Against the Wind (album)

Against the Wind
Studio album by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
Released February 25, 1980 (1980-02-25)
Recorded 1979
Genre Rock
Length 40:24
Label Capitol
Producer Punch Andrews, Steve Melton,
Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, Bob Seger, Bill Szymczyk
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band chronology
Stranger in Town
(1978)
Against the Wind
(1980)
Nine Tonight
(1981)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]

Against the Wind is the 11th album by American rock singer Bob Seger and his third with The Silver Bullet Band. It was released in 1980 (see 1980 in music). It is Seger's only Number 1 album to date, spending six weeks atop the Billboard 200, and knocking Pink Floyd's massive-selling The Wall from the top spot. The album also earned two Grammy Awards.

Contents

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Bob Seger. 

Side One
No. Title Length
1. "The Horizontal Bop"   4:03
2. "You'll Accomp'ny Me"   4:00
3. "Her Strut"   3:51
4. "No Man's Land"   3:43
5. "Long Twin Silver Line"   4:18
Side Two
No. Title Length
6. "Against the Wind"   5:34
7. "Good for Me"   4:03
8. "Betty Lou's Gettin' Out Tonight"   2:52
9. "Fire Lake"   3:30
10. "Shinin' Brightly"   4:30

The Silver Bullet Band perform on tracks 1-3, 6 & 8

The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section perform on tracks 4, 5, 7, 9 & 10

Personnel

The Silver Bullet Band
The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section
Additional Musicians
Backing harmony vocals on "Fire Lake"
Backing harmony vocals on "Against the Wind"
Backing Vocals on "You'll Accomp'ny Me" "Good For Me" and "Shinin' Brightly"

Production

Charts

Album – Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
1980 Pop Albums 1

Singles – Billboard (North America)

Year Single Chart Position
1980 "Against The Wind" Pop Singles 5
1980 "Fire Lake" Pop Singles 6
1980 "You'll Accomp'ny Me" Pop Singles 14
1980 "The Horizontal Bop" Pop Singles 42

Awards

Grammy Awards

Year Winner Category
1981 Against the Wind Best Recording Package
Against the Wind Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal

Criticism

Despite its massive success, critic Dave Marsh gave Against the Wind harsh criticism: "I'd like to say that this is not only the worst record Bob Seger has ever made, but an absolutely cowardly one as well." Marsh had followed Seger since before Night Moves, when Seger finally gained national fame, and essentially said in this review that Seger's long, tireless struggle to stardom is trivialized by this record. "He had to fight hard to prove there was still a place in rock & roll for a guy like him, and, with Night Moves, he won. This is the LP that makes such a victory meaningless. ... It makes me sad, and it makes me angry (another emotion that's disappeared here, though it's often fueled Seger's finest work). Maybe rock & roll never forgets, but the best thing anybody who ever had any hope for Bob Seger can do is try not to remember Against the Wind and pray for something better next time. I wouldn't hold my breath." [2]

See also

Preceded by
The Wall by Pink Floyd
Billboard 200 number one album
May 3 – June 13, 1980
Succeeded by
Glass Houses by Billy Joel

References

  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band: Against the Wind > Review at Allmusic. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  2. ^ [1] Dave Marsh's review of Against the Wind