Have you seen Junior's grades?! ILM Artist Poll #75 - VAN HALEN (Results thread)

http://i.imgur.com/01IPMaZ.jpg

Everybody wants some!! poll results, I guess.

There were 26 ballots cast in all. 12 people voted in the albums side poll. We'll start there...

http://i.imgur.com/Z7PC8Tp.jpg

5. Women and Children First (1980)
288 points | 9 votes | 1 first place vote

http://i.imgur.com/QkzYwKF.jpg

4. Fair Warning (1981)
339 points | 10 votes | 2 first place votes

http://i.imgur.com/32BT34Q.jpg

3. Van Halen II (1979)
346 points | 11 votes | 2 first place votes

No real surprises here...

http://i.imgur.com/M42H0fD.jpg

2. 1984 (1984)
385 points | 11 votes | 3 first place votes

—

http://i.imgur.com/3eJ9OR2.jpg

1. Van Halen (1978)
439 points | 12 votes | 4 first place votes

I'd like to give nate woolls a huge thanks for crunching all the ballots into usable data, because every time I try to manipulate a pivot table I end up wanting to punch a wall.

Unlike my usual polls, I couldn't get any graphics made for this one. I fucked up my hip on Saturday and I've only been able to lie down or stand up. Sitting for longer than 5 minutes at a time has been an endurance test. Because of that, I'm gonna use the old poll method of embedding videos. There will be 45 videos over the span of this thread (the songs results and the top 5 solos), so make use of bookmarks if your browser is fussy and delicate. And please, don't embed any videos of your own.

So let's get down to business...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da3ihugY410

40. OUTTA LOVE AGAIN
(Van Halen II; 1979) 75 points | 5 votes

The drumming in this is wild.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuRA86MJ0ro

39. POUNDCAKE
(For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge; 1991) 78 points | 4 votes

lol

I remember this album came about a week before my family took a vacation to the gulf coast. While everyone else was out at the beach, I was in the hotel room listening to it over and over.

Now it's my least favorite of all VH albums (except for VHIII, because wgaf).

i love that you were such a deep vh fan

Young Johnny Fever's three favorite bands for most of the 80s/early 90s were Van Halen, U2 and Rush. VH is the only one of those I've still got a deep emotional attachment to.

Outta Love Again has a groove between the guitars and drums that you can hear where part of Pantera's sound originates.

Well now that song's ruined.

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

shout out for the thread title!

lol i nearly voted for "intruder" on its own

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnsTnN8mBuo

37. FEEL YOUR LOVE TONIGHT
(Van Halen; 1978) 80 points | 5 votes

god i love this song

Had I ever finished my ballot, that would have been in my top 10!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7SHNmoHWyY

36. TOP JIMMY
(1984; 1984) 86 points | 5 votes

wonder if all of 1984 will make it

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

I SO LOVE MY BABY'S POUNDCAKE

(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)

wow i haven't seen the 'poundcake' video in forever. the menacing woman with the drill is the model from the 'father figure' video!

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

Can we do a top five of songs titled with exclamation points at the end?

And question marks

"Outta Love Again" in particular seems ripe for some additional enthusiasm.

Outta Love Again"?"!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iofxm92XcMI

32. WOMEN IN LOVE......
(Van Halen II; 1979) 104 points | 6 votes

All the question marks, exclamation marks,apostrophes and ellipses made compiling the results a bit of a challenge.

"women in love" like "doa" was a song i realized i should've included right after i sent my ballot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F7qDUAMXpw

31. PUSH COMES TO SHOVE
(Fair Warning; 1981) 105 points | 6 votes

Push Comes to Shove...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAxOuud9zko

30. ICE CREAM MAN
(Van Halen; 1978) 117 points | 7 votes

Ice Cream, Man?

oh i voted for "push comes to shove" which is kinda both the grooviest and most haunting depth of fair warning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gacwZ5idC7I

29. SINNER'S SWING!
(Fair Warning; 1981) 123 points | 7 votes

i also voted for this! i love fair warning

g-g-g-g-get out and push!

is anyone making a spotify playlist for this?

i knew Women in Love would make my list, but was a little surprised it nabbed a top 10 spot.

(top ten spot on my list, that is)

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

Dr. Demento used to play it once in a while.

My hometown AOR station played it quite a bit as well.

YES to this!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFMDCz6-2U0

28. LIGHT UP THE SKY
(Van Halen II; 1979) 134 points | 7 votes

was just barely knocked out of my no. 1 spot

'Sinner's Swing!' TOO LOW!

"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.

Fun Fact about the VH "Ice Cream Man": DLR himself plays the acoustic part!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3u6WBBUZPE

27. “DIRTY MOVIES”
(Fair Warning; 1981) 141 points | 7 votes

Eddie really shines on that one ...

^^Underrated DLR spoken part in this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI5DOBcX6ZY

26. FINISH WHAT YA STARTED
(OU812; 1988) 142 points | 8 votes

ok kinda angry I didn't vote now.

in what universe is any Van Hagar song better than Ice Cream Man

aw i love this song and, as evidenced in the voting thread, had no idea it was van halen until last week

these two hagar-era tunes make me think there's going to be a lot more. booooo.

i predict "why can't this be love" and...

"cabo wabo" ofc

right now :-/

kinda can't imagine anyone loving "right now" enough at this point to vote for it but i've been wrong before lol

this didn't make my 20-track ballot... but we got 22! would have been higher if poll had been restricted exclusively to songs about blue balls

i voted for six hagar songs

top of the world, feels so good, love walks in, CANT STOP LOVING YOU

right now someone you know is voting for "right now"

"top of the world" is so fucking great

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BzmCHAiumI

25. (OH) PRETTY WOMAN
(Diver Down; 1982) 144 points | 8 votes

I don't like voting for covers so I didn't vote for "Ice Cream Man" but I do love it.

I'm not sure "(Oh) Pretty Woman" deserved to place, though.

i voted for 4 Hagar tunes, including the 2 that have placed already. would be surprised if more than 1 or 2 remained.

I like "Oh Pretty Woman." But the video is a human rights violation.

xpost

imo there should be 4 or 5 more Van Hagar tunes in the top 40, but ¯\(ツ)/¯

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLGEYPOhK6w

24. HEAR ABOUT IT LATER
(Fair Warning; 1981) 154 points | 8 votes

^ #5 on my ballot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEEdais4nFo

23. D.O.A.
(Van Halen II; 1979) 162 points | 8 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VaEdKwXJhM

22. WHY CAN'T THIS BE LOVE
(5150; 1986) 171 points | 10 votes

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

21. DROP DEAD LEGS
(1984; 1984) 182 points | 9 votes

Top 20 tomorrow, plus solos

DDL my #2!

only time will tell
if we stand the test of time

uh jf did you get my ballot

oh wait nm wrong song

i looove "drop dead legs"

yeah it's not even that i hate Van Hagar. well, not all of it anyway. there's a handful of decent songs but none would make my top 30.

youtube commenters seem to really like Sammy

doing what listening i could this week it really is apparent how much more capable the band is with sammy out front. as a unit, they just become capable of so much more. unfortunately they also become Cock Rock Asia.

youtube commenters seem to really like Sammy

― rmde bob (will), Monday, May 23, 2016 8:57 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

a whole new kind of Sad YouTube

I was going to post these with youtubes of guitar geeks trying to recreate the solos, but it took too long to find good ones...

SOLOS
4 ballots received
13 songs voted for

5. Hot For Teacher
69 points | 2 votes

—

4. Panama
86 points | 3 votes

—

3. Jump
96 points | 3 votes

—

2. Eruption
120 points | 3 votes | 3 first place votes

—

1. Beat It
170 points | 5 votes | 1 first place vote

how did more people not vote for the "poundcake" solo? it involves a drill!!

I'm just glad Beat It won, because it really is the best.

Here's #20...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G2JKIVstJU

20. ON FIRE
(Van Halen; 1978) 183 points | 8 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vJUvecTTR0

(Sorry to Mr. Big-bomb the thread, though Paul Gilbert is a nuts guitarist)

(The drill comes out at 6:40)

i didn't do a solos list just because i barely had time to send in a ballot at all, but that's a good list

The Beat It solo is so graceful, so easy in execution. Always the highlight of the song

Isolated "Beat It" solo. A true mic drop, like "Enjoy your rhythm track, Lukather. See ya!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aplfy9YZcZs

Back to "On Fire," when I first bought the debut, it was on cassette and the song was at the end of side 1, but it apparently was always meant to be the closer. So when I hear it after "Ice Cream Man" now, it still sounds weird.

Disappointed it only came it at 20, because on any given day it could be my favorite VH song of all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOpSS46VezQ

19. SOMEBODY GET ME A DOCTOR
(Van Halen II; 1979) 186 points | 9 votes

Another TOO LOW

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lynStsoEMc8

18. BEAUTIFUL GIRLS
(Van Halen II; 1979) 207 points | 12 votes

^^ Both of those would have been VERY strong contenders for a #1 on my ballot.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3Yr_PGbtRrY

I knew what that was before I clicked it, and I still clicked it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEsckJ56Bng

17. I'M THE ONE
(Van Halen; 1978) 214 points | 9 votes

^^^^^^^ yessss

kinda the ultimate vh song imo

Is there any VH that doesn't feature even just a little bit of boogie?

I was just curious and did some googling, and it's remarkable how little footage there is of them in the early days, and that even what little exists already has them at playing to thousands c. 1978.

Maybe one day I'll figure what people like so much about this one—it's always a fan fave in VH discussions—but it hasn't happened yet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_-ytH0JMZg

16. LITTLE GUITARS
(Diver Down; 1982) 227 points | 9 votes | 1 first place vote

uh iirc it's

CATCH AS CATCH
CATCH AS CATCH
CAAAAN

like, what a cool part of a cool song

people think tiny things are cute, even guitars

It's joyous and light of spirit. I guess the "intro" is not considered part of this, although Roth wrote his lyrics thinking of flamenco and Mexicans based on that

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti1BWGgdGL8

15. ERUPTION
(Van Halen; 1978) 302 points | 12 votes | 1 first place vote

—

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X6e7uctAww

14. YOU REALLY GOT ME
(Van Halen; 1978) 318 points | 15 votes

oh my god

should have also polled all of michael anthony's \m/ faces

Little Guitars was my #1, I just think it's a crazy mix of jazzy bullshit in the beginning, latin whatever, a great catch-phrase backed by a break beat, and some pizzicato wanking

my son's favorite song for the past couple weeks has been the original "You Really Got Me," he'll listen to it 2 or 3 times in a row and totally rock out. i'm gonna drop the VH version on him next time he asks to hear it and see what happens.

lol cool test

"Wait, dad...whaaaaaa???"

the original back to the future prom moment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DstMopCz5cA

13. ATOMIC PUNK
(Van Halen; 1978) 329 points | 14 votes | 1 first place vote

and aren't we all victims of the science age in the end

Think I might change my Twitter bio to "I can't remember when I was your age."

i like to imagine DLR changing into a really badass road warrior style getup when this came up on the setlist in the 70s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M4_Ommfvv0

12. HOT FOR TEACHER
(1984; 1984) 373 points | 16 votes

x-post It was generally their closer at their 1979 shows

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOjm4I7LRgY

11. JAMIE'S CRYIN'
(Van Halen; 1978) 373 points | 16 votes | 1 first place vote

I've just about now, 27 years later, gotten to where I can listen to Jamie's Cryin' without thinking about Wild Thing.

ahaha ok my no. 1 won't make it :(

Eruption my #1 because VAN HALEN!

• Did Nos. 15 & 14 really happen like that?

• I'll tell you what wasn't on my ballot - stuff like Ice Cream Man. Not a big fan of those shaloobidoobydoo jaunts. Didn't vote for Happy Trails either.

• I've always taken up for Van Hagar even though I'm firmly in the DLR camp. (But not the DLR "camp" I mention above.) Went through 5150 and OU812 as I was making my ballot, heard those "Stop lookin' out, start lookin' in, be your own best friend" lyrics and realized that I really can't take up for them as much anymore.

Pretty happy with the way this is rolling out though!

First time hearing Little Guitars, this is cool! Kind of like Van Halen doing Rush

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHXbi1bC9T4

10. AND THE CRADLE WILL ROCK...
(Women and Children First; 1980) 377 points | 17 votes | 1 first place vote

rock on

i couldn't make room for Ice Cream Man but had to slip Happy Trails in at the end. i've always got time for a little of Dave's jazz scat, but a little does go a long way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5Gk79FazKs

9. MEAN STREET
(Fair Warning; 1981) 391 points | 17 votes

TOO FUCKIN' LOW!

so fuckin good

maybe too early to call but it's looking like my only picks that didn't make it here are Happy Trails, One Foot Out the Door & You're No Good

the last one wasn't super-obvious for me. i'm not particularly in love with Ronstadt's version (Dee Dee Warwick OTOH...), but the atmospherics and DLR's vocals tipped it.

I'm no fan of the VH rhythm section, but to their credit with a very few exceptions they work with EVH like a true power trio. That is, when he is soloing there are rarely other guitars at work. Just the three instruments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llfjDUB66Z4

8. DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY
(Van Halen II; 1979) 404 points | 17 votes

meh

pfft i love "dance the night away" what a hook

Okay song, unsure why it's this high.

Amazing hook. It would've been my #1 or #2.

ugh alfred did you not vote

is that why "why can't this be love" is so low

sublime chorus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1YcV3EmAzs

7. I'LL WAIT
(1984; 1984) 461 points | 18 votes | 1 first place vote

^^^ my jam

would have been on my solos list, had i made one

ugh alfred did you not vote

is that why "why can't this be love" is so low

― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson)

time will tell if we poll the test of time

"i'll wait" being top ten feels super ilm

super right

"Hot For Teacher" missing the top 10 hurts me. sad!

enjoying this, and haven't seen Dancing In the Streets yet? Assuming it's going to make it, that would be a pretty ILM choice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwYN7mTi6HM

6. JUMP
(1984; 1984) 485 points | 20 votes

i fell in love with this song all over again in the past week

also love alex's drumming in the bridge

10 year old Johnny Fever heard Van Halen for the first time:

At my dad's company picnic, some guy was playing 1984, the song, in his Chevy Blazer with the back hatch open. Being a bold youngster, I walked over and sat down cross-legged in awe of what I was hearing. THEN Jump started, and then Panama.

So, thanks unknown guy at my dad's company picnic. I've been a VH fan for 32 years because of you.

Jump video is about the most restrained DLR video I've seen yet. Probably the first time I saw him in action. VH was a radio band for me prior to that.

Really hoped "Atomic Punk," "On Fire" and "And The Cradle Will Rock" would be higher - all top 5 for me. My top 5 all pretty much were fighting for #1 - which I eventually gave to "Atomic Punk."

I don't dislike it, but I don't understand the adoration for "I'll Wait." The keyboard sound is pretty tacky.

I didn't vote for "Jump," but I do love the video. DLR with his Candice Bergen hair and Eddie's non-stop smile win me over every time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5txwFv-zYM

5. RUNNIN' WITH THE DEVIL
(Van Halen; 1978) 527 points | 21 votes | 2 first place votes

rest of the list beginning to clarify, i.e. it's "right now" four times right

Right Right Right Right Now

"I'll Wait" was my #1: Possibly the greatest New Wave move by a dinosaur band--it's their version of "The Model", and how can that not rule?

*throb*

A dinosaur band who were seven years into their recording career?

*throb*

― home organ, Tuesday, May 24, 2016

^^^ imagine Van Halen covering Janet Jackson.

The album's original release credits all songs to Edward Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, Michael Anthony and David Lee Roth.(citation needed) The label on the UK single release for "I'll Wait" (catalog #W9213) credited Michael McDonald as a co-writer, but he was not credited on the US version of the single (catalog #7-29307).(citation needed)

Songs from this album which appeared on compilations released after a royalty renegotiation with the band's label Warner Bros. (Best Of – Volume I, 1996) and a lawsuit brought by Roth (during the preparations for The Best of Both Worlds compilation, 2004),[citation needed] were credited to Edward Van Halen, Alex Van Halen and David Lee Roth, with Michael Anthony's name removed from the credits, as evident in the end song credits of the 2007 film Superbad. Subsequently, Anthony has been removed from all songwriting credits on the 1984 album.

The ASCAP entry for "I'll Wait" lists Michael McDonald as co-writer with Roth and the Van Halens. Like many bands starting out on their career, Van Halen shared songwriting credit equally between all members (including guitar instrumentals, which were clearly composed only by Eddie), but subsequent claims would lend credibility to the view that all songs were entirely or predominantly written by Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth, with little input from Van Halen's rhythm section.

In 2004, Roth discovered that the rest of the band had renegotiated a more preferential royalty rate with Warner Bros. for all releases made during his time as lead singer, giving them a royalty rate five times greater than his(5) This was later rectified.

"I'll Wait" doesn't sound new wave to me -- it sounds like a rock band with syncopated synth.

Yeah. it's no more new wave than Foreigner's "Urgent."

what caused michael anthony's excommunication?

I don't understand the politics of songwriting credits. So does that decision mean Alex VH and Michael Anthony were paid no royalties after a certain point or at the beginning they got credit and no royalties?

what caused michael anthony's excommunication?

― mookieproof

he always looked unhealthy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAktV72_nnE

4. EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!!
(Women and Children First; 1980) 577 points | 23 votes

It looks like at the beginning, the formative years with DLR, they got credit and royalties, like a 4-way split, but that arrangement has been since revised.

Possibly the greatest New Wave move by a dinosaur band

See the album Eliminator. Checkmate.

what caused michael anthony's excommunication?

He went on tour with Hagar.

Just because a song is split four ways, it does not necessarily mean the splits are an equal 25%

xpost

Van Halen in no way a dinosaur band in 1984. I'll Wait has keyboards, and has an 80s-style chord progression a la Eye of the Tiger or something, but if Survivor had actually been the band behind it, it wouldn't have been half as good. Van Halen had a unique style, which was very much vital back then -- nothing to do w New Wave, everything to do w playing hard rock with hooks that wasn't hair metal, and was loved by old classic rock dinosaurs and young'uns alike.

haha, wish I'd have voted in this, because I'm way more familiar with VH than I thought I was, just by virtue of being around

There's synths on Fair Warning, by which point their first album was, what, three years old or something?

Jump video is about the most restrained DLR video I've seen yet. Probably the first time I saw him in action. VH was a radio band for me prior to that.

― Zachary Taylor, Tuesday, May 24, 2016 5:16 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Always love how he doesn't lip-sync "Hey you!" and does lip-sync "Who said that?!"

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

3. UNCHAINED
(Fair Warning; 1981) 636 points | 23 votes | 3 first place votes

panama vs. ain't talkin bout love

a choice that's rotten to the co-ahhh

It's a great track, but nowhere near my favourite on that LP.

Full results after I post #1 and #2, but here's some neat charts nate made...

POINTS BY ALBUM

http://i.imgur.com/ALBcWJ6.png

POINTS BY SINGER

http://i.imgur.com/uuauOGP.png

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-NshzYK9y0

2. PANAMA
(1984; 1984) 663 points | 23 votes | 4 first place votes

—

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olAaTz9fBoM

1. AIN'T TALKIN' 'BOUT LOVE
(Van Halen; 1978) 711 points | 22 votes | 8 first place votes

82. BLACK AND BLUE
(OU812; 1988) 10 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
81. ONE FOOT OUT THE DOOR
(Fair Warning; 1981) 10 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
80. TORA! TORA!
(Women and Children First; 1980) 10 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
79. AS IS
(A Different Kind of Truth; 2012) 11 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
78. BULLETHEAD
(A Different Kind of Truth; 2012) 11 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
77. VOODOO QUEEN (WARNER DEMO)
(; ) 11 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
76. HUMANS BEING
(Twister OST; 1996) 12 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
75. SHE'S THE WOMAN (DEMO)
(; ) 12 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
74. SUNDAY AFTERNOON IN THE PARK
(Fair Warning; 1981) 12 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
73. FOOLS
(Women and Children First; 1980) 13 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
72. MAN ON A MISSION
(For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge; 1991) 13 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
71. YOU AND YOUR BLUES
(A Different Kind of Truth; 2012) 13 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
70. BOTTOMS UP!
(Van Halen II; 1979) 14 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
69. THE FULL BUG
(Diver Down; 1982) 14 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
68. IN 'N' OUT
(For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge; 1991) 15 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
67. SO THIS IS LOVE?
(Fair Warning; 1981) 18 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
66. LOVE WALKS IN
(5150; 1986) 22 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
65. FEELS SO GOOD
(OU812; 1988) 23 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
64. SECRETS
(Diver Down; 1982) 23 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
63. LOSS OF CONTROL
(Women and Children First; 1980) 24 points | 2 votes | 0 first place votes
62. TOP OF THE WORLD
(For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge; 1991) 26 points | 2 votes | 0 first place votes
61. HOUSE OF PAIN
(1984; 1984) 28 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
60. YOU'RE NO GOOD
(Van Halen II; 1979) 29 points | 2 votes | 0 first place votes
59. CATHEDRAL
(Diver Down; 1982) 30 points | 2 votes | 0 first place votes
58. RUNAROUND
(For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge; 1991) 33 points | 2 votes | 0 first place votes
57. CABO WABO
(OU812; 1988) 36 points | 2 votes | 0 first place votes
56. HAPPY TRAILS
(Diver Down; 1982) 37 points | 3 votes | 0 first place votes
55. BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
(5150; 1986) 38 points | 3 votes | 0 first place votes
54. ME WISE MAGIC
(Best Of – Volume I; 1996) 38 points | 3 votes | 0 first place votes
53. BIG BAD BILL (IS SWEET WILLIAM NOW)
(Diver Down; 1982) 40 points | 3 votes | 0 first place votes
52. SPANISH FLY
(Van Halen II; 1979) 40 points | 2 votes | 0 first place votes
51. RIGHT NOW
(For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge; 1991) 49 points | 3 votes | 0 first place votes
50. ROMEO DELIGHT
(Women and Children First; 1980) 49 points | 3 votes | 0 first place votes
49. “5150”
(5150; 1986) 58 points | 2 votes | 0 first place votes
48. HANG 'EM HIGH
(Diver Down; 1982) 58 points | 4 votes | 0 first place votes
47. MINE ALL MINE
(OU812; 1988) 59 points | 3 votes | 0 first place votes
46. DREAMS
(5150; 1986) 61 points | 4 votes | 0 first place votes
45. DANCING IN THE STREET
(Diver Down; 1982) 63 points | 4 votes | 0 first place votes
44. IN A SIMPLE RHYME
(Women and Children First; 1980) 64 points | 3 votes | 0 first place votes
43. WHEN IT'S LOVE
(OU812; 1988) 67 points | 3 votes | 1 first place votes
42. GIRL GONE BAD
(1984; 1984) 74 points | 3 votes | 1 first place votes
41. LITTLE DREAMER
(Van Halen; 1978) 75 points | 3 votes | 0 first place votes
40. OUTTA LOVE AGAIN
(Van Halen II; 1979) 75 points | 5 votes | 0 first place votes
39. POUNDCAKE
(For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge; 1991) 78 points | 4 votes | 0 first place votes
38. INTRUDER
(Diver Down; 1982) 79 points | 4 votes | 0 first place votes
37. FEEL YOUR LOVE TONIGHT
(Van Halen; 1978) 80 points | 5 votes | 0 first place votes
36. TOP JIMMY
(1984; 1984) 86 points | 5 votes | 0 first place votes
35. TAKE YOUR WHISKEY HOME
(Women and Children First; 1980) 99 points | 5 votes | 0 first place votes
34. WHERE HAVE ALL THE GOOD TIMES GONE!
(Diver Down; 1982) 99 points | 5 votes | 0 first place votes
33. COULD THIS BE MAGIC?
(Women and Children First; 1980) 102 points | 5 votes | 1 first place votes
32. WOMEN IN LOVE...
(Van Halen II; 1979) 104 points | 6 votes | 0 first place votes
31. PUSH COMES TO SHOVE
(Fair Warning; 1981) 105 points | 6 votes | 0 first place votes
30. ICE CREAM MAN
(Van Halen; 1978) 117 points | 7 votes | 0 first place votes
29. SINNER'S SWING!
(Fair Warning; 1981) 123 points | 7 votes | 0 first place votes
28. LIGHT UP THE SKY
(Van Halen II; 1979) 134 points | 7 votes | 0 first place votes
27. “DIRTY MOVIES”
(Fair Warning; 1981) 141 points | 7 votes | 0 first place votes
26. FINISH WHAT YA STARTED
(OU812; 1988) 142 points | 8 votes | 0 first place votes
25. (OH) PRETTY WOMAN
(Diver Down; 1982) 144 points | 8 votes | 0 first place votes
24. HEAR ABOUT IT LATER
(Fair Warning; 1981) 154 points | 8 votes | 0 first place votes
23. D.O.A.
(Van Halen II; 1979) 162 points | 8 votes | 0 first place votes
22. WHY CAN'T THIS BE LOVE
(5150; 1986) 171 points | 10 votes | 0 first place votes
21. DROP DEAD LEGS
(1984; 1984) 182 points | 9 votes | 0 first place votes
20. ON FIRE
(Van Halen; 1978) 183 points | 8 votes | 0 first place votes
19. SOMEBODY GET ME A DOCTOR
(Van Halen II; 1979) 186 points | 9 votes | 0 first place votes
18. BEAUTIFUL GIRLS
(Van Halen II; 1979) 207 points | 12 votes | 0 first place votes
17. I'M THE ONE
(Van Halen; 1978) 214 points | 9 votes | 0 first place votes
16. LITTLE GUITARS
(Diver Down; 1982) 227 points | 9 votes | 1 first place votes
15. ERUPTION
(Van Halen; 1978) 302 points | 12 votes | 1 first place votes
14. YOU REALLY GOT ME
(Van Halen; 1978) 318 points | 15 votes | 0 first place votes
13. ATOMIC PUNK
(Van Halen; 1978) 329 points | 14 votes | 1 first place votes
12. HOT FOR TEACHER
(1984; 1984) 373 points | 16 votes | 0 first place votes
11. JAMIE'S CRYIN'
(Van Halen; 1978) 373 points | 16 votes | 1 first place votes
10. AND THE CRADLE WILL ROCK...
(Women and Children First; 1980) 377 points | 17 votes | 1 first place votes
9. MEAN STREET
(Fair Warning; 1981) 391 points | 17 votes | 0 first place votes
8. DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY
(Van Halen II; 1979) 404 points | 17 votes | 0 first place votes
7. I'LL WAIT
(1984; 1984) 461 points | 18 votes | 1 first place votes
6. JUMP
(1984; 1984) 485 points | 20 votes | 0 first place votes
5. RUNNIN' WITH THE DEVIL
(Van Halen; 1978) 527 points | 21 votes | 2 first place votes
4. EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!!
(Women and Children First; 1980) 577 points | 23 votes | 0 first place votes
3. UNCHAINED
(Fair Warning; 1981) 636 points | 23 votes | 3 first place votes
2. PANAMA
(1984; 1984) 663 points | 23 votes | 4 first place votes
1. AIN'T TALKIN' 'BOUT LOVE
(Van Halen; 1978) 711 points | 22 votes | 8 first place votes

i was hoping "unchained" would be no. 1 but knew in my heart it'd be "ain't talkin' bout love"

42. GIRL GONE BAD
(1984; 1984) 74 points | 3 votes | 1 first place votes

aw my no. 1 just missed it. this song rocks you guys

41-50 is a treasure trove tbh

only three little dreamers ;_;

Love the pie charts, JF.

Can't argue with that top 5.

Thanks Johnny!

Every track of the debut placed Top 40 except "Little Dreamer" at #41

I predicted Ain't Talkin' Bout Love would win by 20% over 2. That was clearly irrationally exhuberant but its's nice to see it win.

1. I'll Wait
2. Everybody Wants Some!!
3. "Dirty Movies"
4. I'm The One
5. Unchained
6. Could This Be Magic?
7. Little Dreamer
8. Sinner's Swing!
9. Atomic Punk
10. D.O.A.
11. In A Simple Rhyme
12. Top Jimmy
13. Mean Street
14. Drop Dead Legs
15. And The Cradle Will Rock
16. Hot for Teacher
17. Women In Love...
18. Hear About It Later
19. Hang 'Em High
20. Finish What Ya Started
21. Intruder
22. (Oh) Pretty Woman

no #1 votes for Jump!

Wanna thank everyone for voting, and nate woolls for all his behind the scenes wizardry. Also, I want to apologize to Sammy Hagar because he got screwed.

Eruption
Drop Dead Legs
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
Everybody Wants Some!!
Panama
I'm the One
Atomic Punk
And the Cradle Will Rock...
Take Your Whiskey Home
(Oh) Pretty Woman
Ice Cream Man
On Fire
You Really Got Me
Runnin' with the Devil
Hot for Teacher
Jump
Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)
Jamie's Cryin'
Mean Street
Unchained
Could This Be Magic?
Beautiful Girls

...and by "Dinosaur Band" I meant that despite their youth, VH was trafficking in many of the same things--virtuoso musicianship, bottomless decadence & hedonism, huge huge shows--that older groups were into and the new groups (supposedly) weren't. Of course despite VH were skronkyier and noisier than their predecessors and and most of their contemporaries--they did sound right at home on the Over Edge s/t, didn't they?

sometimes I think my overwhelming preference for the DLR era has a lot to do with my overall preference for that era of music in general. i was coming of age during the latter half of the Sammy reign, but outside of indie bs and g-funk I was pretty obsessed with classic rock/ funk/ new wave/ disco/ post-punk

(Thanks Johnny! :-))

1. Girl Gone Bad
2. Light Up the Sky
3. Unchained
4. "5150"
5. Everybody Wants Some!!
6. Little Guitars
7. Push Comes to Shove
8. Drop Dead Legs
9. I’m the One
10. Mine All Mine
11. On Fire
12. Finish What Ya Started
13. Why Can’t This Be Love
14. Me Wise Magic
15. Romeo Delight
16. Sinner’s Swing!
17. Top of the World
18. I’ll Wait
19. You and Your Blues
20. Humans Being
21. As Is
22. Cabo Wabo

TRAX
1. Panama
2. Unchained
3. I'll Wait
4. Hot For Teacher
5. Jamie's Cryin'
6. Poundcake
7. Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
8. Everybody Wants Some!!
9. Jump
10. Runnin' With The Devil
11. Atomic Punk
12. Dance The Night Away
13. Why Can't This Be Love
14. Ice Cream Man
15. Somebody Get Me A Doctor
16. Right Now
17. Finish What Ya Started
18. Beautiful Girls
19. And The Cradle Will Rock
20. Runaround
21. Standin' On Top Of The World
22. Me Wise Magic

SOLOZ
1. Eruption
2. Hot For Teacher
3. Ice Cream Man
4. Poundcake
5. Beat It

ALBUMZ
1. 1984
2. Van Halen
3. Van Halen II
4. For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
5. Women And Children First

Great top 2.

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.

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.

thanks JF!

songs:
Panama
Everybody Wants Some!!
Hot For Teacher
Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love
Somebody Get Me A Doctor
I’m The One
Dance The Night Away
Unchained
Women In Love…
In A Simple Rhyme
Runnin’ With The Devil
You Really Got Me
Eruption
Hear About It Later
D.O.A.
Why Can’t This Be Love
Jump
Finish What Ya Started
Drop Dead Legs
The Best Of Both Worlds
Poundcake
Beautiful Girls

albums:
Van Halen II
1984
Women And Children First
Van Halen
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge

1. Runnin’ with the Devil
2. Mean Street
3. Panama
4. I’ll Wait
5. You Really Got Me
6. Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love
7. I’m the One
8. Hot for Teacher
9. Everybody Wants Some!
10. Beautiful Girls
11. Atomic Punk
12. “Dirty Movies”
13. Jamie’s Cryin’
14. And the Cradle Will Rock…
15. Unchained
16. Eruption
17. Jump
18. Dance the Night Away
19. Sinner’s Swing!
20. Dancing in the Street
21. (Oh) Pretty Woman
22. 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 Halen
Fair Warning
1984
Van Halen II
Women & Children First

1. Panama
2. Everybody Wants Some!!
3. Unchained
4. Runnin' With the Devil
5. And the Cradle Will Rock
6. Dance the Night Away
7. Eruption
8. Hot for Teacher
9. Take Your Whiskey Home
10. Jump
11. You Really Got Me
12. I'll Wait
13. Mean Street
14. Jamie's Cryin'
15. Light Up the Sky
16. Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
17. Feel Your Love Tonight
18. Bottoms Up!
19. Sinner's Swing
20. Ice Cream Man
21. Hang 'Em High
22. Happy Trails

ALBUMS:
1. Women and Children First
2. Van Halen
3. 1984
4. Fair Warning
5. Van Halen II

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.

1. Could This Be Magic
2. Atomic Punk
3. Ain't Talkin' Bout Love
4. Dance The Night Away
5. Unchained
6. Little Guitars
7. Sinner's Swing!
8. Panama
9. D.O.A.
10. Outta Love Again
11. Jump
12. Mean Street
13. Top Jimmy
14. So This Is Love
15. Everybody Wants Some!!
16. I'll Wait
17. Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)
18. Dancing In The Street
19. Somebody Get Me A Doctor
20. Light Up The Sky
21. I'm The One
22. On Fire

Didn't vote for albums or solos

I was the first place vote for "When It's Love". That's all I'm going to say here.

Tracks

01 Atomic Punk
02 Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
03 On Fire
04 Runnin' With The Devil
05 And The Cradle Will Rock...
06 Everybody Wants Some!!
07 I'm The One
08 Panama
09 Dance The Night Away
10 Jamie's Cryin'
11 Unchained
12 Romeo Delight
13 Sinner's Swing!
14 Beautiful Girls
15 Little Dreamer
16 Mean Street
17 Top Jimmy
18 Women In Love...
19 'Dirty Movies'
20 Feel Your Love Tonight
21 Outta Love Again
22 Loss Of Control

LPs

01 Van Halen
02 Women and Children First
03 Fair Warning
04 Van Halen II
05 1984

50. ROMEO DELIGHT
(Women and Children First; 1980) 49 points | 3 votes | 0 first place votes

Kinda surprised this didn't place higher. Solid.

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.

01 Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
02 Everybody Wants Some!!
03 I'll Wait
04 Mean Street
05 And the Cradle Will Rock
06 Runnin' with the Devil
07 Eruption/You Really Got Me
08 Intruder/(Oh) Pretty Woman
09 Jump
10 Hot for Teacher
11 Beautiful Girls
12 Panama
13 On Fire
14 D.O.A.
15 Unchained
16 Ice Cream Man
17 Drop Dead Legs
18 Atomic Punk
19 Fools
20 Sunday Afternoon in the Park
21 Cathedral
22 Tora! Tora!

last two were joeks, really

Cathedral's cool. My favorite EVH instrumental that isn't Eruption.

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.

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, 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.

i like cathedral fine, i just remember guitar dudes creaming themselves over it

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

"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!

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.

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.

"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.

^^^

To wit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu8RpcChZrw

Listen to the chorus!!!

Fuuck so bummed I missed this one.

Def wouldve voted for Bottoms Up, Runaround, Me Wise Magic & In A Simple Rhyme.

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.

Might as well Jump!. My favorite tracks. Well do I remember the world premiere of DLR's "Just Like Paradise."

VH rulez

AIN'T TALKIN BOUT POLL

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.

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.

I just put this on and DLR's "come on" scream might be the apex of their catalog.

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.

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.

"Dance the Night Away" is an utter gem.

I will fuck with some 5150 and "Finish What Ya Started" but nothing later than that.

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.