Cuts Like a Knife

Music

Recording and production

Co-produced by Adams and Bob Clearmountain, Cuts Like a Knife was recorded from August 13 to October 20, 1982, at Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with Clearmountain mixing the album at Le Studio in Morin-Heights, Quebec and Power Station in New York City between October 14 to 20, 1982.

Songs

"Straight from the Heart" is a ballad and one of Adams' most recognizable and popular songs. It was written by Eric Kagna, a Vancouver singer/songwriter, and the instrumental bridge was contributed by Adams. The official songwriter credit is shared equally between Adams and Kagna. This track was the last recorded for the album, but the first single, released in February, one month after to the album's release. The song was later recorded by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler in 1983; it appears on her album Faster Than the Speed of Night. Adams version reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 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 May 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 1980s. "Cuts Like a Knife" was released worldwide in March 1984. 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. "Cuts Like a Knife" was Adams' first top 20 hit on the Canadian singles chart and remained in the top 20 for six weeks.{{cite web | access-date=2008-06-24 }} "Cuts Like a Knife" was released the following month in Europe but didn't chart.

"Don't Leave Me Lonely" was co-written with Kiss drummer Eric Carr, intended to be included on the Kiss album Creatures of the Night, but left off the final release.

"This Time" by Adams and co-writer Jim Vallance was the third single released from the album. Adams initially didn't care for the song and didn't want to record it, but eventually agreed to after the insistence of co-producer Bob Clearmountain. The song peaked at 21 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and at 24 on the Billboard Hot 100. "This Time" was Adams' first single to chart in Europe, where it charted after being re-released in the United Kingdom.

The final track on the album, "The Best Was Yet to Come", which was later covered by Laura Branigan for her 1990 self-titled album, is currently one of three songs written about Dorothy Stratten. The song was released as a single in specific territories.

Release and reception

Cuts Like a Knife 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, and "Cuts Like a Knife" won the Composer of the Year award. In Canada "Cuts Like a Knife" was certified three times platinum and the album would also be certified platinum in the United States.

The success of Cuts Like a Knife outside of North America was not as great, though the album would later chart on the British album chart and be certified Silver by the BPI following the success of Adams' subsequent studio album Reckless in late 1984.

The music video for the song "Cuts Like a Knife" was one of the most popular videos broadcast on MTV during 1983 and is credited with fostering the album's success.

Cuts Like a Knife tour

The Cuts Like a Knife tour started in eastern Canada.{{cite web | access-date=2008-06-24 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130328170944/http://skolarbete.nu/skolarbeten/bryan-adams/ | archive-date=2013-03-28 | url-status=dead

Track listing

Personnel

• Bryan Adams – lead vocals, backing vocals (1–9), guitars (1–3, 5, 6, 8), guitar solo (1, 2), piano (4), acoustic guitar (7, 9), electric guitar (7), harmony vocals (10)
• Keith Scott – guitars (1, 2, 4–6), guitar solo (1, 5–8), backing vocals (1–5, 7), slide guitar (3), electric guitar (7, 9), acoustic guitar (10)
• Tommy Mandel – Hammond B3 organ (1–3, 6–8), synthesizers (1, 6–8, 10), Casio keyboards (3, 4), organ (4, 5, 9), piano (9, 10)
• Dave Taylor – bass, backing vocals (5)
• Mickey Curry – drums
• Jim Vallance – percussion (2–4, 9), electric piano (10)
• Lou Gramm – backing vocals (1–3, 6–9)
• Alfa Anderson – backing vocals (2)
• Mark Doyle – backing vocals (4)
• Bruce Allen [credited as "B.A."] – backing vocals (5)
• Bob Clearmountain [credited as "B.C."] – backing vocals (5)
• K. Davies – backing vocals (5)
• L. Frenette – backing vocals (5)
• M. Simpson – backing vocals (5)
• Jimmy Wesley – backing vocals (5)

Production

• Bryan Adams – producer
• Bob Clearmountain – producer, recording, mixing
• Mike Fraser – assistant engineer
• Jeff Hendrickson – assistant engineer
• Paul Northfield – assistant engineer
• Robbie Whelan – assistant engineer
• Bob Ludwig – mastering
• Masterdisk (New York City, New York) – mastering location
• Jeffrey Kent Ayeroff – art direction
• Mike Fink – design
• Lynn Robb – design
• Jim O'Mara – front and back photography
• Roxy Rifkin – inner sleeve photography

Charts

Certifications

References

References

1. "Bryan Adams - Cuts Like a Knife".
2. "Great Rock Discography, 2004 edition".
3. [https://web.archive.org/web/20101113191707/http://allmusic.com/album/cuts-like-a-knife-r128 AllMusic review]
4. (1999). "MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide". Visible Ink Press.
5. [https://web.archive.org/web/20071202035658/http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/271162/review/5940332 Rolling Stone review]
6. (2005-10-18). "Album notes for Anthology by Dave Marsh (CD booklet). A&M Records (A&M 5613).".
7. "Bryan Adams Chart History".
8. "Bryan Adams Mainstream Rock Airplay Chart History".
9. "BPI Certifications". BPI.
10. "British Album Chart". everythit.
11. "Countdown ARIA Chart – Week ending 22nd April, 1984". [[ARIA Charts.
12. "RPM Magazine Archives > Top Albums/CDs > Bryan Adams".
13. (April 5, 1986). "European Top 100 Albums".