Great Rock Albums of 1983: Bryan Adams- Cuts Like a Knife

For this one, anyone under the age of 30 has to forget anything they heard from or about Bryan Adams in the 1990s. Yes, I’m in the camp that believes the song “Everything I Do, I Do It For You” is an embarrassment to hard rock and metal, even if it did stay number one in the UK charts for sixteen weeks. Now my ex wife may point out that I liked the song at the time. Well that was because at the time, I thought it was a great poke in the eye at what was in the UK charts at the time. All that massed produced Stock, Aikman and Waterman crap and techno which always seemed to be around at the time. It was great that a rock song could take the number one slot and stay as long as it did. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.

Let’s forget about the 90s as it’s the 80s I’m here to talk about. Back in 1983, Bryan Adams was a fresh faced kid who put out a decent album with some good songs on it. I think the best way to describe the album “Cuts Like a Knife” is to use the term ‘innocent.’ There is no attempt to go in any commercial or non-commercial direction with it. I like the think that Bryan was just out to make a record here and what happens, well it happens.

There are several ballads/power ballads on “Cuts Like a Knife.” In fact, it was the title cut I first heard on radio from him. It’s not a bad song but it doesn’t quite measure up to the bar for power ballads set by Bryan’s countrymen two years earlier. However, I do like the guitar solo in it. “Straight From the Heart” is another one as is “I’m Ready” but he’s honest about them. Some rock/metal artists put out ballads but downplay them. There are some decent rockers on here too. “This Time” reeks of commercial, single material but it’s okay. “Take Me Back,” “What’s It Gonna Be” and “Don’t Leave Me Lonely” are better ones and my pick for favourite tracks. Well, Eric Carr from KISS fame did co write “Don’t Leave Me Lonely.”

Track Listing:

1. The Only One
2. Take Me Back
3. This Time
4. Straight From the Heart
5. Cuts Like a Knife
6. I’m Ready
7. What’s It Gonna Be
8. Don’t Leave Me Lonely
9. Let Him Know
10. The Best Was Yet To Come

Bryan Adams

Bryan Adams- lead vocals, guitar, piano on “Straight From the Heart”

Mickey Curry- drums

Tommy Mandel- organ, synthesizer, piano

Keith Scott- guitar, backing vocals

Dave Taylor- bass, backing vocals

In the South Park Movie, there is a line about the Canadian government apologising for Bryan Adams. Whoever came up with that must not have heard this album. There is nothing to apologise for with “Cuts Like a Knife.”

Next post: U2- War

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