I'm Ready (Bryan Adams song)
Encyclopedia
"I'm Ready" is a song by the Canadian
musician Bryan Adams
. It was written by Adams and collaborator Jim Vallance
. The song was first released in 1979, by Ian Lloyd (formerly of The Stories
), on his solo album Goose Bumps. Vallance played the drums on this recording. In 1983
Adams himself recorded the song for his third album, Cuts Like a Knife
, as a straightforward rock song with electric guitar
and synthesizer
. Adams co-produced his version with Bob Clearmountain
, who also mixed it.
The song became a hit for Adams in 1998, after its inclusion on his 1997 album MTV Unplugged
. Patrick Leonard
was producing these sessions, and selected I'm Ready to be included in the show. For this concert, the song was re-arranged as an acoustic ballad with string
orchestrations added by Michael Kamen
, who had previously worked on some of Adams' biggest hits, and played by students of the Juilliard School
. Furthermore it features a Low whistle
played by Davy Spillane
. In 1998 the song was released as the second single
from the Unplugged album, after "Back to You
". The music video
was directed by Nigel Dick
, although footage of the original performance was also shown on MTV
, prior to the single being released.
This version is also included on the two Best-of-compilations The Best of Me
and Anthology
.
In 2001, "I'm Ready" was re-released in Italy with new lyrics, now entitled "Io Vivo (In Te)". The new Italian lyrics were written by Zucchero Fornaciari. Zucchero also produced the new version, basically using the Unplugged recording, and recording new vocals on top of it (notice the audience and some of Bryan's original vocals still audible on the track). Also featured is additional percussion, added by Martyn Philips using Pro Tools
. Philips, along with Randy Staub
engineered "Io Vivo (In Te)"; the latter also mixing the track (originally mixed by Bob Clearmountain
). The single uses the same picture and colour scheme as the original release of "I'm Ready", only using a different font.
Different mixes following Unplugged
There are some slight differences between the available Unplugged versions of "I'm Ready":
- I'm Ready (Unplugged), 4m29s, on the album MTV Unplugged
This version does not fade out at the ending, but skips straight into the next track ("Fits Ya Good");
- I'm Ready (Live), 4m30s, on the album Anthology and on the CD single "I'm Ready"
This is the same version as the Unplugged album version, only slightly longer in duration and it fades out at the end;
- I'm Ready (Unplugged) (Edit), 4m26s, on the album The Best Of Me and on the CD single "Io Vivo (In Te)"
This version fades out sooner than the one on Anthology, omitting Bryan saying "Thank you very, very much". Some editions of The Best of Me may feature the 4m30s version;
- I'm Ready (Radio Edit), 4m03s, on the promotional CD single of "I'm Ready"
This version is an edited mix from the Unplugged version, cutting out the chorus twice at the end of the song (on all other versions the chorus is heard five times, in different variations), although it does not omit Bryan saying "Thank you very, very much". Only issued as a promotional release, and not available on any albums as of 2010.
- Io Vivo (In Te), 4m26s, on the album The Best Of Me (Italian edition) and on the CD single "Io Vivo (In Te)"
Same edit as used on the album The Best Of Me, only with re-recorded vocals in Italian, added percussion, and the audience muted at the end. Remix by Randy Staub.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
musician Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
. It was written by Adams and collaborator Jim Vallance
Jim Vallance
James Douglas "Jim" Vallance, OC is a retired Canadian musician, songwriter, arranger and producer based out of Vancouver, British Columbia. He is best known as the former songwriting partner of Canadian international recording artist Bryan Adams...
. The song was first released in 1979, by Ian Lloyd (formerly of The Stories
The Stories
For the 1970s band, see Stories The Stories is a boxset of three EPs by death/doom metal band My Dying Bride. The boxset was released as the EPs had become quite rare around the world. The Stories had a high amount of sales and ended up selling all 3,000 copies, causing it to be equally as rare as...
), on his solo album Goose Bumps. Vallance played the drums on this recording. In 1983
1983 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1983.-January-April:*January – ZTT Records is founded.*January 8 – The UK singles chart is tabulated from this week forward by The Gallup Organization...
Adams himself recorded the song for his third album, Cuts Like a Knife
Cuts Like a Knife
Cuts Like a Knife is the third studio album by the Canadian rock artist Bryan Adams. Released on 18 January 1983 through A&M Records, the album became a huge commercial success in Canada and the United States whereas outside North America, the album did poorly...
, as a straightforward rock song with electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
and synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
. Adams co-produced his version with Bob Clearmountain
Bob Clearmountain
Bob Clearmountain is an award-winning American music engineer, mixer and producer. He has worked with many prominent names in music including Bruce Springsteen , The Rolling Stones , Bryan Adams , Robbie Williams Bob Clearmountain is an award-winning American music engineer, mixer and producer. He...
, who also mixed it.
The song became a hit for Adams in 1998, after its inclusion on his 1997 album MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged (Bryan Adams album)
- DVD Track listing :...
. Patrick Leonard
Patrick Leonard
Patrick Raymond Leonard is an American songwriter, keyboardist and music producer, known for his longtime collaboration with Madonna on many different recordings....
was producing these sessions, and selected I'm Ready to be included in the show. For this concert, the song was re-arranged as an acoustic ballad with string
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
orchestrations added by Michael Kamen
Michael Kamen
Michael Arnold Kamen was an American composer , orchestral arranger, orchestral conductor, song writer, and session musician.-Background:...
, who had previously worked on some of Adams' biggest hits, and played by students of the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
. Furthermore it features a Low whistle
Low whistle
The low whistle, or concert whistle, is a variation of the traditional tin whistle/pennywhistle, distinguished by its lower pitch and larger size. It is most closely associated with the performances of modern Irish musicians and groups such as Riverdance and Davy Spillane, and is increasingly...
played by Davy Spillane
Davy Spillane
Davy Spillane is a songwriter and a player of uilleann pipes and low whistle.early yearsDavy was born in Dublin in 1959 . At the age of 12 he started playing the uilleann pipes. His father encouraged him and inspired him with his love of all music genres...
. In 1998 the song was released as the second single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from the Unplugged album, after "Back to You
Back to You (song)
-Personnel:*Bryan Adams – guitar, vocals*Keith Scott – lead guitar, vocal harmonies*Dave Taylor – bass, vocal harmonies*Micky Curry – drums, vocal harmonies*Danny Cummings – percussion, vocal harmonies*Tommy Mandel – piano...
". The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was directed by Nigel Dick
Nigel Dick
Nigel Dick is an English music video and film director, writer and musician based in Los Angeles, California. He directed the Band Aid video "Do They Know It's Christmas?", as well as over 300 other music videos.Nigel Dick should not be confused with the Australian Dr...
, although footage of the original performance was also shown on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, prior to the single being released.
This version is also included on the two Best-of-compilations The Best of Me
The Best of Me
The Best of Me is a greatest hits album by Canadian singer Bryan Adams. It was released worldwide in 1999, and in the U.S. in 2002. It was his last release on A&M Records. Upon its initial release, a special edition 2-disc set was issued with live tracks...
and Anthology
Anthology (Bryan Adams album)
- Disc two :- Disc one :- Disc two :- Personnel :* Bryan Adams - rhythm guitar, vocals, co-producer* Keith Scott - lead guitar* Tommy Mandel - Hammond organ* Dave Taylor - bass* Mickey Curry - drums* Brian Stanley - bass...
.
In 2001, "I'm Ready" was re-released in Italy with new lyrics, now entitled "Io Vivo (In Te)". The new Italian lyrics were written by Zucchero Fornaciari. Zucchero also produced the new version, basically using the Unplugged recording, and recording new vocals on top of it (notice the audience and some of Bryan's original vocals still audible on the track). Also featured is additional percussion, added by Martyn Philips using Pro Tools
Pro Tools
Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation platform for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, developed and manufactured by Avid Technology. It is widely used by professionals throughout the audio industries for recording and editing in music production, film scoring, film, and television...
. Philips, along with Randy Staub
Randy Staub
Randy Staub is a Canadian recording engineer. He has been nominated for the Juno Awards' "Recording Engineer of the Year" award nine times. He won in 2002 for the songs "How You Remind Me" and "Too Bad" by Nickelback. Staub also mixed Alice in Chains' fourth studio album, Black Gives Way to...
engineered "Io Vivo (In Te)"; the latter also mixing the track (originally mixed by Bob Clearmountain
Bob Clearmountain
Bob Clearmountain is an award-winning American music engineer, mixer and producer. He has worked with many prominent names in music including Bruce Springsteen , The Rolling Stones , Bryan Adams , Robbie Williams Bob Clearmountain is an award-winning American music engineer, mixer and producer. He...
). The single uses the same picture and colour scheme as the original release of "I'm Ready", only using a different font.
Different mixes following Unplugged
There are some slight differences between the available Unplugged versions of "I'm Ready":
- I'm Ready (Unplugged), 4m29s, on the album MTV Unplugged
This version does not fade out at the ending, but skips straight into the next track ("Fits Ya Good");
- I'm Ready (Live), 4m30s, on the album Anthology and on the CD single "I'm Ready"
This is the same version as the Unplugged album version, only slightly longer in duration and it fades out at the end;
- I'm Ready (Unplugged) (Edit), 4m26s, on the album The Best Of Me and on the CD single "Io Vivo (In Te)"
This version fades out sooner than the one on Anthology, omitting Bryan saying "Thank you very, very much". Some editions of The Best of Me may feature the 4m30s version;
- I'm Ready (Radio Edit), 4m03s, on the promotional CD single of "I'm Ready"
This version is an edited mix from the Unplugged version, cutting out the chorus twice at the end of the song (on all other versions the chorus is heard five times, in different variations), although it does not omit Bryan saying "Thank you very, very much". Only issued as a promotional release, and not available on any albums as of 2010.
- Io Vivo (In Te), 4m26s, on the album The Best Of Me (Italian edition) and on the CD single "Io Vivo (In Te)"
Same edit as used on the album The Best Of Me, only with re-recorded vocals in Italian, added percussion, and the audience muted at the end. Remix by Randy Staub.