The 40th anniversary of Bryan Adams' debut record

The year was 1980. The top Canadian singles on the charts included: Martha and the Muffins' "Echo Beach," Prism's "Young and Restless," and Anne Murray covering the Monkees' "Daydream Believer." In other words, it was quite a time to be alive.

To that fascinating cross-country sonic landscape, one young artist added his self-titled debut release. Bryan Adams didn't hit the charts with a bang or a whimper, but it made its mark.

Forty years later, CBC Music staff writers Andrea Warner, Holly Gordon, and Melody Lau are diving deep into the album that introduced Bryan Adams to the world. Join them in re-examining the making of this pivotal record, Adams' teen years hustling to make it as a singer and songwriter in Vancouver, meeting his lifelong songwriting partner, musician and producer, Jim Vallance, and the legacy of these nine songs in the context of the making of a future Canadian rock star.

Andrea: Growing up in Vancouver in the '80s, I felt as though Bryan Adams was everywhere. Globally we know he became a superstar in that decade, of course, but there was a particular kind of ubiquity, I think, for locals. "Summer of 69" was huge, and then it was the big pop ballads in the early '90s. Holly, Melody, neither of you are from Vancouver. What were your first introductions to Bryan Adams? 

Holly: Montreal did not have as much of a love affair with Bryan Adams as Vancouver did. My first concrete memory of his music is actually Céline Dion singing "(Everything I Do) I do it for You" with Adams, though now that I Google it I have no idea why that happened! But I've known all the words to "Summer of '69" for as long as I remember music being in my life — I was born in 1983, though, so I probably didn't learn those lyrics when it first came out (I was two).

Melody: As a '90s baby (I am not trying to make anyone feel old, I swear!) I was introduced to Bryan Adams in the most '90s way possible: through "When You're Gone," his 1998 collaboration with Spice Girl Melanie C. I discovered his hits later, but I must admit that I've never listened to his debut album so I am happy to be sharing my experience with you. Are either of you familiar with his 1980 self-titled release?

Andrea: Since I was born in 1979, I've just always lived in a world with Bryan Adams. But I realized recently that I've never much paid attention to anything before Bryan Adams' 1983 breakthrough, Cuts Like a Knife. This makes sense because I was four when that record came out, but it's kind of a blind spot for an adult, especially one who writes professionally about Canadian music. But then I saw that this year, 2020, marks the 40th anniversary of his self-titled debut album, Bryan Adams, and it's the perfect excuse! And as I started to dig in, I was kind of blown away by it for a few reasons.

One: Adams was barely 20 years old when he released this record. Twenty! And you can already hear how confident he is as a vocalist and as a songwriter. 

Two: There are two instant classics on this record. The kind of songs that are hits right away but that also stand the test of time. One hits that sweet spot that perfectly encapsulates 1980: earnest, bright, a little sleazy glam rock and a little bit working-class rock. The other is a ballad with a bombastic chorus that's made for first dances, prom, ice skating while holding hands, campfires, and karaoke singalongs. I'm talking about "Hidin' From Your Love" and "Give me Your Love," which when juxtaposed maybe form a two-part call-and-answer?

Let's give a shout-out to the sax solos.- Holly Gordon

Melody: "Hidin' From Your Love" and "Give me Your Love" were also the first two singles from this album, and reached number 64 and 91, respectively, on Canada's RPM 100 singles chart. (Interestingly enough, British band Rosetta Stone's cover of "Hidin' From Your Love" did better than the original, charting at number 46 in Canada.) So they weren't commercial blockbusters, but definitely important in establishing Adams as a skilled songwriter. 

You're definitely right about "Give me Your Love" and how it taps into a young love, one that asks a partner to give them everything they've got "or nothing at all." It's melodramatic, both lyrically and sonically — that falsetto he hits near the end! — but that's what first loves are sometimes! That song is a teleportation machine that takes you directly to the dance floor of your high school prom. It's really a shame that Adams was never featured on the soundtrack of a John Hughes movie. Heck, he probably could have starred in one of those movies, just look at him!

Holly: I love the idea that "Hidin' From Your Love" and "Give me Your Love" are a two-part call-and-answer, but if I never have to listen to "Give me Your Love" again, that will be fine. It's so schmaltzy! And that (thankfully short) guitar solo — I know that was The Thing in the '80s but I'm glad we're 40 years out. And I absolutely agree that it is fit for prom.

I am here for "Hidin' From Your Love," though! It feels like that raunchy guitar and the new-wave keys are from such different worlds, but it works? Maybe I'm still recovering from "Give me Your Love."

Melody: I am always down for a good guitar solo under the right circumstances. 

Was that a mistake or an act of genius?- Andrea Warner

Holly: Noted! I've never listened to Bryan Adams' debut album in full before, but on the first go-round "Remember" is the song that hooked me most. It's closest to the Bryan Adams hits we'd end up singing along to for decades, despite the kazoo-leaning synthesizer solo more than halfway through (there are a lot of solos on this record!). It's not that I only want to hear one sound from Adams, but this debut touches on a lot of different genres — new wave, rock and slightly over-the-top pop ballads — and the rock anthems are where he really hits his stride. (Though he would clearly find his way in the pop ballad lane, too.)

Also, let's give a shout-out to the sax solos on "Don't ya say It," the happy-go-luckiest song on this album, despite being about the end of a love. The song's whole vibe reminds me of someone but I can't seem to place who — do you feel that, too? (Maybe it's just the Elton John-esque piano.)

Andrea: Ooh, I can hear how it's Elton-adjacent for sure! I'm also pretty into this record as the major marker of the beginning of Adams' and Vallance's creative collaboration. I'm a big research nerd and so while I was trying to find out info about the record, I came across Vallance's website, which is a dream for someone like me. It's so orderly and it has so much information, and it also includes his personal recollections and comments about many of the songs he's co-written or written over the last 45 years, including several with Adams. 

The story of how they came together is fascinating. Sometime around 1975 or 1976, when Adams was 15 or 16 years old and was already picking up work as a session vocalist, he took over from Nick Gilder (yes, of future "Hot Child in the City" fame) as the lead singer of this glam rock band in Vancouver called Sweeney Todd. He only stayed with the band for one album and then he left around 1978, which is when a record store pal introduced him to Vallance. Vallance apparently wanted a voice for his songs and Adams wanted a songwriting partner. They were signed eventually by A&M as songwriters but nobody was hiring them because they were kind of unknowns. Then Vallance was hired by Bruce Allen to write songs for Bachman-Turner Overdrive's 1978 album, Rock 'n' Roll Nights. Vallance brought Adams onboard and Vallance ended up producing several songs as well, and finally Vallance and Adams were a successful songwriting team. 

Holly: Little side note to say that "Wastin' Time," which appears on this debut record, was originally written by Adams for that BTO album — though on Adams' own version, he opted for an opening kick drum instead of a cowbell. 

Andrea: Ooh, was that a mistake or an act of genius? 

Holly: I actually think there's muted cowbell later on!

Andrea: I also love that Adams' origin story wasn't glamorous. On his website, Vallance talks about writing "Hidin' From Your Love," the record's first and most successful single: "We wrote the song in February 1979 in a temporary 'studio' I'd set up in the living room of my rented home at 12th and Carnarvon in Vancouver. It had rained heavily the night before and my basement studio was ankle deep in water!" He also posts a picture of his car from an accident they were in during that time, recalling: "When I first met Bryan he was so poor that I'd often give him money to take the bus, or I'd drive him home myself. On one occasion, around midnight, I was driving Bryan back to his mom's house when we were hit by a car speeding through a red light. No-one was injured, but my car was a total write-off."

I think you can hear that hustle and drive on the album. It's just nine songs long, and not every song is a hit, but the elements are all there, you know?

I'm convinced that Bryan Adams is a time wizard.- Melody Lau

Holly: Definitely. And Vallance is only seven years older than Adams — they were both young! Even though Adams was the baby of the duo, just out of teenagehood and still living with his mom. Considering it only took him three more years to release Cuts Like a Knife, it makes a lot of sense that we're seeing all the elements in his debut, even if it's not an album that's heavily referenced four decades later.

Melody: Its production is also very tied to the '80s, and I honestly think some of these songs can be reimagined as hits today. Just imagine Haim taking on breezy rock and harmonies on "Try to see it my Way" Or "Don't ya say It" polished up as a disco-pop anthem? Like Holly pointed out, the latter's saxophone solo would be killer today! 

Andrea: I also love this old review I found in American Record World: "There's lots of teen appeal in this debut album. Using polished pop/rock melodies and easily memorable lyrics, Adams' first effort sounds right for Top 40." The "teen appeal" element is the perfect reminder that even though there's a part of me that thinks Bryan Adams has literally always been middle-aged, he was so young when this record came out. He was just 20 years old and the record is now 40 years old and the question that plagues us all so often — what is time even? 

Holly: Oh God, I know. Even though I started listening to Bryan Adams in the '90s, he seemed ancient to 10-year-old me so my brain assumed he was middle-aged anyway. He's been 60 for a long time! (I think I also got a little screwed up when he released that "When You're Gone" duet with Mel C. in 1998, because she was 24 when that song came out and he was, well, not.) 

Melody: This was my mind trying to do the math as I read your last sentence, Andrea. Now I'm convinced that Bryan Adams is a time wizard.