Classic Rock Bottom

ALBUM OF THE WEEK # 347 BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND - STRANGER IN TOWN (1978)

Disclaimer: All info that does not reside in my brain is gathered from wikipedia.com (mostly because Jon can't stand it) unless otherwise noted.

This week we travel back to 1978 and feature Stranger In Town as the CRB Album of the Week.  It was Bob Seger's tenth album overall, but his second album with The Silver Bullet Band.  However, The Silver Bullet Band only appeared on about half of the album, with the other half featuring the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. 

It was a very popular album, eventually being certified 6 X Platinum by the RIAA as well as reaching number 4 on the Billboard chart.  Four singles scored well on the charts, with Still The Same being the biggest hit, topping out at number four (Hollywood Nights #12, We've Got Tonite #13 and Old Time Rock And Roll #28).  Really, seven of the nine tracks can still be heard on radio stations that play classic rock music.

As far as guest appearances go, Glen Frey performs the solo on Till It Shines while his Eagles band mate, Don Felder, performs the solo on Ain't Got No Money. 

I remember hearing these songs so often on the radio.  Hollywood Nights is most definitely my favorite Seger track, but Still The Same is way up there as well.  They both tell great, great stories.  One hidden gem here is The Famous Final Scene.  That song is amazing.  A great vocal performance by Seger just makes the lyrics regarding the end of a relationship hit really hard.  

Side One:

1. Hollywood Nights

2. Still The Same

3. Old Time Rock And Roll

4. Till It Shines

5. Feel Like A Number

Side Two:

6. Aint' Got No Money

7. We've Got Tonite

8. Brave Strangers

9. The Famous Final Scene

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There's five certified classic tracks on the album for sure. I have Seger's discography on my Buy list, but I don't know when or if I'll ever get around to getting any of them. The only album of his that I own is his most recent one. That one was superb.

And I don't think I've ever heard "The Famous Final Scene" before. But reading what you said about it made me look it up on Youtube. It is a really good song and yes, the way he lays out the vocals make for a really emotional wallop in the lyrical storytelling.

Night Moves is the one "must have" of Segers, I would bump it up on your list if I was you...

Never heard any of these songs before except for that third track.

There was a conference in Illinois and the staff at Nrs, Haversham's School For Wayward Children left me all by myself for a couple days sometime in the early 80's. I was left a few bucks for food and was told that I needed to work on my science project and not to touch the eggs in the refrigerator since they would be having them for their celebratory meal when they got back and I was definitely NOT supposed to take the bus out for a joyride. 

Of course I didn't listen and accidentally broke a couple eggs while grabbing a beer from the fridge and then I took the bus out to get some White Castle burgers and managed to run into the Atlantic Ocean and the bus (and my food) was ruined. The damage to the bus was extensive but I didn't have $29.99 to get it fixed so I got some winos and we ran a hooker business out of the home for a few days in order to make money to fix the bus and buy some replacement eggs. Those were the days!

Before all this happened, I turned on the AM radio in the day room and song #3 was playing and I danced around to it while wearing a tank top and my favorite speedo bathing suit. Whenever the song plays on the radio, I do the same thing because you can't loose those great memories. 

You know my BS story, but this was ok. Don't know if I would buy it since I'm still not over that year or so of BS, but I didn't cringe. Maybe one day I'll pick this up.

     

Old Time R'N'R is the only tune that rings a bell and I have it, along with all the other fine tunes, on the Risky Business CD. Jon knows what I'm talking about.

For some reason, "Swamp" by Talking Heads isn't on the soundtrack even though "risky business" is mentioned in the lyrics. That song made the movie (which is OBVIOUSLY based on a small portion of my life)!!!!!!!

Are you still a card carrying member of Scientology?

no... he's a mormon now.

He's not a moron...

Image result for mormon gif

Oh, yes.

Just keep mocking me, but be prepared.......TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES!!!

Q: How do you follow-up an album like Night Moves?  

A:  Not possible ...

... but you can get close, Hollywood Nights would have fit perfectly on Night Moves but then the similarities go away.  Still The Same is a great tune no doubt, but the edge is missing, its very polished and Old Time Rock n Roll belongs in the top 5 all-time overplayed, still feels overplayed to me.  The edge comes back with Feel Like A Number, its this looseness and playful rock and roll that I love about him.  Ain't Got No Money is a poor mans Sunspot Baby (which is one of his finest tunes!!!), far too similar to really feel like anything other than filler, and it opens side two!!!!  Its probably the biggest disappointment on the album, at least for me.  But its only 1 of 9!

We've Got Tonight is just good, in fact its a fantastic ballad, maybe I have a soft spot for it, who knows, but its stellar.  And you're spot on with the closer, nice nice tune!

At the end of the day, Seger had the gargantuan task of following up one of rock and rolls finest albums, and for the few who get a chance to do that he did an admirable job, but it's an impossible task really and Stranger In Town gets close...

I totally agree with you about OTRAR being over played...big time.  I liked it back when it arrived in my head though.

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