Had no idea this one would make it in on its own. Oh ilm!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJuv7cI8od4
38. INTRUDER(Diver Down; 1982) 79 points | 4 votes
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Monday, 23 May 2016 14:24 (seven years ago) link
shout out for the thread title!
― Larry Elleison (rogermexico.), Monday, 23 May 2016 14:27 (seven years ago) link
lol i nearly voted for "intruder" on its own
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Monday, 23 May 2016 14:31 (seven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnsTnN8mBuo
37. FEEL YOUR LOVE TONIGHT(Van Halen; 1978) 80 points | 5 votes
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Monday, 23 May 2016 14:50 (seven years ago) link
god i love this song
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Monday, 23 May 2016 14:57 (seven years ago) link
Had I ever finished my ballot, that would have been in my top 10!
― a 47-year-old chainsaw artist from South Carolina (Phil D.), Monday, 23 May 2016 15:39 (seven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7SHNmoHWyY
36. TOP JIMMY(1984; 1984) 86 points | 5 votes
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Monday, 23 May 2016 15:43 (seven years ago) link
wonder if all of 1984 will make it
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Monday, 23 May 2016 16:07 (seven years ago) link
I'd be ok with that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ckFuURIWXc
TIE-34. TAKE YOUR WHISKEY HOME(Women and Children First; 1980) 99 points | 5 votes
—
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWRZ-ib7bGU
TIE-34. WHERE HAVE ALL THE GOOD TIMES GONE!(Diver Down; 1982) 99 points | 5 votes
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Monday, 23 May 2016 16:46 (seven years ago) link
I SO LOVE MY BABY'S POUNDCAKE
― a goon shaped tool (some dude), Monday, 23 May 2016 16:51 (seven years ago) link
(there's no consensus among lyric sites about whether it's "i so love," "i sure love," or "i still love," so i'm just going with the one that amuses me most)
― a goon shaped tool (some dude), Monday, 23 May 2016 16:52 (seven years ago) link
wow i haven't seen the 'poundcake' video in forever. the menacing woman with the drill is the model from the 'father figure' video!
― maura, Monday, 23 May 2016 17:00 (seven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-bt81UBDLI
33. COULD THIS BE MAGIC?(Women and Children First; 1980) 102 points | 5 votes | 1 first place vote
First place vote = baller move
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Monday, 23 May 2016 17:27 (seven years ago) link
Can we do a top five of songs titled with exclamation points at the end?
― calstars, Monday, 23 May 2016 17:50 (seven years ago) link
And question marks
"Outta Love Again" in particular seems ripe for some additional enthusiasm.
― calstars, Monday, 23 May 2016 17:51 (seven years ago) link
Outta Love Again"?"!"
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Monday, 23 May 2016 17:56 (seven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iofxm92XcMI
32. WOMEN IN LOVE......(Van Halen II; 1979) 104 points | 6 votes
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Monday, 23 May 2016 17:57 (seven years ago) link
All the question marks, exclamation marks,apostrophes and ellipses made compiling the results a bit of a challenge.
― nate woolls, Monday, 23 May 2016 17:57 (seven years ago) link
"women in love" like "doa" was a song i realized i should've included right after i sent my ballot
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Monday, 23 May 2016 18:02 (seven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F7qDUAMXpw
31. PUSH COMES TO SHOVE(Fair Warning; 1981) 105 points | 6 votes
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Monday, 23 May 2016 18:27 (seven years ago) link
Push Comes to Shove...
― calstars, Monday, 23 May 2016 18:45 (seven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAxOuud9zko
30. ICE CREAM MAN(Van Halen; 1978) 117 points | 7 votes
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Monday, 23 May 2016 19:08 (seven years ago) link
Ice Cream, Man?
― Now I Know How Joan of Arcadia Felt (C. Grisso/McCain), Monday, 23 May 2016 19:24 (seven years ago) link
oh i voted for "push comes to shove" which is kinda both the grooviest and most haunting depth of fair warning
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Monday, 23 May 2016 19:35 (seven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gacwZ5idC7I
29. SINNER'S SWING!(Fair Warning; 1981) 123 points | 7 votes
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Monday, 23 May 2016 19:38 (seven years ago) link
i also voted for this! i love fair warning
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Monday, 23 May 2016 19:41 (seven years ago) link
g-g-g-g-get out and push!
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Monday, 23 May 2016 19:43 (seven years ago) link
is anyone making a spotify playlist for this?
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Monday, 23 May 2016 19:46 (seven years ago) link
i knew Women in Love would make my list, but was a little surprised it nabbed a top 10 spot.
― rmde bob (will), Monday, 23 May 2016 19:48 (seven years ago) link
(top ten spot on my list, that is)
― rmde bob (will), Monday, 23 May 2016 19:51 (seven years ago) link
the station i grew up listening to in Delaware played "Ice Cream Man" about as much as any VH song, still not sure if it got that much radio play elsewhere
― a goon shaped tool (some dude), Monday, 23 May 2016 19:51 (seven years ago) link
Dr. Demento used to play it once in a while.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Monday, 23 May 2016 19:56 (seven years ago) link
My hometown AOR station played it quite a bit as well.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Monday, 23 May 2016 19:56 (seven years ago) link
YES to this!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFMDCz6-2U0
28. LIGHT UP THE SKY(Van Halen II; 1979) 134 points | 7 votes
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Monday, 23 May 2016 19:57 (seven years ago) link
was just barely knocked out of my no. 1 spot
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Monday, 23 May 2016 20:00 (seven years ago) link
'Sinner's Swing!' TOO LOW!
― Turrican, Monday, 23 May 2016 20:02 (seven years ago) link
"Ice Cream Man" was big on Houston radio, which isn't surprising as we love our ice cream down here. I still remember the surprise I felt while visiting the Blockbuster Music on Farnham sometime in the mid-nineties and hearing THIS on a Chess records comp the clerks were listening to.
― Now I Know How Joan of Arcadia Felt (C. Grisso/McCain), Monday, 23 May 2016 20:22 (seven years ago) link
Fun Fact about the VH "Ice Cream Man": DLR himself plays the acoustic part!
― Now I Know How Joan of Arcadia Felt (C. Grisso/McCain), Monday, 23 May 2016 20:23 (seven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3u6WBBUZPE
27. “DIRTY MOVIES”(Fair Warning; 1981) 141 points | 7 votes
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Monday, 23 May 2016 20:43 (seven years ago) link
Eddie really shines on that one ...
― BlackIronPrison, Monday, 23 May 2016 20:47 (seven years ago) link
^^Underrated DLR spoken part in this one.
― Now I Know How Joan of Arcadia Felt (C. Grisso/McCain), Monday, 23 May 2016 20:51 (seven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI5DOBcX6ZY
26. FINISH WHAT YA STARTED(OU812; 1988) 142 points | 8 votes
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Monday, 23 May 2016 21:19 (seven years ago) link
ok kinda angry I didn't vote now.
in what universe is any Van Hagar song better than Ice Cream Man
― Οὖτις, Monday, 23 May 2016 21:23 (seven years ago) link
aw i love this song and, as evidenced in the voting thread, had no idea it was van halen until last week
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Monday, 23 May 2016 21:28 (seven years ago) link
these two hagar-era tunes make me think there's going to be a lot more. booooo.
― rmde bob (will), Monday, 23 May 2016 21:30 (seven years ago) link
i predict "why can't this be love" and...
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Monday, 23 May 2016 21:31 (seven years ago) link
"cabo wabo" ofc
right now :-/
― rmde bob (will), Monday, 23 May 2016 21:33 (seven years ago) link
kinda can't imagine anyone loving "right now" enough at this point to vote for it but i've been wrong before lol
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Monday, 23 May 2016 21:35 (seven years ago) link
Great top 2.
― Hi! I'm twice-coloured! (Sund4r), Wednesday, 25 May 2016 02:06 (seven years ago) link
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love is the first VH song I learned on guitar, and it's probably the easiest VH song to learn, probably because there's no tapping and speed picking anywhere in it. I'm sure I drove my parents crazy playing it in my room for hours at a time.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Wednesday, 25 May 2016 02:12 (seven years ago) link
Maybe everyone else already arrived at this conclusion, but "Good Enough," the opening track on 5150, is basically a rewrite of "Panama" because I guess the band wanted to prove they could still do that with a new singer?
Anyway, "Good Enough" is good and should've been a single.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Wednesday, 25 May 2016 02:30 (seven years ago) link
thanks JF!
songs:PanamaEverybody Wants Some!!Hot For TeacherAin’t Talkin’ ‘Bout LoveSomebody Get Me A DoctorI’m The OneDance The Night AwayUnchainedWomen In Love…In A Simple RhymeRunnin’ With The DevilYou Really Got MeEruptionHear About It LaterD.O.A.Why Can’t This Be LoveJumpFinish What Ya StartedDrop Dead LegsThe Best Of Both WorldsPoundcakeBeautiful Girls
albums: Van Halen II1984Women And Children FirstVan HalenFor Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
― a goon shaped tool (some dude), Wednesday, 25 May 2016 02:39 (seven years ago) link
1. Runnin’ with the Devil2. Mean Street3. Panama4. I’ll Wait5. You Really Got Me6. Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love7. I’m the One8. Hot for Teacher9. Everybody Wants Some!10. Beautiful Girls11. Atomic Punk12. “Dirty Movies”13. Jamie’s Cryin’14. And the Cradle Will Rock…15. Unchained16. Eruption17. Jump18. Dance the Night Away19. Sinner’s Swing!20. Dancing in the Street21. (Oh) Pretty Woman22. Big Bad Bill (is Sweet William Now)
I didn't vote for solos or albums, but if I had, my top 5 albums would be:
Van HalenFair Warning1984Van Halen IIWomen & Children First
― Don Van Gorp, midwest regional VP, marketing (誤訳侮辱), Wednesday, 25 May 2016 10:51 (seven years ago) link
1. Panama2. Everybody Wants Some!!3. Unchained4. Runnin' With the Devil5. And the Cradle Will Rock6. Dance the Night Away7. Eruption8. Hot for Teacher9. Take Your Whiskey Home10. Jump11. You Really Got Me12. I'll Wait13. Mean Street14. Jamie's Cryin'15. Light Up the Sky 16. Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love17. Feel Your Love Tonight18. Bottoms Up!19. Sinner's Swing20. Ice Cream Man21. Hang 'Em High22. Happy Trails
ALBUMS:1. Women and Children First2. Van Halen3. 19844. Fair Warning5. Van Halen II
― mte, Wednesday, 25 May 2016 14:04 (seven years ago) link
New theory after listening to the songs on this thread: if Michaels Anthony had been mixed as loud live as he was in the studio, or if he had any of the amplifier overdrive that he had live in his studio tone, he'd be recognized as a bass genius worldwide. The single p-bass pickup instrument is not well-served by 80s style direct recording.
― Three Word Username, Wednesday, 25 May 2016 14:24 (seven years ago) link
1. Could This Be Magic2. Atomic Punk3. Ain't Talkin' Bout Love4. Dance The Night Away5. Unchained6. Little Guitars7. Sinner's Swing!8. Panama9. D.O.A. 10. Outta Love Again11. Jump12. Mean Street13. Top Jimmy14. So This Is Love15. Everybody Wants Some!!16. I'll Wait17. Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)18. Dancing In The Street19. Somebody Get Me A Doctor20. Light Up The Sky21. I'm The One22. On Fire
Didn't vote for albums or solos
― kevin smith what a bro (Myonga Vön Bontee), Wednesday, 25 May 2016 17:59 (seven years ago) link
I was the first place vote for "When It's Love". That's all I'm going to say here.
― how's life, Wednesday, 25 May 2016 22:25 (seven years ago) link
Tracks
01 Atomic Punk02 Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love03 On Fire04 Runnin' With The Devil05 And The Cradle Will Rock...06 Everybody Wants Some!!07 I'm The One08 Panama09 Dance The Night Away10 Jamie's Cryin'11 Unchained12 Romeo Delight13 Sinner's Swing!14 Beautiful Girls15 Little Dreamer16 Mean Street17 Top Jimmy18 Women In Love...19 'Dirty Movies'20 Feel Your Love Tonight21 Outta Love Again22 Loss Of Control
LPs
01 Van Halen02 Women and Children First03 Fair Warning04 Van Halen II05 1984
― lingereffect (Kent Burt), Wednesday, 25 May 2016 22:37 (seven years ago) link
50. ROMEO DELIGHT(Women and Children First; 1980) 49 points | 3 votes | 0 first place votes
Kinda surprised this didn't place higher. Solid.
― lingereffect (Kent Burt), Wednesday, 25 May 2016 22:41 (seven years ago) link
Michael Anthony's bass style is similar to Dusty Hill and Cliff Williams in keeping it simple and play what is needed like a clock.
― earlnash, Wednesday, 25 May 2016 22:46 (seven years ago) link
01 Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love02 Everybody Wants Some!!03 I'll Wait04 Mean Street05 And the Cradle Will Rock06 Runnin' with the Devil07 Eruption/You Really Got Me08 Intruder/(Oh) Pretty Woman09 Jump10 Hot for Teacher11 Beautiful Girls12 Panama13 On Fire14 D.O.A.15 Unchained16 Ice Cream Man17 Drop Dead Legs18 Atomic Punk19 Fools20 Sunday Afternoon in the Park21 Cathedral22 Tora! Tora!
last two were joeks, really
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 25 May 2016 23:35 (seven years ago) link
Cathedral's cool. My favorite EVH instrumental that isn't Eruption.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Wednesday, 25 May 2016 23:40 (seven years ago) link
I want to believe that somewhere in Eddie Van Halen's archive of home recordings is him jamming with some analog sequencer sounding like late 70s/early 80s Tangerine Dream. A dude that could play tap lines so repetitive and clean with a delay could sound like a one man Steve Reich. Add in some Berlin style electronic repeating sequences and you probably would have eargasm on your hands. I'd imagine the lure of easy money on the road probably kept him from ever having time, but I would have thought at one time with his L.A. proximity he could have done more movie and tv music if he wanted.
― earlnash, Wednesday, 25 May 2016 23:54 (seven years ago) link
― earlnash, Wednesday, May 25, 2016 6:46 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
yeah...i can't imagine Eddie's sound would work as well if the bassist was trying to be as flashy as him, especially in a band with no 2nd guitarist.
― a goon shaped tool (some dude), Wednesday, 25 May 2016 23:56 (seven years ago) link
i like cathedral fine, i just remember guitar dudes creaming themselves over it
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 25 May 2016 23:57 (seven years ago) link
I want to believe that somewhere in Eddie Van Halen's archive of home recordings is him jamming with some analog sequencer
It's the groovetastic combo of gtr/synth/cowbell that led me to vote for their Martha and the Vandellas cover
― kevin smith what a bro (Myonga Vön Bontee), Thursday, 26 May 2016 02:18 (seven years ago) link
"Outta Love Again" was my other choice determined largely by groove alone. And my #1, "Could This Be Magic" I wouldn't have ranked so highly without the rain-dependent recording circumstances or Nicolette Larson's contribution or Dave's rhythm guitar contribution. And as for "Big Bad Bill", I can't regard highly enough a hard rock/metal band that allows 2 bandmembers' dad to tootle along on clarinet on a swing-jazz novelty cover.
Thanks for doing the poll, JF!
― kevin smith what a bro (Myonga Vön Bontee), Thursday, 26 May 2016 02:33 (seven years ago) link
Anthony makes for a better Bill Berry than Bill Berry, in terms of a somewhat unheralded band member making the difference between a good and GREAT band.
Lot of the time there's no rhythm guitar track at all when Eddie goes off on one, so Anthony covers a lot of ground himself, plus, obviously, the vocals.
― Master of Treacle, Thursday, 26 May 2016 02:35 (seven years ago) link
I seem to recall in an article about the recording of the first record with Ted Templeton they had to work that out. Originally Templeton was wanting him to cut basic rhythm parts then over dub leads, but he really couldn't take them apart in a way that sounded better. The stripped down setup without much over dubs gives those early studio records a very live feel.
Another unique sonic element in Van Halen's early sound is how Alex Van Halen tuned up his kit. He's kinda known for having his snare pitched really high which makes it pierce through the mix. They also used the toms quite a bit in the arrangements of tunes.
Probably from growing up around their Dad's jazz, they could swing pretty well for a hard rock band and they put it in the act. It gives them a bit of Vaudeville.
― earlnash, Thursday, 26 May 2016 04:07 (seven years ago) link
"Michael Anthony's bass style is similar to Dusty Hill and Cliff Williams in keeping it simple and play what is needed like a clock."
Right, that's the cliche -- but listen carefully. He plays these crazy funk-style octaves and perfect little runs all the time -- he's high in the recorded mix but the sound of his instrument is not as aggressive as it is live (where he's ironically less audible). He's not a 8th-notes-and-that's-it player. He's doing something similar to Chris Squire -- Squire adapted Motown to prog, Anthony is playing a lot of fingerstyle funk -- but without the aggressive timbre, Anthony doesn't get noticed for it.
― Three Word Username, Thursday, 26 May 2016 05:56 (seven years ago) link
^^^
To wit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu8RpcChZrw
Listen to the chorus!!!
― a 47-year-old chainsaw artist from South Carolina (Phil D.), Thursday, 26 May 2016 13:34 (seven years ago) link
Fuuck so bummed I missed this one.
Def wouldve voted for Bottoms Up, Runaround, Me Wise Magic & In A Simple Rhyme.
― billstevejim, Thursday, 26 May 2016 16:07 (seven years ago) link
Yeah, I really should have voted. I would have repped for the unfairly maligned Diver Down. In my book, Hang 'em High, Secrets, and The Full Bug are all classics.
― Darin, Thursday, 26 May 2016 18:34 (seven years ago) link
Might as well Jump!. My favorite tracks. Well do I remember the world premiere of DLR's "Just Like Paradise."
― Your sweetie-pie-coo-coo I love ya (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 30 January 2019 03:19 (five years ago) link
VH rulez
― calstars, Wednesday, 30 January 2019 03:46 (five years ago) link
AIN'T TALKIN BOUT POLL
― Your sweetie-pie-coo-coo I love ya (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 30 January 2019 11:37 (five years ago) link
maron interviewing DLR kicked off my first full catalog listen. Lots of stuff between Van Halen and 1984 sounds good in a way it never did before. and most of what's good is absent in van hagar. holy shit, i didn't even know any of these recognizable-from-old-radio van hagar songs were them.
― Cecil replies to your e-mails (Sufjan Grafton), Tuesday, 16 July 2019 23:28 (four years ago) link
Dance the Night Away might have been my #1. <3 that chorus with those backing vocals. Ultimate party music. Gettin' shit done music. Cruisin' music. Music.
― Mazzy Tsar (PBKR), Wednesday, 17 July 2019 00:19 (four years ago) link
I just put this on and DLR's "come on" scream might be the apex of their catalog.
― Mazzy Tsar (PBKR), Wednesday, 17 July 2019 00:36 (four years ago) link
VH is grrrreat but don’t feel like you can’t also show VHagar some love too. Dreams, Why Can’t this be Love, Summer Nights are all pretty sweet. You don’t have to choose between Dave and Sammy- only Eddie has that burden.
― calstars, Wednesday, 17 July 2019 00:56 (four years ago) link
Van Halen was both more fun and (when they needed to be) heavier. Van Hagar was competent (he's a great belter) but AOR dumber, and not in a smart way. However, Hagar has its moments. For example, "Finish What Ya Started" may be the most subtle the band has ever sounded, and I've always liked the pure cheese of "When It's Love." "Black & Blue" might be as ugly as lyrics get this side of AC/DC at its grossest, though.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 17 July 2019 01:03 (four years ago) link
"Dance the Night Away" is an utter gem.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 17 July 2019 01:04 (four years ago) link
I will fuck with some 5150 and "Finish What Ya Started" but nothing later than that.
― Mazzy Tsar (PBKR), Wednesday, 17 July 2019 01:44 (four years ago) link
The production on F/U/C/K largely ruins it for me, but Balance has a few dope things. And that song from the Twister movie was alright.
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 17 July 2019 03:36 (four years ago) link