# 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 21, 1988, on Warner Bros. Records, shortly after the commercially and critically successful Eat 'Em and Smile Tour of 1986–1987.

## Development

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.

## Track listing
### U.S. release

All tracks are written by David Lee Roth and Steve Vai, except where noted.

### European CD reissue
## Reception

Professional ratings :
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| Robert Christgau | C+ |
| Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 8/10 |
| The Daily Vault | C− |
| Kerrang! | |
| Los Angeles Times | |
| Rolling Stone | |
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 one 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".

### Charts
#### Weekly charts

Chart performance for Skyscraper :
| Chart (1988–1990) | Peak position |
| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) | 14 |
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM) | 6 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) | 39 |
| European Albums (IFPI) | 31 |
| Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista) | 1 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) | 28 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon) | 7 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) | 12 |
| Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) | 9 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) | 13 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) | 13 |
| UK Albums (OCC) | 11 |
| US Billboard 200 | 6 |

### Certifications

| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Silver | 60,000$^^$ |
| United States (RIAA) | 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