Bryan Adams is no stranger to collaborations. He’s penned songs for Kiss, Joe Cocker and many others. But there was one time where he almost gave away one of his biggest hits.
“Way back when I was working with Jim Vallance and we were just trying to carve it out as songwriters. Sometimes we put ourselves in a position of, ‘Okay, today we’re going to write a song for such and such, even if we didn’t know how to get that song to them or not,” he remembered in a recent interview with 97.1 Rock. “Sometimes that would inspire something [really good]. For example, the song ‘Run to You‘ was written for a band called Blue Oyster Cult. They never got it or if they did, the producer, Bruce Fairbairn, who we gave it to, he never played it for them.”
“Run to You” ended up being the first of six singles from Adams’ fourth studio album, 1984’s Reckless. The record achieved several notable firsts for the Canadian songwriter. It was the first album to sell over a million copies in Canada and is certified more than 10 times platinum in the area.
Additionally, all six singles from Reckless became Top 20 Billboard hits for Adams, with “Run to You” peaking at No. 6. Eventually, the album moved over 12 million copies worldwide and it remains his second best-selling album of his career, only bested by 1991’s Waking Up the Neighbours.
Blue Oyster Cult wasn’t the only potential suitor either. 38 Special also reportedly had a crack at “Run to You.” Though they didn’t take the bait on that one, they did record other Vallance/Adams collaborations, including “Teacher, Teacher,” which became a Top 40 hit for the Jacksonville rockers after it was released as part of the soundtrack for 1984’s Teachers movie.
Adams’ guitarist Keith Scott was relieved that “Run to You” didn’t become a Blue Oyster Cult song. “I remember the phone call. [Bryan] said, ‘I just wrote this thing. It was for Blue Oyster Cult. But I don’t think they’re going to keep it.’ I said, ‘Please don’t give it away!’”
Adams Wrote a Bunch of Songs for Other People
Though the Blue Oyster Cult attempt fizzled, Adams has placed plenty of songs with others over the years, including (as mentioned earlier) a couple of songs with Kiss and also, Motley Crue. He scored a big hit with 1989’s “When the Night Comes,” recorded by Joe Cocker. It was the first of two songs that the distinctive vocalist tackled (“Feels Like Forever,” from 1991’s Night Calls was the other), written by Adams, Vallance and songstress Diane Warren.
“When the Night Comes” gave Cocker his last Top 40 hit and Adams has fond memories of the experience he had working with the legend, which he’ll never forget, for a number of reasons. “I remember going to the cinema with my friends [to see] Mad Dogs & Englishmen. We’d never seen anything like that. All of those musicians on stage and this guy’s voice and how he was moving, it was mind-blowing,” he told UCR in 2022.
Listen to Joe Cocker’s ‘When the Night Comes’
“Fast forward years later, I got a chance to work with him. I made the mistake of trying to keep up with Joe at one point. He had this thing called the Joe Cola [which was] Bacardi and Coke. He was like, ‘Do you want one?’ I said, ‘Hmmm, I don’t drink.’ He said, ‘Come on, just have one.’ I said, ‘Okay, alright.’ Because I was with my hero. How could I say no? It flattened me.”
How Did Bryan Connect With Roger Daltrey?
“Let Me Down Easy,” his contribution to the Who frontman’s 1985 solo effort Under a Raging Moon offers another glimpse of how prolific the early ’80s were for his songwriting. “It was actually destined for Reckless. I don’t know, for whatever reason, I didn’t put it on there,” Adams said in that same 2022 interview. “Roger called me up and he said, ‘Do you have any songs for my solo album?’ I said, “Yeah, I do, actually.” I gave him that and ‘Rebel’ as well. I mean, again. You’re talking about two of the most iconic singers in my life. There was a few. Joe, Steve Marriott, Roger Daltrey, Ian Gillan, Paul Rodgers and Elton [John], there’s so many great singers from that time period. I know I’m missing some. To get the chance to work with your heroes and have a laugh doing it, it’s so much fun.”
READ MORE: 51 Songs Bryan Adams Wrote for Other Artists
Listen to Roger Daltrey’s ‘Let Me Down Easy’
Bryan Adams Has a ‘Newfound Freedom.’ How Did That Happen?
It’s a simple answer. The songwriter continues to put out new albums on a regular basis. Roll With the Punches, his latest, arrived in late August. This month, he’ll hit the road with Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo also on the bill. As it turns out, the album title is no coincidence.
“It feels like the right title for the right tour at the right time. I’ve recently become an independent artist and when I say that, I’m self-managed and have my own label, BAD Records,” he explained to USA Today. “Extracting myself from the past and moving into the future has been enormously liberating and inspiring. I kind of feel like [‘Roll With the Punches’]is also a song for anyone who has felt they’ve been knocked down with the idea of getting back up again and dusting yourself off. That’s the theme of the song and it’s part of my newfound freedom.”
Watch Bryan Adams’ ‘Roll With the Punches’ Video
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