Do I Have to Say the Words?

"Do I Have to Say the Words?" is a song recorded by Canadian singer and songwriter Bryan Adams for his sixth studio album, Waking Up the Neighbours (1991). It was written and produced by Adams and Robert John "Mutt" Lange, with Jim Vallance serving as co-writer of the track. It was released in July 1992 as the sixth single from the album. "Do I Have to Say the Words?" is a mid-tempo pop rock ballad with guitar riffs and soft synths in its instrumentation, while Adams gives a dramatic vocal delivery.

"Do I Have to Say the Words?"
Single cover
Single by Bryan Adams
from the album Waking Up the Neighbours
ReleasedJuly 1992
Recorded1991
GenrePop rock
Length
  • 6:11 (album version)
  • 4:15 (single/video version)
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Bryan Adams
  • Robert John "Mutt" Lange
Bryan Adams singles chronology
"All I Want Is You"
(1991)		 "Do I Have to Say the Words?"
(1992)		 "Touch the Hand"
(1992)

The song received generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised the track for being a beautiful ballad and Adams for his vocal delivery. Commercially, the song was successful in North America, reaching number two in Canada and number eleven on the US Billboard Hot 100. Elsewhere, it peaked modestly, reaching the top-forty in three other countries. The accompanying music video for the song was directed by Anton Corbijn and was shot in Turkey and Iceland. The song was also included on some of Adams' compilations.

Composition and reception

"Do I Have to Say the Words?" was written and produced by Bryan Adams and Robert John "Mutt" Lange, with Jim Vallance serving as a co-writer. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Universal Music Publishing Group, it is written in the key of G major with a rock ballad tempo of 72 beats per minute in common time.[1] The mid-tempo ballad features guitar riffs and "cushiony" synths as its instrumentation, while Adams delivers a dramatic vocal.[2] In a part of the chorus, he "whines", "Do I have to tell the truth?"[3]

Larry Flick of Billboard called it a "charming rock ballad", where Adams "returns to the pensive, romantic tone of his record-breaking hit '(Everything I Do) I Do It for You'." Flick noted that the singer "excels at laying agile [instrumentation] for his gravelly, dramatic vocal delivery."[2] David Hiltbrand and Craig Tomashoff of People named it the best of the ballads on the album.[4] James Hunter of Rolling Stone named it a moodier "eloquent mall ballad,"[5] while Jan DeKnock of Chicago Tribune noted that "he really does shine brightest on [the] beautifully bittersweet [ballad]."[6]

Music video

The music video was directed by Anton Corbijn and was mainly shot in Istanbul, Turkey on July 28, 1992. The video marked the first outdoor stadium show in Istanbul history, with over 20,000 concertgoers in İnönü Stadium. Part of the video was filmed in Iceland with the female character.

Track listings

Charts

References
  1. "Bryan Adams – "Do I Have to Say the Words?" - Digital Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. Universal Music Publishing Group. MN0019431. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  2. Flick, Larry (July 25, 1992). "Single Reviews". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 104 (30): 66. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  3. Arnold, Gina (September 27, 1991). "Waking Up the Neighbours | EW.com". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  4. Hiltbrand, David; Tomashoff, Craig (October 21, 1991). "Picks and Pans Review: Waking Up the Neighbours". People. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  5. Hunter, James (October 17, 1991). "Waking Up the Neighbours : Bryan Adams Review : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 29, 2007. Retrieved July 6, 2016.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. DeKnock, Jan (October 10, 1991). "Bryan Adams Waking Up the Neighbours (A&M)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  7. Do I Have to Say the Words? (UK & European CD single liner notes). Bryan Adams. A&M Records. 1992. AMCD 0068, 580 068-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
  8. Do I Have to Say the Words? (UK & European 7-inch single vinyl disc). Bryan Adams. A&M Records. 1992. AM0068, 580 068-7.CS1 maint: others (link)
  9. Do I Have to Say the Words? (US promo CD liner notes). Bryan Adams. A&M Records. 1991. 75021 7384 2.CS1 maint: others (link)
  10. Do I Have to Say the Words? (US cassette single cassette notes). Bryan Adams. A&M Records. 1991. 75021 1611 4.CS1 maint: others (link)
  11. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  12. "Ultratop.be – Bryan Adams – Do I Have to Say the Words?" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  13. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1949." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  14. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 1889." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  15. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9 no. 41. October 10, 1992. p. 39. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  16. "Offiziellecharts.de – Bryan Adams – Do I Have to Say the Words?". GfK Entertainment Charts.
  17. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 47, 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  18. "Dutchcharts.nl – Bryan Adams – Do I Have to Say the Words?" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  19. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  20. "Bryan Adams Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  21. "Bryan Adams Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  22. "Bryan Adams Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  23. "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1992" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 56 no. 25. December 19, 1992. p. 8. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  24. "The RPM Top 100 Adult Contemporary tracks of 1992". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  25. "Billboard Top 100 – 1992". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
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