Skyscraper (album)
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Skyscraper | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | January 25, 1988[1] | |||
Recorded | Spring – Autumn 1987 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | ||||
Length | 41:23 | |||
Warner Bros. | ||||
Producer | David Lee Roth, Steve Vai | |||
David Lee Roth chronology | ||||
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Singles from Skyscraper | ||||
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Skyscraper is the second full-length studio album by
Development
Guitarist Steve Vai (who co-produced Skyscraper, and co-wrote many of its songs) and bassist Billy Sheehan quit over various controversies regarding Skyscraper.[clarification needed]
In a 2022 interview with Eonmusic, Vai said that the song "Damn Good" was developed from a piece called "Scandinavian Air Solo", originally slated to appear on his Passion and Warfare album.[7]
Roth's management received a phone call asking for permission for "Just Like Paradise" to be used as the theme song of a new television show,
Track listing
All songs were written by David Lee Roth and Steve Vai unless otherwise noted.
- "Knucklebones" (Gregg Bissonette, Matt Bissonette, Roth) – 3:18
- "Just Like Paradise" (Roth, Brett Tuggle) – 4:03
- "The Bottom Line" – 3:38
- "Skyscraper" – 3:40
- "Damn Good" – 5:49
- "Hot Dog and a Shake" – 3:19
- "Stand Up" (Roth, Tuggle) – 4:39
- "Hina" – 4:41
- "Perfect Timing" (Roth, Tuggle) – 3:41
- "Two Fools a Minute" – 4:29
Covers of "California Girls" and "Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody", from Roth's 1985 Crazy from the Heat EP, are on some CD re-releases in Europe.
Reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [8] |
Robert Christgau | C+[9] |
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 8/10[10] |
The Daily Vault | C−[11] |
Kerrang! | [12] |
Los Angeles Times | [13] |
Rolling Stone | [14] |
Skyscraper was received with divided public and critical opinion.[11] Although Roth's 1988 Skyscraper Tour was successful, many fans and critics were disappointed by Van Halen's post-Roth, keyboard-heavy sound and expressed similar dissatisfaction with Skyscraper.
Skyscraper hit No. 6 on the
Charts
Weekly charts
Chart (1988–1990) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[19] | 14 |
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[20] | 6 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[21] | 39 |
European Albums (IFPI)[22] | 31 |
Finnish Albums ( Suomen virallinen lista)[23]
|
1 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[24] | 28 |
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[25] | 7 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[26] | 12 |
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[27] | 9 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[28] | 13 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[29] | 13 |
UK Albums (OCC)[30] | 11 |
US Billboard 200[31] | 6 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI)[32] | Silver | 60,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[33] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Personnel
- David Lee Roth – vocals
The band
- Steve Vai – guitar, horn (alto)
- Billy Sheehan – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Gregg Bissonette – drums, percussion, backing vocals
- Brett Tuggle – keyboards, programming, backing vocals
Guest musicians
- Gary Falcone – backing vocals on tracks 1 and 9
- Joe Pizzulo – backing vocals on track 1
- Tommy Funderburk, Tom Kelly – backing vocals on track 2
- John Batdorf – backing vocals on track 9
- Magic Moreno – backing vocals on track 10
- Dr. Funk, PhD – bass synthesizer
- Todd Grace, Richie Raposa – programming, keyboard programming
Production
- David Lee Roth – producer, concept, cover design
- Steve Vai – co-producer, engineer
- Magic Moreno – engineer, mixing
- Gary Wagner – engineer
- Doug Parry – engineer
- Paul Levy – engineer
- Steve Holroyd – engineer
- Marnie Riley – engineer
- Stephen Shelton – engineer
- Bob Cats – mixing
- Bernie Grundman – mastering
- Pete Angelus – concept, cover design
- Galen Rowell – photography
- Vigon Seireeni – artwork
- Gina Vivona – artwork
- Eddie Anderson – personal assistant
References
- ^ "BPI".
- ^ "David Lee Roth : Skyscraper".
- ^ "Top 50 Glam Metal Albums". Metal Rules. Archived from the original on November 26, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
- ^ "The Best" CD liner notes (1997)
- ^ "Roth singles".
- ^ "Roth singles".
- ^ "Steve Vai eonmusic Interview January 2022".
- All Media Network. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
- ^ Christgau, Robert. "David Lee Roth - Consumer Guide Reviews: Skyscraperkyscraper review". Robert Christgau.com. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
- ISBN 978-1-894959-31-5.
- ^ a b McVicker, Ben (November 29, 2011). "Skyscraper - David Lee Roth". Daily Vault.com. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
- ^ Zell, Ray (January 30, 1988). "David Lee Roth - 'Skyscraper'". Kerrang!. No. 172.
- ^ Willman, Chris (January 24, 1988). "Havin' a Ball With David Lee, Megadeth and Metallica : Check List **** Great Balls of Fire *** Good Vibrations ** Maybe Baby * Running on Empty- Skyscraper review". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
- ^ Frost, Deborah (March 24, 1988). "David Lee Roth - Skyscraper". Rolling Stone. No. 522. Archived from the original on December 4, 2008. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
- ^ "David Lee Roth Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
- ^ "David Lee Roth Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
- ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. April 16, 1988. p. 8. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
- ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. July 30, 1988. p. 15. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0946". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – David Lee Roth – Skyscraper" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
- ^ "European Hot 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. February 13, 1988. p. 20. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
- ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
- GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
- ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
- ^ "Charts.nz – David Lee Roth – Skyscraper". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – David Lee Roth – Skyscraper". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – David Lee Roth – Skyscraper". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – David Lee Roth – Skyscraper". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
- ^ "David Lee Roth Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
- ^ "British album certifications – David Lee Roth – Skyscraper". British Phonographic Industry.
- ^ "American album certifications – David Lee Roth – Skyscraper". Recording Industry Association of America.