Reckless | ||||
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Released | November 5, 1984 | |||
Recorded | June 1983, March–August 1984 | |||
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Length | 37:58 | |||
Label | A&M | |||
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Bryan Adams chronology | ||||
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Singles from Reckless | ||||
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Reckless is the fourth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams, released by A&M Records on November 5, 1984 to coincide with Adams' 25th birthday. Like its predecessor Cuts Like a Knife , the album was entirely produced by Adams and Bob Clearmountain.
Reckless was commercially successful, selling over 12 million copies worldwide, making it Adams' second highest-selling studio album to date – behind his 1991 album "Waking up the Neighbours". [4] [5] It was also the first Canadian album to sell over one million copies within Canada, and is certified eleven-times platinum in the country. The album peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200. [6] The album has also received positive reviews from critics, with contemporary reviews praising its songwriting and sonic quality.
Six singles were released from the album: "Run to You", "Somebody", "Heaven", "Summer of '69", "One Night Love Affair", and "It's Only Love"; all six singles charted within the top-twenty on the US Billboard Hot 100.
"Heaven" was the first song recorded for the album, which was originally written by Adams and Jim Vallance for the film A Night in Heaven . [7] [8] As the song was already released on the film's soundtrack album, the song was not initially planned to be included on Reckless, as it was considered too "light" for the album. [7]
Adams and Vallance continued to write and record songs for the album throughout 1983 and 1984, and recording sessions began in March 1984, at Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver. [9] [10] They worked with producer Bob Clearmountain, who had co-produced Adams' previous album Cuts Like a Knife.
Nine tracks for the album were completed in August 1984, after Adams and Clearmountain flew to New York City to record some vocal overdubs at Power Station. However, Adams was not fully satisfied with the album, and he consulted his manager Bruce Allen, who listened to the album and asked him: "Where's the rock?". This prompted Adams and Vallance to return to Vancouver and re-record two songs: "One Night Love Affair" and "Summer of '69", as well as writing "Kids Wanna Rock"; the album was eventually completed later that month. [10]
"Run to You" was released as the lead single from Reckless on 18 October 1984, in North America. [8] The song was Adams' first number one hit on the Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart, a position it held for four weeks; it also reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100. [6] The song also peaked at number 4 on the Canadian singles chart, and was his highest-charting song in Canada at the time. [11] "Run to You" also peaked at number 8 in Ireland and reached number 11 on the UK Singles Chart; it was his second single to chart in Europe. [12] [13]
"Somebody" was issued as a single in January 1985. [8] The song was Adams' second number one hit on the Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart and reached number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. [6] "Somebody" was in the top 20 on the Canadian singles chart for six weeks; it was Adams' fourth top 20 hit on the Canadian chart. [6] "Somebody" was released in Europe during February 1985 and peaked at number 20 in Ireland and reached the top 40 on the UK Singles Chart at number 35; it was Adams' third single to chart in Europe. [12] [13]
"Heaven" was the third single issued from Reckless, reaching number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks in June 1985; the song previously peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart in February 1984, due to its inclusion in the A Night in Heaven soundtrack. [6]
Upon the release of Reckless in November 1984, "Summer of '69" received airplay on album-oriented rock radio stations, reaching number 40 on Billboard's Top Rock Tracks chart. After its release as a single in June 1985, "Summer of '69" peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. "Summer of '69" has been certified four-times platinum in the UK. [14]
"One Night Love Affair" was released as the album's fifth single in September 1985, peaking on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 13 and at number 7 on the Top Rock Tracks chart. [6] "One Night Love Affair" had been officially released to Canadian radio stations in February 1985. [8] The song reached the top 20 on the Canadian Singles Chart. [6]
"It's Only Love" was the sixth and final single from Reckless, released on 21 October 1985 in the UK. "It's Only Love" peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 29 on the UK Singles Chart. [6] [12]
In June 2008, the original master tape recordings for Reckless was destroyed in a backlot fire at Universal Studios. Despite the loss of the original masters, a backup copy of the master tape of Reckless was discovered in Adams' home, and was the basis of the album's 30th anniversary remastered edition in 2014. [15]
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the album, an expanded 30th Anniversary edition was released on 10 November 2014; the first disc includes seven previously unreleased tracks, while disc two includes live concert audio from his 1985 tour, recorded at Hammersmith Odeon, London on 20 April 1985 by BBC Radio 1. [16] [17] The Blu-ray audio release additionally includes a 5.1 surround mix; a Dolby Atmos mix was later made available on Apple Music. [18] A tour, titled the Reckless 30th Anniversary Tour, took place from November 2014 to October 2015, consisting of 87 shows in North America and Europe. [19] [20] [21]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Great Rock Discography | 7/10 [23] |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Village Voice | C− [27] |
Soon after its release, Reckless peaked at number 6 on the Billboard 200 in January 1985, before dropping out of the top 10. The success of the singles "Heaven" and "Summer of '69" in mid-1985 renewed interest in the album, and it began climbing back up the chart, eventually charting at number one in August 1985. Reckless also reached number 1 in Canada and New Zealand, number 2 in Norway and Australia while reaching the top 10 in the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Sweden. In Canada, it entered the top 10 shortly after its release, peaking at number 1 in February 1985, and charted in the top 10 periodically in 1985–86. [11] Reckless has been certified eleven-times platinum by Music Canada, for 1,100,000 copies shipped in Canada, and was the first Canadian album to sell over a million copies in the country. [28] [29] It is also certified five-times platinum by the RIAA for 5,000,000 copies shipped in the U.S., and three-times platinum by the BPI for 900,000 copies shipped in the UK. [30] [31] As of 2014, 12 million copies of the album have been sold worldwide. [5]
The album has received positive reviews from critics since its release, highlighting Clearmountain's production and Adams' songwriting. Ryan Healy of uDiscover Music described the album as a "stadium-sized classic" that showcased Adams' "working-class ethos" and "Springsteen-style knack for storytelling". [32] Healy also noted that Adams and his longtime collaborator Jim Vallance "masterfully" tapped into the "pop/rock, radio-friendly vibe of the middle eighties". Classic Rock Review described it as a "particularly strong showcase for the layered guitars of Keith Scott", praised the "pristine sonic quality" of the album, and highlighted "Run to You" as having "just a tinge of surreal darkness". [33] Dave Everley of Louder noted Reckless as "the one that turned [Adams] from upstart into champ", remarking that "may not have invented arena rock, but he certainly perfected it". Everley also complimented Adams' ability to write "catchy, memorable hooks" and "sing with passion and conviction". [34] In a less positive review, Christopher Connelly of Rolling Stone praised Adams' "born-to-rock" vocals and Clearmountain's production work, but expressed contempt at the songwriting in "Run to You" and "Kids Wanna Rock", with the latter being unfavorably compared to "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" by Billy Joel. [24]
The album won the 1985 Juno Award for Album of the Year. [35] Kerrang! named Reckless their 1985 "Album of the Year", and No. 49 on their "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time" list in 1989. [36] The album also appeared as No. 12 in the book The Top 100 Canadian Albums by Bob Mersereau. [37] "It's Only Love" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group, and won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Stage Performance in 1986.
All tracks are written by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance.
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "One Night Love Affair" | 4:32 |
2. | "She's Only Happy When She's Dancin'" | 3:14 |
3. | "Run to You" | 3:54 |
4. | "Heaven" | 4:03 |
5. | "Somebody" | 4:44 |
No. | Title | Length |
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6. | "Summer of '69" | 3:36 |
7. | "Kids Wanna Rock" | 2:36 |
8. | "It's Only Love" (with Tina Turner) | 3:15 |
9. | "Long Gone" | 3:57 |
10. | "Ain't Gonna Cry" | 4:06 |
Total length: | 37:58 |
No. | Title | Length |
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11. | "Let Me Down Easy" | 3:40 |
12. | "Teacher, Teacher" | 3:48 |
13. | "The Boys Night Out" | 3:53 |
14. | "Draw the Line" | 3:26 |
15. | "Play to Win" | 3:28 |
16. | "Too Hot to Handle" | 4:02 |
17. | "Reckless" | 4:01 |
Total length: | 64:11 |
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Remember" | 4:32 |
2. | "The Only One" | 4:39 |
3. | "It's Only Love" | 3:50 |
4. | "Kids Wanna Rock" | 3:16 |
5. | "Long Gone" | 6:21 |
6. | "Cuts Like a Knife" | 5:40 |
7. | "Lonely Nights" | 3:55 |
8. | "Tonight" | 6:13 |
9. | "This Time" | 3:37 |
10. | "The Best Was Yet to Come" | 2:43 |
11. | "Heaven" | 4:04 |
12. | "Run to You" | 4:30 |
13. | "Somebody" | 4:20 |
14. | "Straight from the Heart" | 3:17 |
15. | "Summer of '69" | 4:40 |
Total length: | 65:24 |
| Production
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Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
All-time chart
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [61] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
Austria (IFPI Austria) [62] | Gold | 25,000* |
Canada (Music Canada) [63] | 11× Platinum | 1,100,000^ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [64] | Platinum | 20,000‡ |
Germany (BVMI) [65] | Gold | 250,000^ |
Netherlands (NVPI) [66] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [67] | Platinum | 15,000^ |
Poland (ZPAV) [68] | Platinum | 60,000 [68] |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [69] | Platinum | 50,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [70] | 3× Platinum | 900,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [71] | 5× Platinum | 5,000,000^ |
Summaries | ||
Worldwide | — | 12,000,000 [5] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Bryan Guy Adams is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and photographer. He is estimated to have sold between 75 million and more than 100 million records and singles worldwide, placing him on the list of best-selling music artists. Adams was the most played artist on Canadian radio in the 2010s and has had 25 top-15 singles in Canada and a dozen or more in the US, UK, and Australia.
Waking Up the Neighbours is the sixth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams, released on September 24, 1991. The album was recorded at Battery Studios in London and The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, mixed at Mayfair Studios in London, and mastered by Bob Ludwig at Masterdisk in New York City.
Into the Fire is the fifth studio album by the Canadian rock singer Bryan Adams. It was co-written by Jim Vallance. It was released on 30 March 1987 by A&M Records as the follow-up album to the chart-topping Reckless (1984). Into the Fire peaked at number seven on the US Billboard 200 chart and reached the Top 10 in several other nations. Six singles were released from the album: "Heat of the Night", "Hearts on Fire", "Victim of Love", "Only the Strong Survive", "Into the Fire" and "Another Day".
Cuts Like a Knife is the third studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams. Released on 18 January 1983 by A&M Records, the album was a huge commercial success in the United States and Canada. Three singles were released worldwide from the album: "Straight from the Heart", the title track and "This Time"; the three were responsible for launching Adams into mainstream popularity.
So Far So Good is a compilation album by Canadian rock musician Bryan Adams, released by A&M Records in November 1993. The album reached number six on the Billboard 200 in 1994 and was a number one hit in the United Kingdom and many other countries.
"Summer of '69" is a song recorded by the Canadian singer Bryan Adams from his fourth album, Reckless. It is an up-tempo rock song about a dilemma between settling down or trying to become a rock star. The track was written by Adams and his longtime songwriting collaborator Jim Vallance. "Summer of '69" was produced by Adams and Bob Clearmountain. "Summer of '69" was released in June 1985 under A&M Records as the fourth single from Reckless. According to later claims by Adams, the title is a reference to the sex position, not the year, but Vallance disputes this.
You Want It, You Got It is the second studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams, released on July 28, 1981 by A&M Records.
"Heaven" is a song by the Canadian singer and songwriter Bryan Adams recorded in 1983, written by Adams and Jim Vallance. It first appeared on the A Night in Heaven soundtrack album the same year and was later included on Adams' album Reckless in 1984. It was released as the third single from Reckless and reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in June 1985, over a year and a half after the song first appeared on record. The single was certified Gold in Canada in 1985.
Canadian singer Bryan Adams has released 18 studio releases, six compilation albums, two soundtrack albums, seven live albums, and 77 singles. After the success of his debut single, "Let Me Take You Dancing" (1979), Adams signed a recording contract with A&M Records. Bryan Adams (1980), his debut album, peaked at number 69 on the Canadian RPM Albums Chart. Adams followed this with You Want It You Got It (1981), which peaked at number 118 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold in Canada. Cuts Like a Knife, his third release, became his first successful work outside Canada. The album charted within the top 10 in Canada and the United States and was certified three-times platinum by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) and platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Reckless (1984), his fourth studio album, selling over 12 million copies worldwide and featured the hit singles "Run to You", "Heaven" and "Summer of '69". In 1987, he released Into the Fire, which reached platinum status in the United States and triple-platinum in Canada.
"There Will Never Be Another Tonight" is a song written by Bryan Adams, Robert Lange, and Jim Vallance for Adams sixth studio album Waking Up the Neighbours (1991). It was the third single released from the album, in November 1991. The song peaked at number two on Canada's RPM Top Singles chart, number six on the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, and number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song has only appeared on one compilation album released by Adams: Anthology (2005). Starting in 2009, the song is used as the opening theme song for the CBC reality competition, Battle of the Blades.
"Back Where You Started" is a popular album track by rock/soul singer Tina Turner, from her Platinum-certified Break Every Rule album. The song was released as a single in Canada only, and as a radio-promo disc in the United States.
"One Night Love Affair" is a song by Canadian singer and songwriter Bryan Adams. Written by Adams and Jim Vallance for Adams's fourth studio album, Reckless (1984), it was the fifth single released from the album. It is one of Adams's most recognizable and popular songs in North America. The song peaked at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #7 on the Top Rock Tracks chart and has appeared on Adams's compilation album Anthology (2005). It was the only single taken from Reckless with no music video, among the six that were officially released between 1984 and 1986.
"Somebody" is a rock song written by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance for Adams fourth studio album Reckless (1984). It was the second single released from the album Reckless. The song topped the Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart and peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Cuts Like a Knife" is a song by Canadian rock musician Bryan Adams. It was released in May 1983 as the second single from his third studio album of the same name (1983). It peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart and number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song has appeared on all of Adams' compilation albums with the exception of The Best of Me.
"I'm Ready" is a song by Canadian rock musician Bryan Adams. It was written by Adams and collaborator Jim Vallance. The song was first released in 1979, by Ian Lloyd, on his solo album Goose Bumps. Vallance played the drums on this recording. In 1983 Adams himself recorded the song for his third album, Cuts Like a Knife, as a straightforward rock song with electric guitar and synthesizer. Adams co-produced his version with Bob Clearmountain, who also mixed it.
"Run to You" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams. It was released in 1984 as the lead single from his fourth album, Reckless (1984). The track deals with the subject of infidelity, and is sung from the perspective of a man who declares that he will continue to "run to" his seductive mistress over his faithful partner; critic Ira Robbins for CMJ called it a "cheating classic". In the accompanying music video, however, Adams portrays his guitar as the object of desire.
"Heat of the Night" is a song written by Canadian rock musician Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance and performed by Adams. The song became the most successful song from Adams's album Into the Fire in 1987. It was released as the first single from Into the Fire and reached number 6 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number 2 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
"Do I Have to Say the Words?" is a song by Canadian singer and songwriter Bryan Adams from his sixth studio album, Waking Up the Neighbours (1991). It was written and produced by Adams and Robert John "Mutt" Lange, with Jim Vallance serving as its co-writer. It was released in July 1992 as the sixth single from the album. "Do I Have to Say the Words?" is a mid-tempo pop rock ballad with guitar riffs and soft synths in its instrumentation, while Adams gives a dramatic vocal delivery.
"Christmas Time" is a song by Canadian rock singer-songwriter Bryan Adams. It was written by Adams and Jim Vallance and became Adams' most popular Christmas song. It was originally released on clear, green vinyl with a picture sleeve. It was written and recorded in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. No music video was shot for the song when it was originally released, but on December 10, 2019, Adams released a video for the song on YouTube. Over thirty years after it was first recorded, the song still receives significant radio airplay each year during the Christmas season. It features prominently in the 2022 action comedy film Violent Night.
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