Bone Against Steel Explained

Bone Against Steel
Type:	Album
Artist:	38 Special
Cover:	38_Special_-_Bone_Against_Steel.jpg
Released:	July 1991
Recorded:	1990
Genre:	AOR, pop rock, soft rock, Southern rock
Length:	63:48
Label:	Charisma
Producer:	Rodney Mills
Prev Title:	Rock & Roll Strategy
Prev Year:	1988
Next Title:	Resolution
Next Year:	1997

Bone Against Steel is the ninth studio album by the southern rock band 38 Special, released in 1991. It was their last album until their 1996 comeback and the last album to feature the vocalist and keyboard player Max Carl. It would also be their last album with long time guitarist and founding member Jeff Carlisi and drummer Jack Grondin.

The album itself was a modest commercial success and only reached #170 on the Billboard 200 album chart. However, the single "The Sound of Your Voice" (also known as "Sound of Your Voice"), was a major hit, and one of three songs co-written by Survivor's Jim Peterik for the album. The song, with a vocal hook in the chorus very reminiscent of Survivor's "I Can't Hold Back", reached #2 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and #33 on the Billboard Hot 100 (their last Top 40 hit and last appearance on that chart to date), while the second of the three Peterik songs, "Rebel to Rebel", only reached #30 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.^[1]

Track listing

1. "The Sound of Your Voice" (Max Carl, Jeff Carlisi, Danny Chauncey, Jim Peterik) – 4:58
2. "Signs of Love" (Carl) – 4:49
3. "Last Thing I Ever Do" (Carlisi, Chauncey, Robert White Johnson, Michael Lunn, Donnie Van Zant) – 5:22
4. "You Definitely Got Me" (Carl, Carlisi, Chauncey) – 5:12
5. "Rebel to Rebel" (Carlisi, Peterik, Van Zant) – 5:33
6. "Bone Against Steel" (Carl) – 5:24
7. "You Be the Dam, I'll Be the Water" (Carl, Johnson, Van Stephenson, Van Zant) – 4:26
8. "Jimmy Gillum" (Carl, Carlisi, Chauncey, Van Zant) – 5:07
9. "Tear It Up" (Carl, Carlisi, Chauncey) – 4:39
10. "Don't Wanna Get It Dirty" (Johnson, Lunn, Van Zant) – 4:36
11. "Burning Bridges" (Carl, Carlisi, Chauncey) – 4:45
12. "Can't Shake It" (Johnson, Lunn, Van Zant) – 3:29
13. "Treasure" (Carl, Carlisi, Peterik) – 5:40

Personnel

.38 Special

• Max Carl – keyboards, vocals
• Jeff Carlisi – guitars
• Danny Chauncey – guitars
• Larry Junstrom – bass
• Jack Grondin – drums
• Donnie Van Zant – vocals

Guest musicians

• Scott Meeder – drum programming, percussion, cymbals
• Michael Hoskin – alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
• Larry Jackson – tenor saxophone
• Gordon Vernick – trumpet
• The Six Groomers (the band) – backing vocals
• Robert White Johnson – backing vocals
• Jack Blades – backing vocals (9)
• Brian Howe – backing vocals (9)

Production

• Rodney Mills – producer, recording, mixing
• Tag George – recording assistant, mix assistant
• Edd Miller – recording assistant
• Phil Tan – recording assistant
• Bob Ludwig – mastering
• Masterdisk (New York City, New York) – mastering location
• Mark Rogers – tape operation
• Norman Moore – art direction, design
• John Halpern – band photography
• Peter Miller – cover photography

Charts

Album – Billboard (United States) RPM Magazine (Canada)

Year	Chart	Position
1991	The Billboard 200	170
1991	The RPM 100 ^[2]	58

Singles – Billboard (United States)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1991	"Rebel to Rebel"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	30
1991	"The Sound of Your Voice"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	2
1991	"The Sound of Your Voice"	The Billboard Hot 100	33

Notes and References

1. Web site: Bone Against Steel - .38 Special | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic. AllMusic.
2. Web site: RPM Top 100 Albums - September 21, 1991.