I've played guitar and have loved music for most of my life. I truly love rock and roll. I thought: what could be better than writing about the music I have loved the most, throughout the years?
When I wrote: Top 10 Favorite Led Zeppelin Songs Ever, let me tell you, it was difficult to narrow Led Zeppelin down to 10 songs, but it was a lot of fun putting together the article!
When writing "Top Favorite Van Halen Songs Ever" I just gave up on narrowing it down to just 10 songs, so here are 12 (plus a bonus track) of my favorite Van Halen songs that I feel deserve to be revisited. Because there are so many, we will have to move fast, but make no mistake you will be rocked.
1. Van Halen's - Spanish Fly
Eddie Van Halen's instrumental acoustic solo called Spanish Fly is a masterful display and use of his guitar skills. The song or solo itself is only about 1 minute long, yet incorporates speed, agility and techniques, not often found on an acoustical guitar. Some have compared it to an acoustical version of his earlier, famous solo titled: Eruption. Eddie Van Halen's use of tapping and tapped octave harmonics and other techniques are unparalleled. These types of techniques, when done on an electric guitar are a little easier to accomplish with the aid of the electric guitars pickups. An electric guitars pickups can help amplify the strings vibrations by encouraging extra or sustained string vibrations with it's magnetic fields. On an acoustic it is all done by physical manipulation and skill. Van Halen's Spanish Fly is from the Van Halen II album released in 1979.
2. Van Halen's - Take Your Whiskey Home
Van Halen's "Take Your Whiskey Home" is from their Women and Children First album that was released in 1980. The song begins with more of Eddie Van Halen's talents masterfully exploited on acoustic guitar. Singer and front-man extraordinaire David Lee Roth begins the song that is about drinking whiskey and how much trouble it's causing with his significant other. With David Lee Roth's unique singing style, with much bad boy inflection, accompanied by Eddie Van Halen on acoustic, you could almost see them performing this outside, even on a sidewalk. That is, until it kicks in. Then its pure amped up bluesy rock and roll. The contrast of the acoustic intro and the driving electric rock song afterward, combine for an amazing rock and roll pleasure.
3. Van Halen's - Romeo Delight
Romeo Delight exemplifies, Van Halen the band, in my opinion. This is one fast hard rocking song. In Romeo Delight, each band member's talents are made apparent. David Lee Roth's singing is at its best. Eddie's guitar is on fire. Michael Anthony on bass and Alex Van Halen on drums, show that in this song, they are much more than peripheral players or a rhythm section. Romeo Delight is also from their Women and Children First album that was released in 1980.
4. Van Halen's - Dirty Movies
Dirty Movies starts out really smooth, with each instrument being slowly added and illustrated. The song has a really raunchy, blues rock sound, that typifies some of Van Halen's best stuff in my opinion. Van Halen's Dirty Movies is from their Fair Warning album that was released in 1981.
5. Van Halen's - Sinner's Swing!
Sinner's Swing! starts out fast and never stops. Sinner's Swing! is upbeat and stays on top of the beat. I think this song plays into Van Halen's fast and hard rock, bad boy image. Van Halen's Sinner's Swing! is from their Fair Warning album that was released in 1981.
6. Van Halen's - Hang 'Em High
Van Halen's Hang 'Em High is from their Diver Down album that was released in 1982. Hang 'Em High is probably one of my all time favorite Van Halen songs. Hang 'Em High is an extremely fast rock and roll song. The guitar part sounds difficult, but it's really a fun song to play and not nearly as difficult to play, as it sounds, including the various leads. It's just quick, bar cording fun.
7. Van Halen's - Cathedral
Cathedral is an instrumental done by Eddie. In this song I believe Eddie is using a technique where you have your amplifier turned up substantially, without any feedback and you use your right hand and pinky finger to constantly adjust the volume knob. That's how he gets that unique sound. You have the volume all the way down, make a cord with your left hand, then open the volume up with your pinky, shut the volume down, then make a new cord and open the volume up. The guitar player just rolls the volume knob on their guitar back and forth with their pinky while playing. Easy huh? It takes countless hours of practice to get to that skill level. Some outboard effects might help too. Van Halen's Cathedral is from their Diver Down album that was released in 1982
8. Van Halen's - Little Guitars
Van Halen's Little Guitars is also from their Diver Down album that was released in 1982. Little Guitars is truly a great song and also one of my all time favorites. Eddie Van Halen shows off his supreme and diverse talents on guitar with this song. Masterfully, cleanly and technically changing from cord to cord, riff to cord, cord to riff and back. He does all this so smoothly and cleanly. Every guitar player should aspire to play just like this. Meanwhile the melodies of the song itself are some of Van Halen's best.
9. Van Halen's - The Full Bug
The Full Bug is another song from their Diver Down album that was released in 1982. The Full Bug starts out just like some of my other favorite Van Halen songs. First there is a back and forth between Roth's lyrics and Eddie's playing on acoustic. Then it's all fast and hard rock and roll from then on. If you are down, then this song will get you up. Every car should have a CD player with this CD and song ready to go, at an instant.
10. Van Halen's - Top Jimmy
Top Jimmy is from their 1984 album. On "Top Jimmy" Eddie Van Halen starts out by using some cool techniques where you lightly lay your finger across the fret without pushing down and picking various strings to get octaves. Then changing position of the finger for a new bar cord barely touched and picking a new set of octaves out. Eddie Van Halen gets the most out of this technique on Top Jimmy. It's a guitar players dream song.
11. Van Halen- Drop Dead Legs
Drop Dead Legs is also from their 1984 album. I like Drop Dead Legs because it's a laid back and bluesy rock song. It has a great rhythm with some really fun lyrics. It really emphasizes David Lee Roth's singing ability and coupled with Eddie's guitar talents, makes for a great song. Drop Dead Legs is chock full of Eddie's ever growing repertoire of guitar techniques. They seem to flow flawlessly, effortlessly and endlessly in this song.
12. Van Halen's - Summer Nights
Summer Nights is from their 5150 album. Summer Nights is also one of my all time favorite Van Halen songs. Although David Lee Roth is replaced by Sammy Hagar, the song stays true to the Van Halen that I know best. In Summer Nights I personally think that Eddie has found the perfect amp sound. Eddie throws in some of his perfect riff and technique, but it's that perfect blue/rock amplification that gets my attention most.
Honorable Mention To Baluchitherium and Amsterdam.
There is going to be a Van Halen Reunion Tour. David Lee Roth will be returning but not Michael Anthony on bass, who is being replaced by Eddie Van Halen's son, Wolfgang. Hope to see you all at the concert!
