Heaven (Bryan Adams song)

"Heaven" is a song by the Canadian singer and songwriter Bryan Adams recorded in 1983, written by Adams and Jim Vallance. It first appeared on the A Night in Heaven soundtrack album the same year and was later included on Adams' album Reckless in 1984. It was released as the third single from Reckless and reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in June 1985, over a year and a half after the song first appeared on record. The single was certified Gold in Canada in 1985.[1]

Not to be confused with Thought I'd Died and Gone to Heaven, a 1992 single by the same artist.
"Heaven"
Single by Bryan Adams
from the album Reckless and A Night in Heaven soundtrack
B-side
  • "Heaven" (live) (North America)
  • "Diana" (UK)
ReleasedApril 10, 1985 (1985-04-10)
RecordedJune 7–8, 1983
StudioThe Power Station, New York City
GenreRock
Length4:03
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Bryan Adams singles chronology
"Somebody"
(1985)		 "Heaven"
(1985)		 "Summer of '69"
(1985)
Audio sample
  • file
  • help

Heavily influenced by Journey's 1983 hit "Faithfully", the song was written while Adams served as the opening act on that band's Frontiers Tour, and features their drummer, Steve Smith.[2] It provided Adams with his first number one single and third top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The track placed number 24 on Billboard magazine's Top Pop Singles of 1985.[3]

Writing and recording

Adams had played over 100 dates with Journey during 1983, serving as the opening act on their Frontiers Tour. During that time, he and Jim Vallance co-wrote "Heaven", which was inspired by Journey's hit "Faithfully".[2] It was recorded at the Power Station in New York City on June 6 and 7, 1983.[4] Halfway through the recording session, drummer Mickey Curry – who had warned Adams about his limited availability that day – announced that he had to leave since he had committed in advance to a Hall & Oates session.[2] Since the recording session for "Heaven" was running behind schedule, Adams called Journey drummer Steve Smith, who happened to be in New York City at the time and he filled Curry's drumming position.[2] The song first appeared on the soundtrack to the 1983 film, A Night in Heaven, although it was not released as a single at that time.

Adams was unconvinced that "Heaven" was suitable for his next studio album, Reckless,[2] a feeling that was echoed by producer Jimmy Iovine, who was working with Adams at the time.[2] Iovine thought the song was too 'light' for the album and recommended that Adams not include it.[2] But at the last moment, Adams changed his mind.[2]

Reception and awards

For All Music Guide, Stewart Mason called the song "the power ballad that transcends the inherent cheesiness of the style to become a genuinely effective single."[5] Mason also praised the "solid melody" and "appropriately bombastic arrangement...over which Adams delivers his most effective vocal performance ever."[5]

In 1984, "Heaven" won the Procan Award (Performing Rights Organization of Canada) for Canadian radio airplay, in 1985, it won the BMI (Broadcast Music Inc.) Citation of Achievement for U.S. radio airplay and ten years later, it won a Socan Classics Award for more than 100,000 Canadian radio performances.[2]

Track listings
  • US 7" (A&M 2729)
  1. "Heaven"
  2. "Heaven" (live)
  • US 12" promo (A&M SP-17318)
  1. "Heaven"
  2. "Heaven" (live)/"Kids Wanna Rock" (live)
  • UK 7" (A&M AM256)
  1. "Heaven"
  2. "Diana"
  • UK 12" (A&M AMY256)
  1. "Heaven"/"Diana"
  2. "Heaven" (live)/"Fits Ya Good"

Live tracks recorded at the Hollywood Palladium on February 1, 1985.

Chart performance

"Heaven" first appeared on the A Night in Heaven soundtrack album in 1983 and received substantial airplay on album-oriented rock radio stations, reaching the number nine on Billboard's Top Tracks chart in February 1984. It was released as the third single from the album Reckless in April 1985 and hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the highest-charting single from "Reckless". The song also re-entered the Top Rock Tracks chart at that time, peaking at number 27. "Heaven" also peaked at number 12 on the Adult Contemporary chart during its second run, becoming Adams' second single to reach that chart after "Straight from the Heart" in 1983, and his biggest AC hit until 1991.

In Canada, "Heaven" reached number 11 on the RPM Singles Chart.

The song was also released in Australia, Europe and New Zealand in 1985. "Heaven" peaked at number 38 in the UK.[6] In several mainland European countries, "Heaven" was the first hit for Adams. "Heaven" reached the top 10 in Sweden and Norway and then the top 20 in Austria, Ireland, Switzerland and Sweden, it was a moderate top hundred success in Germany where it peaked at number 62.[7][8][9][10][11] In Australia, it peaked at number 12.

Music video

There were two videos, one shot at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and directed by Steve Barron.[12] That video includes appearances by Lysette Anthony and Garwin Sanford. The second video was shot in London, England, and features Adams singing the song in a live concert setting; behind him, stacked video monitors show his band playing along. Video monitors also occupy each seat of the otherwise empty theater. The video was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography.[13]

Personnel

Charts
Chart (1985) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[15] 12
Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)[16] 22
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[17] 11
Germany (Media Control Charts)[9] 28
Ireland (IRMA)[11] 11
Netherlands (Mega Top 100)[18] 28
New Zealand (RIANZ)[19] 17
Norway (VG-lista)[7] 3
Spain (AFYVE)[20] 9
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[8] 8
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[10] 14
UK Singles (OCC)[21] 38
US Billboard Hot 100[22] 1
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[22] 12
US Mainstream Rock Songs (Billboard)[22] 27
Year-end chart (1985)Rank
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[23] 24

Decade-end charts
Chart (1980–1989) Position
Canada (Canadian Artists Digital Songs)[24] 6

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[25] Gold 50,000^
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[26] Gold 45,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[27] Silver 250,000

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

DJ Sammy and Yanou version
"Heaven"
Single by DJ Sammy and Yanou featuring Do
from the album Heaven
ReleasedNovember 21, 2001 (2001-11-21)
Recorded2001
GenreEurodance[28][29]
Length3:52
Label
Songwriter(s)
DJ Sammy singles chronology
"In 2 Eternity"
(1999)		 "Heaven"
(2001)		 "Sunlight"
(2001)
Yanou singles chronology
"Heaven"
(2001)		 "On & On"
(2003)
Do singles chronology
"Heaven"
(2001)		 "Love Is Killing Me"
(2004)

In 2001, Spanish DJ DJ Sammy and German DJ Yanou released a dance cover of "Heaven", with vocals by Dutch singer Do. It was released on 21 November 2001, as the second single from DJ Sammy's second studio album Heaven (2002).

Chart performance

The song reached number one on the UK Singles Chart and number eight on the US Billboard Hot 100. It re-entered the chart on the week of 17 November 2007. On 28 October 2009, over seven years after its release, the song was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of over 500,000.[30] It has also been certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for sales of over 600,000.

Music video

The music video was directed by Oliver Bradford. It features Yanou, DJ Sammy and Do viewed briefly from a television. The video features two Asian girls, androgynous people and a black man. It featured a family of four. There is a second version, with extended scenes of a stationary Do singing and no scenes of Yanou.

Live performances

Do performed the song with Westlife live in 2002 in the UK, and also with Westlife at the TMF Awards in 2003. Do also performed the song several times together with Bryan Adams, in the Netherlands and Germany.

Weekly charts
Chart (2001–2007) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[31] 4
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[32] 16
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[33] 14
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[34] 36
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[35] 7
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) 8
France (SNEP)[36] 5
Germany (Official German Charts)[37] 10
Ireland (IRMA)[11] 3
Ireland Dance (IRMA)[38] 1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[39] 5
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[40] 12
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[41] 41
Norway (VG-lista)[42] 8
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[43] 28
Scotland (OCC)[44] 1
Spain (AFYVE)[45] 16
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[46] 17
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[47] 39
UK Singles (OCC)[48] 1
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[49] 21
US Billboard Hot 100[50] 8
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[51] 30
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[52] 4

Year-end charts
Chart (2002) Position
Australia (ARIA)[53] 22
Australia Dance (ARIA)[54] 6
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[55] 92
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[56] 79
Germany (Official German Charts)[57] 81
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[58] 59
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[59] 81
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[60] 19
US Billboard Hot 100[61] 31
Chart (2004) Position
France (SNEP)[62] 66

Decade-end charts
Chart (2000–2009) Position
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[63] 77

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[64] Platinum 70,000^
France (SNEP)[65] Gold 250,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[66] Platinum 600,000^
United States (RIAA)[30] Gold 500,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Do version
"Heaven (Unplugged)"
Single cover for the "Candlelight Mix"
Single by Do
from the album Do
B-side"On and On" (piano mix)
Released2003 (2003)
Recorded2002
Genre
Length4:04
LabelPatriott
Songwriter(s)
Do singles chronology
"Heaven (Unplugged)"
(2003)		 "Love Is Killing Me"
(2004)

Candlelight Mix

Because of the Eurodance version's popularity, a stripped-down, ballad-like "Candlelight Mix" version was made and sung by Do, and received airplay on adult contemporary radio stations as well as contemporary hit radio stations.

9/11 remix

An unauthorized remix of the "Candlelight Mix" was made by KKXX in Bakersfield, California to commemorate the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks, featuring a kindergarten-aged girl telling the story of her father's death in the attacks, interspersed with the original chorus. While the monologue is based on a true story, the girl was actually the daughter of a former KISS FM program director, who was reading off a script and did not know about the attacks at the time.[67]

Other cover versions
  • In 1996, Nick Carter sings this song during his Backstreet Boys Show.
  • In 2016, Dutch electronic music group Dash Berlin released a version with new vocals from Do. It is currently listed as number one of all of his tracks on Beatport[68] and is listed as number two of all tracks from Armada Music.[69]
  • In 2017, Dutch producer DJ Isaac released a hardstyle version[70] based on Dash Berlin's version from 2016.
  • In 2017, Westlife member Shane Filan included this song on his album Love Always. Filan said this is his personal favorite off the album. "It's probably because I'm such a big Adams fan. [It's] a song I've had a big history with over the years," he added.[71]
  • In 2017, international symphonic metal supergroup Exit Eden released a version of "Heaven" as the sixth track[72] of their debut album entitled Rhapsodies in Black.
  • On August 2, 2018, bluegrass artist Chad Darou released a version of "Heaven" featuring Cia Cherryholmes on vocals. This single was released in advance of his album, Raising the Bar.[73][74]
  • In 2019, Canadian DJ Dzeko released a version of "Heaven" featuring Veronica.[75]
  • In the 2019 film Her Smell, actor Elisabeth Moss performs a piano accompanied cover.[76]
  • In 2020, The Roar released "Heaven" on their Ninja Kitties LP.[77]

A duet interpretation of "Heaven" was performed jointly by Michael Damian and Tracey Bregman, in a segment of the CBS daytime serial The Young and the Restless, but this has not been made publicly available.

Usage in other media

The song was sampled by Nina Sky in their 2009 hit "Beautiful People". It also appeared on a Malcolm in the Middle episode, playing in the background when Hal is using the kitchen as his own salon. In 1985, on the CBS serial Guiding Light, it was featured in full during a scene shot at the local hang out, Company. Additionally, it was featured in the Dance Dance Revolution series of video games.

References
  1. "CRIA Certifications". Canadian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 2008-10-06. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  2. "Heaven". JimVallance.com. Archived from the original on May 7, 2004. Retrieved 2004-05-07.
  3. "Top Pop Singles". Billboard. New York, New York: Billboard Publications, Inc. December 28, 1985.
  4. "Album notes for Anthology by Dave Marsh (CD booklet). A&M Records (A&M 5613)". 2005-10-18.
  5. Mason, Stewart. "Heaven - Bryan Adams - Song Review". All Music Guide. Archived from the original on August 8, 2011. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  6. "Bryan Adams". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  7. "Norwegian Chart". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  8. "Swedish Chart". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  9. "Chartverfolgung / BRYAN ADAMS / Single" (in German). musicline.de. Archived from the original on 2009-04-06. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  10. "Swiss Chart". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  11. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Heaven". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  12. "Steve Barron - Heaven". Clipland. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
  13. "VMA - 1985". MTV. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  14. "Bryan Adams - Reckless (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
  15. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  16. Archived April 9, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  17. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0548." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  18. "Netheraldns". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  19. "Bryan Adams - Heaven". charts.nz. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  20. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
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  22. "Bryan Adams Songs ••• Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography". MusicVF.com. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  23. "1985 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 97 no. 52. December 28, 1985. p. T-21.
  24. Karen Bliss (June 29, 2017). "Canada 150: Celine Dion & Shania Twain Lead Nielsen Music Canada's Top Canadian Artists Chart". Billboard. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
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  26. "Danish single certifications – Bryan Adams – Heaven". IFPI Denmark. Retrieved January 29, 2021. Scroll through the page-list below until year 2020 to obtain certification.
  27. "British single certifications – Bryan Adams – Heaven". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 15 July 2018. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Heaven in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  28. Stanley, Bob (November 13, 2012). "Sixty years of the UK charts". The Guardian. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
  29. "Gray Celebrates Big 'Day' On U.K. Album Chart". Billboard. November 4, 2002. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
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  31. "Australian-charts.com – DJ Sammy & Yanou feat. Do – Heaven". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  32. "Austriancharts.at – DJ Sammy & Yanou feat. Do – Heaven" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
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  43. "Romanian peak". Archived from the original on December 17, 2004. Retrieved 2012-03-03.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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  63. Radio 1 Chart of the Decade, as presented by DJ Nihal on 29 December 2009
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  67. Glencross, Tom (October 17, 2016). "Remembering "Heaven" by DJ Sammy, the Soundtrack to Every Forgotten Holiday Romance". Vice News. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  68. "Dash Berlin Tracks & Releases". Beatport. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  69. "Armada Music Releases & Artists on Beatport". Beatport. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  70. "Dash Berlin feat. Do - Heaven (DJ Isaac Remix)". April 28, 2017 – via YouTube.
  71. "'Love Always': Shane Filan return to Manila to promote latest album". InqPOP!. February 9, 2018.
  72. "Heaven". August 10, 2017 – via YouTube.
  73. "Two singles from Chad Darou - Bluegrass Today". Bluegrass Today. 2018-08-02. Retrieved 2018-09-08.
  74. CHAD DAROU (Featuring "Cia Cherryholmes)- Heaven, retrieved 2018-09-08
  75. "Dzeko vs. Riggi & Piros - Heaven (feat. Veronica) [Official Lyric Video]". January 24, 2019 – via YouTube.
  76. "Elisabeth Moss - Heaven (Bryan Adams cover) [HER SMELL]". Retrieved September 29, 2019 – via YouTube.
  77. "The Roar - Heaven". Retrieved April 7, 2020 – via YouTube.
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