“Back to You” by Bryan Adams
In the song “Back to You”, Bryan Adams is addressing a person whom some would describe as the ideal romantic partner. For instance, when he was depressed and confused, this is the individual who helped him overcome those unfavorable conditions. Moreover she’s given him the freedom to do what ‘he needs to do’. Indeed the vocalist insinuates, as that term implies, that he did in fact ‘mess around’ with other women. However, his mistakes did not alter her love. In fact she does not seem like the troublesome type at all, opting to deal with her own personal issues without even getting him involved. And it’s not that he lacks concern for her in that regard but rather appreciates this behavior along the lines of it being a display of her overall strength, as well as commitment to their relationship.
And the aforementioned attributes are some of the characteristics that keep him coming “back to” this person. As a matter of fact even when he is afar, no matter the distance abroad he may find himself, it is her love which drives him back home.
But with that noted, it also seems that at the moment of relaying these sentiments he is actually separated from her. Yet he is promising that he will return to her soon. And the ultimate goal of this song is to relay that selfsame sentiment – that whereas he is not with the addressee at the moment, he is returning “back to” her promptly due to his admiration and most importantly love for her.
Facts about “Back to You”
Bryan Adams is backed up on this song by pupils from Julliard School, which is a performing arts’ institution located in New York City.
This track is featured on Bryan Adams’ live “(MTV) Unplugged” album with both coming out, via A&M Records, on 26 September 1997. In fact it was a new track, not one from his back catalog as is often the case with Unplugged albums, which Bryan Adams added to the project.
“Back to You” was a success, especially in Bryan’s homeland of Canada, where it topped two RPM charts (Top Singles and Adult Contemporary). It also charted in a few other countries, including peaking at number 18 on the UK Singles Chart.
This song was written by Bryan Adams with his regular collaborator, Eliot Kennedy. And another musician he’s worked with frequently, Bob Rock, produced the track.
It is important to note that one of Adams’ traditional songwriting partners, Michael Kamen, also involved himself in this song. Kamen served as the conductor of the track’s backup musicians, who were from NYC’s Juilliard School. Kamen worked together with Adams on a number of his most significant hits, including the following:
Summary
On the surface, the lyrics of “Back to You” may read like your standard ‘I’m coming home’ love song. In other words, the titular phrase is actually indicative of the singer’s desire to get back to his lover. But where this song differs is that in it the vocalist goes out of his way to present his significant other as being ever-faithful. Or more specifically, he did not part ways with her for the most-noble of reasons. Yet throughout it all she has remained loyal, despite any and every mistake he may have made in their relationship.
So even though he does not set a definitive time frame, he does let his desire be known to ‘come back to her’ as soon as possible. Indeed he considers his true “home” to be by her side. So no matter where life will take him, he will always find his way back.
