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"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. The song, about love labor's lost remained on the shelf until Max Carl joined the band following the departure of Don Barnes. Carl loved the song and rewrote the chorus. 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."
Release and reception
"Second Chance" entered the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart at number 78 in February 1989. The song was the highest-charting Hot 100 single of the band's career, as it peaked at number six in May and spent 21 weeks on the chart. The song reached number five on the Singles Sales chart and number nine on the Hot 100 Airplay chart. 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. It was Billboard magazine's "Adult Contemporary Song of the Year" for 1989. The single peaked at number two in Canada and number 14 in Australia, where it spent 12 weeks on the chart.
Although "Second Chance" became 38 Special's biggest commercial hit, their label, A&M Records, did not renew the band's contract. The group's next album, Bone Against Steel, was released on Charisma Records in 1991.
Other versions
Jamaican reggae singer Dennis Brown's version of the song appears on various 1990s dancehall compilation albums. Tongan-American Jawaiian trio Kontiki covered the song on their 2008 album Free Again.
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