Full name	Bryan Guy Adams
Birthdate	November 5, 1959
Birthplace	Kingston, Ont.,Canada
Height	5’ 8"
Weight	140 pounds
Hair color	Blonde
Eye color	Grey/Blue
Marital Status	Not married
Father	Captain Conrad J. Adams
Mother	Elizabeth Jane Adams
Brother	Bruce Adams
Teenager jobs	Paper delivery
	Clerk at a pet shop
	Dishwasher at Tomahawk Restaurant
Bands he played in	Shock
	Sweeney Todd

 

  Born on Guy Fawkes' Day into a military family, Adams lived all over the world from two weeks after he was born until his parents split up and his mother finally settled in Vancouver with a 14-year-old Bryan and his younger brother. Hearing the Beatles for the first time while crossing the English Channel on a ferry, Adams was pointed in the rock n' roll direction his life would take.

Because of this he knew that being a musician was all he would ever want to be at a very young age, so he auditioned for band after band in the Vancouver area, finally putting his own together out of frustration; he ended up singing lead only because he could find no one he liked well enough to do the honours. After playing the Vancouver nightclub scene for awhile, he finally quit school because he couldn't be both a student and a musician. The money his parents had put away for his university tuition went towards buying a piano.

In the summer of 1976 Nick Gilder left the newly-popular area band Sweeney Todd; Adams approached the band and convinced them that he was the one to replace Gilder. One audition was all it took and the band re-recorded their hit single "Roxy Roller" for release in the US. They went into the studio for Sweeney Todd's second album, and Adams co-wrote three songs for the 1977 London Records release, 'If Wishes Were Horses...'. Constant touring in confined vehicles eventually put too great a strain on Adams's relationship with the rest of the band, and he left at the end of 1977.

While in a music store one day in January of 1978, a mutual friend introduced Adams to local musician/producer Jim Vallance, then moonlighting with the newly-formed Prism as Rodney Higgs. The two hit it off immediately and got together the next day to attempt songwriting together; the first song they wrote, "Don't Turn Me Away", ended up as the B-side to two later Adams singles.

Their combined talents and Adams's intense persona garnered Adams a recording deal with A&M Records in Toronto, for the now-legendary sum of $1.00. It has proven to be just about the best single dollar A&M has ever spent. Adams's very first release for the label, "Let Me Take You Dancing", recorded when Adams was 19, became a disco hit in 1979, selling 80,000 copies as a remixed 12" single in New York City alone.

In 1979 Adams knew that he needed someone to handle the business side of his career and there was no bigger music manager in Canada than Vancouver's own Bruce Allen; the success he had had internationally with Bachman Turner-Overdrive coupled with the then-initial success in Canada with Prism made him the man Adams wanted, and so he went after him doggedly until Allen had no choice but to say yes.

Impressed with the success of the first single, A&M sent Adams to record a full album in Toronto, the result of which was Adams's eponymous debut in 1980. Although not having any chart-busting singles, the album paved the way for radio interest in the young Canadian singer on both sides of the North American border, as did touring with a band that could reproduce the sound live. For this task Adams hired a local existing quartet known as Remote Control featuring Steven Weakes (keyboards), Paul Iverson (bass), Darryl Kromm (guitar and back-up vocals - Kromm went on to form Strange Advance with Iverson a few years later), and Ross Hembling (drums).

Such was A&M's belief in the Adams-Vallance team that the label sent Adams to New York City to record his second album, 1981's 'You Want It, You Got It'. Produced by Bob Clearmountain, and featuring guest appearances by G.E. Smith (guitarist for Hall and Oates), Jeff "Skunk" Baxter (The Doobie Brothers), Cindy Bullen, Tommy Mandel, and Mickey Curry, the less-polished, edgier material and production caught the ears of radio programmers in the US and Canada, and the record's various singles started climbing up charts across the continent.

Needing a band, Adams went out and convinced three of Vancouver's best-known musicians (Keith Scott, guitar; John Hannah, keyboards; and Dave Reimer, bass) to hook up with him; this line-up eventually changed and stabilized with Scott, Hannah, Dave Taylor (bass), and Jimmy Wesley (drums). Tours with the Kinks, Foreigner, and Loverboy across North America helped spread the word, and having songs covered by so many other artists at the time also assisted in establishing Adams and Vallance as a writing duo to be reckoned with. Releases of Adams-Vallance tunes on the charts at the time showed covers by such diverse acts as Lisa Dal Bello, Prism, Tim Bogert, Ian Lloyd, Bob Welch, Bonnie Tyler, Rosetta Stone, Loverboy, and Kiss.

By the time Adams was ready to record again, he had established a strong working relationship with guitarist Scott and bassist Taylor, so into the studio they went, and Adams once again used Mandel and Curry for keyboards and drums respectively. The result of their efforts was 1983's 'Cuts Like A Knife', once again produced by Clearmountain and featuring Foreigner's Lou Gramm on back-up vocals. The album was an immediate hit in Canada and Adams hit the road again, with Scott, Taylor, Hannah, and new drummer Frankie La Rocka from New York. Various singles caught on south of the border, and Allen secured Adams a tour opening for Journey in the US, one of their biggest acts at the time, as well as many headlining gigs all over the continent. The hard work paid off and single after single from the album hit the charts, as well as racking up considerable sales in both Canada and the United States.

Anticipation was high for the next album, 1984's 'Reckless', so A&M did something no other label had done before then: they simultaneously released a video package with the album. With Clearmountain returning as producer, and featuring the same core musicians as 'Cuts...' (Scott, Taylor, Curry and Mandel), plus a duet featuring Tina Turner, the album shipped platinum in Canada and the first single, "Run To You", hit the charts instantly in the US and Canada.

Once again recruiting Scott, Taylor and Hannah to tour with him, Adams added relative newcomer Pat Steward on drums, and Adams set out for the first time as headliner in 1985. On the strength of strong single choices and constant touring, 'Reckless' eventually went on to sell over eight million copies worldwide and established Adams as a true music star.

It was in 1984 that the world's attention was brought to the famine situation in Ethiopia by Boomtown Rats' singer (Sir) Bob Geldof and the charity single by Band Aid, "Do They Know It's Christmas", so when Adams heard that a similar effort was being made by a group of all-star American musicians, Adams insisted that Canadians get into the act as well.

The result of which was the Adams/Vallance/David Foster song, "Tears Are Not Enough", a Canadian-history-making video featuring most of the country's biggest stars, and an Adams band appearance at the historic Live Aid concert in Philadelphia that summer. This was the beginning of Adams's public display of support for various charities, which he continues to this day.

The next album, 1987's 'Into The Fire', took a little longer to record and was met with critical and commercial puzzlement. Adams felt his experience with Live Aid and the 1986 Amnesty International tour (featuring U2, Peter Gabriel, Sting, and Adams, among others) had helped him to grow as a person, and the songs on 'Into The Fire' showed a more reflective, mature Adams that had left many a fan of his usual rock and roll fare confused. This showed in sales of the Clearmountain produced album, and featured the by-now core studio band of Scott, Taylor, Mandel, and Curry; it failed to reach the standard set by 'Reckless', eventually selling just over three million copies worldwide.

While not a flop by any stretch of the imagination, it also did not produce great box-office numbers, and some live dates on the 1987 North American tour had to be cancelled. By now Adams had managed to convince Mickey Curry to accompany him on the road with Scott, Taylor and Hannah, and while still garnering positive reviews for their live shows in the US and Canada, 1987 was the year that saw Adams firmly establish himself in the hearts and minds of European and Japanese audiences. While previous tours overseas had always done well, particularly the opening slot for Tina Turner in Europe, the 'Into The Fire' tour solidified a fan base for Adams that to this day remains his strongest, both in terms of record and ticket sales. It was also on this overseas tour that Adams persuaded Tommy Mandel to join the band and his dream band was finally a reality.

After coming off the road in 1988, Adams decided to regroup and refocus on his music. His writing relationship with Vallance had begun to deteriorate, but they managed to record a full album's worth of material with producer Daniel Lanois. Not happy with the way it turned out, Adams scrapped the entire thing and started from scratch, writing new material and recruiting a new producer and writing partner in Robert John "Mutt" Lange (Def Leppard, AC/DC, Shania Twain).

Lange had a reputation for taking his time with recording projects and such was the case with Adams's album, and it didn't see the light of day until 1991. 'Waking Up The Neighbours' surpassed everyone's expectations and went on to sell over 10 million copies worldwide. The band - Adams, Scott, Taylor, Curry, and Mandel - stayed on the road, predominantly overseas, for almost two full years, playing in sold out after sold out venue everywhere. With all the attention that was generated from this album and tour, Bryan Adams finally became a household name.

Between 'Waking Up The Neighbours' and the next album of new material, 1996's '18 'Til I Die', A&M Records capitalized on Adams's new-found superstardom and released a best-of package, 'So Far So Good', in 1993, which eventually sold over 13 million copies worldwide. In 1994 they also released a live album called 'Live! Live! Live!' (feauring a bonus live disc with the Asian release), which showcased Adams's strongest point - his live concert.

But once again the rollercoaster of Adams's career took a dip with '18 'Til I Die', also produced by Lange. Stylistically all over the board, it failed to produce any hit singles; even with a long tour of Europe, the album failed to sell well anywhere in the world (although going platinum in Canada almost immediately, it was a far cry from the multi-platinum sales of previous albums), and proposed dates in the US were cancelled due to lack of interest.

Regrouping once again, Adams decided to take MTV up on their years long offer to do one of their famous 'Unplugged' shows, and a concert in New York City in early 1997 was recorded and released as 'Bryan Adams MTV Unplugged' later in the year. Reworking some of his biggest hits and some obscure album tracks to fit the more acoustically-inclined setting, the first single was very well received in North America, so A&M released a second single in the hopes the album would start gaining sales numbers in the US. It ended up selling fairly well, but nowhere near the numbers previous Adams releases saw.

However, Adams is firmly established as one of the most successful singer-songwriters in music history, having sold over 50 millions albums worldwide, and with an impressive list of nominations and awards won: 24 Juno nominations (16 won); 13 Grammy nominations (3 won), including one from the American Paper Institute for the environmental packaging of 'Waking Up The Neighbours'; 3 Academy Awards nominations; 4 MTV Awards nominations (2 won); 5 MuchMusic Awards nominations (3 won); plus literally dozens of other awards worldwide since 1983.

Adams took on the rock world again, with the 1998 release of the Brit-pop styled single/video, "On A Day Like Today" which was the title track from the album released in North America October 20/98.

The second single/video, "When You're Gone", features The Spice Girls' Mel C. A planned tour for the U.S. was cancelled following the CD's slide from Billboard's Top-200 in December '98.

 

Top 10 Brian Adams  Songs with lyrics
 

 

 

 

Summer Of '69

I got my first real six string
Bought it at the five and dime
Played it til my fingers bled
Was the summer of '69

Me and some guys from school
Had a band and we tried real hard
Jimmy quit and Jody got married
I shoulda known we'd never get far

But when I look back now
That summer seemed to last forever
And if I had the choice
Ya - I'd always wanna be there
Those were the best days of my life

Ain't no use in complainin'
When you got a job to do
Spent my evenin's down at the drive-in
And that's when I met you - ya

Standin' on your mama's porch
You told me that you'd wait forever
Oh and when you held my hand
I knew that it was now or never
Those were the best days of my life
Back in the summer of '69

Man we were killin' time
We were young and restless
We needed to unwind
I guess nothin' can last forever - forever, no...

And now the times are changin'
Look at everything that's come and gone
Sometimes when I play that old six string
I think about ya'n wonder what went wrong

Standin' on your mama's porch
You told me it would last forever
Oh the way you held my hand
I knew that it was now or never
Those were the best days of my life
Back in the summer of '69

(Everything I Do) I Do It For You

Look into my eyes - you will see
What you mean to me
Search your heart - search your soul
And when you find me there you'll search no more

Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for
You know it's true Everything I do - I do it for you

Look into my heart - you will find
There's nothin' there to hide
Take me as I am - take my life
I would give it all - I would sacrifice

Don't tell me it's not worth fightin' for
I can't help it - there's nothin' I want more
Ya know it's true Everything I do - I do it for you

There's no love - like your love
And no other - could give more love
There's nowhere - unless you're there
All the time - all the way

Oh - you can't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
I can't help it - there's nothin' I want more
I would fight for you - I'd lie for you
Walk the wire for you - ya I'd die for you
Ya know it's true Everything I do - I do it for you

Heaven

Oh - thinkin' about all our younger years
There was only you and me
We were young and wild and free
Now nothin' can take you away from me
We bin down that road before
But that's over now
You keep me comin' back for more

Baby you're all that I want
When you're lyin' here in my arms
I'm findin' it hard to believe
We're in heaven
And love is all that I need
And I found it there in your heart
It isn't too hard to see
We're in heaven

Oh - once in your life you find someone
Who will turn your world around
Bring you up when you're feelin' down
Ya - nothin' could change what you mean to me
Oh there's lots that I could say
But just hold me now
Cause our love will light the way

N' baby you're all that I want
When you're lyin' here in my arms
I'm findin' it hard to believe
We're in heaven
And love is all that I need
And I found it there in your heart
It isn't too hard to see
We're in heaven

I've bin waitin' for so long
For something to arrive
For love to come along
Now our dreams are comin' true
Through the good times and the bad
Ya - I'll be standin' there by you

The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You

I don't look good in no Armani Suits
No Gucci shoes - or designer boots
I've tried the latest lines from A to Z
But there's just one thing that looks good on me

The only thing I want
The only thing I need
The only thing I choose
The only thing that looks good on me...is you

I'm not satisfied with Versace style
Put those patent leather pants - in the circular file
Sometimes I think - I might be lookin' good
But there's only one thing that fits me like it should

The only thing I want
The only thing I need
The only thing I choose
The only thing that looks good on me...is you

Ya it's you - it could only be you
Nobody else will ever do
Ya baby it's you - that I stick to
Ya we stick like glue

The only thing I want
The only thing I need
The only thing I choose
The only thing that looks good on me...is you

Please Forgive Me

Still feels like our first night together
Feels like the first kiss
It's gettin' better baby
No one can better this
Still holdin' on, you're still the one
First time our eyes met - same feelin' I get
Only feels much stronger - wanna love ya longer
You still turn the fire on...

So if you're feelin' lonely don't - you're the only one I ever want
I only wanna make it good - so if I love ya a little more than I should
Please forgive me - I know not what I do
Please forgive me - I can't stop lovin' you
Don't deny me - this pain I'm going through
Please forgive me - if I need ya like I do
Please believe me - every word I say is true
Please forgive me - I can't stop lovin' you

Still feels like our best times are together
Feels like the first touch - still gettin' closer baby
Can't get close enough
Still holdin' on - still number one
I remember the smell of your skin - I remember everything
I remember all your moves - I remember you yeah
I remember the nights - ya know I still do

So if you're feelin' lonely don't - you're the only one I ever want
I only wanna make it good - so if I love ya a little more than I should
Please forgive me - I know not what I do
Please forgive me - I can't stop lovin' you
Don't deny me this pain I'm going through
Please forgive me - if I need ya like I do
Oh believe me - every word I say is true
Please forgive me - I can't stop lovin' you

One thing I'm sure of - is the way we make love
And one thing I depend on - is for us to stay strong
With every word and every breath I'm prayin'
That's why I'm sayin'

Please forgive me - I know not what I do
Please forgive me - I can't stop lovin' you
Don't deny me this pain I'm going through
Please forgive me - if I need ya like I do
Babe believe me - every word I say is true
Please forgive me - if I can't stop lovin' you
Never leave me - I don't know what I'd do
Please forgive me - I can't stop lovin' you
Can't stop lovin' you

Run To You

She says her love for me could never die
But that'd change if she ever found out about you and I
Oh - but her love is cold It wouldn't hurt her if she didn't know, cause...

When it gets too much
I need to feel your touch

I'm gonna run to you
I'm gonna run to you
Cause when the feelin's right
I'm gonna run all night
I'm gonna run to you

She's got a heart of gold she'd never let me down
But you're the one that always turns me on
You keep me comin' 'round
I know her love is true
But it's so damn easy makin' love to you

I got my mind made up
I need to feel your touch

I'm gonna run to you
Ya - I'm gonna run to you
Cause when the feelin's right
I'm gonna stay all night
I'm gonna run to you
Ya - I'm gonna run to you
Oh when the feelin's right
I'm gonna run all night
I'm gonna run to you

Back to you 

I've been down - I've been beat
I've been so tired - that I could not speak
I've bin so lost that I could not see
I wanted things that were out of reach
Then I found you and you helped me through
And ya showed me what to do
That's why I'm comin' back to you...

Like a star that guides a ship across the ocean
That's how your love can take me home back to you
And if I wish upon that star - that someday I'll be where you are
I know that day is comin soon - ya I'm comin back to you

You've been alone but ya did not show it
You've been in pain when I did not know it
You let me do what I needed to - you were there when I needed you
Mighta let you down - mighta messed you round
But ya never changed your point of view
That's why I'm comin' back to you...

Cuts Like A Knife

Drivin' home this evenin'
Coulda sworn we had it all worked out
You had this boy believin' way beyond a shadow of a doubt
Then I heard it on the street
I heard ya might of found somebody new
Well who is he baby - who is he and tell me what he means to you

I took it for granted - but how was I to know
That you'd be lettin' 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 times I've thought I've bin misunderstood
So wait a minute darlin' - can't you see we did the best we could

This wouldn't be the first time - that 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

Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?

To really love a woman
To understand her - you gotta know her deep inside
Hear every thought - see every dream
N' give her wings - when she wants to fly
Then when you find yourself lyin' helpless in her arms
Ya know ya really love a woman

When you love a woman you tell her that she's really wanted
When you love a woman you tell her that she's the one
Cuz she needs somebody to tell her that it's gonna last forever
So tell me have you ever really - really really ever loved a woman?

To really love a woman
Let her hold you - til ya know how she needs to be touched
You've gotta breathe her - really taste her
Til you can feel her in your blood
N' when you can see your unborn children in her eyes
Ya know ya really love a woman

When you love a woman you tell her that she's really wanted
When you love a woman you tell her that she's the one
Cuz she needs somebody to tell her that you'll always be together
So tell me have you ever really - really really ever loved a woman?

You got to give her some faith - hold her tight
A little tenderness - gotta treat her right
She will be there for you, takin' good care of you
Ya really gotta love your woman...

18 Til I Die

Wanna be young - the rest of my life
Never say no - try anything twice
Til the angels come - and ask me to fly
Gonna be 18 til I die-

18 TIL I DIE

Can't live forever - that's wishful thinkin'
Who ever said that - must of bin' drinkin'
Don't wanna grow up - I don't see why
I couldn't care less if time flies by

18 til I die - gonna be 18 til I die
Ya it sure feels good to be alive
Someday I'll be 18 goin' on 55! - 18 til I die

Anyway - I just wanna say
Why bother with what happened yesterday
It's not my style - I live for the minute
If ya wanna stay young - get both feet in it -

18 TIL I DIE

A 'lil bit of this - a 'lil bit of that
'Lil bit of everything - gotta get on track
It's not how ya look, it's what ya feel inside
I don't care when - I don't need ta know why

18 til I die - gonna be 18 til I die
Ya it sure feels good to be alive
Someday I'll be 18 goin' on 55! - 18 til I die
Ya there's one thing for sure - I'm sure gonna try

Don't worry 'bout the future
Forget about the past
Gonna have a ball - ya we're gonna have a blast
Gonna make it last