"Heaven" is a power ballad written by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance and performed by Bryan Adams. The song first appeared on the A Night in Heavensoundtrack album in 1983 and was later included on Adams' album Recklessin 1984. It was released as the third single from Recklessand reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1985, over a year and a half after the song first appeared on record. The single was certified Gold in Canada in 1985.

Adams recorded "Heaven" at The Power Station in New York City on June 6 and 7, 1983.

Adams didn't think "Heaven" was suitable for Reckless, a feeling that was echoed by producer Jimmy Iovine, who was working with Adams at the time. Iovine thought the song was too 'light' for the album and recommended that Adams not include it. At the last moment, Adams changed his mind.

Half way through the recording session drummer Mickey Curry announced that he had to leave since he committed in advance to a Hall & Oates session. Curry had warned Adams about his limited availability that day. The recording session for "Heaven" was running behind schedule and Adams called Journey drummer Steve Smith. Smith happened to be in New York at the time and he filled Curry's drumming position.

While writing "Heaven", Adams and Vallance were influenced by Journey's music and lyrical style, particular their song "Faithfully".

In 1984 "Heaven" won the Procan Award (Performing Rights Organization of Canada) for Canadian radio airplay, in 1985 it won the BMI (Broadcast Music Inc.) Citation of Achievement for U.S. radio airplay and ten years later it won a Socan Classics Award for more than 100,000 Canadian radio performances.

Live tracks recorded at the Hollywood Palladium on February 1, 1985.

"Heaven" first appeared on the A Night in Heavensoundtrack album in 1983 and received substantial airplay on album-oriented rock radio stations, reaching number 9 on Billboard's Top Tracks chart in early 1984. It was released as the third single from the album Recklessin April 1985 and reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also re-entered the Top Rock Tracks chart in 1985, peaking at number 27. "Heaven" also peaked at number 12 on the Adult Contemporary chart during its second run, becoming Adams' second single to reach that chart after "Straight from the Heart" in 1983, and his biggest AC hit until 1991.

In Canada "Heaven" was officially released to radio on January, 1985. The song reached the top twenty on the Canadian Singles Chart and remained in the top twenty for another month. "Heaven" was the highest charting single from Reckless.

The song was released in Australia, Europe and New Zealand in 1985. "Heaven" reached the UK top forty. "Heaven" continued the trend of higher-charting singles when it debuted and peaked at top twenty in most of the European countries in which it charted. Adams' previous singles had charted much weaker in Europe and "Heaven" would be Adams' first single to chart in mainland Europe.

Although "Heaven" reached the top ten in Sweden and Norway and then the top twenty in Austria, Ireland, Switzerland and Sweden, it was a moderate top hundred success in Germany where it peaked at number 62.

The music video was shot in London, England, and was directed by Steve Barron. It features Adams singing the song in a live concert setting; behind him, stacked video monitors show his band playing along. Video monitors also occupy each seat of the otherwise empty theater. The video was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography.

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In 2002 DJ Sammy and Yanou released a dance cover of Heavenwith vocals by Do. It was the second single of the album Heavenand reached number one on the UK Singles Chart and number eight on the US BillboardHot 100. It re-entered the chart on the week of November 17, 2007. This version was sampled by Nina Sky in their 2009 hit, "Beautiful People". On October 28, 2009, over seven years after its release, the song was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of over 500,000.

Because of the dance version's popularity, a stripped-down, ballad-like "Candlelight Mix" version was made and sang by Do, and received airplay on Adult Contemporary radio stations as well as CHR stations.

An unauthorized remix of the "Candlelight Mix" was also made by KISS FM in Bakersfield, California to commemorate the September 11 terrorist attacks. The song features a little girl talking about her father who presumably died in the attacks, with the original chorus intermittently playing. A popular Flash animation plays out this version of the song. The little girl's vocal was actually the daughter of the program director at the time. He simply read her the lines and had her repeat them for him, with a little emotional prompting. Then he edited himself out of the voice track. This was one of the most requested songs in the station's history, and had all of the local market talking. It even crossed over to Clear Channel's other stations for a wider audience.

The music video for the single features Yanou, DJ Sammy and Do viewed briefly from a TV. It was directed by Oliver Bradford. The video features two Asian girls, androgynous people and a black man. There is a second version, with extended scenes of a stationary Do singing.

"Heaven" has been covered by numerous artists. One of the first cover recordings was by rock artist Gerd Rube on The Way I Feel(1992). Eyra Gail covered the song identically to DJ Sammy on the album Eyra Gail(2002). R&B singer Kate DeAraugo covered the song on A Place I've Never Been(2005). Scottish singer-actor John Barrowman's version appears on his cover album Another Side(2007). Ruben Studdard also recorded a version as a bonus track for his fourth studio album, Love Is. Italian singer Martina Stavolo covered the song on her debut EP "Due Cose Importanti". DJ Manian covered the song with a series of remixes featuring Alia on the album Heaven(2007). David Archuleta beautifully sang "Heaven" as a part of Hollywood Week during American Idol Season 7. The original DJ Sammy radio edit was sampled in 2009 to create Nina Sky's single "Beautiful People". In November 2009, Pitbull released "Pearly Gates", produced by Jim Jonsin, on the mixtape International Takeover: The United Nations which covers the "Heaven" chorus sang by Nayer.