Special Forces (38 Special album)

Special Forces
Studio album by 38 Special
Released	1982
Recorded	1981
Studio	Studio One Doraville, Georgia
Genre	Southern rock AOR hard rock
Length	39:57
Label	A&M
Producer	Don Barnes Jeff Carlisi Rodney Mills
38 Special chronology
Wild-Eyed Southern Boys (1981) Special Forces (1982) Tour de Force (1983)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
The Rolling Stone Album Guide

Special Forces is the fifth studio album by American rock band 38 Special, released in 1982 by A&M Records. The band embarked on the Special Forces Tour to support the album.

Special Forces peaked at number 10 on the Billboard 200, making it the band's highest-charting studio album in the United States. Three of the four charted singles from the album were co-written with Survivor's Jim Peterik, including "Caught Up in You", the band's first Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. A remastered CD, with three live bonus tracks, was reissued by Rock Candy Records in September 2023.

Track listing

1. "Caught Up in You" (Don Barnes, Jeff Carlisi, Jim Peterik) - 4:37
2. "Back Door Stranger" (Carlisi, Larry Steele, Donnie Van Zant) - 4:38
3. "Back on the Track" (Carlisi, Steele, Van Zant) - 4:45
4. "Chain Lightnin'" (Barnes, Peterik, Van Zant) - 5:01
5. "Rough-Housin'" (Barnes, Steele, Van Zant) - 4:08
6. "You Keep Runnin' Away" (Barnes, Carlisi, Peterik) - 3:56
7. "Breakin' Loose" (Carlisi, Jack Grondin, Steele, Van Zant) - 3:32
8. "Take 'Em Out" (Barnes, Carlisi, Steele, Van Zant) - 4:07
9. "Firestarter" (Barnes, Steele, Van Zant) - 5:01

Personnel

• Donnie Van Zant - lead vocals (2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9), backing vocals
• Don Barnes - guitar; lead vocals on tracks 1, 4, 5, 6, 8; backing vocals
• Jeff Carlisi - guitar, steel guitar
• Larry Junstrom - bass guitar
• Steve Brookins - drums
• Jack Grondin - drums

Additional Personnel

• Terry Emery - percussion, piano
• Steve McRay - keyboards
• Jimmy Barnes - harmonica, harp
• Carol Bristow - vocals, backing vocals
• Lu Moss - vocals, backing vocals

Production

• Producers: Don Barnes, Jeff Carlisi, Rodney Mills
• Engineers: Rodney Mills, Greg Quesnel
• Art direction: Jeffrey Kent Ayeroff
• Design: Philip Gips
• Cover art concept: Philip Gips
• Cover art painting: Larry Gerber
• Mastering: Bob Ludwig

Charts

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

Year	Chart	Position
1982	Pop Albums	10
1982	Pop Albums	40

Singles - Billboard (United States)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1982	"Back on the Track"	Mainstream Rock	56
1982	"Caught Up in You"	Mainstream Rock	1
1982	"Caught Up in You"	Pop Singles	10
1982	"Chain Lightnin'"	Mainstream Rock	9
1982	"You Keep Runnin' Away"	Mainstream Rock	7
1982	"You Keep Runnin' Away"	Pop Singles	38