Customer Reviews

Very Best of the A&M Years 1977-1988

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Southern rockers .38 Special enjoyed huge success from the late '70s through the entire decade of the '80s. Although the big hits have stopped, the band still continues to record and tour. Although there have already been three compilations of .38 Special's hits released prior to this one, "The Very Best of The A&M Years" is probably the most essential. 18 of the band's biggest hits and key album tracks are included here including the classics "Hold On Loosely", "Caught Up In You", "Rockin' Into the Night" and "If I'd Been The One". Also included are the soundtrack hits "Teacher Teacher" from the 1984 film "Teachers" and "Back To Paradise" from the 1987 sequel to "Revenge of The Nerds", "Nerds In Paradise". Although the inclusion of their 1988 hit "Second Chance" seems a bit out of place here, it is great that it's included because it was one of their biggest hits of their A&M years. It's the only track on this compilation that doesn't feature the original line-up but it's still a great song that showcases Max Carl's vocals during his brief time with the band.
"The Very Best of The A&M Years" is .38 Special's ultimate compilation. Everything hit that you've ever heard from the band between 1977 and 1988 is more than likely included on this CD. This classic arena-rock at its finest. Music just doesn't sound quite like this anymore. Check it out and relive some great memories. You'll be smiling in no time. :-)

Had Lynyrd Skynyrd not lost its vital members in that 1977 plane crash, there's little doubt 38 Special would've made it to prominence today. Indeed, 38 Special lead singer Donnie van Zandt was the brother of Ronnie van Zandt, who perished aboard that plane. This Southern band from Jacksonville, FL maintained a pure rock sound amid the synths and heavier sounds of the 80's. That classic rock sound was made possible with the double guitars of Don Barnes and Jeff Carlisi, as well as the steady drumming of Steve Brookins and Jack Grondin.

The combination of power chords and catchy hooks without compromising their rocking style is due to songwriter Jim Peterik, to gain better fame in Survivor. He helped them through Wild Eyed Southern Boys and Special Forces, their fourth and fifth albums. Among the songs he helped them with was the "Jean Genie" meets Bad Company's "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love" stomp of "Rockin' Into The Night," which was a sample of what they would turn out over the late 70's and 80's.

Of their early work, nothing beats the tried and true classics "Hold On Loosely," which became their first Top 40 hit, and that familiar rhythm guitar that opens the energetic "Caught Up In You," which scraped the Top Ten, and all due to Peterik's songcrafting and those harmony vocals.

The #38 "You Keep Runnin' Away," from Special Forces, sounds like something Rick Springfield would do, only with more teeth. The idealized fantasy of "Fantasy Girl" has the same Bad Company crunch, about a "vision of true lovin' and how it should be." One of my favourites, as it's something I relate to.

The songs from Tour De Force found them moving more to the mainstream, as seen in the longing and reflective rocker "If I'd Been The One" and "Back Where You Belong," both of which reached the Top 20. Their song for the Nick Nolte comedy Teachers yielded the #25 rocker "Teacher, Teacher," of a student questioning an instructor whether he will learn what he needs to survive in the jungle that's the world.

I first heard of them with their two singles from 1986's Strength In Numbers, the #14 hit "Like No Other Night" and the #48 "Somebody Like You." It is the latter song's inclusion here that made me choose this over their other compilation, Flashback. Speaking of which, "Back To Paradise," penned by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, was for Revenge of the Nerds II-Nerds In Paradise, and was one of the more energetic and rocking numbers, which narrowly missed the Top 40. This was definitely Top Five material.

They charted their highest scoring song with the radio-friendly ballad "Second Chance" sung by Max Carls. This #6 was so unlike any of their previous oeuvre that my eyebrows rose slightly upon hearing the DJ mention that this was 38 Special. I still like it, but I was a bit taken aback.

The sound remains undiminished, yet there are enough catchy hooks, hard-driving rock guitar and strong vocals by Don Barnes and Donnie van Zandt. A much better compilation than Flashback containing all their vital hits, from a group that showed one can still rock hard without going the metal route.

This most recent "best of" set is a vast improvement to what was already a good compilation ("Flashback") which was released in 1987. The beauty here is that this release is remastered, sounds GREAT, and it generously expands the song selection by 4, including the must have "Second Chance," which was their last and biggest single period. The CD has great liner notes that are self-effacing rather than the usual self-congratulatory junk that makes you never want to read them again.

I don't need to say too much here because people tend to either really like this group or see it as a watered down version of true "Southern Rock." The Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd received much acclaim, while .38 Special continued doing their thing no matter what the critics said. I love this band and some of their best songs (Hold On Loosely, Caught Up In You, Somebody Like You, Like No Other Night, just to name a few) take me to times in my life where they served as the soundtrack for what was happening at the time. I also enjoy the other acts mentioned, and there may be merit to what some of .38 Special detractors have said, but since this is my review to you Amazoners out there (especially those who remember them well), I can assure you that this release easily earns 5 stars on the strength of its killer singles.

If you get one disc of .38 Special's hits this is the one to get! It has all you could want of them (well maybe die-hards would want more), but the casual to moderate fan will be very happy with this compilation. All of the great hits and more! Great sound, too. I definitely recommend this to anyone that loves classic rock and/or .38 Special.

Although .38 Special were never in the same class musically as the Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Marshall Tucker Band, or the Outlaws, they did have plenty of great songs and albums. Some people compare them to Foreigner or REO Speedwagon, or even Loverboy, but they have a lot more teeth and crunch than any of those bands, and have been bravely pro-law-enforcement in recent times. Given the willingness of the band's members to express the opinion that the police were justified in using deadly force to rescue two girls kidnapped in California in 2002, the best way to honor this band is to track down the original albums, particularly SPECIAL FORCES, WILD EYED SOUTHERN BOYS, ROCKIN' INTO THE NIGHT, or the reissue of the debut, but if you can only buy a compilation, make it this one.

THIS IS GREAT "JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA" "SOUTHERN ROCK"!!! THIS IS 38 SPECIAL, WITH 18 OF THEIR GREAT SOUTHERN ROCK CLASSICS!!! ONE OF RONNIE VAN ZANT'S YOUNGER BROTHERS, DONNIE IS ONE OF THE LEAD SINGERS AND A GUITAR PLAYER IN THE BAND. THE OTHER LEAD SINGER AND GUITAR PLAYER IS DON BARNES. THE BAND CONSISTS OF 6 MEMBERS. THIS BAND AND THIS CD ROCKS!!!

SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: "ROCKIN' INTO THE NIGHT", "HOLD ON LOOSLY", "WILD-EYED SOUTHERN BOYS", "FANTASY GIRL", "CAUGHT UP IN YOU", "CHAIN LIGHTIN'", "YOU KEEP RUNNIN' AWAY", "TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX", "BACK WHERE WE BELONG", "TEACHER TEACHER", "SOMEBODY LIKE YOU", AND "TAKE ME BACK".

THIS CD IS PROBABLY THE BEST CD TO HAVE OF 38 SPECIAL, BECAUSE YOU GET ALL THEIR CLASSICS ON ONE CD!!! THIS IS SOUTHERN ROCK AT ITS BEST!!! I RECOMMEND THIS ONE AND THEIR DVD THAT WAS FILMED AT THE STURGIS MOTORCYCLE FESTIVAL (SEE MY REVIEW OF THE DVD 38 SPECIAL LIVE)!!!!

This Southern rocker will take you 48 miles down the road in no time at all. A real crowd pleaser! "Fantasy girl" is worth $9 alone. ROCK!

If you looked up 38 Special on the internet or in a book, you would probably see these two words: southern rock. Widely considered southern rock, I think they have a more Foriegner-type pop/rock sound and feeling. This album is a rather nice compilation. It has all the major and minor hits and fan favorites. You get 18 songs on one disc and it's rather inexpensive. Not a bad deal. If you like 80s pop/rock like Foriegner or REO Speedwagon buy this superb collection of radio friendly rock godliness.

All the best from this Southern Rock band! It brings me back almost 30 years ago to my teen-age years, waiting for the radio to play Fantasy Girl, Rough Housin', or So Caught Up in You (Little Girl). Also, look for their Xmas album with Lynyrd Skynnyrd. Hilarious and catchy, and a nice break of pace from the usual stuff.

This is the definitive 38 Special greatest hits compilation to get if you were/are a casual fan who wants only the hit singles and can do without album tracks. Though I was never much of a southern rock fan, what I always liked about 38 Special is that they weren't locked into a pre-New Wave 70's rock sound. During their prime hit making years, they always sounded like they had actually been listening to the radio recently and paying attention to what else was happening in music at the time, and as as result, their take on southern rock always sounded more updated and contemporary.