Back to You (Bryan Adams song)

"Back to You"
Single by Bryan Adams
from the album Unplugged
B-side
ReleasedDecember 8, 1997 (1997-12-08)
Length4:30
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)Bryan Adams, Eliot Kennedy
Producer(s)Bob Rock
Bryan Adams singles chronology
"I Finally Found Someone"
(1996) 		"Back to You"
(1997) 		"I'm Ready"
(1998)

"Back to You" is a song by Canadian singer Bryan Adams, written by Adams and Eliot Kennedy. It was released in December 1997 as a live acoustic version for Adams' album MTV Unplugged and features students from the Juilliard School, conducted by Michael Kamen. Upon its release, the song became Adams' ninth number-one single in his home country, staying at number one on the RPM Top Singles chart for three nonconsecutive weeks, and reached the top 40 in Australia, Hungary, Iceland, and the United Kingdom. It was later included on his compilation albums The Best of Me and Anthology.

Back to You was later re-recorded in the studio for the compilation release Classic Pt. II, and also appeared on the Classic bonus disk of the So Happy It Hurts Super Deluxe Edition of album. Both Classic Pt. II and the bonus disk were released in 2022.

The B-sides are two tracks performed the same night as the album; however, "Can't Stop This Thing We Started / It Ain't a Party...If You Can't Come 'Round" is only featured on the MTV Unplugged DVD while "Hey Elvis" was previously unreleased.

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Here is the bouncy, uptempo pop single that Adams' longtime fans have been longing for. A new tune that will be featured on the singer's forthcoming "Unplugged" collection, "Back To You" has a sweet acoustic feel and deserves to easily glide onto top 40 playlists. The chorus has instant sing-along potential, and Adams delivers every syllable with an "aw-shucks" romantic flair. At the same time, there's enough bite in the instrumentation to keep mainstream rock radio listeners happily engaged. An excellent single that leaves you hankering for more."[1]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Back to You"Bryan Adams, Eliot Kennedy4:30
2."Hey Elvis"Adams, Gretchen Peters3:41
3."Can't Stop This Thing We Started / It Ain't a Party...If You Can't Come 'Round"Adams, Robert John "Mutt" Lange4:40

Personnel

  • Bryan Adams – guitar, vocals
  • Keith Scott – lead guitar, vocal harmonies
  • Dave Taylor – bass, vocal harmonies
  • Micky Curry – drums, vocal harmonies
  • Danny Cummings – percussion, vocal harmonies
  • Tommy Mandel – piano
  • Michael Kamen – string arrangement and conductor

Charts

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States November 25, 1997 (1997-11-25) Contemporary hit radio A&M [25]
United Kingdom December 8, 1997 (1997-12-08)
  • CD
  • cassette
 [26]

References

  1. ^ Flick, Larry, ed. (November 29, 1997). "Reviews & Previews: Singles" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 48. p. 65. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  2. ^ "Bryan Adams – Back to You". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  3. ^ "Bryan Adams – Back to You" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
  4. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3432." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
  5. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 3427." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
  6. ^ "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 3442." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
  7. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 52. December 27, 1997. p. 17.
  8. ^ "Bryan Adams – Back to You" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  9. ^ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 1–3. January 17, 1998. p. 14. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  10. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (25.12. 1997–01.01. 1998)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). December 27, 1997. p. 47. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  11. ^ "Tipparade-lijst van week 51, 1997" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  12. ^ "Bryan Adams – Back to You" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  13. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
  14. ^ "Bryan Adams – Back to You". Singles Top 100.
  15. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
  16. ^ "Bryan Adams Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard.
  17. ^ "Bryan Adams Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  18. ^ "Bryan Adams Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  19. ^ "Bryan Adams Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  20. ^ "RPM's Top 100 Hits of '98" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 68, no. 12. December 14, 1998. p. 20. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
  21. ^ "RPM's Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks of '98". RPM. Retrieved July 13, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  22. ^ "Best of '98: Most Played Adult Contemporary Songs". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 6, no. 52. December 25, 1998. p. 56.
  23. ^ "Most Played Adult Top 40 Songs of 1998". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 6, no. 52. December 25, 1998. p. 55.
  24. ^ "Most Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 1998". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 6, no. 52. December 25, 1998. p. 45.
  25. ^ "New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1224. November 21, 1997. p. 44.
  26. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. December 6, 1997. p. 27.