Rock & Roll Strategy is the eighth studio album by the southern rock band 38 Special, released in 1988. It was their final album for long-time label A&M Records. The album contained the group's last top 10 hit, "Second Chance", which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. The title track was also released as a lead single.
Production The album was the first with vocalist and keyboard player Max Carl, who wrote "Little Sheba", about women wrestling in jello.
Track listing
"Rock & Roll Strategy" (Max Carl, Donnie Van Zant) – 4:34 "What's It to Ya?" (Robert White Johnson, Michael Lunn, Van Zant) – 4:30 "Little Sheba" (Carl) – 4:54 "Comin' Down Tonight" (Carl, Jeff Carlisi, Johnson, Van Zant) – 4:26 "Midnight Magic" (Mark Baker, Carlisi, Cal Curtis, Johnson, Van Zant) – 4:21 "Second Chance" (Carl, Carlisi, Curtis) – 5:04 "Hot 'Lanta" (Carl) – 5:42 "Never Be Lonely" (Carl, Danny Chauncey) – 4:39 "Chattahoochee" (Johnson, Lunn, Van Zant) – 4:11 "Innocent Eyes" (Carl, Carlisi, Chauncey) – 4:17 "Love Strikes" (Carlisi, Johnson, Van Zant) – 4:31
Personnel .38 Special Max Carl – keyboards, lead vocals (1, 3, 4, 6–8, 10) background vocals Donnie Van Zant – lead vocals (2, 5, 7, 9, 11) background vocals Jeff Carlisi – guitars, steel guitar Danny Chauncey – guitars Larry Junstrom – bass Jack Grondin – drums
Additional musicians James Stroud – Synclavier programming, LinnDrum programming Robert White Johnson – percussion, backing vocals Edd Miller – percussion, vibraslap The Noise Gator – horns The Six Groomers (the band) – backing vocals
Production Rodney Mills – producer, engineer, mixing Edd Miller – engineer, mixing Thom "TK" Kidd – mix assistant Bob Ludwig – mastering Mark Rogers – production coordination Norman Moore – art direction, design Chris Cuffaro – photography
Studios Recorded at Soundscape Studios (Atlanta, Georgia) Mixed at Cheshire Recording Studios (Atlanta, Georgia) Mastered at Masterdisk (New York City, New York)
Charts Album Chart (1988) Peakposition
Single Chart (1988) Peakposition US Billboard Hot 100 67 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard) 5
References