Bryan Adams - Into The Fire (1987) [2012, Universal Music, UICY-94823]

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Bryan Adams - Into The Fire (1987) [2012, Universal Music, UICY-94823]

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I wonder what fans who expected a followup just as hard-rocking as Reckless thought of Into The Fire. There are some engaging rocking songs and Keith Scott is still on board, but without the power chops that made Reckless such a hit. This is a more mellowed work, with some sobering topics that probably wouldn't have most music buyers scrambling to get this album. That's too bad for them, because that's exactly what makes this album a wonder.

"Heat Of The Night" was the first single of the album, and there's a bluesy lean towards the song. This was the only Top Ten single from Into The Fire.

The title track is a light philosophical rocker on life and its pains, and is a sure sign of the maturity he embarked on during his later albums. He's a stark realist, given, "You could wait for your dreams to come true/but time has no mercy/time won't stand still for you." The title lyric has similar tones: "Well, I know what your heart desires/but you can't take it with you into the fire."

Those who've been given the shaft on love will find their song on the third single, "Victim Of Love", which is my favourite song here. The part where the guitars stop with only the quiet percussion, makes the song wistful with Bryan's voice, which is down to a softened and tender rasp. Other times, he screams as if to stifle the pain. Love this lyric: "It's a table for one and a broken heart to go." Keith Scott's fiery guitar does wonders in this rock ballad.

The stripped down but engaging "Another Day" is a somber look at the day-to-day look at the perils of unemployment. As the song opens, the protagonist has spent his unemployment check, probably on drink, as he can't remember the previous night, and has bills to pay. However, he does sound a bit callous and fed up when he says "Some people never learn/their life ain't my concern."

After Iron Maiden and Europe, now it's Bryan Adams' turn to do a song on the injustices done to Native Americans with the sobering ballad "Native Son". Sung from the POV of an elderly Native, it tells of a time "before the wagons - before the soldiers' guns." There is anger-"like dogs we were driven from this place" and sadness-"With each new day that comes to pass/will the Great Spirit free us all at last?" in the song.

"Only The Strong Survive" has stylings of 60's rock on the verses, something like the Easybeats, and the title refers to the perils of the fast life.

"Rebel" is a look at the title character who returns to the town he left to be different. The rocking guitar melody has similarities to "Piano Man." He's caught between his situation now and his past days, but in the end, those "two worlds collide in a moment of truth."

"Remembrance Day" is the Commonwealth equivalent of Veteran's Day, 11 November, and has Adams tackling those who laid down their lives fighting that war to end all wars. It's a somber ballad that puts paid the macho image of war-"We'd face the fighting with a smile-or so we said/if only we had known what danger lay ahead." "Well the guns will be silent/there'll be no more fighting/oh, we'll lay down our weapons/on remembrance day" goes the chorus. That brings to mind how actions put weight behind words of "no more fighting." Indeed, there was another world war twenty-one years afterwards. How many times will we say that, I wonder?

The second single was "Hearts On Fire", which is a lightweight cousin of something that would've ended up on Reckless, which explains why it was released as a single, only to fall far below Adams' previous Top Ten glory.

I wonder if the protagonist from "Rebel" experienced the feelings of wanting to go "Home Again", because I can picture him singing this first, before moving to the events in "Rebel." In this song, he's going back home to the girl he left behind.

This was the second album Adams produced with Bob Clearmountain. His next co-pilot would be someone who'd given Def Leppard two hit albums and would become Mr. Shania Twain in the next decade. A jarring difference from Reckless, but meritorious nevertheless.

By Daniel J. Hamlow

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Bryan Adams - Into The Fire (1987) [2012, Universal Music, UICY-94823]

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Bryan Adams - Into The Fire (1987) [2012, Universal Music, UICY-94823]

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