Deconstructing The Songs Of Bryan Adams

[Glen Livingstone]

Deconstructing The Songs Of Bryan Adams
By Pluto

Hello, and welcome to the first installment of 'Deconstructing The Songs Of Bryan Adams.'

I hope you enjoy it.

Today we'll be deconstructing Adams' 1984 hit single 'Kids Wanna Rock.'

The complete lyrics to this CanCon™ classic are reproduced below.

The song starts out in a conventional manner.

Adams begins his uptempo toe-tapper by stating that he 'turned on the radio and it sounded like a disco.'

It's been years since I've been in a disco but as I recall, they were always notoriously noisy places. Radios can be noisy too, so no argument there.

He then claims that he 'musta turned the dial for a couple of miles but he couldn't find no rock 'n roll.'

Atrocious grammar aside, I assume that Adams was operating a motor vehicle at the time and it's quite possible that he may have been turning the dial too quickly to pick up anything at all.

Chances are if he had pulled safely over to the side of the road, activated his four-way flashers and turned the radio dial a little bit slower his search for rock 'n roll may have been more successful.

In the second verse an obviously agitated Adams lashes out at 'Computerized crap,' 'The New Wave,''Weird haircuts' and 'Wasted lives.'

By the time he gets to the third verse, Adams is rudely demanding that someone - identity unknown - "get" him his own personal DJ because - in his words - he's 'got somethin' he's gotta play.'

Then, before even telling his DJ what it is exactly that he needs to hear so badly that 'he can't wait,' he impatiently hollers 'turn it up, turn it up' over a hellish cacophony composed mainly of guitars and drums.

Completely enraged by the fourth verse - Adams - now out-of-control and clearly advocating civil disobedience recommends kicking down the barricades and to 'listen what the kids say,' reluctantly agreeing that people can 'change their minds' but 'the music is here to stay.'

"Listen what the kids say?"

What you talk about?

The computerized crap or rock 'n roll?

The message is unclear.

A spent Adams ends the song with these immortal words:

"I've seen it all from the bottom to the top
Everywhere I go the kids wanna rock

Around the world or around the block
Everywhere I go the kids wanna rock

Everywhere I go the kids wanna rock."

To test his theory I spent this past weekend talking to Canadian Youth.

I surveyed hundreds of kids from the Lower Mainland and asked them this one simple question:

"Hey kids, do you wanna rock?"

The answer was the same each and every time:

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because rocking's for babies."

So there you have it.

Contrary to what Adams says and directly contradicting the message imparted in this song, the kids don't wanna rock.

Never have. Never will.

**************************************************

Kids Wanna Rock

Turned on the radio
Sounded like a disco
Musta turned the dial for a couple of miles
But I couldn't find no rock 'n roll

This computerized crap ain't gettin' me off
Everywhere I go the kids wanna rock
London to L.A.
Talkin' 'bout the New Wave
For a couple of bucks you get a weird haircut
And waste your life away

Around the world or around the block
Everywhere I go the kids wanna rock
Get me my D.J.
I got somethin' he's gotta play
Wanna hear it I can't wait
So turn it up, turn it up...

Kick down the barricades
Listen what the kids say
From time to time people change their minds
But the music is here to stay

I've seen it all from the bottom to the top
Everywhere I go the kids wanna rock

Around the world or around the block
Everywhere I go the kids wanna rock

Everywhere I go the kids wanna rock

© 1984 B. Adams/J. Vallance

If you have a favourite Bryan Adams song that you'd like to have deconstructed, please PM me at RadioWest with your request. I regret that only songs written and recorded by Bryan Adams will be considered for deconstruction. Thank you for your consideration.

[J Kendrick]

Deconstructing The Songs Of Bryan Adams
I regret that only songs written and recorded by Bryan Adams will be considered for deconstruction. Thank you for your consideration.

...only songs written... by Bryan Adams

Are we then to rule out the majority of Adams's songs that were actually written or co-written by Jim Vallance?

JK

[Glen Livingstone]

Deconstructing The Songs Of Bryan Adams
I regret that only songs written and recorded by Bryan Adams will be considered for deconstruction. Thank you for your consideration.

...only songs written... by Bryan Adams

Are we then to rule out the majority of Adams's songs that were actually written or co-written by Jim Vallance?

JK

No, of course not JK, and thank you for allowing me the opportunity to clarify this point.

Any of Mr. Adams' songs - as long as they are a creation of the Bryan Adams pop music machine and are credited to either Mr. Adams on his own or in collaboration with another writer or writers are eligible for deconstruction.

To wit; as long as the song bears Mr. Adams imprimatur then the addition of a co-writer will not affect said song's eligibility to be deconstructed.

Please note: This rule does not apply to songs that Mr. Adams' is currently in the process of writing.

[J Kendrick]

Well... Since you've raised the topic...

I got my first real six-string
Bought it at the five-and-dime
Played 'til my fingers bled
It was summer of '69

Me and some guys from school
Had a Band and we tried real hard
Jimmy quit... Jody got married
I should'a known we'd never get far

This song has always bugged me because I was actually there in the Summer of 1969... at the very same high school as Adams... when Bryan Adams was only nine years old and would have been heading into Grade 5 during that same summer.

Adams himself has acknowledged that the title "Summer of 69" really has nothing to do with the year.. but is actually a reference to... well... You know...

JK

BTW... Adams turns 50 on Thursday... Guy Fawkes Day.

[VE7ROX]

"And together we stand for the youth" Motley Crue - Red Hot

[Neumann Sennheiser]

To paraphrase 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jim McKay ( when asked about the execution of his defense);

How do I feel about the deconstruction of Bryan Adam's songs?

I'm in favor of it!

[Glen Livingstone]

Well... Since you've raised the topic...

I got my first real six-string
Bought it at the five-and-dime
Played 'til my fingers bled
It was summer of '69

Me and some guys from school
Had a Band and we tried real hard
Jimmy quit... Jody got married
I should'a known we'd never get far

This song has always bugged me because I was actually there in the Summer of 1969... at the very same high school as Adams... when Bryan Adams was only nine years old and would have been heading into Grade 5 during that same summer.

Adams himself has acknowledged that the title "Summer of 69" really has nothing to do with the year.. but is actually a reference to... well... You know...

JK

BTW... Adams turns 50 on Thursday... Guy Fawkes Day.

Ah, yes, Summer of '69.

Bryan Adams says he bought a six-string guitar at the five-and-dime?

I've been in a lot of five-and-dime stores overs the years and I have yet to see a guitar for sale, unless of course it was a toy.

As JK has already pointed out, Adams was only nine years old in 1969, yet that year he claims to have formed a band with some guy named Jimmy who soon quit - and Jody - who left to get married.

What the hell?!

Jody's only nine years old, and she gets married?

Where were her parents while all this is going on?

Or maybe Jody was a guy, it is kind of a unisex name.

We'll delve into this more thoroughly in the next installment of Deconstructing The Songs of Bryan Adams.

In the meantime, keep those cards, letters and e-mails coming!