“Secrets” and “Hang ‘em High” are the highlights here for me. However, l like the majority of the instrumentals and covers, too. You can’t go wrong with any DLR fronted albums by VH. Even “Me Wise Magic,” from the first greatest hits CD is an excellent song! Keep up the stellar work! Cheers from The Big Apple. Rock Out, Prog On & Pogo! Demonically & sonically yours, ~ The Doppelgänger Known As Davey Cretin from CRETIN CLASSICS!
Here's the reasoning and background on how this album came about. For 1982, the start of the yr, the band was taking a much needed break from the Fair Warning tour. They put Pretty Woman out as a single, just to throw something out for the public and their fans. Roth came up with the idea. Their mgr, Noel Monk gave the ok. Roth had Eddie listen to it, to get an idea on the riff. It worked, they recorded the song and put it out. the fans loved it and it climbed the charts. Warner Bros didn't want just a single, wanted an album to go with it. Eddie had not written anything yet. The next song was Dancing in the Street. These 2 tracks and even a few more, were Roths idea as he heard these on radio stations from previous decades or weird radio stations. This is why so many covers. DD still went plantinum, which made Warner Bros happy naturally. Eddie hated it but oh well.
DitS is the best cover version ever of that song, BBB is awesome too. I like the album always did, this is their varieté album showing the musical roots of Eddie and Alex shining through and let's not forget Dave loves singing cabaret stuff like this...
Bought it on release and always liked it. It’s a feel-good album. Not as good as the first four but it wasn’t a planned project. The original numbers are superb and the covers are all good in themselves (although there are too many).
This record to me is like an EP but longer if that makes sense. I really love this record with the exception of Dancing In the Streets. Fun album and a great listen
Its a great album. Amazingly unique, it flows extremely well for such a varied album . I actually think its quite brilliant . All the originals are excellent . Covers great. Yr really got to listen. My 1st vh album
I like it. Some of the covers are a bit underwhelming compared to what original songs they could have written but they they are still a good time. I enjoy it from start to finish. I would give it "3,75 / 5" !
I never, in my head, thought of Diver Down as a full album. Seemed super short due to the short instros and passable cover tunes. I never even bought it but a friend had it when it came out and I loved Full Bug and Hang 'em. The rest was just pleasant enough but not essential VH for me.
Van Halen, especially Ed, were very upset the band was pushed into quickly making this album. After the fair warning Toyr they were supposed to have their first break however with sudden unexpected success of pretty woman Warner Brothers forced them to go right back into the studio and rush this album out
Loved it in 82. Nobody cared (that I knew) about the cover songs. It was new VH and all was good. Now still good not great I still don’t mind the cover songs because VH clearly make cover songs sound original. Favorites: Where Have All The Good Times Gone Hang em’ High Little Guitars Full Bug
The main issue for me is that the record feels disjointed. It’s known that the band after Fair warning wanted to take a break, but decided to record a single just to keep their name out there. Once the single was a major success the label forced them to churn out an album. If they had done a record with just covers I think it would’ve been better received
Love love looooove this album. Love all the Roth-era albums, love all the covers. Never liked Roy Orbison's original version of Oh, Pretty Woman -- VH do it much better. And, it must be said, this is THE best cover of Dancing In The Streets by anyone, anywhere. Certainly makes the Jagger/Bowie version look outright embarassing (which it is anyways). Finally, it must be noted, given how fucked-up everyone was at the time the playing is excellent across the board and the production sound by Ted Templeman and Donn Landee is exemplary.
Its rated low only because it has a lot of cover songs. I don’t think any of the covers on this are particularly good. Also I am from the UK and like most people here I associate You Really Got Me with the Kinks original and not Van Halen (on the first album) at all. I disagree, I don’t think VH is a great covers band at all. They could have done an EP just of originals, I guess they wanted to or were asked to put out a full LP so padded it out.
The producer, Ted Templeman, was always pushing for them to include covers because he thought they were automatic proven hits and that was his idea of how to guarantee a hit album.
yea you checked off all the issues. in real time I did not like this album. big let down. I heard it was because of drama with Dave not liking Eddies new sounds. That's why they did a cover of Dancing because it was middle ground.
I love that album . I don't get the hate for it . Hang em high , full bug , even dancing in the streets are great .
“Secrets” and “Hang ‘em High” are the highlights here for me. However, l like the majority of the instrumentals and covers, too. You can’t go wrong with any DLR fronted albums by VH. Even “Me Wise Magic,” from the first greatest hits CD is an excellent song!
Keep up the stellar work!
Cheers from The Big Apple.
Rock Out, Prog On & Pogo!
Demonically & sonically yours,
~ The Doppelgänger Known As Davey Cretin from CRETIN CLASSICS!
Here's the reasoning and background on how this album came about. For 1982, the start of the yr, the band was taking a much needed break from the Fair Warning tour. They put Pretty Woman out as a single, just to throw something out for the public and their fans. Roth came up with the idea. Their mgr, Noel Monk gave the ok. Roth had Eddie listen to it, to get an idea on the riff. It worked, they recorded the song and put it out. the fans loved it and it climbed the charts. Warner Bros didn't want just a single, wanted an album to go with it. Eddie had not written anything yet. The next song was Dancing in the Street. These 2 tracks and even a few more, were Roths idea as he heard these on radio stations from previous decades or weird radio stations. This is why so many covers. DD still went plantinum, which made Warner Bros happy naturally. Eddie hated it but oh well.
Little Guitars, Secrets, Hang ‘em High, Full Bug…4 killer songs. Little Guitars in my top 5 VH songs ever!
Underrated Gem .. Hangem High so cool
DitS is the best cover version ever of that song, BBB is awesome too. I like the album always did, this is their varieté album showing the musical roots of Eddie and Alex shining through and let's not forget Dave loves singing cabaret stuff like this...
Don't care about any perceived shortcomings, love it. "Little Guitars" is worth the price of admission alone.
Great drum sound. The original.songs are awesome, the covers are kind eh but overall I've grown to love it.
Bought it on release and always liked it. It’s a feel-good album. Not as good as the first four but it wasn’t a planned project. The original numbers are superb and the covers are all good in themselves (although there are too many).
Pretty Woman, Dancing in the Street and Where Have all the Good Times Gone are great cover versions and my fav songs on the album.
This record to me is like an EP but longer if that makes sense. I really love this record with the exception of Dancing In the Streets. Fun album and a great listen
First vh album I ever bought! Love it!
Its a great album. Amazingly unique, it flows extremely well for such a varied album . I actually think its quite brilliant . All the originals are excellent . Covers great. Yr really got to listen. My 1st vh album
I like it. Some of the covers are a bit underwhelming compared to what original songs they could have written but they they are still a good time. I enjoy it from start to finish.
I would give it "3,75 / 5" !
I've read that the music for Dancing in the street was meant for another song. Wonder how the original intended song would sound .
It's a lazy album with 4 songs they'd covered for a decade.
Still, it rocks. "Where have all the good times gone" is among my fave rock covers.
Ok album but saw them on this tour and the show was awesome
I never, in my head, thought of Diver Down as a full album. Seemed super short due to the short instros and passable cover tunes. I never even bought it but a friend had it when it came out and I loved Full Bug and Hang 'em. The rest was just pleasant enough but not essential VH for me.
Van Halen, especially Ed, were very upset the band was pushed into quickly making this album. After the fair warning Toyr they were supposed to have their first break however with sudden unexpected success of pretty woman Warner Brothers forced them to go right back into the studio and rush this album out
Great album!
I have that album on CD
It had two covers too many. Happy Trails and Big Bad Bill. The rest is great!
Loved it in 82. Nobody cared (that I knew) about the cover songs. It was new VH and all was good. Now still good not great I still don’t mind the cover songs because VH clearly make cover songs sound original.
Favorites:
Where Have All The Good Times Gone
Hang em’ High
Little Guitars
Full Bug
🤘🤘🤘
The thing about DLR Van Halen is that it's just like sex, even bad sex is still pretty good.
Both
The main issue for me is that the record feels disjointed. It’s known that the band after Fair warning wanted to take a break, but decided to record a single just to keep their name out there. Once the single was a major success the label forced them to churn out an album. If they had done a record with just covers I think it would’ve been better received
I agree
Love love looooove this album. Love all the Roth-era albums, love all the covers. Never liked Roy Orbison's original version of Oh, Pretty Woman -- VH do it much better. And, it must be said, this is THE best cover of Dancing In The Streets by anyone, anywhere. Certainly makes the Jagger/Bowie version look outright embarassing (which it is anyways). Finally, it must be noted, given how fucked-up everyone was at the time the playing is excellent across the board and the production sound by Ted Templeman and Donn Landee is exemplary.
to many covers...dislike album
Its rated low only because it has a lot of cover songs. I don’t think any of the covers on this are particularly good.
Also I am from the UK and like most people here I associate You Really Got Me with the Kinks original and not Van Halen (on the first album) at all. I disagree, I don’t think VH is a great covers band at all.
They could have done an EP just of originals, I guess they wanted to or were asked to put out a full LP so padded it out.
The producer, Ted Templeman, was always pushing for them to include covers because he thought they were automatic proven hits and that was his idea of how to guarantee a hit album.
yea you checked off all the issues. in real time I did not like this album. big let down. I heard it was because of drama with Dave not liking Eddies new sounds. That's why they did a cover of Dancing because it was middle ground.
A huge disappointment for me...always. The album that is! Not your review!