Second Chance (5:02)

“Second Chance” is a song by American rock band 38 Special, from their eighth studio album, 1988’s Rock & Roll Strategy. Written by keyboardist Max Carl, guitarist Jeff Carlisi and Cal Curtis, the song was released as the album’s second single in 1989 and became the band’s highest-charting song in the United States.



Background and composition

Jeff Carlisi wrote “Second Chance” five years before it was first recorded.[1] The song, about love labor’s lost[2] remained on the shelf until Max Carl joined the band following the departure of Don Barnes.[1] Carl loved the song and rewrote the chorus.[3] Carlisi recalled, ” really brought it home and had such a marvelous voice. I mean, the guy could sing ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’ and you’d go buy it, he was so good. He really sold that song.”[1]

Release and reception

“Second Chance” entered the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart at number 78 in February 1989.[4] The song was the highest-charting Hot 100 single of the band’s career,[5] as it peaked at number six in May and spent 21 weeks on the chart.[4] The song reached number five on the Singles Sales chart and number nine on the Hot 100 Airplay chart.[6] It also peaked at number two on the Mainstream Rock chart, and became the band’s first number one single on the Adult Contemporary chart.[5] It was Billboard magazine’s “Adult Contemporary Song of the Year” for 1989.