Oddly enough, it nearly didnвЂ™t make it onto BryanвЂ™s classic вЂњRecklessвЂќ album as he and his producer thought that it was a bit too soft. That dreadful club version of вЂњHeavenвЂќ (by DJ Sammy) that was around a decade ago had only one good purpose and that was to remind people of what a great song the original was. вЂњRun To YouвЂќ is a clear-cut classic, the excitement, passion and shame of deceit are portrayed magnificently in this early highlight of his career and itвЂ™s a composition I love, despite not liking the subject matter too much. I also particularly like the guitar phrase that follows each sung line of the chorus itвЂ™s such a brilliantly written and arranged song. Another of my favourites is the dramatic вЂњDo I Have To Say The Words?вЂќ, another woeful, pleading tale of broken love which Bryan delivers so well. вЂњStraight From The HeartвЂќ is another I like a lot, being a heartfelt ballad, pleading with his lover for honesty and to give their relationship another chance, delivered simply, without the usual Adams bombast. вЂњSummer Of вЂ™69вЂќ kicks the album off explosively and the classic nostalgia-based song, reminiscing about the hazy years of care-free youth and young love is a subject matter that most will be able to relate to and enjoy immensely. Even that monster of a hit вЂњ(Everything I Do) I Do It For YouвЂќ has aged rather well and, now the unbearable heavy radio rotation of 1991 is a distant memory, itвЂ™s much easier to enjoy as the classy ballad it is. The rest of the material is almost wholly brilliant and are amongst the best written, produced and performed songs you will ever hear from the soft rock genre. It says a lot that the only song IвЂ™m not overly fond of on here is вЂњKids Wanna RockвЂќ вЂ“ and even thatвЂ™s perfectly listenable. That collaboration with Sting and Rod Stewart was fairly dreadful too, so, yes, IвЂ™m very happy to end my Bryan Adams collection in the early nineties and run the risk of missing the odd gem or two which IвЂ™m sure must exist, post-1993. The rest I can really live without, especially the cringe-worthy вЂњHave You Ever Really Loved A WomanвЂќ which must be quite high up on my list of songs I really cannot stand. Personally, IвЂ™m not, as there is probably only one song I would consider worthy of adding to this album and thatвЂ™s the single he released with Spice Girl Mel C, вЂњWhen YouвЂ™re GoneвЂќ. With a lean fourteen tracks, this really do go straight for the jugular and provides a superb overview of BryanвЂ™s biggest songs up until that point and whether that satisfies your Adams needs depends on whether youвЂ™re a fan of his later material or not.

Nostalgia aside, if youвЂ™re looking for a great Bryan Adams compilation, you canвЂ™t go far wrong with this 1993 вЂњGreatest HitsвЂќ package. I was eighteen years old and had just split up with my first love after nearly two years together, so it brings back some bitter-sweet memories of thinking that the world had ended, that I would never be happy again (I know, but I was a kid) and provided the perfect soundtrack to teenage heartbreak at the time. Even though my CD copy is a more recent purchase (I must have had it for at least a decade), I actually bought this album on cassette a few days after it was released from the HMV store in Dundee.

Bryan adams so far so good