no one else
talk to me baby - scream and shout
i want to know you - inside out
i wanna dig down deep - i wanna lose some sleep
i wanna scream & shout - i wanna know you inside out
i wanna take my time - i wanna know your mind
ya know there ain't no doubt - i wanna know you inside out
the saddest song you ever heard - the most you said with just one word
the loneliest prayer you ever prayed - the truest vow you ever made
what makes you laugh, what makes you cry
what makes you mad, what gets you by
your highest high, your lowest low - these are the things i want to know
i wanna know you - like i know myself
i'm waitin' for you - there ain't no one else
talk to me baby - scream and shout
i want to know you - inside out
i wanna dig down deep - i wanna lose some sleep
i wanna scream & shout - i wanna know you inside out
i wanna take my time - i wanna know your mind
ya know there ain't no doubt - i wanna know you inside out
i wanna know your soul - i wanna lose control
c'mon n' let it out - i wanna know you inside out
ya gotta dig down deep - i wanna lose some sleep
i wanna scream & shout - i wanna know you inside out
tell me everything...
IF I HAD YOU
if i was blind - you could make me see
if i was down - you could comfort me
well i ain't got a lot - but what i got is true
there's nothing i can't do - if i had you
i could walk on water - i could dance on air
go any place - go anywhere
could climb the empire state - and the rockies too
there's nothing i can't do - if i had you
if i had you - for what else could i pray?
if i had you - i could make my way
the sun is up - the sky is blue
there's nothing i can't do - if i had you
if i had you - for what else could i plead?
if i had you - i'd have all i need
the sun is up - the sky is blue
there's nothing i can't do - if i had you
there's nothing i can't do - if i had you
BEFORE THE NIGHT IS OVER
hey baby - i got someone n' you got someone too
hey baby - i don't know what we're gonna do
how can something wrong feel so right
c'mon baby - hold on tight
before the night is over
we gonna get what we desire
remember what i told ya
this could set our hearts on fire
hey baby - we're old enough to know it's a sin
hey baby - the door is open slide on in
this feels too good to be true
i'll tell ya what i want to do
before the night is over
we gonna get what we desire
remember what i told ya
this could set our hearts on fire
i don't wanna tell a lie
this is something we can't hide
I DON'T WANNA LIVE FOREVER
all i want is a real fast car
wanna go too fast - i wanna go too far
i wanna take a bite of this sweet sweet life
while the gettin's good and the time right
i wanna fill my cup - i wanna drink it up
i don't wanna live forever
i just wanna go for broke
gonna ride thru any kind of weather
go out in cloud of smoke
i don't wanna live - don't wanna live forever
don't wanna live - don't wanna live forever
all i need is a good excuse
you can cut my reins and turn me loose
i'm gonna pull my weight i'm gonna push my luck
i gonna go down fightin when my time is up
you know i don't care - i'm gonna get my share
i don't wanna live forever
i just wanna go for broke
gonna ride thru any kind of weather
go out in cloud of smoke
i don't wanna live - don't wanna live forever
don't wanna live - don't wanna live forever
i wanna fill my cup - i wanna drink it up
ya - i don't care i'm wanna get my share
WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD
well i'm wrapped around your finger
i'm never letting go
you know i'm happy just to linger
and let the feeling flow
this must be an illusion
i know this can't be real
but right here and right now
this is paradise i feel
i never thought i'd find someone to move me
someone who could see right thru me
you found your way into my head
where even angels fear to tread
don't wanna go out walkin'
don't wanna to take a drive
don't wanna move from this sweet spot baby
while this feelin's still alive
the way we fit together
it's like we're meant to be
and right here and right now
this is paradise to me
LIE TO ME
I walked in - you walked out
I know right then something was up
Ya said "don't ask me no questions - won't tell ya no lies"
It comes as such a surprise
I think I'll close my eyes - to the pain
Cuz tonight I don't wanna know where you've bin
So won't you lie to me
Then I can't be mistaken
Swear that you will lie to me
I don't wanna hear my heart breakin'
Tell me all the things that I want to hear
I don't give a damn if you ain't sincere
Baby just swear, (baby just swear)
Swear that you'll lie (swear that you'll lie) to me
You walked in - I walked out
Baby this ain't what we've - bin about
If I touched your hand - would ya pull it away
Was it something I didn't say
I forgive ya all - the same
But tonight I don't wanna know where you've bin
(chorus)
you can't say the things that you want
I won't let ya tell the truth
Cuz I don't (cuz I don't) give a damn (give a damn)
And I don't (and I don't) wanna know where you bin
CLOUD NUMBER NINE
clue number one was when you knocked on my door
clue number two was the look that you wore
n' that's when i knew, it was a pretty sign
that something was wrong up on cloud number nine
Chorus
well it's along way up and we won't come down tonight
well it may be wrong but baby it sure feels right
and the moon is out and the stars are bright
and whatever comes s'gonna be alright
cause tonight you will be mine - up on cloud number nine
and there ain't no place that i'd rather be
and we can't go back but you're here with me
yeah, the weather is really fine - up on cloud number nine
now he hurt you an you hurt me
and that wasn't the way it was supposed to be
so baby tonight let's leave the world behind
and spend some time up on cloud number nine
Chorus
well it's along way up and we won't come down tonight
well it may be wrong but baby it sure feels right
well we won't come down tonight
ya we won't come down tonight
no we won't come down tonight
we can watch the world go by - up on cloud number nine...