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The 50 Greatest VAN HALEN songs - Roth era only (list over) (1 Viewer)

Whyatt said:
Got me on pins and needles 
Yes, she knows - she's mine and ain't lettin' gooooo!!!!!!!!

I need to call out the bass line on this one. Eddie is fantastic on the guitar. The lyrics were made for DLR. 

I’d have this song about 20 slots higher, Fair Warning is without a doubt my favorite VH album.
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Fair Warning is outstanding.    

 
Pip's Invitation said:
Eh, this is all "Dave is a showoff". 
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Maybe, but he still trails by a lot since there are far more “Eddie is a showoff” tunes. ;)

Dr. Octopus said:
why is that? I didn't see the criteria other than DLR era.
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No covers or songs that are just guitar solos, as noted in the first post in this thread. :)

 
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Ghost Rider said:
42. Stay Frosty

Amazing how they managed to write a song channeling a song from their first album and almost nail the same vibe.  A song like this by just about any other band would come off as not good at all, but Van Halen just makes it work wonderfully.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Mk1uifmAEw
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I actually love this song. The "Uh Uh Uh" gets a little repetitive/annoying but the rest of the song is fun and shreds just like Ice Cream Man. An underrated and fun summer rocker!!!

ETA - DLR once teased this song during his spoken intro to ICM on their last tour. It would have been so fun to see both songs in a little mini-medley from DLR....

 
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Ghost Rider said:
Guess I will power through these quickly for now...

45. House of Pain

Fun little song, and that riff that kicks off the song is money.  Great way to end the original Roth era.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mg5zzivyOcA

44. Feel Your Love Tonight

It's indicative of how great the first album is when a song this good is my least favorite of the 11 (and the 9th highest in this countdown since Eruption and You Really Got Me are ineligible). 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6zTXPN_PPo

43. Bullethead

Another song from 2012 that sounds like it should have been on one of the first two albums.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aas1sQLJL8A
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House of Pain is easily the best song on 1984 IMO.

 
Ghost Rider said:
38. As Is

"Everybody, let's stay focused."  Another 2012 song that managed to channel the classic era. Good stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPbZEEZme6Y

37. Romeo Delight

This song was kind of afterthought for me at first, but I have come around to really liking it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGbb8-j1Suo
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Unfortunately, you lose me a little bit with these two. Both are awesome and - IMHO - deserving of a ranking at least 15 spots higher. While Romeo Delight pushes towards my top 10, As Is is firmly in it. This song is a monster and would have been amazing in their tour setlist. They practiced it but never played it during a show. Here is video of the track minus DLR's vocals - taken from a soundcheck in '12 (with the also amazing Light Up the Sky). Give this a watch/listen - if this is a band's 38th best song, that is a damn fine band. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Si9M_WCzB70

Sidenote - I saw the VH soundcheck on the 2012 tour in San Diego - got to see them rip through 5 or 6 songs minus the vocals. After seeing that, I'm certain I would have gone to see Van Halen play without any singer at all. I still get goosebumps thinking about how cool that experience was. What's interesting is that I found myself singing all the vocals in my head which strangely made me experience the rest of the music even more deeply - like at some spiritual level. Much more personal and intimate without the vocals.

As for Romeo Delight, I never appreciated it as much as I should have until I heard it covered by Adreneline Mob - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YAuoGZjcyU.

For some reason hearing another band do the song made me realize how much the song rocked in the first place. This is a mighty rocker and an awesome song live.

To be clear, my disagreement doesn't mean you're wrong - it just means Van Halen is that awesome.

 
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Ghost Rider said:
Seems like a good time to do this, and I think doing songs from just the Roth era will be more to the liking of the average fan. Like the one I did for Rush, this list is pretty much dictated by my personal tastes.  Really, it's just an excuse to talk about all of the songs individually, to celebrate the greatness in the wake of Eddie Van Halen's passing.

Note that this list will not have covers or guitar solo songs.

50. Sunday Afternoon in the Park/One Foot out the Door

These last two songs from the supremely awesome Fair Warning work well as a combo, with the first being a song of just bass and drums (I think) before exploding into the full band tune Out Foot out the Door.  Very nice way to end one of the band's best albums.  Looking at just One Foot out the Door, it's awesome how much they jam into a song that is just under two minutes. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_KY2CGGzkw
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VH with DLR only released 75 songs. I am not sure what instrumental songs will be excluded. Sunday Afternoon in the Park was performed by Eddie on a synthesizer, not a bass. VH folklore has it that around this time (when Eddie was experimenting on a synthesizer), he came up with the keyboard riff for Jump.

Anyway, off the top of my head, besides Sunday Afternoon, VH (DLR) had 7 other instrumentals that I can remember (Eruption, Spanish Fly, Tora! Tora!, Cathedral, Intruder, Little Guitars Intro, 1984). 

As for covers, those included You Really Got Me, Ice Cream Man, You're No Good, Happy Trails, Big Bad Bill, Pretty Woman, Where Have All the Good Times Gone, and Dancing in the Street. That's 8 more songs.

It's your list and clearly you can do whatever you want . . . but excluding instrumentals and covers would ignore 20% of the VH-DLR catalog.

 
Ghost Rider said:
Works for me, but maybe don’t post them for songs not featured yet? Posting them as they get featured might be a good idea. I’ll put up another trio later today. 
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I posted LUTS as part of the As Is video but I couldn't post just part of a youtube vid. My bad.

 
soothsayer said:
I clicked on this intending to listen to the first 20-30 seconds just to check it out and I couldn't stop listening. Listening to isolated EVH is insane.
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I have always considered EVH to be one of the greats.   After listening to a ton of VH for the last week, he is the GOAT.   It’s not about the flashy playing.  It’s about the mister riffs, incredible tone, and fast but melodic solos that fit so well into songs.  

 
zamboni said:
Romeo kicks all kinds of ###. Mike going off during Eddie’s solo is a big highlight.
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Love how heavy and aggressive this song is.   Funny when you listen to this and then Jump to really hear the big difference in style.   VH could do no wrong in those early years.  

 
Anarchy99 said:
VH with DLR only released 75 songs. I am not sure what instrumental songs will be excluded. Sunday Afternoon in the Park was performed by Eddie on a synthesizer, not a bass. VH folklore has it that around this time (when Eddie was experimenting on a synthesizer), he came up with the keyboard riff for Jump.

Anyway, off the top of my head, besides Sunday Afternoon, VH (DLR) had 7 other instrumentals that I can remember (Eruption, Spanish Fly, Tora! Tora!, Cathedral, Intruder, Little Guitars Intro, 1984). 

As for covers, those included You Really Got Me, Ice Cream Man, You're No Good, Happy Trails, Big Bad Bill, Pretty Woman, Where Have All the Good Times Gone, and Dancing in the Street. That's 8 more songs.

It's your list and clearly you can do whatever you want . . . but excluding instrumentals and covers would ignore 20% of the VH-DLR catalog.
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Well, if you will make you all happy, I could always say they are not being excluded, but then you'd all wonder why none made the list when I deemed none worthy of the top 50. :P

Re: Sunday Afternoon..., that is my bad.  I remember it was part of Anthony's bass solo one of the 90's tours and got it in my head that the original was a bass (with effects) and not a keyboard.

 
36. On Fire

As noted before, you cannot go wrong with anything from the first album, one of the all-time great debut records.  This a great way to end the album.  ON FIIIIIIIIREEEEEE!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6z-nxAYhGw

35. Push Comes to Shove

Great little laid back number, and if you feel like having your mind blown, crank the guitar solo of this one up as loud as possible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qRP6hNefYg

34. Can't Get This Stuff No More

So yeah, we got two new songs with Roth in '96 and this was one of them, and it was a good one. I think it's pretty interesting to hear Roth on a VH song like this.  It doesn't sound like the classic stuff and you can tell Eddie was still in that little experimental phase, yet it works.  Love this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HHQ11HOZwM

 
Ghost Rider said:
35. Push Comes to Shove

Great little laid back number, and if you feel like having your mind blown, crank the guitar solo of this one up as loud as possible.
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I’m old and listen to whole albums - this song is a perfect change of pace between the previous and next tunes.

Is it possible to listen to this guitar solo and not play the air guitar? No!

 
Ghost Rider said:
36. On Fire

As noted before, you cannot go wrong with anything from the first album, one of the all-time great debut records.  This a great way to end the album.  ON FIIIIIIIIREEEEEE!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6z-nxAYhGw

35. Push Comes to Shove

Great little laid back number, and if you feel like having your mind blown, crank the guitar solo of this one up as loud as possible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qRP6hNefYg
Click to expand...
Two excellent songs for two different reasons for me.   Love Eddies rhythm guitar work on On Fire.   The solo in Push Cones to Shove is one of his best.   Push Comes to Shove is a great song all the way around.  Was VH the coolest band ever?  

 
Loving this list. I would have had So This is Love way higher but that's what makes it fun. 

 
DocHolliday said:
Ghost Rider said:
36. On Fire

As noted before, you cannot go wrong with anything from the first album, one of the all-time great debut records.  This a great way to end the album.  ON FIIIIIIIIREEEEEE!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6z-nxAYhGw

35. Push Comes to Shove

Great little laid back number, and if you feel like having your mind blown, crank the guitar solo of this one up as loud as possible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qRP6hNefYg
Click to expand...
Two excellent songs for two different reasons for me.   Love Eddies rhythm guitar work on On Fire.   The solo in Push Cones to Shove is one of his best.   Push Comes to Shove is a great song all the way around.  Was VH the coolest band ever?  
Click to expand...
Love these two as well.

Interesting early, rawer demo of "On Fire" before Templeman polished it up for the album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ljRD-I_wkQ

As for "Push", seems like VH like many other bands had a few years prior, were trying to work a little disco in their sound. First time I heard it, I thought it sounded a bit more like Van McCoy than Van Halen,  but they pulled it off beautifully.

 
33. Little Guitars

I am not a big Diver Down fan, but this song is a major winner, and definitely my favorite from that record.  The groove Alex lays down on the drums in the chorus is so simple, yet so perfect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6umKShwSVQA

32. She's the Woman

Another 2012 song that sounds like vintage VH.  This should have been the lead single from the record.  Killer riff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tj3ul98CnRg

31. Ice Cream Man

This song was a bit of a grower for me, as I did think it was too cheesy when I first heard it, but I eventually got it, and now I love it. Sometimes these things take time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2RKWJD5ops

 
30. In a Simply Rhyme

Really good album closer.  I love the resonance of the guitar at the beginning and how it is reprised in the middle of the song.  I would like to have heard them do something with that ending, instead of just being tacked on to the end, almost like they didn't know what else to do with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2euKIcljqMk

29. The Trouble with Never

This was initially my favorite song from A Different Kind of Truth (but is not anymore ;) ).  It rocks, it has the classic VH harmonies (even with Michael Anthony missing) and has that classic DLR delivery. What's not to love?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwcY-7yXnEM

28. Me Wise Magic

As much as a bummer as it was for me when Hagar departed the band, hearing this song, the first with Roth again in '96, was a revelation.  It was like, okay, VH is going to be okay again.  Loved it from the start and still love it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA-DmFtryFY

27. Everybody Want Some!!

Feels like I should have this song ranked higher, but I simply don't listen to it as much as I do many others nowadays, but number 27 on this list is still nothing at which to sneeze.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EI8JN-fSLo

 
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Discussion has nearly gone away, so I will list most here quickly to finish it off.

26. Dance the Night Away - fun little tune. Always enjoyable.

25. Outta Space - killer tune. One of my favorite VH intros ever.

24. Could This Be Magic? - "Sail away with someone's daughter!:"

23. Beautiful Girls - hard to hear this now and not think of the SNL skit with Farley and Sandler.

22. D.O.A. - another killer deep cut from II.

21. And the Cradle Will Rock - my favorite song from Women and Children First.

 
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Ghost Rider said:
33. Little Guitars

I am not a big Diver Down fan, but this song is a major winner, and definitely my favorite from that record.  The groove Alex lays down on the drums in the chorus is so simple, yet so perfect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6umKShwSVQA

32. She's the Woman

Another 2012 song that sounds like vintage VH.  This should have been the lead single from the record.  Killer riff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tj3ul98CnRg

31. Ice Cream Man

This song was a bit of a grower for me, as I did think it was too cheesy when I first heard it, but I eventually got it, and now I love it. Sometimes these things take time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2RKWJD5ops
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:penalty:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FXzfXBHXW8

You'll need to remove that from the list.

 
I’d heard Little Guitars a bunch before but I had no idea that was the title. I figured it was called Senorita or something like that.

 
Ghost Rider said:
Discussion has nearly gone away, so I will list most here quickly to finish it off.

26. Dance the Night Away - fun little tune. Always enjoyable.
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Surprised to see this one so low.  As someone said in another thread, it's hard not to feel better after hearing this song.

 
Ghost Rider said:
30. In a Simply Rhyme

Really good album closer.  I love the resonance of the guitar at the beginning and how it is reprised in the middle of the song.  I would like to have heard them do something with that ending, instead of just being tacked on to the end, almost like they didn't know what else to do with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2euKIcljqMk
Click to expand...
This is my favorite.  Love everything about this song - intro, lyrics, structure, harmonies, the breakdown followed by Eddie ripping into solo. Alex is all over the kit - sounds like some jazz runs going.  And MA is stand out on the bass.  Combined with his harmonies, could be Mike's best song.

 
Tin Cup said:
Surprised to see this one so low.  As someone said in another thread, it's hard not to feel better after hearing this song.
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Oh, for sure.  Just a fun little song that is always a pick-me-up.

 
raidergil said:
This is my favorite.  Love everything about this song - intro, lyrics, structure, harmonies, the breakdown followed by Eddie ripping into solo. Alex is all over the kit - sounds like some jazz runs going.  And MA is stand out on the bass.  Combined with his harmonies, could be Mike's best song.
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Agree with this, one of their most underrated songs and a winner from start to finish.  

 
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