Stranger in Town (album)

Stranger in Town is the tenth studio album by American rock singer Bob Seger and his second with the Silver Bullet Band, released by Capitol Records in May 1978 (see 1978 in music). Like its predecessor, the Silver Bullet Band backed Seger on about half of the songs and the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section backed Seger on the other half.

Stranger in Town
Studio album by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
Released	May 5, 1978 (1978-05-05)
Recorded	1976-78
Studio	Criteria Sound Studios, Miami, Florida; Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, Sheffield, Alabama; Cherokee Studios, Capitol Records Studios, Sound Suite Studios, Detroit, Michigan
Genre	Heartland rock, hard rock
Length	39:28
Label	Capitol
Producer	Bob Seger, Punch Andrews, Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band chronology
Night Moves (1976) Stranger in Town (1978) Against the Wind (1980)
Singles from Stranger in Town
"Still the Same" Released: April 1978 "Hollywood Nights" Released: 1978 "We've Got Tonite" Released: October 1978 "Old Time Rock and Roll" Released: March 1979

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The Village Voice	B–[2]

The album became an instant success in the United States, being certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America less than a month after the album's release, and, like its predecessor Night Moves, it would later go 6× Platinum.[3] It was also his first album to chart in the UK, where limited editions were released on silver vinyl and in picture disc format as well as standard black vinyl.

Track listing

• Side one, track 3 written by George Jackson and Thomas Earl Jones III
• Side two, track 1 written by Frankie Miller
• All other tracks written by Bob Seger

Side One

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Hollywood Nights"	4:59
2.	"Still the Same"	3:18
3.	"Old Time Rock & Roll"	3:14
4.	"Till It Shines"	3:50
5.	"Feel Like a Number"	3:42

Side Two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Ain't Got No Money"	4:11
2.	"We've Got Tonite"	4:38
3.	"Brave Strangers"	6:20
4.	"The Famous Final Scene"	5:09

Notes The Silver Bullet Band plays on side one tracks 1, 2, & 5 and on side two track 3

The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section plays on side one tracks 3 & 4 and on side two tracks 1, 2, & 4

Personnel

The Silver Bullet Band

• Bob Seger – guitar, vocals
• Drew Abbott – guitar
• Robyn Robbins – keyboards
• Alto Reed – tenor saxophone and alto saxophone
• Chris Campbell – bass
• David Teegarden – percussion, drums

The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section

• Barry Beckett – keyboards
• Pete Carr – guitar
• Jimmy Johnson – guitar
• David Hood – bass
• Roger Hawkins – drums, percussion

Additional Musicians

• Glenn Frey – guitar solo on "Till It Shines"
• Don Felder – guitar solo on "Ain't Got No Money"
• Bill Payne – organ, piano, on "Hollywood Nights"
• Doug Riley – piano on "Feel Like a Number" and "Brave Strangers"

Background singers

"We've Got Tonite" and "Still the Same"

• Venetta Fields – vocals, background vocals
• Clydie King – vocals, background vocals
• Sherlie Matthews – vocals, background vocals

"Hollywood Nights"

• Julia Waters – background vocals
• Luther Waters – vocals, background vocals
• Maxine Waters – background vocals
• Oren Waters – vocals, background vocals

"Still the Same" and "Brave Strangers"

• Brandye – vocals, background vocals

"Old Time Rock"

• James Lavell Easley – background vocals
• Stanley Carter – background vocals
• George Jackson – vocals, background vocals
• Jim Ed Norman – strings arranged and conducted by

Production

• Producers: Punch Andrews, Bob Seger
• Engineers: John Arrias, Mark Calice, David Cole, Hugh Davies, Gregg Hamm, Steve Melton, George Tutko
• Mixing: Punch Andrews, John Arrias, Bob Seger
• Mastering: Wally Traugott
• Remastering: Punch Andrews, 1999
• Remastering: Robert Vosgien
• String arrangements: Jim Ed Norman
• Art direction: Roy Kohara
• Design: Ken Anderson
• Photography: Terrence Bert, Bob Siedemann

Charts

Album

Chart (1978)	Peak position
French Top Albums[4]	14
German Albums Chart[5]	28
Swedish Top 60 Albums[6]	45
UK Albums Chart[7]	31
US Billboard 200[8]	4

Chart (1979)	Peak position
New Zealand Top 40 Albums[9]	4

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1978	"Still the Same"	Billboard Hot 100	4
1978	"Hollywood Nights"	Billboard Hot 100	12
1978	"We've Got Tonite"	Billboard Hot 100	13
1979	"Old Time Rock and Roll"	Billboard Hot 100	28

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[10]	4× Platinum	400,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)[11]	Gold	100,000^^
United States (RIAA)[12]	6× Platinum	6,000,000^^
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band: Stranger in Town > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
2. Christgau, Robert (June 26, 1978). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
3. "Gold & Platinum Searchable Database" (PHP). Recording Industry Association of America.
4. "Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste (S)". InfoDisc (in French). Archived from the original (PHP) on 2013-05-06. Search for "Bob SEGER & The SILVER BULLET Band" on the drop-down menu to see results.
5. "Album – Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band, Stranger in Town" (ASP). Media Control Charts (in German). Retrieved July 5, 2011.
6. "Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band – Stranger in Town (Album)" (ASP). Swedish Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
7. "Chart Archive: Top 40 Official UK Albums Archive – 3rd June 1978". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
8. "Bob Seger: Charts & Awards – Billboard Albums". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
9. "Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band – Stranger in Town (Album)" (ASP). New Zealand Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
10. "Canadian album certifications – Bob Seger – Stranger in Town". Music Canada.
11. "British album certifications – Bob Seger – Stranger in Town". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Stranger in Town in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
12. "American album certifications – Bob Seger – Stranger in Town". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.