CanTunes Tuesday (Flashback): "Thought I'd Died and Gone to Heaven" - Bryan Adams (1992)

So by this point we've looked at Bryan Adams post-Waking Up the Neighbours and pre-Waking Up the Neighbours. The next step, obviously, would be to review songs from his 2004 album, Room Service. Eh? Eh? No, we're not going to be doing that. Let's look at one of the mammoth hits off of Waking Up the Neighbours, "Thought I'd Died and Gone to Heaven".

Now this was a transitioning point in Adams' career. He was getting cheesier and schmaltzier, but also kept that rock edge alive in his work. This album may have had (Everything I Do) I Do it for You", but it's still not a waste. You can tell that the wheels are starting to turn towards Sellout Lane, but there is still much to enjoy about the album. Is this song something to enjoy? Well... it's not... awful...

At the very least, "Thought I'd Died" is a rock ballad with more edge than "Everything I Do", but when you really think about it that's not an accomplishment. So screw the worst song on the album, how does it hold up on its own? Well, I kind of like the way it starts out. It's actually kind of dark and brooding. With most rock ballads, you can tell right from the start that they're just going to be some cheeseball song of unintentional entertainment. This one gives a little more edge than those. I mean, you still know it's going to be a sappy ballad, but you appreciate the extra layer of rock it gives.

That said, it still is a ballad, and definitely not as exciting as a lot of Adams' previous songs. I still like it though, honestly. It provides a good mix of slow somberness and hard rock edge. Maybe it doesn't feel like dying and going to heaven, but it's not hell either.