38 Special is an American group formed in Jacksonville in 1974 by Donnie Van Zant, who had previously formed the group 'Standard Production' in 1968 and then 'Sweet Rooster' in 1969. It was after the latter's dissolution in 1973 that Van Zant formed '38 Special' with Don Barnes, Ken Lyons, Steve Brookins, Jack Grondin and Jeff Carlisi.
A new group that signed with the A&M Records label in 1977, a label that would allow them to release a first eponymous album the same year. An album that would be ranked but which would struggle to produce the slightest hit worthy of the name. The same goes for the album "Special delivery" which will be released a year later in 1978 and which will not have a more favorable fate than its predecessor...
It is by changing its sound and style somewhat that the group will finally succeed in taking off a little with the successful release in 1979 of the album "Rockin' into the night". An album which will finally offer them a first classified title thanks to the title which bears the name of the album, a title which will be released the following year in 1980.
Success confirmed and above all amplified in 1981 with the release of the album "Wild-eyed southern boys", an album which will be a hit in the United States in particular thanks to the Single "Fantasy girl" but also and above all with the enormous "Hold on loosely".
But it was especially the year 1982 that would bring them the beginning of their consecration with the particularly successful release of the album "Special forces", an album that would remain the highest ranked of their entire discography and carried by the enormous Single "Caught up in you".
A huge success that they would almost equal the following year in 1983 with the release of the album "Tour de force", an album that would mainly produce the flagship Single "If I'd been the one".
We would have to wait three years and the year 1986 to see the release of their new album "Strength in numbers", an album that once again confirmed the excellent health of the group through its main title "Like no other night".
New album "Rock & Roll strategy" two years later in 1988, an album that would not remain their highest ranked of all but which paradoxically would produce the biggest Single of their entire discography with the enormous title "Second chance".
A real feat that they will never be able to match despite the release of other albums afterwards.
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others...) :
70s Decade :
Long time gone 1977
Tell everybody 1977
I am a fool for you 1978
What can I do 1978
80s Decade :
Rockin’ into the night 1980
Stone cold believer 1980
Hold on loosely 1981
Fantasy girl 1981
Wild-eyes southern boys 1981
Caught up in you 1982
Chain lightin’ 1982
Back on the track 1982
You keep runin’ away 1982
Prisoners of Rock ‘n’ Roll 1982
If I’d been the one 1983
Back where you belong 1983
One time for old times 1984
Teacher, teacher 1984
Like no other night 1986
Somebody like you 1986
Heart’s on fire 1986
Back to paradise 1987
Little Sheba 1988
Rock & Roll strategy 1988
Second chance 1989
Comin’ down tonight 1989
90s Decade :
Rebel to rebel 1991
The sound of your voice 1991
Fade to blue 1997
Just can't leave you alone 1997
Changed by love 1997
2000s Decade :
Jingel bell rock 2001
A wild eyed Christmas night 2001
Something I need 2004
Hurts like love 2004
The play 2004
Tracks :
1977...a rather confidential start with a first title that went somewhat unnoticed. Can and must do better...
1977...this one will not do better than its predecessor unfortunately. The group must therefore redouble its efforts if he wants to quickly move from the shadows to the light...
1978...certainly no success to get your teeth into on the Singles side at this stage but the albums, at least, are ranked...
1978...certainly in the depths of the Charts but it's still better than nothing as they say. All their efforts will eventually pay off at some point...
1980...and they will get their first award with this title. A passage to the 80s which rhymes with success for the group on the Singles side, finally...
1980...dynamics of success that they will not succeed in confirming with this new title despite a not insignificant quality. As if they still have to work...
1981...it didn't take long to see them return to the forefront. The previous poor performance has already been well and truly erased...
1981...a year 1981 which saw them take off for good with a succession of titles which would all find favour with the public this time...
1981...certainly to varying degrees but they will all be classified in any case and that is the main thing. The group has finally managed to make a name for himself, a real...
1982...the title of recognition, the real one. The group finally obtained its rightful place within the Court of the greats with this title...
1982...a well-deserved recognition which finally allows them to be recognized at their true value and above all to envisage the future in the best conditions...
1982...even if their level of radiation will remain mainly centered on North America, there is still radiation...
1982...every title that comes out from now on is classified and proves de facto that the group now perfectly masters its destiny...
1983...once again the proof with this title which will remain as one of their best ranked. Everything is going in the best way at this stage...
1983...since the beginning of the decade everything has been going according to plan and making the group one of the sure values of the moment. Let's hope it lasts...
1984...even if the group will not remain as the most gifted and the most rewarded of its generation, his prize list is more than flattering all the same...
1984...they will even appear on the soundtrack of the film 'Teachers' which is a form of recognition in itself not insignificant even if this film will not remain as a Masterpiece in contemporary cinematographic history...
1986...the years pass quietly but surely with a level of success that remains constant. All thanks to a quality of title that also remains constant, this explains that...
1986...there is quality but there is also quantity which does not spoil anything quite the contrary. No reason to worry at this stage concerning the future of the group...
1986...as long as they continue to maintain an equivalent level of quality there is no reason why they will disappear from the Charts prematurely...
1987...they do everything they can to prevent this from happening. Even if this year 1987 will be exceptionally single-title...
1988...a decade of the 80s that was favorable to them from beginning to end. And it could be that the best is yet to come...
1988...it won't necessarily be for this year 1988 but it could be that the following year will be that of the consecration, the real one !
1989...it's THIS title that will definitively consecrate them as one of the groups that will have counted in contemporary musical history. They sign here their biggest success, moreover planetary and offer themselves at the same time a direct ticket to posterity. HU-GE !
1989...a title that will not be able to compete with the enormous steamroller that preceded it but which will still come out of it with honors...
1991...they are starting a new decade here 90 with the firm intention of doing as well as during the previous decade. The future will tell us if they were right to believe in it...
1991...given the level of success achieved by this title, the answer is undeniably yes. More than 10 years at the top of the bill, we can only salute the performance and this in an undeniable way...
1997...then the fall. While everything was going perfectly, the machine will seriously break down to the point of losing sight of them for almost 6 years...
1997...a new opus that won't even be ranked as well as a scheduled release of the Charts Singles, nothing is going well on the planet 38 Special...
1997...and yet they are far from being unworthy, it must be said. But they did not know how to negotiate the turn of the 90s as they should have and they are paying a high price for it...
2001...we lost sight of them for almost 4 years and here they are back at the start of the 2000s in Christmas album mode...
2001... as a general rule, when you produce this kind of album it's because things are not going well. And as very often it doesn't allow you to get back in the race either...
2004...they will still try to do something new with this new opus but unfortunately it will not change the situation...
2004...no comeback or miracle in the Charts. Afterwards they will have at least tried and we can't blame them, quite the contrary...
2004...and as in music nothing is ever finished, who knows if this title will be the last ? You should never presume anything in any case...
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