Bryan Adams - Cuts like a knife

First performance: 13/05/2010


Coverinfo

Bruce performed the song 2 times:
 
 
During the star-studded Closing Ceremony of the Invictus Games Toronto 2017. After a three-song solo acoustic set, he joins Bryan Adams for two more songs backed by Adams's band. Also on the bill are Cœur de pirate, Kelly Clarkson, Bryan Adams, and Bachman & Turner.
 
 
 
During the Sting and Trudie Styler’s annual Rainforest Foundation Benefit. Bruce performs two tracks including Bryan Adams’ "Cuts Like A Knife" before joining an eclectic selection of performers on stage (Elton John, Lady Gaga, Sting, Shirley Bassey and Debbie Harry) for the final blowout – Journey’s "Don’t Stop Believin'". (The theme for the evening was "80s Nostalgia"). 
 

Songinfo

"Cuts Like a Knife" is a song by Canadian rock musician Bryan Adams. It was released in May 1983 as the second single from his third studio album Cuts Like a Knife (1983).
In an interview in 1988 with Vancouver's Georgia Straight newspaper, Adams explained how Vallance and he came up with the title for the song:
 
"I think that I'm one of the world's best mumblers, I can mumble some of the best lyrics, but putting them together is another story. I think that's where Jim is really good -- he can piece a story together. It's just a good thing to have the tape rolling when you're recording me. The best example was when we wrote "Cuts Like A Knife," which was just literally a mumble. We looked at each other, rolled the tape back, and it sounded like "cuts like a knife," so we started singing that. "
 
 
 

Other cover versions

Bruce on the artist

 
Intro to "Cuts Like a Knife"
 
(…) sssh…has anybody out there ever been heartbroken? ….of course you have, of course…ladies, …you ever been suspect about your man?...of course you have…men…have your women ever left you with an… unsettled mind?...of course they have…but I’m not talking about that, I’m talking about something else…I’m talking about shot in the back, stabbed in the gut, soul-crushing, blanked-out, empty feeling of betrayal when something that felt so right has gone so, so very wrong…I had a girl…and we were young…and she was very lovely…and I felt like I was very much in love…I was so in love I thought about her all day and night, which is unusual ‘cause usually I think about my…myself …but…I heard it through the grapevine that she’d been sneaking out on me…and I felt like I’d been shot through the heart… she’d been sneaking out on me with my best friend and I felt like I’d been shot through the heart twice now, I made that last part up, that’s not true, it wasn’t my best friend when you’re doing one of these soul raps best friend always sounds more tragic but actually it was much worse!...I heard through the grapevine it was another musician…a band came through town and, uh, they had an album or two out, I was still struggling in the clubs and they played a little club and next thing I knew she disappeared and basically what happened she traded up on me. The worst part was not very far up either, it was just a little bit up they only had a few minor records out but, but that seemed to be enough…so I went down to the (?) the next day where she worked and I was trying to, I don’t know (?)…I walked in and she looked so beautiful…show me where that one is, boys got it…she looked so beautiful I felt like I’d been shot five times through the heart…give me a little piano, Elton … that’s all I need…well, I listened to her justify…now, how she justified being caught in the shower with another man, I’m not sure but I started to justify right along with her – bring it down…I was angry but I was filled with a lot of furious forgiveness also because I didn’t wanna lose…in my little town she was about the craziest, coolest, loveliest thing I’d ever seen and I didn’t wanna lose that so I let it drop…do you understand?...and I waited for the hurt to go away but it did not…do you hear me? and so I covered it over and I did not let it out… and it sat there…and it sat there…and of course it poisoned many things…have you ever been there? well, that brings us to tonight…because the hurt don’t go away until you let it out – what I wanna know is if you’re hurt, let me hear you holler (crowd cheers) if you’re hurt, let me hear you holler (crowd cheers) if you’re hurt, let me hear you holler (crowd cheers) if you’re hurt, let me hear you holler (crowd cheers) I want you to raise me up off my knees and if you’re hurt, let me hear you holler (crowd cheers) if it hurt, let it out (crowd cheers) if it hurt, let me hear you holler (crowd cheers) if it hurt, let me hear you holler (crowd cheers) if it hurt, let me hear you holler (crowd cheers) if it hurt, let me hear you holler (crowd cheers) if it hurt, let me hear you holler (crowd cheers) if it hurt, let me hear you holler (crowd cheers)…(goes back into the song)…” 
 

Lyrics

Drivin' home this evening
I coulda sworn we had it all worked out
You had this boy believin'
Way beyond the shadow of a doubt

Then I heard it on the street
I heard you mighta found somebody new
Well who is he baby - who is he
And tell me what he means to you

I took it all for granted
But how was I to know
That you'd be letting go

Now it cuts like a knife
But it feels so right
It cuts like a knife
But it feels so right

There's times I've 'bin mistaken
There's times I thought I'd 'bin misunderstood
So wait a minute darlin'
Can't you see we did the best we could

This wouldn't be the first time
Things have gone astray
Now you've thrown it all away

Now it cuts like a knife
But It feels so right
It cuts like a knife
But it feels so right