Straight from the Heart (Bryan Adams song)

"Straight from the Heart" is a song recorded by Canadian rock musician Bryan Adams. It was released in 1983 as the lead single from his third studio album, Cuts Like a Knife.

Background

The song was written by Eric Kagna, a Vancouver singer/songwriter, and the instrumental bridge was contributed by Adams. The official songwriter credit is shared equally between Adams and Kagna. The song was first recorded by Ian Lloyd in 1980, on his album Third Wave Civilization. Adams did not release his version of the song until 1983.

Personnel

• Bryan Adams – lead and backing vocals, piano
• Keith Scott – guitars, backing vocals
• Tommy Mandel – organ, Casio keyboards
• Dave Taylor – bass
• Mickey Curry – drums
• Jim Vallance – percussion
• Mark Doyle – backing vocals

Chart history

It was his breakthrough song in the U.S., the first to make the top 40, reaching number 10. It also peaked at #32 on the Adult Contemporary chart, the first Bryan Adams single to appear on that chart. On the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart, "Straight from the Heart" reached number one.

Other versions

• Australian singer Jon English recorded the song for his 1981 album, In Roads. The song peaked at number 72 in Australia.
• Later, the song was covered by teen band Rosetta Stone in 1982 (issued as a single in November that year, two months before Adams' version was released on his album).
• Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler released it as a single in the UK 11 August 1983, and in the US as a B-side to "Total Eclipse of the Heart". It was featured on her album Faster Than the Speed of Night.
• Canadian singer Anne Murray recorded the song for her album "Here You Are", released on September 5, 2025.

References