Skyscraper (album)

Skyscraper is the second full-length studio album by David Lee Roth, released during his solo career after his departure from Van Halen. It was released on January 25, 1988, on Warner Bros. Records, shortly after the commercially and critically successful Eat 'Em and Smile Tour of 1986–1987.

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.

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.

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, Beverly Hills 90210. They rejected the idea without asking Roth first, so an original piece of instrumental music was used instead.

Track listing
All songs were written by David Lee Roth and Steve Vai unless otherwise noted.

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.
 * 1) "Knucklebones" (Gregg Bissonette, Matt Bissonette, Roth) – 3:18
 * 2) "Just Like Paradise" (Roth, Brett Tuggle) – 4:03
 * 3) "The Bottom Line" – 3:38
 * 4) "Skyscraper" – 3:40
 * 5) "Damn Good" – 5:49
 * 6) "Hot Dog and a Shake" – 3:19
 * 7) "Stand Up" (Roth, Tuggle) – 4:39
 * 8) "Hina" – 4:41
 * 9) "Perfect Timing" (Roth, Tuggle) – 3:41
 * 10) "Two Fools a Minute" – 4:29

Reception
Skyscraper was received with divided public and critical opinion. 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 Billboard Top 200 U.S. album chart during February 1988, toward selling two million copies in the United States. "Just Like Paradise" is one of Roth's most popular singles, reaching No. 6 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. The acoustic ballad "Damn Good" reached No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard Rock chart.

Cash Box called "Stand Up" an "engaging, catchy rock song, with a funky danceable groove" and "Damn Good" a "satisfying and artistic effort".

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