Canadian rock icon Bryan Adams has had a pretty remarkable career—75 million albums sold, a Grammy Award, a Broadway musical, three Oscar nominations for Best Original Song, and 11 Top 10 hits including four No. 1 songs. He’s managed to achieve this high level of success by mixing things up between rockers, ballads, and movie tunes.
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But the man has often co-written songs that seemed more appropriate for other artists, and occasionally exhibited a side that might feel a bit too hard for the audience he has cultivated. So, frequently in collaboration with his first main songwriting partner Jim Vallance, Adams found homes for dozens of songs with other artists including Neil Diamond, .38 Special, Bonnie Tyler, and Mötley Crüe. The results have been quite varied; some were hits, others still interesting tracks. Here are five standouts among many.
“War Machine,” KISS (1982)
Adams co-wrote three tunes for KISS; two with Vallance and Gene Simmons (“War Machine” and “Rock and Roll Hell“) and one with Paul Stanley and Michael Japp (the raunchy, funky “Down on Your Knees,” found on the KISS compilation Killers). “War Machine” is by far the heaviest track on what is arguably KISS’ heaviest album thanks to a booming drum sound. Given the song’s ominous vibe and Simmons’ menacing vocal delivery, one would not suspect it fell into Adams’ wheelhouse. It’s the best cut on the album and also one of KISS’ most memorable anthems. If you wonder what the main riff for “War Machine” might sound like on Adams’ acoustic guitar, check this out.
“Boys Nite Out,” Krokus (1984)
The Blitz was the eighth studio album for these Swiss hard-rockers and one of two Gold-certified releases in America. “Boys Nite Out” was originally recorded for Adams’ 1984 breakthrough album Reckless but was later shelved, so Krokus frontman Marc Storace and guitarist Fernando Von Arb took the track and added their own touches to it. It became a rowdy anthem that fit the era’s decadent zeitgeist and was heightened by Storace’s Bon Scott-like yowl and Von Arb’s spirited soloing. Adams’ version was released on the 30th anniversary edition of Reckless and offers a different take. Whereas Krokus’ rewritten lyrics are in full-on party mode, Adams’ rendition (“The Boys Night Out”) has edgier and dramatic verses that anticipate things are about to get crazy with each chorus. But his is a more cautionary about letting things get too out of control on a wild night out involving a car theft. The two versions make for an interesting contrast.
“Let Me Down Easy,” Roger Daltrey (1985)
This lovelorn song was the second single from The Who frontman’s sixth studio album and another castoff from Reckless. Of all the tracks on this list, the production and guitar sound on this song are the closest to a Bryan Adams tune—which makes sense as Adams contributed rhythm guitar and backing vocals. Vallance has said that they originally wrote this song for Stevie Nicks, who passed on it. But having Daltrey pick it up worked out decently as as it reached No. 11 on Billboard‘s Rock Albums & Top Tracks radio chart (now known as Mainstream Rock) and just squeaked onto the Hot 100 singles chart at No. 86. Adams and Vallance also co-wrote the nostalgic ballad “Rebel,” which appears on the album Under a Raging Moon as well. You can also check out Adams’ original version and live acoustic rendition.
“Back Where You Started,” Tina Turner (1986)
The fifth single from Turner’s sixth solo album, the Adams/Vallance-penned “Back Where You Started” is drenched with organ, wailing electric guitar, and the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s powerhouse vocals. The song has a very ‘80s vibe, yet hearkens back to the emotive songs she made her name on. This was a Top 20 rock radio track at the time, but unlike many other tunes on the album it did not crack the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Still, “Back Where You Started” earned Turner her sixth of eight Grammy Awards, this time for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female. Adams played acoustic piano and guitars and provided backing vocals for the song, while Vallance contributed percussion. Adams and Turner had teamed up previously on “It’s Only Love” for the 1984 album Reckless, which earned them a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
“When the Night Comes,” Joe Cocker (1989)
This passionate ode to the bonding power of love in the face of adversity was co-written by Adams and Vallance with songwriting legend Diane Warren. Then it was given to the late Joe Cocker, who offered his soulful take on the tune, complete with buoyant vocal harmonies. Included on the singer’s 12th studio album One Night of Sin and also featured in the end credits to the Tom Selleck film An Innocent Man, “When The Night Comes” went to No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. It was Cocker’s first hit since “Up Where We Belong,” the No. 1 hit he notched in 1983 with Jennifer Warnes from the An Officer and A Gentleman soundtrack. Adams, who played rhythm guitar on the hit, has performed a live rendition of the song with just himself and his guitar, giving it more of a traditional ballad feel, and one can hear how Cocker really made it his own. Cocker was one of Adams’ biggest vocal inspirations, and he gave his idol two other songs, “Edge of a Dream” (1984) and “Feels Like Forever” (1991).
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