If anyone doubted that Bryan Adams is proud to be from Canada, that doubt exists no more. He released a protest song on July 1, which is also, of course, Canada Day, that speaks his truth to power about any suggestion that his nation become the 51st state of the United States.
That has, somewhat confusingly, been bandied about by the current administration of Donald Trump, almost as if Canadians don't have a real say in how their country is run. That is silly, obviously. How fun would it be if Mark Carney, the Prime Minister of Canada, offered that the US should become the 11th province of his wonderful country?
Of course, that shouldn't happen either. People should be able to be proud of their country. Bryan Adams certainly is.
Bryan Adams delivers a good protest song that no one expected
On a song called "51st State," which can be heard below (or on YouTube and many other streaming services), Adams doesn't name-check the current US president, but one doesn't need to wonder about whom Adams is discussing. The words are clear.
Adams sings, "Yeah, we're better off together/But we're way better hand in hand/But the 49th parallel/Has become a line drawn in the sand."
The chorus fleshes the above out a bit more:
"Let me give it to you straight
When you're talking about my home
You better show some respect'
Cuz up here we take care of our own
So let me give you some advice, mister
You might have too much on your plate
Go'n load us up with tariffs
But we'll never be the 51st State"
Sure, no one can mistake who or what the singer of "Summer of '69" is emoting about. While maybe no one in the current administration will care about or listen to the track, Adams didn't really write the song for them. He's trying to be the voice of his nation.
As for how good the song is instead of how poignant it attempts to be, the answer is, well...yeah. It's not bad. It's short at just two minutes and 16 seconds, and it's solid uptempo rock. The melody doesn't offer much nuance, and the only drawback might be how Adams ends the choruses. Too much of a pause exists before the final line.
Plus, while the track ends with Bryan Adams vocalizing loudly, "51st State," the way he does it only implies that maybe the tune could be angrier, faster, and more punk. But that wouldn't be Adams, of course. He's always been the kind of rock act that John Mellencamp is, and that's good. The world needs both.
If you want to catch Adams possibly performing his new song live, you will have chances. Here are his remaining 2026 tour dates:
- 7/11 – Werchter, Belgium @ TW Classic at Festivalpark
- July 24 – St. Louis, MO @ Enterprise Center
- July 25 – Wichita, KS @ INTRUST Bank Arena
- July 26 – Thackerville, OK @ WinStar World Casino & Resort
- July 28 – Austin, TX @ Moody Center
- July 29 – Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
- July 31 – New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center
- Aug. 1 – North Little Rock, AR @ Simmons Bank Arena
- Aug. 4 – Greenville, SC @ Bon Secours Wellness Arena
- Aug. 5 – Orlando, FL @ Kia Center
- Aug. 8 – Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center
- Aug. 9 – Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena
- Aug. 11 – Reading, PA @ Santander Arena
- Aug. 12 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
- Aug. 14 – Buffalo, NY @ KeyBank Center
- Aug. 15 – Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
- Aug. 16 – Milwaukee, WI @ Fiserv Forum
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