Cuts Like a Knife

Cuts Like a Knife
Studio album by Bryan Adams
Released	18 January 1983
Recorded	13 August - 20 October 1982 at Little Mountain Sound, Vancouver, Canada.
Genre	Rock
Length	38:53
Label	A&M
Producer	Bryan Adams Bob Clearmountain
Bryan Adams chronology
You Want It You Got It (1981) Cuts Like a Knife (1983) Reckless (1984)
Singles from Cuts Like a Knife
"Straight from the Heart" Released: February 1983 "Cuts Like a Knife" Released: May 1983 "This Time" Released: August 1983

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Rolling Stone	[2]

Cuts Like a Knife is the third studio album by the Canadian rock artist Bryan Adams. Released on 18 January 1983 through A&M Records, the album became a huge commercial success in Canada and the United States whereas outside North America, the album did poorly. After the release of Reckless the album would chart on the British album chart and would later be certified Silver by the BPI.^[3][4] It was recorded at Little Mountain Sound, Vancouver, Canada. The album was a commercial success and sold over 4 million copies worldwide.

Three singles were released from the album: "Straight from the Heart", "Cuts Like a Knife" and "This Time"; the three were responsible for launching Adams into mainstream popularity. The album is regarded as one of Adams' finest albums and of the greatest albums of the 80's. The album was named the #48 Greatest Canadian Album of All Time by Bob Mersereau in his book The Top 100 Canadian Albums^[5]

Music

Recording and production

The recording for the album was between 13 August-20 October 1982.^[6] Mixing started on 14 October and ended on 20 October.^[6] "Straight from the Heart" was recorded at Little Mountain Sound, Vancouver, Canada by Bob Clearmountain and Adams; it was later mixed at Le Studio, Morin-Heights, Canada.^[6] "Straight from the Heart" was originally written in 1978; the title for the song originally came from his friend Eric Kagna.^[6] This song was the last recorded song for the album.^[6] Adams didn't really want "This Time" to be recorded but since Clearmountain insisted, the song was recorded at Little Mountain studio.^[6]

Songs

"Straight from the Heart" is a ballad written by Adams and released in December 1982 as the first single released from the album, which was subsequently released the next month. It is one of Adams' most recognizable and popular songs. It was also recorded by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler in 1983, it appears on her album "Faster Than The Speed Of Light". The song peaked at the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 at 10 and 32 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The song has appeared on all of Adams' compilation albums with the exception of The Best of Me.

"Cuts Like a Knife" was released in 1983 and became one of the most successful songs from Cuts Like a Knife on the American rock charts and one of Adams most recognizable and popular songs from the 80s.^[6] "Cuts Like a Knife" was released worldwide in March 1984.^[6] The song reached the top ten on the Mainstream Rock Tracks at six, "Cuts Like a Knife" would also chart on the Billboard Hot 100 at 15.^[7] "Cuts Like a Knife" was Adams first the top 20 hit on the Canadian singles chart and remained in the top 20 for six weeks.^[8] "Cuts Like a Knife" was released the following month in Europe but didn't chart.

"This Time" by Adams and co-writer Jim Vallance was the third single released from the album. "This Time" was Adams first single to chart in Europe. While it charted after being re-released in the United Kingdom. The song peaked at the top 30 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart at 21, it would also chart on the Billboard Hot 100 at 24.

The final track on the album, "The Best Was Yet to Come", was later covered by Laura Branigan for her 1990 self-titled album.

Release and reception

Adams breakthrough album Cuts Like a Knife co-produced by Adams and Bob Clearmountain, peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200. The album was released in January, 1983 and featured the hit singles "Straight from the Heart", "This Time" and "Cuts Like a Knife". "Cuts Like a Knife" and "Straight from the Heart" were nominated for a Juno Award for Single of the Year, "Cuts Like a Knife" would win the Composer of the Year award. In Canada Cuts Like a Knife was certified three times platinum and the album would also be certified in the United States reaching platinum.

Cuts Like a Knife included the hits "Straight from the Heart", "This Time", "Cuts Like a Knife", "I'm Ready", "The Only One" and "Take Me Back". All the singles had accompanying music videos. The first three singles charted on the Billboard Hot 100, while only "Straight from the Heart" peaked at the top ten.^[7] "Cuts Like a Knife" would become the most successful single from Cuts Like a Knife at its time of release on the rock charts, reaching number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number six on the mainstream rock chart.

"Cuts Like a Knife" is regarded as one of Adams' most commercially successful and acclaimed albums. The album is regarded as one of the iconic albums of the 80's. It is often regarded as one of the Greatest Canadian Albums of all time. The title track has become one of Adams' signature songs and is a rock radio staple. It is the most-played song by Adams in his concert. "Straight from the Heart" is often regarded as one of the best ballads by Bryan Adams.^[7]

Cuts Like a Knife tour

The Cuts Like a Knife tour started in eastern Canada.^[5] In March, Adams started the American leg of the tour, after five months Adams had performed over 100 dates.^[5] He later joined the British progressive rock band Supertramp on their tour in North America. Though not featured on the album, drummer for the tour was the late Frankie LaRocka and the keyboarder was Johnny 'Blitz' Hannah. Adams then traveled to Vancouver where he played live in front of 30,000 fans.^[5] Later on he went to Europe for a six week solo tour, one gig (and subsequent band interview) was broadcast live on German TV and radio as part of the famous Rockpalast series. He played in six different countries.^[5] November, 1983 Adams went to Japan to start his own headline tour. By this time Adams had been on the road 283 days.^[5] Adams supported The Police when he toured in Australia and New Zealand.^[5]

Track listing

All songs written by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance except where noted.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"The Only One"		3:14
2.	"Take Me Back"		4:49
3.	"This Time"		3:18
4.	"Straight from the Heart"	Adams, Eric Kagna	3:30
5.	"Cuts Like a Knife"		5:16
6.	"I'm Ready"		3:58
7.	"What's It Gonna Be"		3:39
8.	"Don't Leave Me Lonely"	Adams, Eric Carr, Vallance	3:09
9.	"Let Him Know"		3:09
10.	"The Best Was Yet to Come"		2:56

Personnel

• Bryan Adams - vocals, guitars, piano
• Jim Vallance - percussion, electric piano on "The Best Was Yet to Come" [1]
• Mickey Curry - drums
• Tommy Mandel - organ, synthesizer
• Keith Scott - guitars, vocals
• Dave Taylor - bass guitar
• Alfa Anderson - background vocals
• Lou Gramm of Foreigner - background vocals

[2]

References

1. ^ Allmusic review
2. ^ Rolling Stone review
3. ^ "BPI Certifications". BPI. http://www.bpi.co.uk/. Retrieved 2008-03-07. 
4. ^ "British Album Chart". everythit. http://www.everyhit.com/. Retrieved 2008-06-24. 
5. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} "The Life Of Bryan" (in (Danish)). -skolarbete.nu. http://skolarbete.nu/skolarbeten/bryan-adams/. Retrieved 2008-06-24. 
6. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} "Album notes for Anthology by Dave Marsh (CD booklet). A&M Records (A&M 5613).". 2005-10-18. 
7. ^ ^{a b c} "Artist Chart History (singles) - Bryan Adams". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p3502. Retrieved 2008-06-24. 
8. ^ "Bryan Adams - Canadian Album Chart". RPM. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.0152b&volume=33&issue=6&issue_dt=May%2003%201980&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=1eslr84up6jai4j6cngk0p4cu2. Retrieved 2008-06-24.