The Distance (Bob Seger album)

The Distance is the twelfth studio album by US-American rock singer Bob Seger. It was released in the final week of 1982 (see 1982 in music). It peaked at #5 on Billboard's album chart and sold close to two million copies in the United States.

The Distance
Studio album by
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
ReleasedDecember, 1982
RecordedSummer and Fall 1982
GenreRock, country
Length41:05
LabelCapitol
ProducerJimmy Iovine
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band chronology
Nine Tonight
(1981)		 The Distance
(1982)		 Like a Rock
(1986)
Singles from The Distance
  1. "Shame on the Moon"
    Released: December 14, 1982
  2. "Even Now"
    Released: 1983
  3. "Roll Me Away"
    Released: May 10, 1983
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic [1]

Seger, influenced by the Woody Allen film Annie Hall originally intended the album to be built around the theme of relationships but eventually that fell apart when Seger decided that sticking to the theme too strictly would make the album "maudlin."[2] Several songs based on the original theme made it on the album: the hit single "Even Now," "Love’s the Last to Know," "House Behind a House" and the album closer "Little Victories."[2]

The album's lead single, "Shame on the Moon", was one of Seger's biggest hits, holding at #2 for four weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. It also hit #1 Adult Contemporary and crossed over to #15 Country.

Capitol Records had stopped manufacturing albums in the 8 track tape cartridge format by the time this album was released. However, Seger asked the label to include that format for this album, knowing that many of his fans still used 8 track players.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Bob Seger, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Even Now" 4:31
2."Makin' Thunderbirds" 2:58
3."Boomtown Blues" 3:38
4."Shame on the Moon"Rodney Crowell4:55
5."Love's the Last to Know" 4:26
6."Roll Me Away" 4:39
7."House Behind a House" 4:00
8."Comin' Home" 6:06
9."Little Victories" 5:52

Personnel
  • Bob Seger - guitar on "Boomtown Blues", "Comin' Home" and "Little Victories", vocals
The Silver Bullet Band
  • Chris Campbell - bass on all tracks except "Comin' Home"
  • Craig Frost - organ on "Even Now", "Boomtown Blues", "Shame on the Moon", "Love's the Last to Know", "Roll Me Away" and "Little Victories", piano on "Makin' Thunderbirds"
  • Alto Reed - saxophone on all tracks except "Shame on the Moon", "Love's the Last to Know", "Roll Me Away", and "Little Victories"
Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section
Additional Musicians
  • Drew Abbott - guitar on "Makin Thunderbirds" and "Shame on the Moon"
  • Roy Bittan - piano on "Even Now" and "Roll Me Away"
  • Michael Boddicker - synthesizer on "Roll Me Away"
  • Don Felder - guitar on "Even Now" and "Boomtown Blues"
  • Glenn Frey - harmony vocals on "Shame on the Moon"
  • Bobbye Hall - percussion on "Even Now", "Makin' Thunderbirds", "Boomtown Blues", "Shame on the Moon", and "Roll Me Away"
  • Davey Johnstone - guitar on "Love's the Last to Know"
  • Danny Kortchmar - guitar on "House Behind a House"
  • Russ Kunkel - drums on all tracks except "Comin' Home"
  • Bill Payne - piano on "Shame on the Moon" and "Love's the Last to Know", synthesizer on "Comin' Home"
  • Waddy Wachtel - guitar on "Makin' Thunderbirds", "Shame on the Moon", "Roll Me Away", "House Behind a House", and "Little Victories"
Additional vocals
  • Ginger Blake - background vocals on "Comin' Home"
  • Laura Creamer - background vocals on "Shame on the Moon" and "Comin' Home"
  • Linda Dillard - background vocals on "Comin' Home"
  • Shaun Murphy - background vocals on "Shame on the Moon" and "House Behind a House"
  • Bonnie Raitt - harmony vocals on "Makin' Thunderbirds"
  • Joan Sliwin - background vocals on "Shame on the Moon"

Production

Charts

Album

Year Chart Position
1983 US Billboard 200 5

Singles

Year Single Chart Position
1982 "House Behind a House" Mainstream Rock 29
1983 "Boomtown Blues" 11
"Even Now" 2
Pop Singles 12
"Roll Me Away" Mainstream Rock 13
Pop Singles 27
"Shame on the Moon" Adult Contemporary 1
Country Singles 15
Pop Singles 2

References
  1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band: The Distance > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  2. Pond, Steve (February 3, 1983). "Bob Seger: Nice Guy in the Nasty Lane". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
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