Run to You (Bryan Adams song)

Last updated

"Run to You"
RunToYouBAdams.jpg
Single by Bryan Adams
from the album Reckless
B-side "I'm Ready"
ReleasedOctober 18, 1984
RecordedMarch–mid 1984
Studio Little Mountain Sound (Vancouver, Canada)
Genre Rock
Length3:53
Label A&M
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Bryan Adams singles chronology
"This Time"
(1983)
"Run to You"
(1984)
"Somebody"
(1985)
Music video
"Run to You" on YouTube

"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". [1] In the accompanying music video, however, Adams portrays his guitar as the object of desire. [2]

Contents

The song topped the Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart and peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100. It has appeared on all of his compilation albums. The single was certified Gold in Canada in 1985. [3]

Writing and recording

After a tour in Asia, Adams started the recording for Reckless. [4] The recording for "Run to You" started on March 27, 1984, at Little Mountain Sound, Vancouver, Canada and continued through the middle of the year. [4] It was mixed on September 21, 1984, in New York by Jim Vallance. [4] The song, written January 10, 1983, became the last song written for Reckless. [4] Adams and Vallance originally wrote the song for Blue Öyster Cult, but the group turned it down. The song was then offered to .38 Special, who also declined to record the song. [5]

Adams wrote the riff by jamming on his guitar, but never took it seriously because he had added a "really silly...background vocal part" to the demo that obscured the riff's potential. After writing the rest of the song and deciding to record it, he brought his entire band into the studio, and he said hearing the whole band play it "was like hearing the song for the first time. And that first take is what you hear on the album now." [6] The UK 12 inch single (AMY224) states on the rear of the sleeve that contains a "specially remixed version" and that the "original version appears on the A+M album Reckless AMA5013". However, the label states that the track is taken from the album with a running time of 3min 59 sec.

Release and reception

"Run to You" was released worldwide on October 18, 1984, and became one of the most successful songs from Reckless on the American rock charts and arguably one of Bryan Adams's most recognizable and popular songs. [4] It was his first number one song on the Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart, a position it held for four weeks, and it spent an additional five weeks at number two (all behind Don Henley's "Boys of Summer"). It also reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100. [7] "Run to You" reached the top 20 on the Canadian singles chart and remained there for seven weeks, peaking at number four. It held the highest Canadian chart position Adams had attained at the time of release and became his third top-20 single in Canada. [8] It was nominated for a Juno award for song of the year in Canada. "Run to You" was released the following month in Ireland and peaked at number eight and reached number 11 on the UK Singles Chart. It was his second single to chart in Europe. [9] [10]

Billboard said it was "Full-blast rock" and that "Adams' raspy attack wrestles pop hooks into submission." [11] Stewart Mason from AllMusic said "Run to You" was the first of the album's six top 30 hits, and in retrospect, "one of the weakest of the lot. Although the song has a thundering chorus, the kind that sounds truly excellent blasting through FM speakers, there is quite literally not much else to the song: of the song's nearly four-minute length, over half of the song is devoted to repeats of the chorus and an unimaginative instrumental breakdown that leads into a seemingly endless vamp on the chorus to fade." [12] The long instrumental is indicative of the theme of the music video where the protagonist is serenading his guitar as the object of his affection.

In 1984, the song was promoted heavily in an episode of the NBC sitcom Double Trouble . The song was also featured in the 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

Music video

The music video was shot in London, England and later Los Angeles. [13] Directed by Steve Barron, it was nominated for the 1985 MTV Video Music Awards in five different categories: Best Direction, Best Special Effects, Best Art Direction, Best Editing, and Best Cinematography. While the song did not win any of the awards, it has received more MTV Video Music Award nominations than any other of Adams' songs. [14] The English actress Lysette Anthony appears in the video.

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [22] Gold50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [23] Gold400,000

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Rage version

"Run to You"
Rage-Run to You.jpg
Single by Rage
from the album Saviour
Released1992
Genre Dance
Length3:41
Label Intercord
Songwriter(s)
  • Jim Vallance
  • Bryan Adams
Producer(s)
  • Barry Leng
  • Duncan Hannant
Rage singles chronology
"Run to You"
(1992)
"Why Don't You"
(1993)

English urban dance act Rage (known as En-Rage in some European countries) covered "Run to You" in 1992. After having failed to chart when released the first time in May 1992, the single gained an unexpected boost in popularity due to controversy in the UK music media about the band's name: they shared their name with a German heavy metal band who had been recording under the same since 1984. After changing their name to En-Rage in some European countries to avoid legal action from the German band, they re-released the single six months later, and this time, it peaked at number three in the UK (eight places higher than the Bryan Adams version) in November 1992. [24]

Track listings

  1. "Run to You" (7-inch) – 3:41
  2. "Run to You" (instrumental) – 3:57
  3. "Run to You (12-inch) – 5:43
  4. "Ease the Pain" (full) – 5:02

Charts

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryan Adams</span> Canadian musician (born 1959)

Bryan Guy Adams is a Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and photographer. He has been described as one of the best-selling music artists of all time, and is estimated to have sold between 75 million and more than 100 million records and singles worldwide. Adams was the most played artist on Canadian radio in the 2010sand has had 25 top-15 singles in Canada and a dozen or more in each of the US, UK, and Australia.

<i>Waking Up the Neighbours</i> 1991 studio album by Bryan Adams

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.

<i>Into the Fire</i> (album) 1987 studio album by Bryan Adams

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".

<i>Cuts Like a Knife</i> 1983 studio album by Bryan Adams

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.

<i>So Far So Good</i> (Bryan Adams album) 1993 greatest hits album by Bryan Adams

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Summer of '69</span> 1985 single by Bryan Adams

"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.

<i>Reckless</i> (Bryan Adams album) 1984 studio album by Bryan Adams

Reckless is the fourth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams, released by A&M Records on 5 November 1984 to coincide with Adams' 25th birthday. Like its predecessor Cuts Like a Knife, the album was entirely produced by Adams and Bob Clearmountain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?</span> 1995 single by Bryan Adams

"Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" is a song written by Canadian musician Bryan Adams, Michael Kamen and Robert John "Mutt" Lange, and recorded by Adams for the 1995 film Don Juan DeMarco, starring Marlon Brando, Johnny Depp and Faye Dunaway. The melody is used as a musical motif through the film, and the song is featured three times in the movie, twice performed by other artists in Spanish, and finally performed by Adams himself during the closing credits. The Adams version of the song, which features flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia, is featured on the soundtrack album and also on the album 18 til I Die, which was released over a year later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">(Everything I Do) I Do It for You</span> 1991 single by Bryan Adams

"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams. Written by Adams, Michael Kamen, and Robert John "Mutt" Lange, the power ballad was the lead single for both the soundtrack album from the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Adams's sixth studio album, Waking Up the Neighbours (1991). The single was released on June 17, 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All for Love (song)</span> 1993 single by Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting

"All for Love" is a song written by Bryan Adams, Robert John "Mutt" Lange, and Michael Kamen for the soundtrack The Three Musketeers: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. It is performed by Adams, Rod Stewart, and Sting. The power ballad was released as a CD single in the United States on November 16, 1993, by A&M and Hollywood. It was a worldwide hit, reaching number one across Europe, in Australia and in North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heaven (Bryan Adams song)</span> 1985 single by Bryan Adams

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Other Side (Aerosmith song)</span> 1990 single by Aerosmith

"The Other Side" is a song performed by the American rock band Aerosmith, and written by Steven Tyler, Jim Vallance, and Holland-Dozier-Holland. It was released on June 6, 1990 as the fourth single from the band's highly successful 1989 album Pump.

Canadian singer Bryan Adams has released 18 studio releases, six compilation albums, two soundtrack albums, seven live albums, and 75 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Please Forgive Me</span> 1993 single by Bryan Adams

"Please Forgive Me" is a song by Canadian rock musician Bryan Adams. It was released in October 1993 by A&M as the only single and bonus track from his first greatest hits compilation album, So Far So Good (1993). The single reached number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. It is his only Australian number-one single not written for a motion picture, and it also topped the charts of Belgium, Canada, France, Ireland, Norway, and Portugal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">There Will Never Be Another Tonight</span> 1991 single by Bryan Adams

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somebody (Bryan Adams song)</span> 1985 single by Bryan Adams

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's Only Love (Bryan Adams song)</span> 1985 single by Bryan Adams with Tina Turner

"It's Only Love" is a song by Canadian singer and songwriter Bryan Adams, featuring American singer Tina Turner. Released as a single on October 21, 1985, the song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and the accompanying video won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Stage Performance. It was the sixth and final single from Adams' album Reckless (1984) and was included on Tina Turner's live album Tina Live in Europe (1988), as well as being added to both artists' greatest hits compilations: Adams' Anthology (2005) and Turner's All the Best (2004). It reached number 15 in January 1986 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and number 29 in the United Kingdom. The 12-inch single included the 1985 live version that would later appear on the album Tina Live in Europe (1988).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuts Like a Knife (song)</span> 1983 single by Bryan Adams

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Ready (Bryan Adams song)</span> 1998 single by Bryan Adams

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heat of the Night</span> 1987 single by Bryan Adams

"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.

References

  1. Robbins, Ira (January 1999). "Bryan Adams". CMJ New Music Monthly . CMJ Holdings, Corp. (65): 58.
  2. Eddy, Chuck (September 17, 2014). "100 Best Singles of 1984". Rolling Stone . Retrieved June 16, 2015.
  3. "CRIA Certifications". Canadian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on June 5, 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2008.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Album notes for Anthology by Dave Marsh (CD booklet). A&M Records (A&M 5613)". October 18, 2005.
  5. Tunis, Walter (January 13, 2009). "Around the world with Bryan Adams". Malaysia Star . Archived from the original on June 14, 2012. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  6. "Run To You - Bryan Adams reveals who the song/riff was originally written for..." YouTube . August 2014. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  7. "Artist Chart History (singles) - Bryan Adams". Allmusic. Retrieved June 24, 2008.
  8. "Bryan Adams - Canadian Album Chart". RPM. Retrieved June 24, 2008.
  9. "Bryan Adams". Official Charts Company . Retrieved June 24, 2008.
  10. "Irish Album Chart". irish-charts.com. Retrieved June 24, 2008.
  11. "Reviews". Billboard. November 3, 1984. p. 82. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  12. "Run to You". Allmusic. Retrieved June 24, 2008.
  13. "The Life Of Bryan" (in Danish). -skolarbete.nu. Archived from the original on March 28, 2013. Retrieved June 24, 2008.
  14. "Rock On The Net: Bryan Adams". Rock On The Net. September 5, 1986. Retrieved September 1, 2008.
  15. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 12. ISBN   0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between 1983 and June 19, 1988.
  16. "Bryan Adams – Run to You" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  17. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Bryan Adams" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  18. 1 2 "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Run to You". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  19. "Bryan Adams – Run to You". Top 40 Singles.
  20. "Official Charts > Bryan Adams". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  21. "1985 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 52. December 28, 1985. p. T-21.
  22. "Canadian single certifications – Bryan Adams – Run to You". Music Canada.
  23. "British single certifications – Bryan Adams – Run to You". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  24. 1 2 "Rage: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  25. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 228.
  26. "En-Rage – Run to You" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  27. "Rage %5BDance%5D – Run to You" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  28. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 1766." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  29. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 9, no. 47. November 21, 1992. p. 23. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  30. "European Dance Radio Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media . February 13, 1993. p. 8. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  31. Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN   951-31-2503-3.
  32. "En-Rage – Run to You" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  33. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 52, 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  34. "Rage %5BDance%5D – Run to You" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  35. "Rage %5BDance%5D – Run to You". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  36. "En-Rage – Run to You". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  37. "Rage Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  38. "Year End Charts: Top Singles". Music Week . January 16, 1993. p. 8.
  39. "Jaaroverzichten 1993" (in Dutch). Ultratop . Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  40. "The RPM Top 50 Dance Tracks of 1993". RPM . Library and Archives Canada . Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  41. "1993 Year-End Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 10, no. 51/52. December 18, 1993. p. 15. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  42. "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1993" (in German). GfK Entertainment . Retrieved September 15, 2019.