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Why Bryan Adams left the song "Diana" off the Reckless reissue

diana

As details of the forthcoming Bryan Adams Reckless reissue emerged over the weekend, many fans expressed disappointment that the song Diana had not be included amongst the bonus tracks. But one enterprising fan put the speculation to rest, by managing to get a direct response from the Canadian rocker…

The track belongs to the Reckless era and is a lighthearted number (co-written like all of the album with Jim Vallance) about the wedding of Diana, Princess of Wales and song’s narrator’s feelings for her. It was the B-side to Heaven and was even released as a single in its own right in some territories.

When asked on twitter by fan Andrew Smith why the track was missing Bryan Adams simply replies “in respect…”. It seems that the joke isn’t quite as funny 18 years on from Diana’s untimely death and Bryan simple felt it would have been inappropriate to include it on the 2014 deluxe and box set versions of Reckless.

Reckless will be reissued on 3 November 2014.


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Super Deluxe (2CD+DVD+blu-ray audio)

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Deluxe 2CD (album+bonus tracks+live)

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Blu-ray Audio (hi-res stereo & 5.1)

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2LP Vinyl (album+bonus tracks+live)


Track listing

Disc: 1

  • 1. One Night Love Affair
  • 2. She’s Only Happy When She’s Dancin’
  • 3. Run To You
  • 4. Heaven
  • 5. Somebody
  • 6. Summer Of ’69
  • 7. Kids Wanna Rock
  • 8. It’s Only Love
  • 9. Long Gone
  • 10. Ain’t Gonna Cry

Bonus Tracks (All previously unreleased)

  • 11. Let Me Down Easy  03:40
  • 12. Teacher, Teacher  03:47
  • 13. The Boy’s Night Out  03:52
  • 14. Draw The Line
  • 14. Play To Win  03:28
  • 15. Too Hot To Handle  04:01
  • 16. Reckless 04:00

Disc: 2 / Live at Hammersmith Odeon

  • 1. Remember 
  • 2. The Only One 
  • 3. It’s Only Love 
  • 4. Kids Wanna Rock 
  • 5. Long Gone 
  • 6. Cuts Like a Knife
  • 7. Lonely Nights 
  • 8. Tonight 
  • 9. This Time 
  • 10. The Best Was Yet To Come
  • 11. Heaven 
  • 12. Run To You 
  • 13. Somebody 
  • 14. Straight From The Heart
  • 15. Summer of ‘69

Disc: 3 / DVD (super deluxe only)

  • Run To You (Intro)
  • This Time (Video)
  • Summer Of ’69 (Video)
  • Somebody (Video)
  • Kids Wanna Rock (Video)
  • Heaven (Video)
  • Run To You (Video)
  • One Night Love Affair

Bonus video

  • It’s Only Love

Disc 4 / Blu-ray Audio

Hi-res stereo mix (2014 Remaster)

  • 1. One Night Love Affair
  • 2. She’s Only Happy When She’s Dancin’
  • 3. Run To You
  • 4. Heaven
  • 5. Somebody
  • 6. Summer Of ’69
  • 7. Kids Wanna Rock
  • 8. It’s Only Love
  • 9. Long Gone
  • 10. Ain’t Gonna Cry

Bonus Tracks (All previously unreleased)

  • 11. Let Me Down Easy  03:40
  • 12. Teacher, Teacher  03:47
  • 13. The Boy’s Night Out  03:52
  • 14. Draw The Line
  • 14. Play To Win  03:28
  • 15. Too Hot To Handle  04:01
  • 16. Reckless 04:00

5.1 Mix

  • 1. One Night Love Affair
  • 2. She’s Only Happy When She’s Dancin’
  • 3. Run To You
  • 4. Heaven
  • 5. Somebody
  • 6. Summer Of ’69
  • 7. Kids Wanna Rock
  • 8. It’s Only Love
  • 9. Long Gone
  • 10. Ain’t Gonna Cry

bryan_super

Super Deluxe (2CD+DVD+blu-ray audio)

deluxe_bryan

Deluxe 2CD (album+bonus tracks+live)

bryan_2LP

Blu-ray Audio (hi-res stereo & 5.1)

bryan_2LP

2LP Vinyl (album+bonus tracks+live)

 

 

 

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40 Comments

40 thoughts on “Why Bryan Adams left the song "Diana" off the Reckless reissue

  1. I have a question….. If someone can email Bryan Adams for me and ask him this question

    Is his RECKLESS album (ORIGINAL 1984 RECORD) digitally recorded or mixed??

    IT DEOS NOT SOUND AS GOOD AS HIS FIRST 2 ALBUMS AT ALL (Which are 100% analog) — That idiot BOB CLEARMOUNTAIN destroyed his 3rd album (Digitally mixed) and I believe RECKLESS also……. (I dont know about anything AFTER RECKLESS)

    Does anyone know if reckless is pressed to the record IN 100% ANALOGUE?? (CRC copies or any copy @ all??)

    Thanx

  2. I understand and respect Bryan’s stance, but what about the years prior to her passing when the song was fresh? Why were we denied this track in the U.S. in the 80’s when it was released everywhere else. This was epidemic in the middle of the decade with artists releasing great tracks everywhere else but here., maybe sometimes a radio station would get hold of a copy and play it, but tell the listeners they couldn’t buy it anywhere, except as an import. There was Bryan medley a NY station used to play back then that included Diana, It’s Only Love and Fits Ya Good. That teased us with the track. I’ve read that it was the B-side of the Heaven single , but by 1985 people were mostly buyingcassettes and CDs and very few 45s. I look on eBay and the only copies of Heaven available have a live version of Heaven on the flipside. Bon Jovi did the same thing to us back then with”Edge Of A Broken Heart” and “Borderline” , but at least they eventually included those in a box set about 10 years ago. Hence, there were opportunities to include Diana on other collections prior to her death. (So Far So Good) Why not then.

  3. Hi
    It’s very interesting to read all the discussion about “Diana” I do not know this song but now I had just bought the CD-single “Run To You” where “Diana” is included for 2.07 £ Inclusiv shipping (2nd hand on Amazon)

  4. This superdeluxe edition could be the perfect occasion to add a dvd with the professionally taped registration of the 1988 Werchter concert, now only available on cd (live!live!live). All the songs from Reckless live (except for “ain’t gonna cry”)!! :-)

    1. That live album would be better as a bonus disc that comes with a Deluxe Edition of the 1987 album Into The Fire. It was recorded (as you said) in Belgium in 1988 on the Into The Fire tour.

  5. I posted this comment on the Reckless topic page, but maybe it’s appropriate for this topic page too: The limited Japanese 2012 A&M Records/Universal Music SHM-CD remaster of ‘Reckless’ (UICY-94822) is the only remastered album release which has the ‘Diana’ and the 2 Christmas tracks, but this release is long out of print. For those who want to track down a new or used copy at any price, be aware that it doesn’t seem to be really remastered. It’s very low in volume and lacks that remastered sonic punch. Conclusion: there’s no real difference to the original CD release. And for the ‘remastered’ 3 bonus tracks: if you already have the US or Japanese 1989 ‘Run To You’ CD single (with ‘Diana’ as track 2) and if you already have the Japanese 1994 ‘Christmas Time’ CD single reissue (with ‘Reggae Christmas’ as track 2), you really don’t need this reissue either. The Bryan Adamix has never been released on CD to my knowledge.

  6. <>

    Indeed, it is a huge four disc set. All the more reason why it’s inexcusable not to include all previously released recordings from that period. It’s not as if there isn’t enough room. A box set this elaborate — and expensive — should be comprehensive. It’s not.

  7. He probably didnt sanction the earlier ones.

    He had an affair with Diana?!! Wow this thread is turning into Heat magazine….

    Great reissue anyway, looking forward to it.

  8. From the completist perspective, I totally understand those that are up in arms over the exclusion of Diana and the Christmas tracks from this set – especially given that they have been re-released at various times (most recently on the Japanese SHM-CD).

    Kind of makes you wonder why, if Bryan feels so strongly about it, that he sanctioned those earlier releases.

    On a more personal level, and as only casual Adams listener, I’m happy that we *are* at least getting a hi-res surround mix of the original album.

    Count me in for the Blu-ray audio.

    1. The thing with Japan re-issues is you blink and there’s another one along on yet another high spec format. I’m not sure what control the artists have over them.

      This re-issue is the big deal anniversary issue for those of us who were teenagers back then and now are middle aged men who have disposable income to throw away (at least I feel that way sometimes, given my frequent visits to this site). This is BA’s opportunity to put out a definitive package, and the artistic decisions are his to make. I’m happy with what we are being offered.

  9. At first I was disappointed, but I remembered that Bryan Adams was either close to the Princess or had a lot of respect for her. Maybe it’s a difficult song for him on a personal level.

    The four-disc set looks amazing, and I’m happy the videos will be on DVD. Adams has so many live videos but his promo videos are hard to find on DVD.

  10. I’m actually impressed by Adams stance. As music fans we always want more, but the music belongs to the musician, and for this one single track, his own principles meant he couldn’t in all good conscience include it.

    But come on…. this is a huge FOUR DISC set – arn’t we guilty of whining a little over a missing track that is not there out of respect from someone now deceased?

  11. A link to a story in a toe-rag newspaper, and suggestions BA should approach the princes to allow him include the song on a reissue…
    This thread has really put the 80’s remix/edit threads into perspective.

  12. I find the excuse not to include Diana a bit lame. I don’t think she complained when she was alive and it’s just about 18 years [hmmm “18 years since I died” ?] since she died. There are plenty of other songs that should of been “banned” by the artist. On top of that the tracks is easy to find – even if not released on CD or officially digitally. If he wanted to put it to rest he should of asked the two Princes for their approval. [Diana did like him.]

    1. All things considered, it seems unlikely that Bryan couldnt have put this song out if he wanted to. The Royal Family are most unlikely to comment. Im sure legally the way is completely free to put it out there if he wanted to. So, the answer is obviously he doesnt want to. Whether that is because, as is rumoured, he had an affair with her after her marriage break-up and he feels its too painful to put it out there again, out of respect, or if he was just good friends with her and feels it would be tasteless. Whatever the reason, we are not getting it, so we will just have to accept that it wont be there whether we want it or not.

  13. I don’t care what the reasons are. This is a Reckless-era b-side and should be included on the superdeluxe set. Period. End of Story. Fans shouldn’t have to track down a Japanese import CD to get this track.

  14. Good for him for having some tact and integrity…and jeez, those ‘fans’ bemoaning the track not being included, surely if ur such passionate and great fans u already have this track several times over anyway!!

  15. Charles Manson or his followers sprawled Helter Skelter everywhere during a murder spree yet the Beatles kept it included on The White Album. Regardless of a joke or not, we all respect The Late Princess and “Diana” was as good of a Pop/Rock song as you can get and would have still been a fitting tribute to her memory. Joke or not, it should have been included.

  16. Yet, “Diana” was included on the 2012 SHM-CD Japan reissue of “Reckless” … along with “Christmas Time” and “Reggae Christmas”, which are missing on this deluxe edition as well. I understand Bryan’s position out of respect for Princess Diana, yet it is still disappointing not to have it available with this reissue.

    Also, does anyone know why the “This Time” video is included on the DVD? It’s not even from the “Reckless” era. Aren’t alternate videos missing, too? I’ve stumbled across two different videos for “Heaven” on YouTube. I am far from an expert on this era, so I’m curious as to any additional material left off.

    1. ‘This time’ is included because it was part of the original VHS from 1984 with the ‘Reckless’ music videos. It was a bit of a ‘concept’ film, with the various videos combined telling a story. For this reissue, they kept the original running order intact, and added ‘It’s only love’, which was released as the last single off ‘Reckless’, after the VHS came out.

    2. There were two versions of Heaven and Somebody, VH1 Classic even labels them as Version 1 and Version 2 when they are played. The other versions should have been included as bonus videos. I also wish some TV appearances or other live concert footage could have been added to the DVD.

    3. You are right. This Time is from the 1983 album Cuts Like A Knife (the album before Reckless), so I don’t know why this video is on the Reckless DVD.

      Cuts Like A Knife is just a good as Reckless and deserves to be re-released as a Deluxe Edition as well.

  17. He omitted “Diana” in respect of Princess Di’s legacy (or so I think)? Completely understandable on my part. Either way, I’m happy with the contents offered on this set.

  18. There is another twist to this story but I am not going to be the one to say it. I think not including this track just confirms what a really nice guy Bryan is.

  19. Thanks for posting this article. At least other fans will know now why it has been omitted. I actually wasn’t expecting a reply, but I got one. I did tweet him again telling him that Princess Diana had a sense of humour and was probably very flattered when she first heard that song, and she would’ve wanted him to re-release it even after her death. I haven’t had a reply to that as yet. Bryan might not agree, and that’s fine.

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