When this came out it's hard to describe what it did to our ears and our minds. We had never experienced anything like it. Every song on the Van Halen I album is fantastic in it's own right. If you ever start doing full albums, this one has to be on the list.
Probably one of the greatest debut albums in rock history in my opinion. Just a little ol’ band from Pasadena California!!!!! Every song just hits you right in the face with its pure VH sound!!!! Their second album is a banger too!!!!! Actually, the first four are great also….
Ok so when you see them live and they play this at the Hey! Hey! Hey! part they flash super bright lights in sync with the HEY's so the entire arena lights up. Every single person yells along them with the HEY HEY HEY and pumping their fists in the air. This was the very first concert I ever went to (1982) and it still ranks in my top 5 out of maybe 100 shows I have seen over years.
My first concert too and yes I remember having a scratchy throat the next day from screaming HEY HEY HEY my favorite van Halen song as well as one of my all time favorite songs
Running With The Devil from this album is also amazing. Van Halen changed rock music forever. For something a little happier from them, my personal favorite is Dance The Night Away, from Van Halen II. Enjoyed your reaction, guys!
This whole album is _NUCLEAR!!!_ You _GOTTA_ hear the whole thing. "I'm the One" really shows off Eddie's speed and execution. The bass & drums have trouble keeping up.
That intro 8s the sound of an alien coming to earth and completely changing what anyone thought was possible on the electric guitar, the man was a god.
From Van Halen’s Debut Album. The Album that Changed Rock Music Forever. When this Album dropped, Minds Were Blown. That Guitar 🎸 A Frontman’s Frontman in DLR. That Bass & Backing Vocals by Michael Anthony & Alex Van Halen’s Drums 🤘🏻 Rock Music was different after this Album. Panama is a great choice. Van Halen made great songs and Made it Fun
this was a big thing in the 80s. being a teen driving with this cranked with the T-tops off. good times...Van Halen, Def Leppard, Motley Rules.... and Zeppelin!!
I turned 12 in 1978, and just started to get into music and buy my own albums with my paper route money. This was one of my first albums. The perfect time to grow up.
I've always been a van Halen fan. I grew up listening to their music. Partying it up jungle juice party's . This song was always playing at party's I remember. A lot of hang overs 💯💯💯💯💯💯🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸
I was actually a disco fan back in the day. Some guys I knew in high school had an extra Van Halen ticket and invited me to the show. I've never been the same since. Nothing used to beat a live Van Halen show! RIP Eddie.
This was part of the soundtrack of my Junior High Sexperience. It was on the radio I bought the album and like so many people my age played the hell out of it and people would find a way like on eight-track and bring it out to the lake on a summer day and this whole album got played endlessly. Not just as one song. The whole album. It just had that attitude in that cool Innovative musical progeny going on that just kicked so much ass.
This album changed everything in rock music. At one time these guys ruled the world. Something a little darker is the song 'Mean Streets" off the spectacular album Fair Warning.
This album changed the face of rock and roll forever. When it debut it was fresh, it was exciting, it was what was needed to jump start heavy rock. At the time if you looked up Rock Stars in the dictionary, Van Halen would have been pictured. Don't get me wrong, the bands that came before Van Halen set the stage for bands like Van Halen. They were next level at that time.
"Mean Street" from the Fair Warning album is another bad ass song like this one. I was a big fan of the David Lee Roth Van Halen era and I got to see them live at the Los Angeles Sports Arena.
Fond memories of getting this album when it came out and blasting this track over and over at max volume until my Dad pounded on my door yelling "Turn that sh*t down!"
This album came out when I was in the 8th grade. I agree that this song is much more representative of Van Halen than the other songs you mentioned. Keep listening to them. It's a DEEP rabbit hole.
I was 13 years old in 1978 when I first heard this album and I was blown away, I fell in love with Van Halen and I've been their biggest fan since then, their music is incredible and Eddie guitar mastery is second to none
Some of Van Halen's "Deeper" cuts actually showcase the band better than some of the hits IMO. :Little Dreamer", "D.O.A." and "Take Your Whiskey Home" just to name a few.
Seen them live at the Cotton Bowl Dallas Texas Texas Jam 1978 with many other acts including Heart. Head East Journey. Eddie Money Atlanta Rhythm Section Btw your channel one of toppermost of poppermost 🎸🔥
The whole Van Halen run Van Halen 2 albums were awesome all the David Lee Roth era Albums were the best so you can't go wrong with any songs of those albums
While the band name came from Eddie Van Halen, lead guitarist, and his brother, Alex Van Halen on drums, there were really two bands stylistically. David Lee Roth would be on lead vocals from 1974-1984, and then in 1985 he would go do a solo project, and Eddie would recruit Sammy Hagar to take over vocals from 1986 to 1996. I love both iterations of Van Halen, but the styles are just different. I didn't hear Van Halen until I was 14 in 1982 listening to Pretty Woman from Diver Down on Casey Kasem's top 40, and by 1986, I left for College, so David Lee Roth was the Van Halen I knew as a teenager, and Sammy Hagar, who had an incredible solo career before joining and whose solo music I already liked, would beget the Van Halen I knew from College into my young adult years. Keep these distinctions in mind when you are listening to Van Halen on RUclips because you too will notice the difference.
It's always amazing to me that four individual people from different backgrounds can come together and create magic. To me, that defines Van Halen. I already listed my recommendations. I'm just appreciating you appreciating my all-time favorite band.
I remember this release breaking the back of the world when it came out. And considering all the "heavies" that were out there by the late 70s, that was no small task.
Check out Van Halen - "Love Walks In" - it was from the "Van Hagar" era when David Lee Roth left and Sammy Hagar took over on lead vocals. It gave them a slightly different sound, but they were still great. Sammy was very well known and had his own solo career previously, so he was a great fit.
3:27 best line(put down) in a song. My fave song by them! Was Unchained for many years, but when i went through all the Dave albums again one wknd I made a Top 10 and this just hit for me. All 6 Dave albums and songs are AWESOME!!! The first 3 Sammy Albums with him are great as well
This is earlier VH,jump was later...saw them in 80's..badass...check out "Running with the devil". Def an anthem..saw them wen Eddie first started eruption,he was a beast
Being a songwriter, musician and vocalist myself this is one of my favorite Van Halen albums. And if you like this song then I'm sure you would like the whole album. This is where the guitar solo eruption started. The original verison is on this album but it was shorter. It would be on track 2, so the second song on this album. This was their debut album and they were the opening act for Black Sabbath on their tour. Eddie also does another guitar solo on their second album called Van Halen 2 titled Spanish Fly and he does that one on acoustic guitar. Great Reactions from both of you. The guy was really moving his head and hands jamming and the lady was doing the samething but her's looked more smooth. She was enjoying it but kinda kickin back. That was too cool. Nice!
I read from one of Rock sites that Eddie was going to contact Michael Anthony on possible reunion of all original members for one last tour as Van Halen prior to his health issue. But his cancer cancelled the possible tour.
In the late 70s, I was at a show at the Whiskey A-GO GO in Hollywood. As the crowd was filing out I heard people yelling out, "Van Halen suck" and other expletives deleted. I thought "what's going on?" this was a punk show I'd just seen. Before getting to the exit, the aisle curved to the right. When I rounded the curve, there sitting in a half moon booth was David Lee Roth. He had a smoking hot chick on both sides of him. He raised his right hand, snapped his fingers and made a V. The girl on his rt. placed a cigarette between the V. He then moved hie hand over to the girl sitting to his left and she lit the cigarette. A true rock star moment that I won't forget and I'm 70 years old.
Romeo Delight, D.O.A, Light Up The Sky, Mean Street, House of Pain or Girl Gone Bad. These are my recommendations. All these songs are phenomenal and VH classic.
The way this album was recorded was great sound wise …as long as both your headphones were working 😂. Eddie arpeggiating the opening with delay and phase shifting is to this day one of my all time favorite riffs. The guitar/amp tone on this album were so awesome
This is Also One of my favorite songs from Van Halen . Great job with your reaction to Ain't Talking About Love . The other Favor one would be Right Here Right Now.
The entire first album, from which this song comes, is incredible. Changed rock n roll w/Eddie's guitar. The whole band is incredible. This album is more raw, it's the 70s rock sound influence.
To me, there were three eras of VH(not counting when Gary Cherone joined, nothing against him personally but VH was really finished at that point), this was part of their "heavy" phase(first few albums), next was their "fun" phase(the Diver Down and 1984 albums), then the Van Hagar "melodic" phase.
I'm just happy your discovering van halen.i think Roth and Hager were the best years.of van halen.everyone knew Eddie had vocals..but I love Wolfie has to keep the legacy alive..he plays just like his dad..RIP EDDIE...LOVE YOU WOLF.. KEEP SHREDDING ❤️😎👍👌
Denim vests, leather jackets, feather ear rings, cigarettes, beers, this was the era. I was 15, this album breathed new life into youth. God bless EVH❤
Great song and review. "Panama" is too commercial, as you'll see, but the one that goes really good with "Ain't Talking Bout Love" is a song called "And the Cradle Will Rock". Also love a little slleper called "Little Dreamer" (yeah that's a pun, too). And "Running With the Devil" was iconic, too.
If you want to hear the best Van Halen song then I strongly recommend I'm The One from their debut album. The song is absolutely 🔥 as Eddie kills it on guitar.
I was 13 when this album came out, lemme tell you when I put on side one and the intro to " runnin with the devil started 🤯 I thought what is this? Then I thought........ I dig this ✌️
Van Halen's first attempt at a ballad song with DLR was "I'll Wait" Their more sophisticated ballads and songwriting/lyric writing came when Sammy Hagar joined the band. They became a more commercial/top 40 band with their next two albums after 1984.
Major headbanging album for me in high school - It was an 8-track tape. This launched VH into the "rock" stratosphere. The band, and Eddie in particular, evolved and would not be confined to the "rock" box. They got heat from that community when Eddie started doing leads with a keyboard, but it was still great music.
When this came out it's hard to describe what it did to our ears and our minds. We had never experienced anything like it. Every song on the Van Halen I album is fantastic in it's own right. If you ever start doing full albums, this one has to be on the list.
💯
I was 16 or 17 when their first album came out and I listened to it everyday for years. Still sounds fresh to me.
Yes I agree, then walked in Randy Rhodes.
I think we just experienced what you described
He was working on doing the full album,but he stopped because he heard the Ice Cream Man.
Michael Anthony’s background vocals were a huge part of the Van Halen sound. That dude has got an epic high range!! 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
So identifiable
EVH called it "the range from HELL"! Great comment Mike L!
I agree with ya..he had such high vocals...dang...lol...😎👍
HUGE facts!!!!
YES! Sorry. The VH sound was lost when he was not in the band. Wolfe is great don't get me wrong, but Michael is that missing piece!
Probably one of the greatest debut albums in rock history in my opinion. Just a little ol’ band from Pasadena California!!!!! Every song just hits you right in the face with its pure VH sound!!!! Their second album is a banger too!!!!! Actually, the first four are great also….
With Appetite for destruction from GNR.
Probably? I think DEFINITELY!!!!!!
I've been a Van Halen fan for so long that I had this album on 8-Track.
Me too!! 👍👍
Saw this live in 1980,81,82..love your reactions!
Thank you!
One of the most iconic sounds in music history!! Blessed to have been in high school when this was released!!
...you said it Brother!
From their 1st album in 1978 and I had never heard anything like this. It blew me away. Thanks for the reaction.
Loved it!
I remember the year. And I felt exactly the same!!
Ok so when you see them live and they play this at the Hey! Hey! Hey! part they flash super bright lights in sync with the HEY's so the entire arena lights up. Every single person yells along them with the HEY HEY HEY and pumping their fists in the air. This was the very first concert I ever went to (1982) and it still ranks in my top 5 out of maybe 100 shows I have seen over years.
My first concert too and yes I remember having a scratchy throat the next day from screaming HEY HEY HEY my favorite van Halen song as well as one of my all time favorite songs
Running With The Devil from this album is also amazing. Van Halen changed rock music forever. For something a little happier from them, my personal favorite is Dance The Night Away, from Van Halen II. Enjoyed your reaction, guys!
My favorite from them!!
Greetings from Oregon. You two get it. Welcome to our generation
This album is the first one i owned as a teen!! To me, one of their best!! This whole album rocked!
This guitar riff is iconic 🤘
lets go! the late 70s eariler 80s were oh my God status! i have every music genre in my album collection!
“You’re semi-good looking” gets me every time.
1984 The album that first put a guitar in my hands.
If you were alive in the 80's then this was the SHIT
This whole album is _NUCLEAR!!!_ You _GOTTA_ hear the whole thing. "I'm the One" really shows off Eddie's speed and execution. The bass & drums have trouble keeping up.
When Eddie came onto the music scene no one had ever heard anything like that before. EVER!!!
This is the best album from Van Halen!
That intro 8s the sound of an alien coming to earth and completely changing what anyone thought was possible on the electric guitar, the man was a god.
Damn right 👍
First time I heard this on the radio, I knew the music scene had changed. It was something very different and spawned a new type of rock and metal.
(You know your semi good-looking). One of the best lines in any song anywhere.
This song and album was incredible. 1978. Rock on VH!!!!!
From Van Halen’s Debut Album. The Album that Changed Rock Music Forever. When this Album dropped, Minds Were Blown. That Guitar 🎸 A Frontman’s Frontman in DLR. That Bass & Backing Vocals by Michael Anthony & Alex Van Halen’s Drums 🤘🏻 Rock Music was different after this Album. Panama is a great choice. Van Halen made great songs and Made it Fun
This was a very big song for all of us VH fans in the 80s. I can remember partying to this many many times in those days.
this was a big thing in the 80s. being a teen driving with this cranked with the T-tops off. good times...Van Halen, Def Leppard, Motley Rules.... and Zeppelin!!
Yep, had this in high school when I was 16. A banger.
I turned 12 in 1978, and just started to get into music and buy my own albums with my paper route money. This was one of my first albums. The perfect time to grow up.
The fills and layering Eddie does was amazing! I think he was probably the best rock guitarist ever!
I've always been a van Halen fan. I grew up listening to their music. Partying it up jungle juice party's . This song was always playing at party's I remember. A lot of hang overs 💯💯💯💯💯💯🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸
I was actually a disco fan back in the day. Some guys I knew in high school had an extra Van Halen ticket and invited me to the show. I've never been the same since. Nothing used to beat a live Van Halen show! RIP Eddie.
😂
Imagine hearing this for the 1st time in my brother's Z-28 Camaro on 8-trac ... wow I'm getting old !
I was a senior in high school when this album came out…..image being that age when this song hit the airwaves 😎😎
This was part of the soundtrack of my Junior High Sexperience. It was on the radio I bought the album and like so many people my age played the hell out of it and people would find a way like on eight-track and bring it out to the lake on a summer day and this whole album got played endlessly. Not just as one song. The whole album. It just had that attitude in that cool Innovative musical progeny going on that just kicked so much ass.
Greatest rock band ever. One of my new favorite channels! More please 🙏
Van halen is like a engine hitting on all cylinders and plenty of acceleration. Best album ever!
I was 7th grade this album came out, awesome jam yeah 🤘😆🤘🎸🎸🎤🥁
This album changed everything in rock music. At one time these guys ruled the world. Something a little darker is the song 'Mean Streets" off the spectacular album Fair Warning.
This album changed the face of rock and roll forever. When it debut it was fresh, it was exciting, it was what was needed to jump start heavy rock. At the time if you looked up Rock Stars in the dictionary, Van Halen would have been pictured. Don't get me wrong, the bands that came before Van Halen set the stage for bands like Van Halen. They were next level at that time.
"Mean Street" from the Fair Warning album is another bad ass song like this one. I was a big fan of the David Lee Roth Van Halen era and I got to see them live at the Los Angeles Sports Arena.
Fond memories of getting this album when it came out and blasting this track over and over at max volume until my Dad pounded on my door yelling "Turn that sh*t down!"
This album came out when I was in the 8th grade. I agree that this song is much more representative of Van Halen than the other songs you mentioned. Keep listening to them. It's a DEEP rabbit hole.
I was 13 years old in 1978 when I first heard this album and I was blown away, I fell in love with Van Halen and I've been their biggest fan since then, their music is incredible and Eddie guitar mastery is second to none
Some of Van Halen's "Deeper" cuts actually showcase the band better than some of the hits IMO. :Little Dreamer", "D.O.A." and "Take Your Whiskey Home" just to name a few.
And Eddie playing in the back is so unique. I know no other guitar player who does it like him.
The Cradle Will Rock, Dancing in the Streets, Everybody Wants Some.
Eddie and Alex were always in sync with the guitar and drums!
Seen them live at the Cotton Bowl Dallas Texas Texas Jam 1978 with many other acts including Heart. Head East Journey. Eddie Money Atlanta Rhythm Section
Btw your channel one of toppermost of poppermost 🎸🔥
The whole Van Halen run Van Halen 2 albums were awesome all the David Lee Roth era Albums were the best so you can't go wrong with any songs of those albums
This is the REAL shit...THE MIGHTY VAN HALEN
While the band name came from Eddie Van Halen, lead guitarist, and his brother, Alex Van Halen on drums, there were really two bands stylistically. David Lee Roth would be on lead vocals from 1974-1984, and then in 1985 he would go do a solo project, and Eddie would recruit Sammy Hagar to take over vocals from 1986 to 1996. I love both iterations of Van Halen, but the styles are just different. I didn't hear Van Halen until I was 14 in 1982 listening to Pretty Woman from Diver Down on Casey Kasem's top 40, and by 1986, I left for College, so David Lee Roth was the Van Halen I knew as a teenager, and Sammy Hagar, who had an incredible solo career before joining and whose solo music I already liked, would beget the Van Halen I knew from College into my young adult years.
Keep these distinctions in mind when you are listening to Van Halen on RUclips because you too will notice the difference.
Eddie Van Halen was amazing guitar player 🔥🔥
I have said it many times, the first four Van Halen albums are perfection, every song is 🔥
It's always amazing to me that four individual people from different backgrounds can come together and create magic. To me, that defines Van Halen. I already listed my recommendations. I'm just appreciating you appreciating my all-time favorite band.
...the stars aligned
Actually two of them were from the same background!
This album changed music forever
I remember this release breaking the back of the world when it came out. And considering all the "heavies" that were out there by the late 70s, that was no small task.
your semi good looking. EPIC LINE.
Running with the devil is the song we all heard first on their debut album. That set the tone.
Check out Van Halen - "Love Walks In" - it was from the "Van Hagar" era when David Lee Roth left and Sammy Hagar took over on lead vocals. It gave them a slightly different sound, but they were still great. Sammy was very well known and had his own solo career previously, so he was a great fit.
3:27 best line(put down) in a song.
My fave song by them! Was Unchained for many years, but when i went through all the Dave albums again one wknd I made a Top 10 and this just hit for me. All 6 Dave albums and songs are AWESOME!!! The first 3 Sammy Albums with him are great as well
Most definitely do "Panama". I think you'll find similarities with this song. If you can, do the official vid.
This is earlier VH,jump was later...saw them in 80's..badass...check out
"Running with the devil". Def an anthem..saw them wen Eddie first started eruption,he was a beast
Being a songwriter, musician and vocalist myself this is one of my favorite Van Halen albums. And if you like this song then I'm sure you would like the whole album. This is where the guitar solo eruption started. The original verison is on this album but it was shorter. It would be on track 2, so the second song on this album. This was their debut album and they were the opening act for Black Sabbath on their tour. Eddie also does another guitar solo on their second album called Van Halen 2 titled Spanish Fly and he does that one on acoustic guitar. Great Reactions from both of you. The guy was really moving his head and hands jamming and the lady was doing the samething but her's looked more smooth. She was enjoying it but kinda kickin back. That was too cool. Nice!
My brother had this album cover as a poster on our bedroom wall. I saw it for the first time at a record store in the mall.
Here's a couple great ones you would love from them,, Where Have All the Good Times Gone, dead or alive
When this album plays, I can't help but jam to it in its entirety. Song for song, it really is that good \m/ VH!
My favorite song off that album is Ice Cream Man.Very cool tune,and that whole album is 🔥
I read from one of Rock sites that Eddie was going to contact Michael Anthony on possible reunion of all original members for one last tour as Van Halen prior to his health issue. But his cancer cancelled the possible tour.
In the late 70s, I was at a show at the Whiskey A-GO GO in Hollywood. As the crowd was filing out I heard people yelling out, "Van Halen suck" and other expletives deleted. I thought "what's going on?" this was a punk show I'd just seen. Before getting to the exit, the aisle curved to the right. When I rounded the curve, there sitting in a half moon booth was David Lee Roth. He had a smoking hot chick on both sides of him. He raised his right hand, snapped his fingers and made a V. The girl on his rt. placed a cigarette between the V. He then moved hie hand over to the girl sitting to his left and she lit the cigarette. A true rock star moment that I won't forget and I'm 70 years old.
Romeo Delight, D.O.A, Light Up The Sky, Mean Street, House of Pain or Girl Gone Bad. These are my recommendations. All these songs are phenomenal and VH classic.
The way this album was recorded was great sound wise …as long as both your headphones were working 😂. Eddie arpeggiating the opening with delay and phase shifting is to this day one of my all time favorite riffs. The guitar/amp tone on this album were so awesome
Thank you, Ted Templeman.
This is Also One of my favorite songs from Van Halen . Great job with your reaction to Ain't Talking About Love . The other Favor one would be Right Here Right Now.
This album came out and we all just thought WOW. I was in elementary school at the time.
The best bar band of all time!
The entire first album, from which this song comes, is incredible. Changed rock n roll w/Eddie's guitar. The whole band is incredible. This album is more raw, it's the 70s rock sound influence.
This is one of the songs I play while on my elliptical machine!
The entire album is all killer no filler
“And The Cradle Will Rock…” or "Jamie's cryin'" would be my suggestion for your next reaction
For context Eruption was from the first album in 1978. 1984 was several albums later.
To me, there were three eras of VH(not counting when Gary Cherone joined, nothing against him personally but VH was really finished at that point), this was part of their "heavy" phase(first few albums), next was their "fun" phase(the Diver Down and 1984 albums), then the Van Hagar "melodic" phase.
You should check out the rest of this, their debut album….to get a real sense of their sound and how they are fun in many ways!
This song is 'How To Write A Two Chord Loop Hit - 101'. 😄
The entire album is 🔥🔥!!
Missing you Ed, but we are rockin ya!! 😢
Listen to their darkest album with original lineup "Fair Warning" from 1981. Probably my favorite Van Halen album.
I'm just happy your discovering van halen.i think Roth and Hager were the best years.of van halen.everyone knew Eddie had vocals..but I love Wolfie has to keep the legacy alive..he plays just like his dad..RIP EDDIE...LOVE YOU WOLF.. KEEP SHREDDING ❤️😎👍👌
First VH song I ever heard, in mid-1979.
Denim vests, leather jackets, feather ear rings, cigarettes, beers, this was the era. I was 15, this album breathed new life into youth.
God bless EVH❤
Great song and review. "Panama" is too commercial, as you'll see, but the one that goes really good with "Ain't Talking Bout Love" is a song called "And the Cradle Will Rock". Also love a little slleper called "Little Dreamer" (yeah that's a pun, too). And "Running With the Devil" was iconic, too.
If you want to hear the best Van Halen song then I strongly recommend I'm The One from their debut album. The song is absolutely 🔥 as Eddie kills it on guitar.
Wait for Eddie to pull out the harmonics. Just beautiful!!
Excellent reaction!!! Fire song!!!
I was 13 when this album came out, lemme tell you when I put on side one and the intro to " runnin with the devil started 🤯 I thought what is this? Then I thought........ I dig this ✌️
Im 15 had this jamming my buddy comes over and says who the HELL IS THIS THE REST THEY SAY IS HISTORY.
Ahhhhh that Intro - I am melting
Van Halen's first attempt at a ballad song with DLR was "I'll Wait" Their more sophisticated ballads and songwriting/lyric writing came when Sammy Hagar joined the band. They became a more commercial/top 40 band with their next two albums after 1984.
Great reaction to a great album. I highly recommend checking out “ Running with the Devil” which is as rocking as this one and maybe more.
Badass tune!!!
Major headbanging album for me in high school - It was an 8-track tape. This launched VH into the "rock" stratosphere. The band, and Eddie in particular, evolved and would not be confined to the "rock" box. They got heat from that community when Eddie started doing leads with a keyboard, but it was still great music.
Best riff ever!