I said it before, Beautiful Girls is VH to me.... maybe because it was released about the time I really took a notice of girls....and forgot about baseball.
Always got a kick out of "Ice Cream Man". Just humorous lyrics and catchy rhythms. One of my hidden favorites. Their albums bring me back to more carefree days with less worries
That's a blues song - John Brim. Also covered by Tom Waits in 1973, among a bunch of other folks. I do agree VH put their signature stamp on it and brought it to a whole new audience though!
....I knew it was comin'... but now, that it's HERE!?? ...I'm gutted....just pulled SEVEN 'Gord' CD's to listen to, this morning...." Don Quixote" is me FAVE *GORD* Album....
There'll never be another like King Edward. A master of self expression on the guitar and one of many musical giants we have lost in recent years. (This year isn't starting out any better, either). Fortunately, we can continue to marvel at their talents long after they're gone. Thanks, Adam!
"A master of self expression on the guitar" is a perfect way to put it, but many don't realize his tonality, rhythm and melodic Mastery was the key to the sound, and the Hardest to replicate. He was 2nd to none in that regard.
Anyone else get goose bumps after each time Adam announced the featured song title? What a blessing to have grown up with VH, to have seen them in concert several times and with all three lead singers (yep, there was a brief third). And to have a Cabo Wabo vacation to Sammy's place, going there definitely brings the lyrics to life.
Mean Street really rocked hard! The Fair Warning album was always my favorite. Although not as commercially successful, it suited my far from mainstream taste. It's heavy, SINISTER-feeling vibe was great for working out at that time - powerful motivation!
I liked Van Halen with David and Sammy and liked both of their solo work. I had a big crush on Valerie so I always thought Eddie was the luckiest guy in the world. Man that was a long time ago.
Yes, it's great...and I think "The Inside" from 5150 is a great often overlooked song...I think it epitomizes the chemistry between Eddie and Sammy at the time, really, it's what the song is about...kick ass guitar riff and killer vocals from the Red Rocker on that one...
@Sub if you are against antifa and BLM If you think it is "Lite", you need to give the albums a deeper listen and not just focus on the "singles"..F.U.C.K. and Balance in particular have a lot of material that is anything but "Lite"...
RIP Gordon Lightfoot. 😢 Love all 5 songs listed today. Cabo Wabo. Hagar fun at it's best! 5150 -- police term for criminally insane. Which is what we all are at some point. A fave VH tune of mine is Runaround. But there are so many great VH tunes with both Sammy and Dave. Thanks Professor! Keep on Wabo-in. 😅
Hard to pick a single gem when every single song in the library means something to you, but for me it has always been "In a Simple Rhyme" off of Women and Children First. This song showcases all the talents of every member of the band. Starts off as a sweet ballard (before power ballards even existed) and transforms into classic VH rock.
Great choices. Here are a few I think are hidden gems: Romeo Delight Outta Love Again Push Comes to Shove Hang 'Em High Big Bad Bill (world's greatest rock clarinet solo) Girl Gone Bad House of Pain The Dream is Over Spanked
Summer Nights from 5150 is one of my “turn up to 11” favorites. Unchained is another one that I love. There are so many to choose. Best American rock band ever.
My hidden gem pick for Van Halen is "Don't Tell Me What Love Can Do" from the very underrated Balance album. The guitar riff is mesmerizing and the vocals are top notch.
I love this band to this day. It doesn't matter who sings, it doesn't matter who does the writing. They were phenomenal from beginning to end. My five: 5150, Humans Being, Panama, Mean Street, and Blood and Fire. There are so many more I could list here. I miss Eddie so much to this day.
Fair Warning IS the hidden gem of the VH catalog. Yes, VH1 was the seminal album (and one of the best debut albums of all time) but Fair Warning was VH at its most creative, grittiest and unfiltered. Simply an amazing album from start to finish.
I'm glad you picked 5150. I've really fallen back in love with this song recently. I just can't get enough of the whole (chorus? Pre-chorus?) part that starts "Always one more, you're never satisfied..." And yes, great drums on this song!
Back in the mid-eighties when I was 17 to 18, all the DLR AND Sammy's solo stuff was practically glued inside my jam box, with little deviation... Great times with great music...
My 5er Gem list for =\//-/= is: 1. Dance The Night Away 2. Hear About It Later 3. Drop Dead Legs 4. Sucker In A 3 Piece 5. Aftershock Van Halen is my absolute favorite band. Musically, nobody else comes close. EVH’s creativity & innovation is phenomenal. They’ve had 3 singers & I can honestly say that I enjoy every “version” of the band. Each version brought something unique & new to their catalog. Dave had the stage performance, Sammy had the voice, and Gary had the songwriting. Mikey’s bass & harmonizing background vocals gave the band a strong core. Alex’s drums paired perfectly w/ Eddie and provided a rhythm that was unmistakably his own. Wolf brought back & resurrected the band, and because of his efforts we got 2 more albums from the band (studio & live). I would also like to tack on an additional bonus track to my list: *6. “Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)” … from Diver Down, because this track go back in time to the “Big Band” era of the 30s & 40s & also features Eddie’s & Alex’s Dad playing the clarinet.
Ok GREAT example here- When I don't like the artist or band you're reporting on- it's still extremely entertaining to hear the information you dig up on them- very often its fascinating to learn about other things they did that I didn't know about- but today, learning so much more about Van Halen- one of my all time favorites- what a treasure!!! Thanks yet again!!!
My favorite five from VH: 5. I'll Wait from 1984; 4. Right Now from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge; 3. Jamie's Cryin' from Van Halen; 2. You're No Good from VHII; and my #1. Outta Love Again from VHII - in my opinion, the most underrated Van Halen track of all time!!!
Sometimes, an idea for a great song comes at the most random of times, that you can't help but get to it even when you should be sleeping haha! Cheers as always
You’re always so inspiring. If I’m in a Ho-hum mood than I see your new video post, I know my mood is about to change for the better. Thank you my dear friend.
The Sammy Hagar era seemed to have more traditional song construction with better lyrics. But with David Lee Roth they were the show - like a teenager with the whole world as a possibility and breaking new ground.
...'tis true.....Diamond Dave was the show-Pony, but Sammy made them a BAND..... David was the "College" Years, Sammy was the "1st Good Job w/ benefits" era.....
@@RBS_ DLR era was literally my late middle school/high school years...I graduated in 1984...the Sammy era was my coming of age and young adult years...since I was a late bloomer and enjoyed my young adult years more than my high school years, I guess it isn't any surprise that my favorite version of VH was the Sammy years..well, there are other reasons, too, but really, I do like all versions of VH that has EVH in it...even the (gasp) VH III to some extent....
I talked with Sammy on Maui few months after I saw Van Halen on Oahu Hawaii. They did 3 shows. Sammy asked me which show I saw. I said the last one. He said he thought it was the best. I said I sure enjoyed it. Talking with Sammy was like talking with a friend I'd known for years. He was so down to earth. I said I listened to him with Montrose and mentioned the song Bad Moater Scooter and Sammy said that was the first song he ever wrote. Talking with Sammy is like talking with an old friend. Love the RED ROCKER!!! ALOHA BROTHER!!!!!!
@Proffesor of Rock Your DLR era picks exactly mirror my own. "Little Guitars" is an all-timer for me from *any* band. Your narrative about it is as accurate as it can get. Always wanting to hear it again immediately. The crunch of that scratchy chord hook could go on for hours as far as I'm concerned.
My favorite hidden gem from VH would be "Secrets" from the Diver Down album. Very unique, laid back, blues tune with a really chilled vibe to it. It's very different from most VH songs from the era. I hated it when i was a teenager, but now that I'm knocking on 50's door I totally love it.
I've always thought Van Halen 2 was under appreciated. There are some really great songs on that album. Light up the Sky, Women in Love, Beautiful Girls all rock.
The cold ending on “Beautiful Girls” made it LOTS of fun for radio guys like me! And you could always tell if the guy on the air was really good when the kiss sound effect on the end would get turned WAY up by the jock so you could hear it over the first couple of notes of the next song! That’s artistry on the equipment!
FAIR WARNING was and is my favorite VH release ever... MEAN STREET completely BLEW ME AWAY when I first heard it! I can't remember ever being impacted by another piece of music like I was this one... Long Live Eddie Van Halen!
Adam, you are cracking them out faster than this old man can follow. Forced binge it is...never mind the back catalog...and I am a regular for several years. Love all of it. Every episode is from my formative musical years. Never a disappointment, ever- the songs with which I am less familiar often give the biggest kick, after your golden producer's touch. Keep 'em coming, I have 3 weeks vacation coming up Edit: Oh, you are just hanging with Hagar. No big whoop. Seriously, an episode reviewing your greatest guest interviews, much welcome.
Very good choices for hidden gems here. A couple that I like are VH 2 Women in love. The intro on this song is unbelievable,unteachable,something outta this world kinda like a UFO. And Diver Down, Hangem hi, Man these songs were such a gift, and we have them for eternity! Thanks Eddie for sharing your gift. Rest easy!
That's a very tough question because there are so many great ones. That's like asking who's your favorite child. They're all different and you love each one for their uniqueness. It would also depend on my mood at any given time. Nope, I can't give a definitive answer because there are just too many to choose from.
For me it’s “Atomic Punk” from their 1st album. It has become my favorite Van Halen song followed by your # 1 on this video, “Means Streets”. Those 2 songs are bad ass and just rock!
Hidden gem on their debut for me is Little Dreamer. I have also sung Ice Cream Man for karaoke many times and OMG is that FUN and gets your blood pumping.
I can name 5 that will always be in my top 10: Unchained Ain't Talkin Bout Love Hot For Teacher And the Cradle Will Rock Everybody Wants Some Always gonna be the hard rockin stuff with DLR, not the soft serve stuff with Sammy
One of my favorite 80s bands (and late 70s too!) I saw them in 1982, the Diver Down tour. They blew me away. I didn't think Dave could actually do the splits in the air - but he did!!
Adam, look over your left shoulder, grab Days of Future Past, and put it on your list of things to do please, Please, PLEASE! The classic rock stations will play Tuesday Afternoon and Nights in White Satin, but they don't know it's a concept album and the other great songs on the album. Only you can present it the way it should be. I originally listened to it on my parent's 8-track, then I bought it on vinyl, and eventually cassette so I could listen to it in the car, then eventually replaced it with CD. The only media I never got to play it on was reel-to-reel. The beauty and story of this album never get old, even though I do. Thanks to all of you for bringing us all of the great stories behind the music.
Alex Van Halen is the most underrated drummer in the business. Seen Van Halen a dozen times. Not Sen n better unless it was Rush. Yep, they both had the best drummers ever!
Hands down, my top VH tune is Oh, Pretty Woman. Eddie's kick*** licks and Alex beating the crap out of his drums, but the video gets me every time. My husband was one of the little guys in the video. The beginning of a 2 year relationship with Van Halen that he remembers with bittersweet feelings.
I Love your fiver Adam! So many people always pick the same old songs but your list is one of a true fan. I always, always loved Little Guitars for how fun it was. It made me happy. I loved Diver Down and that song was one of the main reasons. It and Women and Children First as well as Fair Warning were the Van Halen albums I listened to the most. Take your Whiskey Home is an all time favorite and for the reasons you described. DLR at his best. Mean Streets is electric mayhem. I love it. I would have to add Dirty Movies to the fiver and probably nudge out Cabo Wabo. But I would keep 5150. That song even more than Dreams and Best of Both Worlds and Summer Nights had me jumping up on my bed and air guitaring and air drumming. Pure Joy!
Got married in a small old church. Brought a small 200w pa and played classic rock tunes of our fav bands...after wife n i said i do we walked out of the church to "I'm the one" cranked as a buddy of mine rang the big church bell like he wanted the whole city to know we got married...lotsa friends said was coolest wedding ever! Good time🍻😂👍 Still in love and still crankin VH!
VH was hitting their stride right as Sony Walkmans were flying off the shelves (and for Damned good reason). The atmospherics of those early releases were so utterly immersive and transcendent that I still remember those halcyon early 80s summer days on the beach being swept away by 'Little Guitars' and Rush's 'Red Barchetta'. Great memories..
Pleasantly surprised with your list of 5. To me, that means you are a fan of the band. I think most of the masses would say: Jump, Panama, Dance The Night Away, Why Can't This Be Love, and Hot For Teacher
Great list professor! So many deep cuts to love. A few more: -Push Comes to Shove -Light Up the Sky -Source of Infection -So This is Love -Dirty Movies (Can you tell I'm a big Fair Warning fan)
In 1978 I was 10 years old living in California I don't remember quite how I talked my mom and dad into buying a record but they let me buy one album so I chose Van Halen, I sat in my room and put it on record player I had that looked like a miniature soup case when it was closed ,i set the needle down and started listening ,eruption came on and I was hooked I have been a fan ever since.
Great list of under acknowledged VH songs. Mean St is one of my fav VH albums. Hard rockin gut punching rock!. I think I'd have to drop Cabo and put in The Full Bug. That song would get Christopher Reeve tapping his toe! My 16yo is a huge VH fan! Wears his VH shirt proudly to school. Glad I could pass the torch. Waiting to tell my grandkids about Eddie Van Halen! I was 13 when 1894 came out. Reinforcing his status as a guitar god. Nobody has dethroned him yet! RIP Eddie!
Good choices, my friend. I loved Fair Warning and the song "Mean Street." Another hidden gem on this album was the little ditty called "Sunday Afternoon in the Park" which has a story associated with it for me. But try liatening to it alone in the dark sometime.
POR!! You hooked me in here. Van Halen is my favorite band ever. And after Panama, 5150 and Mean Street are two of my favorite cuts. I would also add deep cuts.... Outta Love Again Hangem High Humans Being Crossing Over I really, really miss Eddie Van Halen.
My 5: Secrets, Get Up, The Seventh Seal, Drop Dead Legs and Sucker In A Three Piece. But every VH track is gold. There will never be another band like Van Halen.
Grad Night '84, had a blast at Disney Fl. Good times with the class. Bought VH '84 album ,as well as a few more memorabilia but, unfortunately, or fortunately as I see it, still have that album. Jump was mine.
I worked in a bar during college in the mid to late 1980's. We hadn't upgraded to CD's yet. Still had mix tapes. I made one that started with Cabo Wabo. Titled the tape Don't Draw The Line, Cause I Can't Walk It. This was a few years after my Glug Glug Vroom Vroom award from the local law enforcement.
Picking one is so hard... I love this band so much been listening to them for as long as I can remember, love every album. Eddie Alex Mike Wolfgang Dave Sammy and Gary too... Wow. Eddie's guitar was one thing, there are a lot of awesome players out there, but his style matched with his song writing capabilities just took him to that next level that very few could achieve. To have tons of success with multiple singers is pretty rare. The riifs, the melodies, the harmonies were just from another world. Some of my favorites are Love Walks In, Secrets, The Seventh Seal, Hear About It Later.... I could go on and on...
1. I was working at Charro's restaurant in Haena Kauai when I first heard "Running with the Devil" 2. Sammy was becoming a neighborhood icon in the Inland Empire California. 3. My childhood acquaintance (loved my home grown) Jim Darby (Wild Side) recorded the debut album at Eddies 5150 studio and actually lived with Ed and Valery's and told me how Ed would even wear his guitar at the dinner table. Andy Johns engineering (The Who ... Led Zeppelin ... Wild Side) 3. I left my life in Hawaii at the opportunity to be on the Van Halen tour with Wild Side the opening act. The famous Andy Johns alcohol problem delayed the Wild Side release missing out on supporting VH. 4. My father was the lead architect for San Bernardino California and the designer of the structures that was the "US Festival" that headlined Van Halen. 5. Still waiting for # 5 to happen! 😊 However the US Festival is considered by many of the performing artists to be the best venues ever!
Favorite tune would have to be Right Now. That’s where I discovered the band, and that took me back to their other great tunes. Dreams is another favorite. As far as Hidden Gems, I think Not Enough from Balance could be added as #6 to this list for sure!
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Poll: What is your pick for the GREATEST Van Halen song from the band's tenure?
Ain't Talkin' Bout Love
Hard to pick just one, but VHs version of Pretty Woman with that killer intro!
I said it before, Beautiful Girls is VH to me.... maybe because it was released about the time I really took a notice of girls....and forgot about baseball.
Dreams
tie- "Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love" and "Jump". Jump is just so damn catchy!
A mastermind of guitar. Rest easy, Eddie.
He's the best.
He made it look easy.
I still cannot get over how sad I was on that day. R.I.P. Eddie 😢
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Same here. We were all protective of Eddie for some reason.
Always got a kick out of "Ice Cream Man". Just humorous lyrics and catchy rhythms. One of my hidden favorites. Their albums bring me back to more carefree days with less worries
Great song for sure! Thanks Kirk!
That's a blues song - John Brim. Also covered by Tom Waits in 1973, among a bunch of other folks. I do agree VH put their signature stamp on it and brought it to a whole new audience though!
I love Ice Cream Man. I sang it at a karaoke bar in the late 90s.
We always play that song at the nursing home where I work. The residents get so jaunty hearing it!
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Nice! :)
Sundown, you'd better take care Gordon Lightfoot and Rest In Peace on a Carefree Highway.
Sad news yesterday 😥
🇨🇦 A Canadian institution R.I.P.
There are so many songwriters who list Gordon Lightfoot - along with The Beatles - as a prime influence in their music.
The end of an era with his passing. Sad day.
....I knew it was comin'... but now, that it's HERE!?? ...I'm gutted....just pulled SEVEN 'Gord' CD's to listen to, this morning...." Don Quixote" is me FAVE *GORD* Album....
Love Take Your Whiskey Home! That Eddie groove is just phenomenal!
There'll never be another like King Edward. A master of self expression on the guitar and one of many musical giants we have lost in recent years. (This year isn't starting out any better, either). Fortunately, we can continue to marvel at their talents long after they're gone. Thanks, Adam!
Hey Robster! Have a great Tuesday!
We will never forget this guitar virtuoso.
"This Year isn't starting out any better"...well, unfortunately, every year is going to get progressively worse, I fear.."time marches on".. :(
"A master of self expression on the guitar" is a perfect way to put it, but many don't realize his tonality, rhythm and melodic Mastery was the key to the sound, and the Hardest to replicate. He was 2nd to none in that regard.
@@tysondog843 Absolutely! Great points. Eddie really had it all.
The Fair Warning album is one of my favorites by Van Halen. Especially "Dirty Movies".
Love that song!
.....I was gonna say that One, but I was worried YT would censor me...I'm known for, 'colorful language', ha-HAA!!
Hidden gem.
Hang 'em High is criminally underrated guitar work from Eddie. Speed and rhythm unparalleled.
LOVE that song!
All of them..its the soundtrack of my life…
Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now) has always been a favorite of mine from the DLR days. Cabo Wabo or Poundcake from the Sammy era.
Anyone else get goose bumps after each time Adam announced the featured song title? What a blessing to have grown up with VH, to have seen them in concert several times and with all three lead singers (yep, there was a brief third). And to have a Cabo Wabo vacation to Sammy's place, going there definitely brings the lyrics to life.
I need to travel to Cabo Wabo!
Mean Street really rocked hard! The Fair Warning album was always my favorite. Although not as commercially successful, it suited my far from mainstream taste. It's heavy, SINISTER-feeling vibe was great for working out at that time - powerful motivation!
The title is definitely a fair warning.
Die-hard VH fans regularly regard Fair Warning as the best VH album ever despite it being the lowest seller of the Dave era.
It's a great album
I’m a 70s 80s rocker. Sammy was my first concert. When he joined van hallen, I was in heaven.
I liked Van Halen with David and Sammy and liked both of their solo work. I had a big crush on Valerie so I always thought Eddie was the luckiest guy in the world. Man that was a long time ago.
I used to watch Valerie’s cooking show all the time growing up. She made my mouth water.
5150 is one of my favorite songs of all time. Gives me chills every time! So glad you brought it up!
THanks Matt!
Such a great song.
Yes, it's great...and I think "The Inside" from 5150 is a great often overlooked song...I think it epitomizes the chemistry between Eddie and Sammy at the time, really, it's what the song is about...kick ass guitar riff and killer vocals from the Red Rocker on that one...
@Sub if you are against antifa and BLM If you think it is "Lite", you need to give the albums a deeper listen and not just focus on the "singles"..F.U.C.K. and Balance in particular have a lot of material that is anything but "Lite"...
Hidden gem on Fair Warning, “Hear About It Later”…most underrated song on the album.
Great song for sure!
Good one!
Love that song!
And "Push Comes to Shove". In a lot of ways I think Fair Warning is their best album.
Yes!
RIP Gordon Lightfoot. 😢
Love all 5 songs listed today. Cabo Wabo. Hagar fun at it's best! 5150 -- police term for criminally insane. Which is what we all are at some point.
A fave VH tune of mine is Runaround. But there are so many great VH tunes with both Sammy and Dave.
Thanks Professor!
Keep on Wabo-in. 😅
So sad. Great artist. Legend.
"...5150 -- police term for criminally insane...which, is what we all are at some point....." ....ya know me ALL too well, don'cha, Rog!?? ...ha-HAA!!
@@RBS_ 🤣🤣🤣😳
I always wondered what 5150 symbolized. It’s a very interesting tidbit.
That's like asking which child I love more... I LOVE OF OF THEM!
I was always able to pick which child I loved more. The really sad thing is that it wasn’t even one of my own children. (Kidding, of course.)
So true, too hard to choose just one!
Bottoms Up will always be my fav VH song!!!
(Take your Whiskey Home not far behind)
Great songs!
Both rock.
Hard to pick a single gem when every single song in the library means something to you, but for me it has always been "In a Simple Rhyme" off of Women and Children First. This song showcases all the talents of every member of the band. Starts off as a sweet ballard (before power ballards even existed) and transforms into classic VH rock.
Ballard is a type of firearm rifling.
"Ballard"? I think you mean "Ballad"...
What’s a “ballard”? Oh man, I am dying over here. Smited. Smote. Slain. 😝
My bad. Meant ballad.
It's been a long time since I've heard Little Guitars. Proof of Eddie's brilliance.
Word. Diver Down was such an underrated VH record.
The song is definitely known for its guitars.
Great choices. Here are a few I think are hidden gems:
Romeo Delight
Outta Love Again
Push Comes to Shove
Hang 'Em High
Big Bad Bill (world's greatest rock clarinet solo)
Girl Gone Bad
House of Pain
The Dream is Over
Spanked
FINALLY somebody mentions "Girl Gone Bad." Thank you. Arguably the most epic VH track out of the entire catalog, and that's saying a lot.
Summer Nights from 5150 is one of my “turn up to 11” favorites. Unchained is another one that I love. There are so many to choose. Best American rock band ever.
My hidden gem pick for Van Halen is "Don't Tell Me What Love Can Do" from the very underrated Balance album. The guitar riff is mesmerizing and the vocals are top notch.
Awesome song!!
Me, too!! I thought I would be the only person to mention that song!..most guys will mention one of the songs with DLR screeching in it...
Feelin is probably best song on balance
Fun song!
Great tune. And HUMANS BEING from the Twister motion picture soundtrack was a delicious offering from that era.
I love this band to this day. It doesn't matter who sings, it doesn't matter who does the writing. They were phenomenal from beginning to end. My five: 5150, Humans Being, Panama, Mean Street, and Blood and Fire. There are so many more I could list here. I miss Eddie so much to this day.
They have so many! They’re like the Beatles: classic band we couldn’t survive without.
Fair Warning IS the hidden gem of the VH catalog. Yes, VH1 was the seminal album (and one of the best debut albums of all time) but Fair Warning was VH at its most creative, grittiest and unfiltered. Simply an amazing album from start to finish.
I'm glad you picked 5150. I've really fallen back in love with this song recently. I just can't get enough of the whole (chorus? Pre-chorus?) part that starts "Always one more, you're never satisfied..." And yes, great drums on this song!
How this channel does not have a million subs is beyond me.
THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING LITTLE GUITARS!!! It is one of if not my favorite Van Halen tune. It just hits me every time I hear it!!!
Eddie Van Halen's solo on the song 5150 live from Tokyo Japan 89' is absolutely killer
Back in the mid-eighties when I was 17 to 18, all the DLR AND Sammy's solo stuff was practically glued inside my jam box, with little deviation...
Great times with great music...
My 5er Gem list for =\//-/= is:
1. Dance The Night Away
2. Hear About It Later
3. Drop Dead Legs
4. Sucker In A 3 Piece
5. Aftershock
Van Halen is my absolute favorite band. Musically, nobody else comes close. EVH’s creativity & innovation is phenomenal. They’ve had 3 singers & I can honestly say that I enjoy every “version” of the band. Each version brought something unique & new to their catalog. Dave had the stage performance, Sammy had the voice, and Gary had the songwriting. Mikey’s bass & harmonizing background vocals gave the band a strong core. Alex’s drums paired perfectly w/ Eddie and provided a rhythm that was unmistakably his own. Wolf brought back & resurrected the band, and because of his efforts we got 2 more albums from the band (studio & live).
I would also like to tack on an additional bonus track to my list:
*6. “Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)” … from Diver Down, because this track go back in time to the “Big Band” era of the 30s & 40s & also features Eddie’s & Alex’s Dad playing the clarinet.
Holy Sh*t!! You hit them all. EXCELLENT LIST
Ok GREAT example here- When I don't like the artist or band you're reporting on- it's still extremely entertaining to hear the information you dig up on them- very often its fascinating to learn about other things they did that I didn't know about- but today, learning so much more about Van Halen- one of my all time favorites- what a treasure!!! Thanks yet again!!!
God keep blessing You , Brother .
Couldn't possibly narrow it down to five, they're all so great. They rock so hard, they're simply the best!
My favorite five from VH: 5. I'll Wait from 1984; 4. Right Now from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge; 3. Jamie's Cryin' from Van Halen; 2. You're No Good from VHII; and my #1. Outta Love Again from VHII - in my opinion, the most underrated Van Halen track of all time!!!
Good list!
I’ll Wait is a treasure.
Love I’ll Wait! Co- written by Michael McDonald!!!
Sometimes, an idea for a great song comes at the most random of times, that you can't help but get to it even when you should be sleeping haha! Cheers as always
THanks!
@@ProfessorofRock Always a pleasure!
It can be so cheesy we wouldn’t even know it! 😆
Little Guitars has always been one of my favorite Van Halen songs.
Mine too. It’s awesome.
Just when I thought I couldn't like Sammy more, he proves me wrong... His outlook on the entrepreneurial mind blows my mind. Thank you for this video!
Mean Street is one of their best, totally agree.
Thanks Daniel!
You’re always so inspiring. If I’m in a Ho-hum mood than I see your new video post, I know my mood is about to change for the better. Thank you my dear friend.
Great choice on Little Guitars! That's my favorite VH song, among so many wonderful songs.
The Sammy Hagar era seemed to have more traditional song construction with better lyrics. But with David Lee Roth they were the show - like a teenager with the whole world as a possibility and breaking new ground.
I think that's a good explanation.
...'tis true.....Diamond Dave was the show-Pony, but Sammy made them a BAND..... David was the "College" Years, Sammy was the "1st Good Job w/ benefits" era.....
DLR wanted everyone to give him some show!
Sammy took them to the next level. Roth would have been happy singing broadway tunes.
@@RBS_ DLR era was literally my late middle school/high school years...I graduated in 1984...the Sammy era was my coming of age and young adult years...since I was a late bloomer and enjoyed my young adult years more than my high school years, I guess it isn't any surprise that my favorite version of VH was the Sammy years..well, there are other reasons, too, but really, I do like all versions of VH that has EVH in it...even the (gasp) VH III to some extent....
W&CF was the album that REALLY made me fall musically in love with Van Halen.
This band was my teen-age years, miss the great times, R I P Eddie, for-ever will be missed..." Summer Nights", is one of my favorites
Finish What you Started is one hidden gem I enjoy. Saw Sammy live last month and he included it in the set.
I talked with Sammy on Maui few months after I saw Van Halen on Oahu Hawaii. They did 3 shows. Sammy asked me which show I saw. I said the last one. He said he thought it was the best. I said I sure enjoyed it. Talking with Sammy was like talking with a friend I'd known for years. He was so down to earth. I said I listened to him with Montrose and mentioned the song Bad Moater Scooter and Sammy said that was the first song he ever wrote. Talking with Sammy is like talking with an old friend. Love the RED ROCKER!!! ALOHA BROTHER!!!!!!
Good call on Take Your Whiskey Home!
@Proffesor of Rock
Your DLR era picks exactly mirror my own. "Little Guitars" is an all-timer for me from *any* band. Your narrative about it is as accurate as it can get. Always wanting to hear it again immediately. The crunch of that scratchy chord hook could go on for hours as far as I'm concerned.
I Just Can't Stop Loving You is a brilliant VH track with a moving and quirky video.
It's easily one of the best Hagar/VH compositions.
I agree. Little did we know it was the beginning of the end.
Amen to that Sean!
Good call. I need to rewatch that video.
The first VH song I ever heard was Women and Children First. Loved it!
My favorite hidden gem from VH would be "Secrets" from the Diver Down album. Very unique, laid back, blues tune with a really chilled vibe to it. It's very different from most VH songs from the era. I hated it when i was a teenager, but now that I'm knocking on 50's door I totally love it.
I've always thought Van Halen 2 was under appreciated. There are some really great songs on that album. Light up the Sky, Women in Love, Beautiful Girls all rock.
The cold ending on “Beautiful Girls” made it LOTS of fun for radio guys like me! And you could always tell if the guy on the air was really good when the kiss sound effect on the end would get turned WAY up by the jock so you could hear it over the first couple of notes of the next song! That’s artistry on the equipment!
Straight up on Mean Street, Adam. Still mind blowing
One of their coolest songs I think. That riff is just awesome!🤘🏼😎🤘🏼
Which one?
@@ProfessorofRock Cabo Wabo. That riff is really something! I also like the production of that entire OU812 album. There's a certain vibe to it!🙂
Rock on 🤘
Fav Van song is, hands down, Ice Cream Man. So much fun that you can almost hear DLR smiling while singing these tongue in cheek lyrics.
FAIR WARNING was and is my favorite VH release ever... MEAN STREET completely BLEW ME AWAY when I first heard it! I can't remember ever being impacted by another piece of music like I was this one... Long Live Eddie Van Halen!
It's got to be Panama for me. The year 1984 to me was the best year of music.
Adam, you are cracking them out faster than this old man can follow.
Forced binge it is...never mind the back catalog...and I am a regular for several years.
Love all of it.
Every episode is from my formative musical years.
Never a disappointment, ever- the songs with which I am less familiar often give the biggest kick, after your golden producer's touch.
Keep 'em coming, I have 3 weeks vacation coming up
Edit: Oh, you are just hanging with Hagar. No big whoop.
Seriously, an episode reviewing your greatest guest interviews, much welcome.
mean streets! ...my favorite dlr era vh song! thank u sir
Very good choices for hidden gems here. A couple that I like are VH 2 Women in love. The intro on this song is unbelievable,unteachable,something outta this world kinda like a UFO. And Diver Down, Hangem hi, Man these songs were such a gift, and we have them for eternity! Thanks Eddie for sharing your gift. Rest easy!
That's a very tough question because there are so many great ones. That's like asking who's your favorite child. They're all different and you love each one for their uniqueness. It would also depend on my mood at any given time. Nope, I can't give a definitive answer because there are just too many to choose from.
EVH is the standard by which other guitar players are measured. He was a true prodigy!
RIP Gordon Lightfoot.
Amen to both...
We are losing our HEROES. I still can’t get over losing Harry Belafonte last week. Ugh…dammit 2023!
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Gordon Lightfoot died yesterday.
@@DDKaraokeOutlaw Right!
For me it’s “Atomic Punk” from their 1st album. It has become my favorite Van Halen song followed by your # 1 on this video, “Means Streets”. Those 2 songs are bad ass and just rock!
Great video! I love your passion for music! Thank you!
Little Guitars... wow i always figured that was overdubbed in the studio, I'll be darned.
Saw them with Sammy in ‘86!! In OKC! Awesome concert!🤘🔥
Very cool!
5150 Tour?
Same here, but in Detroit. Bachman Turner Overdrive opened. They had a great set, too.
Hidden gem on their debut for me is Little Dreamer. I have also sung Ice Cream Man for karaoke many times and OMG is that FUN and gets your blood pumping.
I celebrate their entire catalogue 😃. Albeit short, my favorite VH deep cut is Outta Love. Solid jam and cool as dirt. I mean those skins man!
I can’t pick a too 5 Van Halen songs. Each time I think I have my list, another song comes to mind and I have to start over again.
I can name 5 that will always be in my top 10:
Unchained
Ain't Talkin Bout Love
Hot For Teacher
And the Cradle Will Rock
Everybody Wants Some
Always gonna be the hard rockin stuff with DLR, not the soft serve stuff with Sammy
Great video and there will never be another band like the mighty Van Halen. ✌🏻
There is no way to pick. Every Van Halen song is priceless.😊
One of my favorite 80s bands (and late 70s too!) I saw them in 1982, the Diver Down tour. They blew me away. I didn't think Dave could actually do the splits in the air - but he did!!
Adam, look over your left shoulder, grab Days of Future Past, and put it on your list of things to do please, Please, PLEASE! The classic rock stations will play Tuesday Afternoon and Nights in White Satin, but they don't know it's a concept album and the other great songs on the album. Only you can present it the way it should be. I originally listened to it on my parent's 8-track, then I bought it on vinyl, and eventually cassette so I could listen to it in the car, then eventually replaced it with CD. The only media I never got to play it on was reel-to-reel. The beauty and story of this album never get old, even though I do. Thanks to all of you for bringing us all of the great stories behind the music.
I've loved Sammy forever.
Alex Van Halen is the most underrated drummer in the business. Seen Van Halen a dozen times. Not Sen n better unless it was Rush. Yep, they both had the best drummers ever!
I was just noticing this, checking out some classic VH this past weekend. Alex's drumming on VH II was incredible!
We have to give a shoutout to the rhythm section crew!
Not sure “hidden”,
But it wasn’t a single. “Drop dead legs”. Guitar work is indescribable
Hands down, my top VH tune is Oh, Pretty Woman. Eddie's kick*** licks and Alex beating the crap out of his drums, but the video gets me every time. My husband was one of the little guys in the video. The beginning of a 2 year relationship with Van Halen that he remembers with bittersweet feelings.
So many good songs. Besides the ones you mentioned: Outta Love Again, In a Simple Rhyme, Romeo Delight, Dirty Movies, Little Dreamer
I Love your fiver Adam! So many people always pick the same old songs but your list is one of a true fan. I always, always loved Little Guitars for how fun it was. It made me happy. I loved Diver Down and that song was one of the main reasons. It and Women and Children First as well as Fair Warning were the Van Halen albums I listened to the most. Take your Whiskey Home is an all time favorite and for the reasons you described. DLR at his best. Mean Streets is electric mayhem. I love it. I would have to add Dirty Movies to the fiver and probably nudge out Cabo Wabo. But I would keep 5150. That song even more than Dreams and Best of Both Worlds and Summer Nights had me jumping up on my bed and air guitaring and air drumming. Pure Joy!
Got married in a small old church. Brought a small 200w pa and played classic rock tunes of our fav bands...after wife n i said i do we walked out of the church to "I'm the one" cranked as a buddy of mine rang the big church bell like he wanted the whole city to know we got married...lotsa friends said was coolest wedding ever! Good time🍻😂👍 Still in love and still crankin VH!
VH was hitting their stride right as Sony Walkmans were flying off the shelves (and for Damned good reason). The atmospherics of those early releases were so utterly immersive and transcendent that I still remember those halcyon early 80s summer days on the beach being swept away by 'Little Guitars' and Rush's 'Red Barchetta'. Great memories..
Pleasantly surprised with your list of 5. To me, that means you are a fan of the band. I think most of the masses would say: Jump, Panama, Dance The Night Away, Why Can't This Be Love, and Hot For Teacher
I love your choices!😊
Great list professor! So many deep cuts to love. A few more:
-Push Comes to Shove
-Light Up the Sky
-Source of Infection
-So This is Love
-Dirty Movies
(Can you tell I'm a big Fair Warning fan)
Glad to see "Mean Street" at the top of your list. It's one of my favorite VH deep tracks, and Fair Warning is also my favorite Van Halen album.
In 1978 I was 10 years old living in California I don't remember quite how I talked my mom and dad into buying a record but they let me buy one album so I chose Van Halen, I sat in my room and put it on record player I had that looked like a miniature soup case when it was closed ,i set the needle down and started listening ,eruption came on and I was hooked I have been a fan ever since.
Sammy Hagar is incrediblly talented-He's about to embark on a fairly extensive tour.
Tears for Fears is also having a concert like right next to where I live in a few months. 😊
Great list of under acknowledged VH songs. Mean St is one of my fav VH albums. Hard rockin gut punching rock!. I think I'd have to drop Cabo and put in The Full Bug. That song would get Christopher Reeve tapping his toe! My 16yo is a huge VH fan! Wears his VH shirt proudly to school. Glad I could pass the torch. Waiting to tell my grandkids about Eddie Van Halen! I was 13 when 1894 came out. Reinforcing his status as a guitar god. Nobody has dethroned him yet! RIP Eddie!
Good choices, my friend. I loved Fair Warning and the song "Mean Street."
Another hidden gem on this album was the little ditty called "Sunday Afternoon in the Park" which has a story associated with it for me. But try liatening to it alone in the dark sometime.
POR!! You hooked me in here. Van Halen is my favorite band ever. And after Panama, 5150 and Mean Street are two of my favorite cuts. I would also add deep cuts....
Outta Love Again
Hangem High
Humans Being
Crossing Over
I really, really miss Eddie Van Halen.
My 5: Secrets, Get Up, The Seventh Seal, Drop Dead Legs and Sucker In A Three Piece. But every VH track is gold. There will never be another band like Van Halen.
Grad Night '84, had a blast at Disney Fl. Good times with the class. Bought VH '84 album ,as well as a few more memorabilia but, unfortunately, or fortunately as I see it, still have that album. Jump was mine.
For me it's Dreams, because the Blue Angels video is fantastic.
I worked in a bar during college in the mid to late 1980's. We hadn't upgraded to CD's yet. Still had mix tapes. I made one that started with Cabo Wabo. Titled the tape Don't Draw The Line, Cause I Can't Walk It. This was a few years after my Glug Glug Vroom Vroom award from the local law enforcement.
Picking one is so hard... I love this band so much been listening to them for as long as I can remember, love every album. Eddie Alex Mike Wolfgang Dave Sammy and Gary too... Wow. Eddie's guitar was one thing, there are a lot of awesome players out there, but his style matched with his song writing capabilities just took him to that next level that very few could achieve. To have tons of success with multiple singers is pretty rare. The riifs, the melodies, the harmonies were just from another world. Some of my favorites are Love Walks In, Secrets, The Seventh Seal, Hear About It Later.... I could go on and on...
Any song with Eddie playing guitar on it is my fave! ✌🎸🎶
I always think of “Little Guitars” as the Etch-a-Sketch song, because that’s what it sounds like DLR is saying. Great song.
1. I was working at Charro's restaurant in Haena Kauai when I first heard "Running with the Devil"
2. Sammy was becoming a neighborhood icon in the Inland Empire California.
3. My childhood acquaintance (loved my home grown) Jim Darby (Wild Side) recorded the debut album at Eddies 5150 studio and actually lived with Ed and Valery's and told me how Ed would even wear his guitar at the dinner table. Andy Johns engineering (The Who ... Led Zeppelin ... Wild Side)
3. I left my life in Hawaii at the opportunity to be on the Van Halen tour with Wild Side the opening act. The famous Andy Johns alcohol problem delayed the Wild Side release missing out on supporting VH.
4. My father was the lead architect for San Bernardino California and the designer of the structures that was the "US Festival" that headlined Van Halen.
5. Still waiting for # 5 to happen! 😊 However the US Festival is considered by many of the performing artists to be the best venues ever!
Favorite tune would have to be Right Now. That’s where I discovered the band, and that took me back to their other great tunes. Dreams is another favorite.
As far as Hidden Gems, I think Not Enough from Balance could be added as #6 to this list for sure!