“The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me Is You” by Bryan Adams

The lyrics of this tune are based on Bryan Adams using a fashion-based allegory to ultimately deliver a flattering line to a lady. The premise is that he has tried to be a fashionable man but has no genuine affinity for designer clothes. Or stated differently, he doesn’t believe they look particularly good on him. Rather what he is convinced that ‘looks good on him’ is the addressee. That’s a metaphorical way of saying that she has him smitten, as in being the apple of his eye. In fact he asserts moreover that there is no one he wants beside her. 

So the whole scenario comes off as if the singer is using an elaborate pickup line. But that being said, it would still appear he has true feelings for the addressee.

This is the lead single from Bryan Adams’ seventh-studio album, “18 til I Die”. It was written and produced by Adams and his trusty collaborator, Robert John Lange.           

This track is one of Adams’ more-notable hits. For instance, it topped Canada Top Singles and the UK Rock and Metal Chart. And it had an impressive showing globally, charting in approximately 20 nations overall.

“The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me Is You” also earned Adams a Grammy nomination, and the video was nominated for a MTV VMA.

Said video has Matthew Rolston as its director, and Adams went on to say that it is “probably (his) favorite music video” out of his catalog.

A&M Records officially released this tune on 4 June 1996 as part of Adams’ aforementioned album. And the following year it was also added to the soundtrack of a movie entitled “Excess Baggage”, which starred Benicio del Toro.