Ranking Every Song by 38 Special

Source: Graphic by Jarrett Huff / Radio One

After years of trying to make it big in the music industry, Don Barnes, Ken Lyons and Donnie Van Zant decided to give their dream of being rock stars “one last shot,” attempting to for the “ultimate band.” Van Zant was even about to take a higher-paying job with the railroad company he worked for, before his older brother, Ronnie Van Zant, the legendary frontman of Lynyrd Skynyrd, talked him out of giving up on music.

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So in 1974, Barnes, Lyons and Van Zant formed 38 Special in Jacksonville, FL, bringing on drummers Steve Brookins, Jack Grondin and guitarist Jeff Carlisi to complete their six-man lineup. They recorded and released their debut record, 38 Special, in 1977, but Lyons left during the recording and was replaced by founding Lynyrd Skynyrd bassist Larry Junstrom. This lineup would become the core of every 38 Special lineup until Barnes’ and Brookins’ departures in 1987.

38 Special and their 1978 follow-up record Special Delivery failed to set the group apart from many other southern rock acts at the time. Heading toward the 1980s, the band decided to change their sound to a more arena rock-driven style, while holding onto their southern roots. This included Barnes talking on more of the lead vocal duties from Van Zant.

38 Special released Rockin’ into the Night in 1979, with the record’s title track landing on the Billboard Hot 100, their first song to receive national airplay. The song and record paved the way for a string of highly-successful records featuring tons of iconic classic rock hits through most of the 1980s. After Barnes and Brookins left the band, 38 Special’s commercial success began to decline, as a changing music landscape leading into the 1990s left many bands on the outside looking in. Singer Max Carl was brought in to share vocal duties on 1988’s Rock & Roll Strategy.

The band released two studio albums in 1991 and 1997, with Barnes returning in 1992 after Carl’s departure. 38 Special continues to play on today, and will co-headline Eagle Fest 2025 with KANSAS. While most of the core members are no longer with the band (Grondin left in 1991, Carlisi left in 1997, Van Zant retired in 2013, Junstrom retired in 2014), Barnes still leads 38 Special on.

Here’s every song by 38 Special ranked, from “worst to first:”

1. 115. You Be the Dam, I’ll Be the Water – Bone Against Steel (1991)

2. 114. Changed By Love – Resolution (1997)

3. 113. Saving Grace – Resolution (1997)

4. 112. Signs of Love – Bone Against Steel (1991)

5. 111. After the Fire is Gone – Resolution (1997)

6. 110. Bone Against Steel – Bone Against Steel (1991)

7. 109. Homeless Guitar – Resolution (1997)

8. 108. Can’t Shake It – Bone Against Steel (1991)

9. 107. Against the Night – Strength in Numbers (1986)

10. 106. Jimmy Gillum – Bone Against Steel (1991)

11. 105. Four Wheels – 38 Special (1977)

12. 104. You Definitely Got Me – Bone Against Steel (1991)

13. 103. Haley’s Got a Harley – Drivetrain (2004)

14. 102. Shatter the Silence – Resolution (1997)

15. 101. She Loves to Talk – Resolution (1997)

16. 100. Sheriff’s County Line – Drivetrain (2004)

17. 99. What’s It to Ya? – Rock & Roll Strategy (1988)

18. 98. Shelter Me – Resolution (1997)

19. 97. Burning Bridges – Bone Against Steel (1991)

20. 96. Just a Little Love – Strength in Numbers (1986)

21. 95. Robin Hood – Rockin’ into the Night (1979)

22. 94. Find My Way Back – Resolution (1997)

23. 93. Jam On – Drivetrain (2004)

24. 92. Who’s Been Messin’ – Special Delivery (1978)

25. 91. The Play – Drivetrain (2004)

26. 90. Around and Around – 38 Special (1977)

27. 89. Quick Fix – Drivetrain (2004)

28. 88. Miracle Man – Resolution (1997)

29. 87. Last Thing I Ever Do – Bone Against Steel (1991)

30. 86. Tear it Up – Bone Against Steel (1991)

31. 85. Same Old Feeling – Flashback (1987)

32. 84. Hurts Like Love – Drivetrain (2004)

33. 83. Innocent Eyes – Rock & Roll Strategy (1988)

34. 82. I Been a Mover – Special Delivery (1978)

35. 81. Tell Everybody – 38 Special (1977)

36. 80. Never Be Lonely – Rock & Roll Strategy (1988)

37. 79. The Squeeze – Drivetrain (2004)

38. 78. Trouble – Resolution (1997)

39. 77. Rock & Roll Strategy – Rock & Roll Strategy (1988)

40. 76. Trooper with an Attitude – Drivetrain (2004)

41. 75. Has There Ever Been a Good Goodbye – Strength in Numbers (1986)

42. 74. Money Honey – Rockin’ into the Night (1979)

43. 73. Comin Down Tonight – Rock & Roll Strategy (1988)

44. 72. Undercover Lover – Tour De Force (1984)

45. 71. Just Wanna Rock & Roll – 38 Special (1977)

46. 70. Something I Need – Drivetrain (2004)

47. 69. Turnin’ to You – Special Delivery (1978)

48. 68. Love Strikes – Rock & Roll Strategy (1988)

49. 67. Don’t Wanna Get It Dirty – Bone Against Steel (1991)

50. 66. Just Hang On – 38 Special (1977)

51. 65. Bad Looks Good on You – Drivetrain (2004)

52. 64. Hiding from Yourself – Drivetrain (2004)

53. 63. Turn it On – Rockin’ into the Night (1979)

54. 62. Make Some Sense of It – Drivetrain (2004)

55. 61. You Got the Deal – Rockin’ into the Night (1979)

56. 60. The Love That I’ve Lost – Rockin’ into the Night (1979)

57. 59. Firestarter – Special Forces (1982)

58. 58. Throw Out the Line – Wild-Eyed Southern Boys (1980)

59. 57. Midnight Magic – Rock & Roll Strategy (1988)

60. 56. Back to Paradise – Flashback (1987)

61. 55. Chattahoochee – Rock & Roll Strategy (1988)

62. 54. Rebel to Rebel – Bone Against Steel (1991)

63. 53. Gypsy Belle – 38 Special (1977)

64. 52. Just Can’t Leave You Alone – Resolution (1997)

65. 51. Treasure – Bone Against Steel (1991)

66. 50. Deja Voodoo – Resolution (1997)

67. 49. Hot Lanta – Rock & Roll Strategy (1988)

68. 48. Back Alley Sally – Wild-Eyed Southern Boys (1980)

69. 47. What Can I Do – Special Delivery (1978)

70. 46. Take ‘Em Out – Special Forces (1982)

71. 45. Bring It On – Wild-Eyed Southern Boys (1980)

72. 44. You’re the Captain – Rockin’ into the Night (1979)

73. 43. Travelin’ Man – Special Delivery (1978)

74. 42. Fly Away – 38 Special (1977)

75. 41. Play a Simple Song – 38 Special (1977)

76. 40. Heart’s on Fire – Strength in Numbers (1986)

77. 39. Stone Cold Believer – Rockin’ into the Night (1979)

78. 38. Back Door Stranger – Special Forces (1982)

79. 37. Take Me Back – Special Delivery (1978)

80. 36. Once in a Lifetime – Strength in Numbers (1986)

81. 35. Long Time Gone – 38 Special (1977)

82. 34. One Time for Old Times – Tour De Force (1984)

83. 33. Breakin’ Loose – Special Forces (1982)

84. 32. Can’t Keep a Good Man Down – Special Delivery (1978)

85. 31. I’m a Fool for You – Special Delivery (1978)

86. 30. You Keep Runnin’ Away – Special Forces (1982)

87. 29. See Me in Your Eyes – Tour De Force (1984)

88. 28. Honky Tonk Dancer – Wild-Eyed Southern Boys (1980)

89. 27. Teacher, Teacher – Flashback (1987)

90. 26. Fade to Blue – Resolution (1997)

91. 25. Hittin’ & Runnin’ – Wild-Eyed Southern Boys (1980)

92. 24. Never Give an Inch – Strength in Numbers (1986)

93. 23. First Time Around – Wild-Eyed Southern Boys (1980)

94. 22. Last Time – Strength in Numbers (1986)

95. 21. Little Sheba – Rock & Roll Strategy (1988)

96. 20. The Sound of Your Voice – Bone Against Steel (1991)

97. 19. I Oughta Let Go – Tour De Force (1984)

98. 18. Take Me Through the Night – Rockin’ into the Night (1979)

99. 17. One in a Million – Strength in Numbers (1986)

100. 16. Like No Other Night – Strength in Numbers (1986)

101. 15. Back on the Track – Special Forces (1982)

102. 14. One of the Lonely Ones – Tour De Force (1984)

103. 13. Second Chance – Rock & Roll Strategy (1988)

104. 12. Long Distance Affair – Tour De Force (1984)

105. 11. Rough Housin’ – Special Forces (1982)

106. 10. Twentieth Century Fox – Tour De Force (1984)

107. 9. Wild-Eyed Southern Boys – Wild-Eyed Southern Boys (1980)

108. 8. Back Where You Belong – Tour De Force (1984)

109. 7. Chain Lightnin’ – Special Forces (1984)

110. 6. Fantasy Girl – Wild-Eyed Southern Boys (1980)

111. 5. Rockin’ into the Night – Rockin’ into the Night (1979)

112. 4. Somebody Like You – Strength in Numbers (1986)

113. 3. If I’d Been the One – Tour De Force (1984)

114. 2. Caught Up in You – Special Forces (1982)

115. 1. Hold On Loosely – Wild-Eyed Southern Boys (1980)