Arguably Bryan Adam's most recognizable song is Every Thing I do (I do it for You) from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
Yeah, yeah, We know Kevin Costner couldn't hold even his pseudo English accent, but we loved this movie.
Basically, the Robin Hood tale is re-imagined with Robin returning from the Crusades with a Muslim man played by Morgan Freeman in tow. Robin finds his father's lands have been taken by the Sheriff of Nottingham who rules in the absence of the King, in this case Richard the Lionheart. Alan Richman brilliantly and hilariously plays the Sheriff as a Satan worshiping miscreant beholden to a witch. Throw in a half brother for Robin, played by then heart-throb Christian Slate, and a rebellion and you have a fun, fun movie. You even get a cameo appearance from Sean Connery who was in an awful 70's era version of Robin Hood.
During the struggle against the sheriff, Robin wages a guerrilla war. We see all the tropes. A training montage, a selfless Robin, daughters of the rich being enthralled with Robin, a corrupted church, a titanic battle which takes the characters to their lowest point, a celebration in the woods, Morgan Freeman dolling out sage wisdom, etc etc.
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was one of those films that we saw on cable over and over again, so did everyone else in Generation X. One boring afternoon when we were 18 we were wondering what to do for a couple of hours when to our relief we saw Robin Hood starting on Cinemax. Personally it takes us back to a simpler time for us, when we were contended with an afternoon movie and a novel at bedtime. We miss that. We also haven't seen Robin Hood Prince of Thieves in at least a decade.
Time to fix that.
William Stroock (as in Stroock's Books)
Showing posts with label Bryan Adams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bryan Adams. Show all posts
Friday, June 23, 2017
Thursday, June 22, 2017
Bryan Adams Week: What Went Wrong
Ok, ok...we admit that headline is too strong. Still Bryan Adams had two wonderful albums, Cuts Like a Knife and Reckless. He followed this up with the risk Taking Into the Fire and his risk was well rewarded. Victim of of Love and The Heat of the Night are strong, interesting, risky songs. The later has a great chorus.
What was he supposed do, Reckless II?
In 1991 Bryan Adams released Waking up the Neighbors. We wish to be clear, there is nothing wrong with songs, per se. But they do not rise to the level of his previous work. In fact the tracks on this album, while competent the songs seem musically lazy. What we are trying to say, is that while Bryan Adams is writing decent enough music, it just isn't as interesting or intense as what he was doing the previous decade.
My god do we hate Everything I do (I do it for you). By the Lords of Kobol we hate the bridge linking the guitar solo to the final chorus, this is how love struck 8th graders think.
[You're in a position to know-ed].
Robin Hood is good though...
What was he supposed do, Reckless II?
In 1991 Bryan Adams released Waking up the Neighbors. We wish to be clear, there is nothing wrong with songs, per se. But they do not rise to the level of his previous work. In fact the tracks on this album, while competent the songs seem musically lazy. What we are trying to say, is that while Bryan Adams is writing decent enough music, it just isn't as interesting or intense as what he was doing the previous decade.
My god do we hate Everything I do (I do it for you). By the Lords of Kobol we hate the bridge linking the guitar solo to the final chorus, this is how love struck 8th graders think.
[You're in a position to know-ed].
Robin Hood is good though...
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Tuesday Tally: Will's Bryan Adams Sing Along
As part of our Bryan Adams Week commemorations we have put together our dream concert set list.
The set list is divided into four parts, and though we've already stated we don't really care for him after the Into the Fire album, we'll sample some of his newer stuff.
I
Notes: We'll get things off to a rip-roaring start
-Oh Canada (I kill me)
-Go Down Rocking (this is from his new album)
-Can't Stop this Thing we Started
-18 Till I Die (another new song, from his previous album)
-Somebody (a nice catchy, peppy song to round out part I)
II
Notes: Let's hit 'em with the hits. This is going to to be the boppiest one.
-It's Only Love
-This Time
-Heaven
-Summer of 69
-Cuts Like a Knife(wrap up the section with the best)
III
Notes; This will be our slightly more artsy section. We want this to have a night time feel
-Run to You
-Feels like the First Time
-Have you Loved a Woman
-Every thing I do (makes me want to puke, but you have to give the audience what they want)
-Kids Wanna Rock (wrap it up strong)
Encore
Notes: We'll stick with his acoustic set
-All for One
-Straight from the Heart
The set list is divided into four parts, and though we've already stated we don't really care for him after the Into the Fire album, we'll sample some of his newer stuff.
I
Notes: We'll get things off to a rip-roaring start
-Oh Canada (I kill me)
-Go Down Rocking (this is from his new album)
-Can't Stop this Thing we Started
-18 Till I Die (another new song, from his previous album)
-Somebody (a nice catchy, peppy song to round out part I)
II
Notes: Let's hit 'em with the hits. This is going to to be the boppiest one.
-It's Only Love
-This Time
-Heaven
-Summer of 69
-Cuts Like a Knife(wrap up the section with the best)
III
Notes; This will be our slightly more artsy section. We want this to have a night time feel
-Run to You
-Feels like the First Time
-Have you Loved a Woman
-Every thing I do (makes me want to puke, but you have to give the audience what they want)
-Kids Wanna Rock (wrap it up strong)
Encore
Notes: We'll stick with his acoustic set
-All for One
-Straight from the Heart
Monday, June 19, 2017
(Not) Metal Monday, Kicking Off Bryan Adams Week
Well, last Friday Mrs. Stroock and I saw Bryan Adams, still going strong as he nears 60.
This is the typical Generation-X rocker and his songs will never be far from the memories of anyone who came of age in the 80's.
This is the 5th time we've seen Bryan Adams in the last 12 years. We saw him in 2005, touring with Def Leppard and he positively blew the Limeys away.
For me his two best albums are Cuts Like a Knife and Reckless (of course). These are both quintessential rock albums and both were platinum sellers. The accompanying videos aren't overwrought and generally hold up OK. Example:
Into the Fire (1987) is not bad and for us that really ends the Bryan Adams era. Of course he had huge albums in the 1990's but we never liked those, though we respect the man for challenging himself with songs like, 'Have you ever really loved a woman), a Spanish Flamenco style song.
We loath the Robin Hood song, but always loved the movie. There will be more on that later in the week.
On Friday the band looked dapper in jeans, white shirt and black blazer. On stage the guys looked like they were having fun. About half the songs played were post Reckless. Actually we thought the song order was strange, but we suppose Mr. Adams knows what he's doing. His encore was an acoustic solo of three songs, which we liked. This included All For One, and Straight From the Heart.
A note on the future. We've been to metal concerts that were peppered with young people and even kids. But here the crowd was looking old. At 43 and 40, Mrs. Stroock and I were among the youngest in attendance. Like rock and roll, the age of Bryan Adams has passed. Enjoy both now.
This is the typical Generation-X rocker and his songs will never be far from the memories of anyone who came of age in the 80's.
This is the 5th time we've seen Bryan Adams in the last 12 years. We saw him in 2005, touring with Def Leppard and he positively blew the Limeys away.
For me his two best albums are Cuts Like a Knife and Reckless (of course). These are both quintessential rock albums and both were platinum sellers. The accompanying videos aren't overwrought and generally hold up OK. Example:
Into the Fire (1987) is not bad and for us that really ends the Bryan Adams era. Of course he had huge albums in the 1990's but we never liked those, though we respect the man for challenging himself with songs like, 'Have you ever really loved a woman), a Spanish Flamenco style song.
We loath the Robin Hood song, but always loved the movie. There will be more on that later in the week.
On Friday the band looked dapper in jeans, white shirt and black blazer. On stage the guys looked like they were having fun. About half the songs played were post Reckless. Actually we thought the song order was strange, but we suppose Mr. Adams knows what he's doing. His encore was an acoustic solo of three songs, which we liked. This included All For One, and Straight From the Heart.
A note on the future. We've been to metal concerts that were peppered with young people and even kids. But here the crowd was looking old. At 43 and 40, Mrs. Stroock and I were among the youngest in attendance. Like rock and roll, the age of Bryan Adams has passed. Enjoy both now.
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