Like a Rock

Like a Rock is the thirteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Seger, released in 1986. The title track is best known for being featured in Chevrolet truck commercials throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.

This article is about the album. For the song, see Like a Rock (song).

Like a Rock
Studio album by
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
ReleasedApril 14, 1986
Recorded1985–1986
Studio
[1]
GenreRock
Length43:55
LabelCapitol
ProducerPunch Andrews, David N. Cole, Bob Seger
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band chronology
The Distance
(1982)		 Like a Rock
(1986)		 The Fire Inside
(1991)
Singles from Like a Rock
  1. "American Storm"
    Released: March 1986
  2. "Like a Rock"
    Released: May 1986
  3. "It's You"
    Released: August 1986
  4. "Miami"
    Released: November 1986
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]

Content

"Fortunate Son" is a live cover of the 1969 Creedence Clearwater Revival hit, recorded March 31, 1983 at Cobo Hall in Detroit. It was originally available only as the B-side of the "American Storm" single, and was added as a bonus track to the CD release of the album. The vinyl version ends with "Somewhere Tonight". The song "Miami" is featured in an episode of the TV series Miami Vice.

Seger said of "The Ring":

I’ll tell you a song that Don Henley really likes of mine and nobody ever played it on the radio. When I played it for him it knocked him out. It’s a song called "The Ring." I think it’s on my album Like A Rock. It’s a six- minute ballad and it deals with a specific subject matter about a failing marriage out in a rural area and the restlessness that is setting in. The marriage has gone to pot and the ring doesn’t mean anything any more and they’re trying to hold it together. The characters are very sharply drawn. Nobody ever played it on the radio but I love it.[3]

Cash Box said of "It's You" that "This mid-tempo ballad has a mellow country inflection with the customary Seger rock edge."[4] Billboard called it a "subdued mid-tempo song" that "fairly begs for a country cover."[5]

Cash Box called "Miami" a "more relaxed, meldodic outing."[6] Billboard called it a "wistful boogie [that] contemplates the immigrant's dilemma."[7]

This is the first studio album credited to "Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band" that doesn't feature the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section replacing the Silver Bullet Band on any tracks.

History

The album was originally going to be named American Storm after the first track and was going to be released in December 1985, but it was delayed and the name was changed.[8]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Bob Seger, except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."American Storm" 4:17
2."Like a Rock" 5:56
3."Miami" 4:40
4."The Ring" 5:35
5."Tightrope"Craig Frost, Seger4:31
6."The Aftermath"Frost, Seger3:30
7."Sometimes" 3:31
8."It's You" 4:03
9."Somewhere Tonight" 4:25
10."Fortunate Son"John Fogerty3:20

Personnel

As listed in the liner notes.[9]

  • Bob Seger – guitar (1), piano (3), acoustic guitar (4), vocals (all tracks)

Silver Bullet Band

Additional musicians

Guitars

Drums and percussion

Keyboards

  • Bill Payne – piano (1, 2, 6–9), piano solo (8), synthesizer (3, 4, 8)
  • David Cole – synthesizer solo (8)

Horns

Additional vocals

Production
  • Producers: Punch Andrews, David N. Cole, Bob Seger
  • Engineers: David N. Cole, Greg Edward, Shelly Yakus
  • Assistant engineers: David Axelbaum, Bob Castle, Judy Clapp, Peter Doell, Steve Himelfarb
  • Mixing: Punch Andrews, David N. Cole, Bob Seger
  • Mastering: Wally Traugott
  • Horn arrangements: Jerry Hey, Alto Reed
  • Art direction: Bill Burks, Roy Kohara
  • Design: Mark Shoolery
  • Photography: Aaron Rapoport

Charts

Album

YearBillboard chartPeak
1986 Top 200 3[10]

Singles and tracks

YearSong titleBillboard chartPeak
1986 "American Storm" Mainstream Rock Tracks 2[11]
Hot 100 13[12]
"Fortunate Son" Mainstream Rock Tracks 9[13]
"It's You" Adult Contemporary 22[14]
Mainstream Rock Tracks 8[15]
Hot 100 52[16]
"Like a Rock" Adult Contemporary 21[17]
Mainstream Rock Tracks 1[18]
Hot 100 12[19]
"Miami" Hot 100 70[20]
"Tightrope" Mainstream Rock Tracks 35[21]
"The Aftermath" Mainstream Rock Tracks 9[22]

References
  1. Van Matre, Lynn (April 27, 1986). "Bob Seger: a new album, and a feeling of reflection". Chicago Tribune. Chicago. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  2. Chrispell, James. Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band: Like a Rock > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
  3. Sharp, Ken (September 10, 2018). "How Bob Seger changed the face of American Music". Classic Rock. Louder Sound. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  4. "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. August 9, 1986. p. 9. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  5. "Reviews". Billboard. August 16, 1986. p. 69. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  6. "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. November 8, 1986. p. 9. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  7. "Reviews". Billboard. November 15, 1986. p. 89. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  8. Billboard, November 2, 1985
  9. Like a Rock (CD). Bob Seger. Capitol Records. 1986. CDP 7 46195 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. "Bob Seger Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. May 23, 1986. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  11. "Bob Seger". Billboard.
  12. "Bob Seger". Billboard.
  13. "Bob Seger". Billboard.
  14. "Bob Seger". Billboard.
  15. "Bob Seger". Billboard.
  16. "Bob Seger". Billboard.
  17. "Bob Seger". Billboard.
  18. "Bob Seger". Billboard.
  19. "Bob Seger". Billboard.
  20. "Bob Seger". Billboard.
  21. "Bob Seger". Billboard.
  22. "Bob Seger". Billboard.
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