Let Him Know
Recording Artist: Bryan Adams
Writers: Jim Vallance
Bryan Adams
Date Written: February 1 and 2, 1982
Albums: Cuts Like A Knife (A&M Records, 1983)
Audio:
  Bryan Adams: acoustic guitar, vocal
Jim Vallance: percussion
Keith Scott: electric guitar
Tommy Mandel: organ, piano
Dave Taylor: bass
Mickey Curry: drums
Backing vocals: Bryan Adams, Lou Gramm
 
Produced by Bob Clearmountain and Bryan Adams. Recorded by Bob Clearmountain, September 1982, at Little Mountain Sound (Vancouver) and the Power Station (New York). Mixed by Bob Clearmountain.
A young Celine Dion
Bryan's father, Conrad
I originally envisioned this as a "Phil Spector-ish" 1960s girl-group song, something the Shirelles or Ronettes might have done. Lyrically it was supposed to be a girl telling her girlfriend to "go after the guy", but with Bryan singing it, it becomes something else altogether ... a bit confusing perhaps, but then we never claimed to be Shakespeare (come to think of it, Shakespeare's a bit confusing too!).

The Beatles used a similar lyric scenario in "She Loves You", where a guy tells his friend to "go after the girl" ...

    You think you've lost your love
    Well I saw her yesterday
    It's you she's thinking of
    And she told me what to
    She said she loves you ...

Lou Gramm (Foreigner) sings backing vocals with Bryan on this track.

Bryan and I performed the song at the 1982 Yamaha Song Festival, held at the famous Budokan sumo arena in Tokyo.

Another Canadian we met at the Tokyo festival was a shy 15-year-old named Celine Dion, traveling with her manager (later her husband) Rene Angelil. She sang her heart out and impressed everyone in the audience.

During our stay in Japan we had dinner with Bryan's father, Conrad, and his delightful Japanese wife Hiromi (Conrad was employed at the Canadian embassy in Tokyo at the time).  Mr. Adams also attended our performance at the Budokan.
Lyrics: Another day goes by
And still you wonder what happened
You'd give the world for one more try
But you're too shy to ask him
You don't wanna ask him now

I know your heart will pull you through
If he means that much to you - ya

You gotta let him know
(Let him know - know that you love him)
Let him know that you love him
(Let him know - know that you need him)
You gotta let him know
(Let him know - know that you want him now)

What can I say it's up to you
You gotta make up your own mind
Well it's your life it's up to you
Cause you didn't believe me
You still don't believe me

Now you're gonna see it's all comin' true
That's why I'm leavin' it up to you - ya

You gotta let him know
(Let him know - know that you love him)
Let him know that you love him
(Let him know - know that you need him)
You gotta let him know
(Let him know - know that you want him now)

You gotta let him know
(Let him know - know that you love him)
Let him know that you love him
(Let him know - know that you need him)
You gotta let him know
(Let him know - know that you want him now)

The news is out I guess you heard
I shouldn't breathe a single word
The bottom line is nothing's gonna stop you now
You gotta let him know

Chorus