Episode 124 - Van Halen - 5150 - Part 1

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign. [00:00:04] Speaker B: This is our musical reaction breakdown and commentary analysis of this song. Under fair use, we intend no copyright infringement and this is not a replacement for listening to the artist's music. The content made available on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only, notwithstanding a copyright owner's rights under the Copyright Act. Section 107 of the Copyright act allows limited use of copyrighted material without requiring permission from the rights holders for purposes such as education, criticism, comment, news, reporting, teaching, scholarship and research. These so called fair uses are permitted even if the use of the work would otherwise be infringing. Now on to the Rock Roulette podcast. [00:01:14] Speaker C: Hey everybody. Welcome back to another episode of Rock A Little Podcast. That's right, the crazy ass podcast that took over 1, 300 albums, stuck them in a list, stuck them in a wheel. And typically every other week we spin the wheel. She picks a record for us and we go through a track by track and we talk about the music, the lyrics, production, melody and arrangement. Again, just a bunch of friends that love music and want to do a podcast. And we always want to thank anybody who takes a trip with us. And whenever we release an episode, thanks for listening, drop us a note, tell us what you like, what you don't like, and spread the word. I mean, listen, seems to be going up or at least kind of steady. So we really appreciate it. And we are back as a threesome again, which is always awesome. We have Frank. My name is Frank and I'm sexy. [00:02:13] Speaker A: Hello again. [00:02:14] Speaker C: We have Mark. Oh, hi, Mark. [00:02:16] Speaker B: What's up, guys? [00:02:18] Speaker C: And I'm Sev. Ciao, buena sira. So last week we wrapped up 1984 by Van Halen. The Wheel was very, very gracious to Mark. It seemed to be gracious to Mark in the beginning and obviously a major, major success for the band. Massive hits on there. I know, me personally, obviously, I do like the hits. That girl gone bad, man, that's. That was my, my favorite decod. I have to say. Frank, you having listening to. Having listened to it again, is it still your favorite? Van Halen? [00:02:50] Speaker A: Absolutely. Still number one. Still my favorite. Even all these years later. Still right up there. [00:02:56] Speaker C: Just want to make sure nothing changed from last week. You know, sometimes we get fickle and in our old age. [00:03:01] Speaker A: No, no, no, no, no. I wasn't fickle. I wasn't fickle in my, you know, when, you know, my early years and I'm fickle now. Still number one in my book. [00:03:11] Speaker C: Yeah. And Mark, obviously a top one for you as well. [00:03:14] Speaker B: Yeah, top five for me. It's a great album. I like the last two songs a lot. Girl gone bad and House of Pain. [00:03:20] Speaker C: Yeah, I mean, definitely. Obviously, always interesting guitar work, if nothing else. If you can't appreciate anything else about it, you're going to say, damn, he can play well. [00:03:30] Speaker B: And I think drums stand out, too. [00:03:32] Speaker C: Oh, absolutely. Oh, yeah. I mean, yeah. Bass. It's so funny because I really didn't pick up a lot on the bass on the first side, but it seemed that at least the last two songs, without a doubt, had some of that really memorable stuff that we picked up on when we did women and children first. It was really cool to hear, too, as always. We have our newest segment, which we call new bets, where we kind of spin the baby wheel and it picks a song. Well, we thought it was 20, 24, but Mark said maybe last year and a half, so there might be some. Some earlier stuff in there. But no matter what, it's. It's fun to. To see what it picks for us. So if you guys are ready, Mark, in a world where new music is not easy to find, welcome to new bets. [00:04:34] Speaker B: He loves that. [00:04:36] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:04:36] Speaker B: All right. So are we ready to spin the wheel? [00:04:39] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:04:40] Speaker B: Okay, here we go. Sleep theory. Stuck in my head. [00:04:56] Speaker C: Nice. [00:04:57] Speaker B: Does anybody know this? I don't think I do. [00:04:59] Speaker C: I don't. I don't think I do. [00:05:01] Speaker B: Frank, do you know this? [00:05:02] Speaker A: Nope. [00:05:04] Speaker B: Two in a row. All right, well, here we go. So this is sleep theory. Stuck in my head? [00:05:37] Speaker D: Last thing you said Was another regret I won't feel? But it's not what you say? It's the look on your face when you say it that keeps on replay the scene? I think it's funny even though it's done? You're still stuck in my? Stuck in my? Stuck in my head? Unlike anything that you ever said? You're still stuck in my st. My. It's got me running in place? [00:06:32] Speaker C: And I know if I hear one. [00:06:34] Speaker D: More song on the street? So we drove on on my break? I cut this off when I was through? How could my mind be stuck on you? I don't miss what we had before? And I don't need this anymore? [00:06:49] Speaker C: I think it's funny even though it's done? [00:06:53] Speaker D: You still stuck in my? Stuck in my? Stuck in my head? Unlike anything that you ever said? You still stuck in my? Stuck in my? Stuck in my. Guess I can't pretend we never met? Not can't let it know? After everything you try to make believe? You couldn't make me feel? I think so then why am I still stuck on you and me and I been deeping When I try to go to sleep Wake me up from this dream and just get out of my out of my, out of my head Just like everything that you ever said why are you still stuck in my Sticking my stick in my head? Guess I can't pretend we never met not yet, no yeah, yeah, yeah, no. [00:08:22] Speaker C: So I looked them up because it remind me a little. Kind of like boy band metal. They do mix R B and metal, it says so from that standpoint, I can understand. It was okay. Again, I can't say anything about the drums because if anybody listens to this, it'll probably go see, the drums don't sound good. I don't think the drums sound good at all. Again, I think a lot of these songs would sound heavier if the drums sounded heavier. If they sounded, I don't want to say real. I mean, these people, I'm assuming are playing. And again, it's just being processed whatever way it is. That snare just sounds like you may as well. You're hitting a paperback. There's no power there for me. What do you guys think? [00:09:06] Speaker B: Yeah, there's nothing for me. It's so stock, too. Not that they're bad players or anything. It's just very stock. Again, another song with that stupid little break in the middle with the vocal with the microphone sound on it. Didn't we do that enough in the 90s? Do we need that again? At least in the 90s it sounded a little fresh. Now it just sounds like, oh, this is what we're doing. I don't know. Drums suck. Sound sucks. They all can play. I just feel that for me, any originality or groove or any way, it's just sucked out because of the production things that go on these days. I don't feel that a lot of music, you know, passed. Somewhere after 2000, this stuff has started to happen and it all sounds like this. It sucks. I would like to like this, but I really just. It goes back and it sounds just like every fucking thing else. Voice is a little unique. I can hear a little bit of the R and B. Not a lot. There's a little bit in there. Yeah. I just. I don't know. It doesn't. It doesn't grab me. It doesn't make me want to listen to more. It just is like, okay, it's another band that sounds like this. And maybe that's what you have to do these days, you know, I don't know. We're not in that kind of scene anymore. So we don't know. I don't know. It does nothing for me. I mean, I'm sure they're good guys. I'm sure they're. They're good at their instruments. The song's not bad technically. [00:10:13] Speaker C: No, I mean, it's catchy, right? I mean, it's. I just. Again, yeah, maybe it's. You and I had seen that video, right, where the producer was talking about how producing this way, his output, right. Increases so much just by doing something like this, as opposed to miking the drums and kind of, I guess, trying to get the nuance of the room or whatever. If you kind of just run it through the board and kind of filter it. The guy said he can produce how many songs a week? It's just. And I guess it makes sense, right? Because if you want it out and you're cool with it, then fine. Just to me as a drummer, we recorded something and it sounded like this. [00:10:53] Speaker B: I'd be like, no, just feels all the same. Because the techniques are all the same. They're using the same samples, using the same things. No one has. Has very little to do with making good music. Has to sound this way again, Old man, get off my lawn. I guess. [00:11:07] Speaker C: No, but I mean, I don't think you're. [00:11:08] Speaker B: It is what it is. [00:11:10] Speaker C: Listen, the debate is out there, right? We're not the only ones who talk about this, because clearly, if people are making videos about production and sound, it is a topic. I mean, clearly, if you listen to even the song that we listened to last week and some of the songs and listen. I listen to stuff like this that has this production and then I like it. But they kind of. Kind of complained about it. No, I don't know. I just. It just to me that the sound, the production takes away from the rawness and the heaviness of it does. My opinion. Frank, what do you think? [00:11:41] Speaker A: It sounds like the song we heard last week. [00:11:45] Speaker B: There you go. [00:11:46] Speaker A: Look, I first thought I heard it, so, you know, we're down. This is like a very new band. I think less than three years have they put together. [00:11:57] Speaker C: Yeah, they. They really don't have, like. I don't think they have a lot of output and so that they were from Memphis and again, it's. It's catchy and I. If it's produced the same, then it takes away from the uniqueness of the band too. [00:12:09] Speaker A: Well, I'm gonna go and listen to it. [00:12:11] Speaker C: But again, if it's about output and getting this stuff out there and then that's what it is. And it's easier just to put everything through. And, I mean, that's what this one producer was saying. He said, I can do. Do it this way and put out record after record and make my money and move on to the next one, as opposed to having to take time and do everything. And so I forgot the name of the. There's a trash band. They're kids. I mean, they're teenagers. And I forgot the name of the band. But when I heard them, it sounded like a garage band, you know what I mean? There was a rawness to it. There was a heaviness to it that just sounded so raw and fresh. I was like, wow, this sounds fresh. The production was great. And these are kids. They're fucking teenagers. Which I got to remember the name of the band, like, whether or not I like the songs. I love the sound of it. [00:13:04] Speaker B: It's frustrating, is what it is. [00:13:07] Speaker C: It is what it is. In a world where new music is not easy to find. [00:13:16] Speaker A: Welcome to New Bets. [00:13:30] Speaker C: See, now that horn has reproduction. [00:13:33] Speaker B: Yeah, it does. [00:13:37] Speaker C: All right, so we did the mini wheel. It's another wheel spin week. [00:13:42] Speaker B: No, I'm throwing a mulligan in here. [00:13:44] Speaker C: A mulligan? [00:13:46] Speaker B: I'm throwing a mulligan in. Yeah, we're doing a mulligan. [00:13:49] Speaker C: What does that mean? Well, you don't want to spin the wheel. [00:13:53] Speaker B: I want to do something different. And the reason I want to do something different is that, you know, we don't really muck up our process very much. I thought it would be interesting to do a new thing. Maybe we'll do it once in a while where we'll do one band and then the next album that they put out as a change of some sort. That could be a different sound. [00:14:14] Speaker C: I see where you're going with it. [00:14:16] Speaker B: It could be a new vocalist. Yes. So what happened after 1984? [00:14:22] Speaker C: 1985. The 5150, right? [00:14:28] Speaker B: Yes. I'm gonna call this twofer. It's a twofer. [00:14:31] Speaker D: Two for the price of one. [00:14:33] Speaker C: Look at Mark throwing an audible, man. And had it all planned and not telling us. [00:14:38] Speaker B: Well, everyone who's looking at the actual description knows what it is, but you don't. [00:14:42] Speaker C: Yeah, but we're surprised. [00:14:43] Speaker B: Yes, you're surprised. [00:14:45] Speaker C: So. [00:14:46] Speaker B: So I think it would be interesting to listen to the change that happened from 1984 to 5150. The sound changed a little bit. The vocal has changed, David Lee Roth is gone, and Sammy Hagar now is here. They had a number one album. I'm sure leading into 5150. They 1984 got the Tube from the strength of 1984. I'm sure that helped 5150 become a number one album. So now Frank gets to hear his Sammy Hagar. [00:15:10] Speaker C: I don't know this album too well. I think I. I think I know the hits, but I don't know the this one. I don't know the deep ones either. I'll be honest with you. [00:15:18] Speaker A: It's been a very long time and I think I was one of those that refused to listen to it because of the change at the singer position. [00:15:28] Speaker B: Oh, this is going to be good then. [00:15:31] Speaker C: Frankie was a DL artist. [00:15:36] Speaker B: See, for me, I almost argue that his guitar playing is better on this, I think. And this could be just me. And I'm sure there's a lot of Van Halen fans that don't think like this. I've watched Live one out of Net so many times. I can't even tell you how many times I've listened to it and watched it. I do think that his guitar playing was at almost like the peak where it was going to be technically wise. That's my opinion. I came off in 1984. He still had high technique. And not that it went down significantly or it just changed. I think this is such an album for me where it's. It could be. You can hear David Lee Ross singing on some of these things, and some of these things you can't at all. It's just. To me, it's such a change of an album. There's a little more keyboard on here. At least two songs. [00:16:18] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:16:19] Speaker B: And that's kind of like still going on. I don't know. To me, it's such a. Interesting thing to hear it back to back. We never really get to listen to two albums from an artist back to back in a row. So I thought it'd be cool to kind of do that. [00:16:30] Speaker C: Well, no. Well, not according to our rules anyway. [00:16:34] Speaker B: Every once in a while you get to break the rules. [00:16:36] Speaker C: Yeah. Hey, whatever. It's all good. I mean. I mean, I do remember commenting on one of the. I don't remember if it was the which song. It was on the first side from 1984 where it said, wow, I could totally picture Sammy Hegor singing this. All right. [00:16:51] Speaker B: Curious now. Since Frank didn't like the change, I want to see what he thinks about this. [00:16:54] Speaker C: I mean, this is no Van Halen three on my list, but I'll take it. [00:16:58] Speaker B: Well, you haven't really listened to this all the way through, right? Ever. [00:17:01] Speaker C: I don't. I don't think so. I don't. I mean, I know. I know the hits, without a doubt, but I probably may not know the deeper songs. [00:17:09] Speaker B: There's no Ted Templeman on this. He was producing David Lee Roth's Eat him and Smile. Don Landy, who was the engineer all the time, helped produce this with Eddie Van Halen. So this was also recorded, obviously in 5150, but now Sammy Hagar's here and the change also is now they're tuning up to the standard pitch because they were always tuned down a half step. So it's going to sound a little bit different. I'm curious to see what you guys think about the change in style being immediately from last week to this week. Whether you can tell or whether you think it's like. I think like it's a transition thing where you still has one foot stuck in here a little bit and one is stuck in here and it's not totally over to what would become, you know, oh, you 812 and foreign lawful and Balance and that whole era of Van halen. [00:17:52] Speaker C: So Mark 1984, when it was new or. No, you come to them afterward? [00:17:57] Speaker B: No, I had 1984. [00:17:59] Speaker C: So do you remember you. What you thought going, did you like it? [00:18:02] Speaker B: I don't have a problem with this at all. I liked it. Like I said. I watched live went on a net. I watched that thing. I had the video cassette of that. I must have like ran that thing to the ground. I was just playing guitar maybe a year and a half later from this, so I hadn't even started playing guitar yet. So this is 86, so. Yeah, maybe. Maybe like late 86. So they record this in 85, so. Late 86. [00:18:22] Speaker C: Yeah, that makes sense. [00:18:23] Speaker B: I really do like this album. I'd like. It's between this and Foreign Lawful as far as my favorite albums, even though the oh, you 812 thing, we talked about that. It's a weird album for me because I was playing guitar, then I just started playing. I was trying to learn stuff from that. I have a weird association with that, but I don't think it's one of the best of the Sammy Hagar era. I think this one and Foreign Lawful are my two favorites. But again, I do like OU8 1 2. It's just I can't take it for more than what it is. Oh, and also Mick Jones from the Foreigner was also a producer on this too. The guitar, which was usually pushed to the Left channel is now equal in the mix now, so that's going to be a little bit different in sound, too. It's not going to be pushed off to the side. And he always hated that thing. A lot of Van Halen fans love it, but he was never a big fan of that. All right, let's do this. So this is good enough. Here we go. [00:19:11] Speaker D: Hello, baby. [00:19:41] Speaker C: Wow. [00:19:42] Speaker D: US Prime. Great. A step guaranteed. Grease it up and turn on the heat. You got to throw it down and roll it over once, maybe twice. Good enough, good enough. Me, I can't get enough. I can't get enough. When it's good enough. [00:20:27] Speaker C: I mean, it's definitely Van Halen. I don't hear this and say, whoa, what happened? I. I mean, I can do without that electronic charm stuff, though. Oh, God, it just sounds so weak. It feels like the drums drop out completely when he. [00:20:40] Speaker A: When he. [00:20:40] Speaker C: When he does that. I'm not the craziest. The biggest fan of his drum sound overall, even though I do think it's it. Not that it bothers me, but I was. I was always like, oh, his drum sounds so weird. I've kind of grown accustomed. But this I know for sure. I'm pretty sure it's kind of throughout the whole record, the. The electric stuff, but I just feel it's weak when it comes in. I mean, obviously, Eddie's doing that. Cool. You know, obviously he's keeping it interesting. [00:21:06] Speaker B: Yeah. To me, this can be almost David Lee Rothy side. To me, this is more one foot in the other side still. [00:21:13] Speaker C: Yeah. I mean, it's definitely them. [00:21:15] Speaker B: The one thing that's going to suffer a little bit is lyrics, I think because Sammy Hagar is very to the point, there's very little double entendre. He does write some good lyrics on here. There are a couple of songs where the lyrics are good, but you're not going to get a lot of double entendre. It's going to be straight in your face. [00:21:29] Speaker C: Well, I guess these are kind of like cooking references, right? [00:21:32] Speaker B: To maybe. Yeah, I guess. [00:21:34] Speaker C: You know what I mean? It's kind of like. [00:21:36] Speaker B: But it's not even, like, hidden, though. It's just, hey, this is what this is. I think that's a big thing, too, with Van Halen fans, that the lyrics are not as good. [00:21:43] Speaker A: You also don't get the nutshake action like David rejected to give you on stage. [00:21:48] Speaker B: No, you're not gonna get any of that either. Nutshank. No, you're not getting that. Yeah. And the Simmons drums things Are a little bit. That's one of the things I don't like about this album. I can put it out of my head and just listen to the drum playing, but I do not like the Simmons of. I would. If this thing had, like, real drums on it, I think I'd like it a lot better. [00:22:06] Speaker C: To me, it just drops out, the sound. Yeah. [00:22:08] Speaker B: Electronic drums weren't as good as they are now. [00:22:10] Speaker C: Now they're big difference. [00:22:12] Speaker B: I know. So here's verse one, US Prime, Grade A stamped guaranteed Grease it up and turn on the heat Got to throw it down and roll it over once maybe twice Then chow down and down and down because she's good enough Good enough to me I can't get enough I can't get enough when it's good enough to. And they played this. I think they played this when we saw them and it was a good live. [00:22:36] Speaker C: Did they really say. I don't remember. [00:22:38] Speaker B: Oh, they played this. I'm pretty positive. I mean, I like the song. I just. The lyrics are just okay. Like, as much as you want to like Bag on the Davy, the Rod stuff from the last episode, I think these lyrics are going to get way less than those. [00:22:49] Speaker C: Yeah, maybe. [00:22:51] Speaker B: So, Frank, what do you think so far? [00:22:52] Speaker A: I will say this, though, and Savino just mentioned this. Like, he said, you could definitely tell it's Van Halen, you know, Very few other times. Most times when the front man leaves that band just doesn't sound the same anymore, period. It's the same group, but they just don't. There's just something missing about them. One of the ones that come to mind, the most extreme example is going to be, like, Jeff Tate when he left Queens, Reich, they didn't sound the same, but when Jeff Tate went somewhere else, you just knew it was him. When you assumed that was Queens, right. That was playing with him here. I could see what Sav was saying is, like, you could tell it's Van Halen because it's Eddie Van Halen style in the background. Nobody can duplicate that. There's one of those instances where the front man is gone, but it's still the same band. You can tell because of the front. Because of the lead. [00:23:32] Speaker B: And I think one of the other things, too, is that usually bands do a lot worse. Where I think every one of the Van Halen albums with Sammy Hagel went to number one. So that's not normal either, really. Usually when your front man's gone, there's very few bands where front man's gone. Whether he dies or Whether he leaves that the band continues on and is more popular. Possibly as far as. Maybe not as far as album sales go, but as far as chart success, it usually doesn't happen. All right, here we go. [00:24:09] Speaker D: I like to open up. Come on, give me six on the half Cuz it's three, six, nine times she's good enough, good enough I can't get enough I can't get enough. [00:24:36] Speaker B: Wow. [00:24:36] Speaker D: She's good enough she's good enough, good enough. [00:24:49] Speaker C: Was this chorus a little bit different than the first one? I felt like there was a little bit more going into it. Whereas this one, they kind of went right into it. There wasn't as much, like, differentiation between. From the verse going into the. The chorus. I could be wrong, but it just. It felt like it kind of came in quicker now. Or it didn't make as much of an impact as it did the first time. [00:25:11] Speaker B: It's a little different. Yeah, it's a little shorter too. [00:25:13] Speaker C: Yeah. And I mean, was he doing that thing too that Vernon ran around behind the chorus before? [00:25:19] Speaker B: What, guitar stuff? [00:25:20] Speaker C: Yeah, that same. He's doing the same. That rhythm, I believe so. [00:25:26] Speaker B: I don't think this is produced as well as 84 is. That's my opinion. It's not as good in certain places. Like this song too, I think. I don't know how much McJones had to do with this. I don't think it's produced as well. I never really listened to them back to back. I'm getting a much different feeling than I normally would. I mean, I don't hate it. Maybe it's the electronic drums that are doing it. I don't know. I don't hate the song. [00:25:45] Speaker C: No, it's not a bad song. [00:25:47] Speaker B: And he has a great voice. His voice is technically way better than David leroy's voice. Technically. We don't think his voice is better. Like the actual singing part, like his singing voice. Not that it's better for Van Halen, but the singing. Singing voice itself. His voice is better. [00:26:04] Speaker C: No, Frank's just grunted. [00:26:08] Speaker A: It's nice. I'll leave it at that. [00:26:10] Speaker B: Okay. [00:26:12] Speaker C: I feel like what's his name wrote these lyrics, man. Guy Fieri, maybe. Because it's all about, like, cooking and they're really good friends. Right? So. [00:26:21] Speaker B: So verse two is. Hey, oh me, I've been. Wait. I've been working up an appetite. Seems like the harder I work, the more my body needs. Wow. I'd like to open up. Come on, give me six on the half show. Because it's three, six Nine time. And then it's a chorus. And then the post chorus is, wow, she's good enough. She's good enough. Good enough. She's good enough. See, I told you. You're not gonna like the lyrics better here. You're gonna ask for David lyrics after this. [00:26:45] Speaker C: Well, that was the thing, right? And I think his lyrics were more interesting on women and children first. I don't remember what I rated all of. I mean, obviously we'd have to go back, but I think it is when it's not when. When. You know what I mean? Like, they weren't a little bit more straightforward. When they're straightforward, they're just regular lyrics. [00:27:03] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:27:03] Speaker C: Melody's good, though. [00:27:04] Speaker B: Oh, no, it's not a bad song. No, he sings really well. Like, he has a big range, Much bigger range than David Le Roth. And when we saw him live, he was good. And that's when he was 77. Okay, let's continue. Guitar solo. [00:27:39] Speaker C: That was it. [00:27:41] Speaker B: Yep, that was it. [00:27:43] Speaker C: Yeah. So that was really short. I'm surprisingly short. I like what was going on underneath it. It was different from. It sounded like different from the. The rest of the song, but I don't know. I know we talk about songs that we know are going to be singles and you kind of maybe shorten the solo, but this just felt like someone cut him off. I mean, I. I could have gone with a couple more bars. [00:28:06] Speaker B: It's nothing different than he's always done, though. He's. It's always been short. I mean, very rarely does he get a big extended solo, so. [00:28:13] Speaker C: No, but, like, even in Jump In Panama, right. I felt like he got more space. This is very quick. Like, to me, it felt abrupt. When the solo was over, I was like, whoa, that's it. [00:28:25] Speaker B: I'd like to hear more, too. Obviously, that's not the case. [00:28:28] Speaker C: Yeah, not gonna happen. [00:28:30] Speaker B: I mean, technically, though, still playing at a very, very high level. [00:28:34] Speaker C: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I don't think he's sacrificing talent. I just feel, again, I could have. I could have heard more. I really like what was going on underneath it. I like what the drums were doing. Obviously, a little was cool. Would have sounded cooler on regular drums, but it did. It didn't feel as empty when he was doing it in this part of it as it in the other one when he was doing the fill. And I just felt like the song just. The volume almost dropped out when he did that. Where this is. I guess with everything going on, it wasn't as distracting. Yes. [00:29:09] Speaker B: I think Generally, the Van Halen with Sammy Hagar is much more straightforward of a band. I mean, this is a little less straightforward because to me, it's transition. But everything after this, much more straightforward. Much more. I don't think you hear as many weird guitar things, even though it happens. There's a lot less rhythm changes. I don't know. It's different. The singer makes him play different. And they're tuned up now. And I think that has a difference, too, in the sound of what's going on. The half step down thing is a big difference. [00:29:38] Speaker C: And Sammy, I know he plays guitar. Do you know, does he play any rhythm at all? [00:29:44] Speaker B: I don't think he plays at all. [00:29:45] Speaker C: On this, like, anywhere on the album that you know of. [00:29:48] Speaker B: I don't think he plays. I don't think he plays anywhere. It says guitar here. Maybe he does. I don't know. I don't think so, though. But I don't hear it. But I guess it's possible. I mean, will we ever know, really? Probably not. I mean, he played live a little bit, you know, on this tour. [00:30:01] Speaker C: I was going to say, like, live without a net. How. How much does he play there? [00:30:05] Speaker B: A little bit. He plays on Dreams and a couple other things. [00:30:09] Speaker C: Eddie's probably playing keyboard. [00:30:10] Speaker B: Keyboard, yeah. But. Here we go. [00:30:21] Speaker D: Hey, waitress. Big hair man. You got any specials here tonight? Me and the fellas might be interested in. [00:30:29] Speaker B: What's that rock? [00:30:31] Speaker D: A what? Good enough. Good enough? Just good enough? Good enough to. [00:31:50] Speaker C: When he does a little part at the end, the guitar, it sounds like, to me, almost like someone imitating him. Not him, just that one part. For whatever reason, I don't know if the sound. The guitar changed or whatever it was, but I was like, oh, okay. Like it sounds like him, but almost sounds like someone else doing him. As opposed to the rest of the song where it's just him. I don't know. Weird. [00:32:11] Speaker B: What'd you think? That little bridge that. [00:32:13] Speaker C: Ooh. [00:32:14] Speaker B: No, the part before that. [00:32:15] Speaker C: Oh, whatever. [00:32:16] Speaker B: I'm gonna read it. Ready? [00:32:18] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:32:19] Speaker B: Hey, waitress. Hey, man. You got any specials here tonight? Me and the fellows might be interested in. What's that? What? Rack of what? Well, I have some of that. And then at least you get a little bit of the Van Hun backing vocal thing here in the third verse. And the oo Oohs. That's interesting that they threw that in there. [00:32:37] Speaker C: Yeah. I didn't really like that part, though. [00:32:39] Speaker B: Verse three is, hey, hey, hey I'll be the first day that I'm blind to the world Because I'm two days gone and I just can't see yeah, but I ain't no fool and honey, I know a good thing and she's coming, she's coming Come on, come on, come on, come on because she's good Good, good enough good, good, good enough Good, good, good enough good, good she's good enough Good, good, good, good enough Wow. I mean, that scream is pretty impressive at the end. He's a very good singer. He has a good range, you know, lyric wise, sometimes. [00:33:07] Speaker C: I mean, this is definitely a song to kick off the record, right? It's got that scream. It's got that. The ending where they all kind of like, you know, the symbols and the. Which was a big thing, I think, lead off songs in this genre. [00:33:21] Speaker B: Yeah, you need to have a little bit of upbeat lead off song, right? You don't want to be. You don't want to come in too soft. Frankie, what are you thinking so far? [00:33:28] Speaker A: It's okay. It was the first time I'm actually hearing it. I'm not gonna lie. This. This song. [00:33:32] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:33:32] Speaker A: Yeah. They skipped the whole thing, but yeah, it's good. Trying, you know, trying to be neutral here. [00:33:39] Speaker B: I can't believe you've never heard this. [00:33:41] Speaker A: No, no, no. [00:33:43] Speaker C: I don't know that I remember this song either, honestly. [00:33:45] Speaker A: But the one. The one thing that does stand out, it's like, so far, like I said earlier, it's very rare. Are the times that when the front man leaves the band, the band still sounds the same. [00:33:55] Speaker B: All right, well, then why don't you go first then, you know? [00:33:59] Speaker A: Okay. So the lyrics, I'm gonna give those a seven. Yeah, I give them a seven. The music I like, like Sav said earlier, you could definitely tell. It's. It's Van Halen. It does sound a little bit different. Different style, but it's still there. He's still. Still Van Halen, still Eddie. So I'm gonna give that an eight. You know what? Yeah, I'm gonna give these eights across because it's. Again, it's still the group. They done great, and it was really well put together, this one, Zach. [00:34:27] Speaker C: I mean, overall, I do. I do like the song. I didn't really know this one. And honestly, Mark, if they played it live, maybe because I didn't know it. I just didn't remember. I'm gonna say four on the lyrics. I mean, they're just so cheesy, you know what I mean? It's. And I gave DLR a four, I think, on the other one, so Even like Bibbidi Bappity. I'm gonna say. I don't know what I want to say on the music. I want to say six or seven. This is hard. It's harder than I thought it would be. I thought I had this down, like, as we were listening to it, I thought, I have my scores down, but production, I'm gonna say seven. I don't. I don't think it's badly. Produced. Arrangement. Yeah, I'll say seven. I mean, I. So, yeah, I mean, the lyrics, like, I said whatever and. But yeah, I'll say sevens on the other ones. I mean, I think overall it's a decent song. It's a good intro song. It's got a pretty good melody. And I probably go back to this one. It's definitely a good lead off song. Without a doubt. I mean, I can, you know that. Hey, baby, whatever. But I mean, the rest of it's cool. It sounds like. It sounds like Van Halen to me. Mark. [00:35:34] Speaker B: I'm surprised Frank gave it a seven for lyrics. I think. I think I'm gonna give it less. [00:35:38] Speaker C: Nice. [00:35:39] Speaker B: Yeah, I think I'm gonna do five on the lyrics. I like the melody. I'm gonna give that a seven. Well, listen, even the worst lyrics on 1984 I think are better than that. It's fun and all, but I think that's where it's gonna suffer in any of the Van Halen we do from Sammy Hagar, that he can write some good lyrics, and there's some good lyrics on this album. And then there's a cheesy kind of stuff like this where you kind of like, come on, Sammy, you can do better. Like on Bounce, Wham, Bam Amsterdam, you know what I mean? It's just kind of like. [00:36:09] Speaker A: All right, I'm just saying I gave it a 7 because it matches who the. Who the singer is. [00:36:13] Speaker B: No, you're entitled to. I mean, I can see you giving seven to this. Not me. I'm not giving something to it. Music. I'm gonna say 8. Arrangement. I'm gonna say 7. And production, 7. I'm not too thrilled about the production yet. I think it gets better. This one, I don't know, sounds a little weird. I'm not sure exactly why, because I don't think Ted Templeman had a lot to do with 84, even though he's on there as producer. I think that was really Eddie and Don Landy. So I'm not sure where it. It makes a little bit of a left turn here, maybe, because the guitar thing has changed now. And now he's doing a lot more overdubs. Right. He's right. He's putting things behind the solos like you like, and he's overdubbing. I think it's a little less live sounding. Yeah, that's not a bad thing. Depending on the song, I think that could be a really good thing. [00:36:58] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:36:58] Speaker B: So now here's one of the songs, obviously, is a big contention with all Van Halen fans if they don't like this. Part of the band's career is keyboard stuff. So this is why can't this be love? [00:37:46] Speaker D: Every time we touch Hey, I don't know but tell me where to again. Cause I never ever felt so much that I can't recall it's got what it takes so tell me why can this create be love Straight from my heart Tell me why can't this be love? [00:38:30] Speaker C: So, oddly enough, I like the verse better than the pre chorus and chorus in this song. I know they played this live when we went to go see him, and I sang along to it. But I've never been crazy about the pre chorus and the chorus in this song. I do like the verse. I think the verse has a really great melody. I mean, that barber bumper. The main thing I mean, is that synth guitar mark. Is that what He's Right. [00:38:54] Speaker B: That's just a synthesizer. [00:38:56] Speaker C: Oh, so he's. I thought it sounded like him playing guitar through a thing. [00:39:01] Speaker B: No, what everyone says is it doesn't sound like the synthesizer on 84. It's more like a synthesizer played like a guitar. Yeah, it's more like a guitar riff. [00:39:10] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:39:11] Speaker B: You know what I mean? [00:39:12] Speaker C: I mean, what do you think of this? [00:39:13] Speaker B: Me, I like it a lot. I like the guitar playing in the back. It's a little low, but I do like that he's, like doing the chord thing behind it and hitting certain chords behind it. I don't hate this. I think it's written very well. I don't not like the chorus. I think it's a really good song. It went to number three. It shows how popular this was. [00:39:29] Speaker C: Oh, yeah, this is a big hit. And, I mean, it's still played on the radio. [00:39:32] Speaker B: It was a gigantic hit. I understand some of the Van Halen fans not liking this, thinking, you know, this is a change. You know, he could never have written this with David Lever off. It just would never work, or it would have been way different. It would have been more talky than singing, probably. You know what I mean? [00:39:46] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:39:47] Speaker B: He couldn't hit the notes that are in here. I don't hate it. It's a progression for him. He wanted to do keyboard stuff. He wanted to put keyboards on here. I don't see as a bad thing. I just see as him trying to expand out what Van Halen is, and some people couldn't do that. They wanted the first record again, you know what I mean? Or they wanted 1984 again. Or they wanted Fair Warning again. He wanted to do different stuff. It's a very well written song. I know you don't like the pre chorus and the chorus, but I don't hate them at all. [00:40:09] Speaker C: No, I mean, they're not terrible. I just. I don't know. I just. I really like the verse. I like the melody in the verse and. But I mean, I. I'll be honest with you. This has always been my take on the song. To me, my favorite Van Halen keyboard song in the Sammy Hagar era is. [00:40:22] Speaker B: On the next album versus. Oh, here it comes that funny feeling again Winding me up inside Every time we touch Hey, I don't know or tell me where to begin Because I've never ever felt so much hey and I can't recall any love at all oh, baby this blows them all away Choruses. It's got what it takes so tell me why can't this be loved? Straight from my heart or tell me why can't this be loved? What are you thinking, Frank? [00:40:46] Speaker A: I know the song. Everybody has heard this song at one point or another. So, yeah, it's a great song. Like the lyrics so far. Like, it was this. This was that first big hit with him, right? [00:40:58] Speaker B: Yeah. This one's a number three. [00:40:59] Speaker A: Was this the first release of the album? [00:41:01] Speaker C: I read somewhere it is. It says first single by Van Hagar. [00:41:04] Speaker B: Okay. It makes sense. All right, let's continue. Here we go. [00:41:25] Speaker D: You got to run to win I'll be standing am no buggin Hung up on the line hey, no, I can't recall anything at all maybe this flowers a way it's not what it takes so tell me why can't this be love? You, woman stay from the heart Tell me why can't this be love. [00:42:42] Speaker C: So no solo on this song really, huh? [00:42:44] Speaker B: A little instrumental break, but yeah. No, no full solo. [00:42:47] Speaker C: But it is cool, right? Because he's doing. Obviously it's two guitars going on there, right? One doing one thing, one doing the other. [00:42:52] Speaker B: Yeah. Following the vocal a little bit too, right? [00:42:54] Speaker C: Yeah. But even. I mean, when he's not singing, there's like one that sounds like it's got A little bit of wa or something going on. But the other one's a little bit more straightforward. I could be wrong, but it sounds like one on one side, one on the other. [00:43:05] Speaker B: Yeah, I wasn't listening for that, though. I have to listen to it again. I was just listening to the. Overall. [00:43:09] Speaker C: I could be wrong, but it sounds like two things. One that's a little more simple, but the other one has something going on on it. [00:43:16] Speaker B: I enjoy this song a lot. [00:43:17] Speaker C: Yeah. I mean, it's. Overall, it's a good song. Catchy. [00:43:20] Speaker B: And I think the lyrics are better. Well, I tell myself, hey, only Fools Rush in Only time will tell if we stand the test of time. No fucking shit. [00:43:30] Speaker C: Yeah. Wow. [00:43:31] Speaker B: Only time will tell if we stand this at the time. Yes. Okay. What else is going to tell you if you stand the test of time besides time? [00:43:37] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:43:38] Speaker B: All I know you've got to run to win and I'll be damned up if I get hung up on the line. I mean, the lyrics, I think, are better than the last song. I think, in general. [00:43:45] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:43:46] Speaker B: Overall, except for that one line. That one line is just. Every time I hear that, I'm like, really? Of course it is. I think in general, I like. I like this a lot. It is different. If you want the guitar driven Van Halen, this is not what you're getting. [00:43:59] Speaker C: Yeah, but I mean, you didn't get it all on the album before this either, right? Nobody can say, oh, you know, as soon as what's the name came in, this is where it was. Obviously. I'll wait. I mean, yeah, it had the solo on it, but everything else was keyboard. You know, when you ask people about Jump, what are they going to remember? What part are they really going to remember? [00:44:17] Speaker B: True. But that's what they said, though. They kind of blamed him for the keyboards coming in, but it really wasn't him. Had nothing to do with him. If Eddie Van Halen wanted to write with keyboards, he was writing with keyboards. [00:44:25] Speaker C: Exactly. It's Van Halen. [00:44:27] Speaker B: Well, it's not even that. I mean, he's writing all the music. You know what I mean? So, yeah, if he's writing on keyboard, he's writing on keyboard is what it is, whether you like it or don't like. You want to blame Sammy Hager because his style changed. You have to change a little bit because it's a different singer. Other than that, like, what else can you do there? Let's run this out. This is only 3:48, so let's finish it up. [00:44:46] Speaker D: It's got what it takes so tell me why can't this be love? Straight from my heart Tell me why can't this be love? Baby, why can't this be love? Got to know why can't this be love? I wanna know why can't this be. [00:45:35] Speaker C: Pretty quick fade. [00:45:37] Speaker B: Yeah, it's a fast fade. It's definitely a radio song. It's less than four minutes. [00:45:40] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. I mean, definitely. [00:45:44] Speaker B: I enjoy this. Yeah, I guess I'll go first. I think the lyrics are better on this, so I'm gonna give it a seven. I'm gonna give a melody a seven. I'm gonna still give eight on the music. Because Eddie Van Halen, I have to give him eight on music. No, his music is really good. Whether I, you know, like the song as much. But I do like the song, so I'm gonna give it an 8. I like his guitar playing. I like the little instrumental break in the middle. Arrangement seven and production eight, because I think it's produced better than the prior one. What do you think, Frank? [00:46:12] Speaker A: I'm gonna give the lyrics A7. This is one of the hit songs that even. Even I remember it from this album. I'm definitely gonna give that a seven. I mean, the. The production. The music. Production. I'm gonna give that a seven. The music. You know, I'm gonna go sevens across the board. I mean, it was one of the big, bigger hits from the Sammy Hagar area, right? [00:46:32] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. It was probably the biggest of this number three, I think. [00:46:35] Speaker A: I think bigger than right now, too. [00:46:36] Speaker B: Yeah, I'd have to look. [00:46:37] Speaker A: Yeah, I'm gonna go sevens across, so. [00:46:39] Speaker B: This should be funny. Here you go. Nikki Titty Baby Quintuple 7. Zippity Bippity Bop. I don't think he would like this at all. [00:46:49] Speaker C: You gotta find a Sammy Hagar. [00:46:50] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, I can do that. [00:46:51] Speaker C: Next. I think it's only right. It's only fair, right? [00:46:53] Speaker B: This is only fair. All right. What do you think, sir? [00:46:55] Speaker C: I'll say six on the lyrics. I see a six on the music. It's not bad, but it's okay. Like, I think this one, to me, even though that little guitar part is okay, like, it's kind of cool, but in general, I don't feel that it has that Eddie Van Halen thing, where, again in 1984. I just thought no matter what the song was, there was always something that he did that elevated part of it and I don't know, just not hearing this one. I think melody. I'll say seven. I mean, overall, I Think the melody is pretty strong. Production's fine. I'll say. Seven on the production and arrangement's fine, too. Seven? [00:47:36] Speaker B: Yeah, it's still kind of high. It still ends up being a seven, even though it's, you know. [00:47:40] Speaker C: Yeah, it's not a bad song. It's definitely not. I'm not gonna sit here and say, like, oh, I think there's times I like it more than other times. And now, I mean, I was. Listen, I was bopping my head to it, and it's been a while actually since I've heard it, so I think that also helps. [00:47:55] Speaker B: Yeah, it's a little fresh. [00:47:56] Speaker C: Yeah, it's definitely fresh. [00:47:58] Speaker B: So the next song is Get Up. Before we get past this part, I have a little bit of guitar trivia. Remember back in the day, though, the Steinberger guitars, the little square ones with no headstock. He has what's called the trans trim, which basically you can take the tuning and move it up and down, and when you bend chords, it all stays in tune. He's one of the few people who really use this to its, you know, extent that it was probably not even thought of to be used. Like, yeah, he's taking advantage of a piece of technology that really, no one's really using. It's been out there. He's done it for a while, Ed Steinberger, but he's using the transtrum on this. And I'll use it again on another song at the end of the side. [00:49:01] Speaker C: That's cool. [00:49:02] Speaker B: So, yeah, it's a cool thing. Let's continue. Yo. [00:49:39] Speaker D: Knock you out but you gotta fall hey, watch the left Watch right below the to see it's not going. [00:50:05] Speaker C: To stop. [00:50:21] Speaker D: Your head up high. [00:50:29] Speaker B: Ow. [00:50:30] Speaker A: Get up. [00:50:41] Speaker C: I'm not crazy about the production in the first part of the verse. It's muted. I do like, when it opens up, the effect on the guitar, to me, takes away a little bit from the heaviness of what I think it could be. I kind of hear remnants of, you know, the Hot For Teacher, but I just like that sound. Like, I think if he had that sound here, as opposed to, like, all this effect that's going on, because I think it's, you know, it's a simple, cool riff, and it's cool. I just wish it was a little bit heavier, the guitar sound, if that makes any sense. [00:51:09] Speaker B: Well, you can't really play this song without that guitar. It doesn't work. Yeah, you got to have the guitar to do that thing that he's doing, so. And, you know, it's a Different guitar. The pickups are active, which means they have batteries in them. The sounds a little different because of the guitar. [00:51:23] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:51:23] Speaker B: So maybe that's what you're hearing. But it's definitely an older style Van Halen song. [00:51:28] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:51:28] Speaker B: This. You could see something that could have been worked on with David Lee Roth, you know what I mean? It has the. It has, like, the hoffer T shirt kind of groove going on. [00:51:36] Speaker A: I like the jamming of it. And the music is really, really good on this one. [00:51:40] Speaker B: One of my favorite songs on this because this, to me, is like the transition thing. It still has a foot in the other side. But the vocals, like, David Leroy couldn't sing some of this stuff, especially the chorus part to get it up, make it work with. With Michael Anthony singing behind that. That's so high. [00:51:57] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. That get up that high part I really like. That's like my favorite part of the. You know, I like the way it goes into that. [00:52:04] Speaker B: The unfortunate part is the Simmons drums. You can really hear them here. [00:52:08] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:52:08] Speaker B: It would be nice if they were real drums. I mean, I can get around that. I can force myself through that and not listen to them that much and just. Just be happy with the drum pattern and stuff, which is pretty cool, too. [00:52:17] Speaker C: Yeah. Nice little cool stuff. It's. It's not killing it for me. [00:52:20] Speaker B: Like I said, this to me is a throwbacky. So the verse is. Feel like throwing in the towel don't be a fool they're out to knock you out Put you down for the count hey, watch the left, watch the right Below the belt they'll run Run you round and round it's plain to see it's never gonna stop they'll run you to your JJ drop There ain't no power around they can keep a good man down there's still some fight in me that's how I'll always be hold your head up high look him in the eye Never say die get up and make it work make it work get up and make it work I don't like. I don't hate the lyrics here either. I think he's doing decent lyrics here. This could be really cheesy if it's done incorrectly. What do you think so far about the lyrics? Better than the first one. [00:53:00] Speaker C: Oh, than the first one? Yes. I mean, this one at least has more of a message. Right. The first one is just. [00:53:05] Speaker B: Yeah. Don't throw the towel and fight all the time do what you got to do they're trying to knock you down. [00:53:09] Speaker C: Yeah. I mean, this One's a little bit more Anthony, Right? Kind of like a rah rah kind of thing. Like. Yeah. [00:53:15] Speaker B: Let's continue. Here we go. [00:53:38] Speaker D: We have no mercy at your feet they're holding all the cars Making things so hard. Get in, I'll get out make it work, make it work I'll get out, get out, make it work. [00:54:35] Speaker C: I like the solo, but I. I felt it was too short. Again, I feel like he's getting cut off. [00:54:41] Speaker B: Well, he's not getting cut off. [00:54:43] Speaker C: I know, but it just. I'm assuming this is intentional, because again, 1984, you got big hits, and he's going longer than he's doing here. I mean, clearly, I'm not. I wouldn't think that they would think that this is going to be a single. I don't know. I mean, again, it's a compliment to the fact that I like what's going on. I mean, that when it first dropped out, like, it kind of jarred me a little bit, like, okay. But then it's like, okay, so I like it now. This is cool. And then, you know, got into it, and it's like, yeah, cool. I'm like, is he gonna stop? He's gonna stop. I bet you he's gonna stop. Fuck. He stopped. Keep going. And again, it's a compliment to. To what's going on. I wish it was a little bit longer. [00:55:23] Speaker B: There's some cool drum stuff going on behind it, too. Yeah, Yeah. I like the whole tapping thing. I mean, but listen, he. You know, he constructed that, so he constructed all the tapping parts, and then, I mean, I'm okay with it, so it doesn't have to be long for me. [00:55:34] Speaker C: No, I know. I just, you know, when you. I mean, to me, I'm like, oh, I just wish there was a little bit more. [00:55:39] Speaker B: Yeah, like, wow. [00:55:40] Speaker A: I get it. [00:55:41] Speaker B: I mean, you want to hear him play more? Yes. [00:55:43] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:55:43] Speaker B: What'd you think, Frank? [00:55:44] Speaker A: No, like, I shared. I mean, it definitely was like this. The last two songs that we heard last week, very jam, kind of. They just went off on this one. So I like it. The lyrics, you know, they're okay. I could see what you mean by the vocals matching this style of play better that I could see on this song. [00:56:01] Speaker B: David Lilworth couldn't sing this. It's impossible. It's not in his style at all, the rhythm and stuff. Could he have made something out of this? Yes, I think so. It would be interesting to hear what he would have done with this. But, you know, the way it is, this shit's too high for him. Not really in his range. I kind of like the words. I think the words are kind of uplifting, so I kind of like that. So verse two is you got to say that love has got you down. Well, that's bullshit. Yeah. If love has got you down then love can pick you right back up. There ain't no power around to keep a good man down. Then pre chorus and chorus and solo. I always like when they double up the first verse twice. Kind of like that. And the second time they do a shorter one. I like that arrangement style. Let's continue. Here we go. [00:57:04] Speaker D: Yeah, it's just a fight in me that's how I always be hold your head up Me and the eye Never say Just get out and make it work get out make it work make it work Come on, get out make it work make work make. [00:58:01] Speaker C: I like that ending. [00:58:02] Speaker B: There's some pie going on there. [00:58:04] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:58:07] Speaker B: Michael Lanthey, my friend. [00:58:09] Speaker C: Nice. Yeah, listen, man, I mean, when we. To see him, he was holding some notes. He was doing. He was doing that kind of stream even when he didn't have to. Just in between. He was just having fun. Yeah, he sounded good. [00:58:22] Speaker B: He sounded real good. I said, why don't you go first? [00:58:25] Speaker C: I'm gonna say six on the lyrics and seven on everything else. We could send Paul. It's good. I liked it better as it. As it progressed. And not that I didn't like it in the beginning. It's a pretty good song, Frank. [00:58:38] Speaker A: Yeah, it really is a good song. Like I said, it sounds a lot like the last two that we heard. The only difference is obviously gonna be the vocals and the high ranges that he's hitting. For the lyrics, I'm gonna give that six. The music composition, all the everything else. I. I gotta give eight on everything else. [00:58:55] Speaker B: Okay. For me, I'm gonna say some lyrics. Like Sab said, I like them. They're good. They're not the worst I've heard. And I like the message, so I like that melody. I'm going to give a seven because I like the melody. Musicianship, I'm going to give an eight. Arrangement, I'm going to give eight. And production, I'll give a seven. I think the guitar sound there, just because it's that different guitar doesn't really have his sound. I like the song a lot. I like the fact that he's using something different guitar wise to try to get a sound that he can't get with something else. So I always appreciate when he does stuff like that actually, Mark, you know what? [00:59:24] Speaker C: I'll all up the music to 8, especially if we're just talking, like, straight up musicianship. I think, musically, this is the best one. Say, well, we can do an eight on that one. [00:59:35] Speaker B: Sabrina's turning around. All right, so the next one is Dreams. Obviously, we've all heard this, right? [00:59:42] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. [00:59:43] Speaker B: Yeah. He can't sing this anymore. It's too high for him to sing. It's so high. After he recorded, he's like, I don't know what the I'm gonna do. I think they did it on the 5150 tour. But he hasn't done it very much because it's so high to do. All right, so here we go. Dreams. [01:00:53] Speaker D: World turns back away to reach for the golden r. Reach for the sky Baby, just spread your way higher, higher Straight up we're fine. We'll get higher and higher. [01:01:31] Speaker C: Yeah, so in the beginning, that's keyboard and acoustic. [01:01:35] Speaker B: Yeah. It's nice. I like it. [01:01:37] Speaker C: I never. I actually never picked up on the. I guess I never really paid attention to that part. [01:01:42] Speaker B: Yeah. I like the doubling of the keyboard and the. The clean acoustic. [01:01:46] Speaker C: I mean, obviously, it's pretty catchy. [01:01:47] Speaker B: Well, supposedly they did play this through most of his time there, so he was singing it for a while. The verse is. World turns black and white Pictures in an empty room your love starts falling down Better change your tune. Yeah, you reach for the golden ring? You reach for the sky Maybe just spread your wings and get to get higher and higher Straight uphill climb we'll get higher and higher leave it all behind. Melody's good, too. [01:02:09] Speaker C: Yeah, it's very catchy. [01:02:11] Speaker B: It's almost like yacht rock. Van Halen, you know what I mean? It's super poppy. [01:02:18] Speaker C: Oh, yeah, it's very poppy. I like the production better on this one than I do on why can't this be love? [01:02:24] Speaker B: Me too. [01:02:24] Speaker C: I think it sounds fuller if I. [01:02:26] Speaker B: Gave that an 8. I think I have to change it to 7 because this is going to have to be an 8. So I'm going to have to change my production because this is definitely produced better. Frankie, what do you think? [01:02:33] Speaker A: I like it so far. I mean, this is another one of their hits, right? Release from this album. [01:02:37] Speaker B: Yeah. Number 20. [01:02:38] Speaker A: Yeah. I wouldn't have heard it otherwise. [01:02:40] Speaker B: All right, let's continue. [01:02:55] Speaker D: My broken dreams Never losing sight we got spread your wings we'll get higher and higher Straight up we're clim. We'll get higher and higher. [01:03:19] Speaker B: So, baby. [01:03:20] Speaker D: Drive my eyes say all the tears you cried all us what we are made of love Cause we belong in a world that must be strong what us world dreams are made of. [01:04:22] Speaker C: So here's where I may piss you off. And I don't like that solo. [01:04:26] Speaker B: Really. [01:04:27] Speaker C: The song going into that. Especially that. So, baby, dry your eyes. It's so catchy. And the solo, to me, just halts everything. It. To me, it just doesn't. I just think it should have gone in a different direction. And I don't remember the solo at all. I just. The fact that it doesn't play into the song at all. And, you know, I've complimented other parts when. When it's done something like that, but I don't. Yeah, I'm just. And it's not even about what he plays. It's just. I don't know. I just feel like it doesn't fit the song at all. [01:04:57] Speaker B: Wow. [01:04:58] Speaker C: Me personally, like I said, I may be pissing people off, but. [01:05:02] Speaker B: Well, it's definitely a comp of two solos because you can hear the cut. They took a couple of different things and put it together. I like the solo. It doesn't continue on some of the things that you may want to continue on. [01:05:12] Speaker C: And it's the longest solo so far, too. [01:05:15] Speaker B: I thought you were going to say, oh, cool, it's long. [01:05:17] Speaker C: So the beginning was different. I'm like, okay. But even the second part, like, when the other part comes in, it doesn't incorporate the song at all. I feel. And I just feel like this is a song that you need to do that. So, I mean, I like it. [01:05:32] Speaker B: You can't go by me. I like most of the stuff he does, so, I mean, it's. For me, it's just like. It works perfectly for what I think it does. But I could see where if you wanted it to really continue on what was happening there and it be a little more melodic. It is melodic, but it's not melodic the way you want melodic to be. [01:05:49] Speaker C: Yeah. Just not the way I was expecting in this particular song. [01:05:53] Speaker B: So the verse is run, run, run away Like a train running off the track Got the truth being left behind Fall between the cracks Standing on broken dreams and never losing sight well, just spread your rings and we'll get higher and higher Straight up We'll climb we'll get higher and higher Leave it all behind and then the post chorus is so maybe dry your eyes Save all the tears you've cried or that's what dreams are made of because we belong in a world that must be strong or that's what dreams are made of. That is maybe my favorite part. That post chorus thing there right before the solo. The melody is super duper strong and the words are good. [01:06:27] Speaker C: Yeah. Yep. [01:06:28] Speaker B: Frankie, what did you think of that part in the solo? [01:06:30] Speaker A: Well, I like that, you know, like I said, was saying it. I mean. I mean, I don't know, it's a little bit different than the other ones, than the other style, but I liked it. I thought it was, you know, it fit perfect. [01:06:42] Speaker C: 2 against 1 1, 2, 22 against 1. [01:06:59] Speaker D: How behind I will get higher, higher who knows what we'll find so, baby, dry your eyes Save all the tears Just cry All that wild dreams are made up oh, baby and we belong in a world that must be strong on us Wine are made of. [01:08:23] Speaker C: That's what I was talking. Like, that solo, that's what I was expecting to hear in the middle. Like, that fit perfectly. I thought it incorporated the. The melody and the vibe of the song, but I thought the other one didn't. Which, again, I know it's something he does. Like, obviously, having listened to now One and a half, almost one and a half records. [01:08:47] Speaker B: I was waiting for that to come because I knew that was coming. I just didn't want to say that to you because I. I knew exactly. [01:08:52] Speaker C: Yeah. [01:08:52] Speaker B: It's like as soon as I heard that, I was like, oh, that's what Sabrina wants. [01:08:55] Speaker C: Yeah, Just, you know, incorporated. It was still him, right? He's still doing some of the. The fancy and whatever, but it's incorporating the vibe of the song. Whereas that other part, I mean, I guess you could. [01:09:07] Speaker B: You could have swapped those two things and you could have done a swap. I don't know. I'm. I'm fine with it the way it is. You. You got your. Your melodic part. So, yeah, it's just. It's just one of those things that he made the choice to make that other solo be a little more Ioctane and less. Because maybe he knew he was going to do that other part later. [01:09:25] Speaker C: Yeah, it's possible. I mean, it's. But it's still something he does. I mean, we. We've again, having listened to an album and a half of stuff, solo time comes around, and typically there is something going on that's at least slightly different than what happened before, it seems. [01:09:41] Speaker B: Yeah, he likes to do that. All right, Frank, go ahead. What do you think? Rate it. I'm gonna. [01:09:46] Speaker A: I'm gonna give the lyrics a six on this one. The music. I'm gonna give that a seven. Production I'm gonna go with. I'm gonna do a seven as well. What's the last piece I'm missing here? I don't have my notes here. [01:10:02] Speaker B: Melody and arrangement. [01:10:05] Speaker A: Well, yeah, I'm gonna give that a six. An arrangement. I give a seven. It's definitely different sounding, right? [01:10:13] Speaker C: The. [01:10:13] Speaker A: The specific song, like, I don't know it. You hear that? Some of the classic Van Halen towards the end, maybe, but it's just so different. I don't know. [01:10:23] Speaker B: It's not my favorite what about you lyrics. I like the lyrics. I'm gonna say seven on lyrics. I like the melody a lot, especially that end part. I almost have to give that melody a nine because I love that melody so much that I have to give it high melody. Eight for music, seven for arrangement, eight for production. Zap. [01:10:44] Speaker C: I will say six in the lyrics, seven on the music, eight on production, eight on melody, six on arrangement. I gotta ding that solo somewhere, man. It just. It hold. No, I'll say seven. I mean, that's a little. Six is too low because, I mean, it was just that one thing, and he made up for it at the end. I mean, honestly, I like this song better now than I remembered. [01:11:09] Speaker A: Likewise. [01:11:10] Speaker B: So weird when that happens. [01:11:12] Speaker C: Yeah. [01:11:13] Speaker B: Before we get to the last song on the side, what are you thinking so far as, like, the transition? Like, you heard 1984, and now next week we come to this. What are you thinking? I'm curious. [01:11:21] Speaker C: It's not bad. You know what I mean? It's. I didn't really know this record. Well, I can't say I didn't know this record, obviously. Why can't this be Love Dreams? I know. I know the last song on the first side, obviously. I know a major hit on the other side, so there's going to be some discovery. I don't think it's this massive difference between what happened on the one before and what happened here. I mean, am I hearing Girl Gone Bad, which I think is kind of a throwback? No, but I'm still kind of hearing. Again, I think it's still Van Halen at the. At the end of the day, it's still that. [01:12:01] Speaker B: Do you think it's a transition record? Some stuff filtering over from the old side into the new side and kind of going that way? [01:12:07] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, I do. I don't. Again, I don't. I don't think this is something where I say to myself, you know, this is not John Corabi coming into Motley Cruelty, where you're like, whoa, what is. What Is this. You know what I mean? I don't think it's that at all. I think it's still Van Halen at the core. And there were keyboards on. On the song on the album before this. Is it the same? No, it's gonna sound different because again, he. He sings. Not that David Lee Ralph doesn't sing, but I mean, it's. It's a different type of thing. You know, they couldn't do dreams with him. [01:12:43] Speaker B: Oh, no, he's. [01:12:44] Speaker C: He's not gonna sing that. But could they do get up with him? Maybe. I don't think it would sound the same, but even good enough, I don't think is too far fetched. [01:12:57] Speaker B: I agree. [01:12:58] Speaker C: So. And I know that the next one is in this vein too, right? It's. [01:13:02] Speaker B: Yep. This is Summer Nights. And he's using that same guitar again because the beginning part is in one key. And then you'll hear it switch out of the key when he moves the bar to a different place. Now he goes back into a standard key. Up a little higher, and then it goes down. Joe Satrani played it without the guitar. It sounds different when it's played that way. It sounds correct when it's played this way. He's Joe Satchani. Couldn't he find somebody that had this guitar to do it instead of breaking his ass? Because it's harder to play like in regular tuning than it would be to just get stupid guitar and play the part and then. And hit the bar and just go back to where it is. I was so surprised that he didn't just do that. I'm sure he has the outlet to find somebody that has it. [01:13:40] Speaker C: Well, it sounded good, though. I mean, I remember this song. [01:13:43] Speaker B: So this is Summer Nights sa. [01:14:32] Speaker D: Oh, yeah. Ain't no way I'm setting home tonight I'll be out until the morning light Just hang around in the local parking lot. [01:14:51] Speaker C: Checking out all the girls See. [01:14:53] Speaker D: What they got wow. Loving when me and the boys Want to play Some love with them new mentors wow. Will you wind them up? Let them go wow. Somebody tonight in my radio what all we need baby don't you know we celebrate when the games are here. [01:15:42] Speaker C: Back to some of the cheesy lyrics in this one, man. [01:15:46] Speaker B: Like the melody, though. I like the chorus. [01:15:49] Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, the chorus is obviously very catchy. The verse is okay. I think the chorus kind of makes this song. I don't know if you remember, we had a song, Summertime Memories, which I wrote, which is so odd because the lyrics were not like me at all. And I don't know if it was based on this. [01:16:09] Speaker B: I don't know. I remember the name. I don't remember how it went, though. [01:16:11] Speaker C: So. Yeah, I just remember the singer at the time finding it in my portfolio of lyrics upon lyrics and saying, we gotta do this. I'm like, nah, man, that shouldn't be in there. Should have thrown that one out. [01:16:24] Speaker B: Sorry. Well, the funny part about this is when we saw Sammy Hagar, the guy that was sitting next to us, he was the opposite Van Halen fan. He was Sammy Hagar Van Halen fan, and hated the David Lee Rod stuff. I was so freaked out about that. I'm like, really? You usually don't see it that way around. I mean, I guess there are people around that. That this is their Van Halen, right? Yeah, I was just like, you don't like any of it, like, you know, like. Like Unchained or Mean street or anything? Like Van Halen? No, I like the way he sings. I like this guy. I'm like, okay. It was weird to me because I'm a fan of both of them, so I can't understand, like, being on either side of that thing and hating either of those things. But it's just. It's very strange. [01:16:59] Speaker C: But, I mean, if you're. If you're gonna say, what's the most rare? That would be the most rare, right? [01:17:05] Speaker B: I would think so. I. That's the first time I've ever run into somebody like that. [01:17:09] Speaker C: I know. That is rare. I do remember that. [01:17:13] Speaker B: So verse one is, Ain't no way I'm sitting home tonight I'll be out until the morning light Just hanging around the local parking lot oh Checking out all the girls See what they got wow. They love it when me and the boys Want to play some love with them human toys wow. We wind them up and let them go and the chorus is, Summer nights in my radio that's all we need Baby, don't you know we celebrate when the gang's all here On a hot summer night that's my time of the year that thing is so catchy. It wants you to be in the summer. It's so summer. Obviously the words just are summer nights, but it just. It's very bouncy and very poppy and very, very good melody. [01:17:49] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah. No, I mean, listen. I mean, it brings us back to. We used to hang out on the stoops and. [01:17:54] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:17:55] Speaker C: Play whatever. And so. Yeah, I mean, there's definitely a. A nostalgia factor to it. [01:17:59] Speaker B: Yeah, I like the Music that's going on behind the verses. It's probably not easy. I almost can see this could be a David Le Roth thing, too. I don't know why I always thought that. [01:18:08] Speaker C: Oh, yeah, no, I agree. There's. There's definitely. I could picture him doing something with this. [01:18:14] Speaker B: It would definitely been different. I don't know what it would have been. It definitely wouldn't have been this. He doesn't generally write lyrics like this. I mean, yeah, on the last record, there was a little more of that. But in general stuff prior to that, his lyrics usually a little more interesting than this. What do you think of Frank? Do you remember this song or. No, I do not really. [01:18:31] Speaker A: Wow. [01:18:32] Speaker B: This is cool. This is, like, the first time you're hearing this. What do you think? [01:18:35] Speaker A: You know, I. It's good. I like it. I hear hints of Kiss My Love Goodbye by Ellie Guns in there. I'm just trying to think hints of that. I love the guitar playing. [01:18:45] Speaker B: Frank pulls these things out of his ass that I'm like, what? [01:18:48] Speaker A: Yeah, I hear some of it now. You got to go back and listen to that song and listen to this song, and you're going to see the parallels. [01:18:54] Speaker B: I don't even know that song. So there you go. Sabina. You know that song, Frank? [01:18:57] Speaker C: What's that on the third one? [01:18:58] Speaker A: That is correct. [01:18:59] Speaker C: Hollywood Vampires. I definitely know of it. I mean, I haven't listened to that record in a long time. Yeah, it definitely rings familiar to me. It's just been a while. Like, too long for me to say if I agree or don't agree. [01:19:12] Speaker A: Definitely some parallels, though. [01:19:13] Speaker B: I don't know that song, so I'll take your word for it. Here we go. [01:19:21] Speaker D: Through and that freezing snow's getting out hey, make sure I head out for the coast. What do you say, B? That might just call for a toast. Now what do you say? Back on the line, you grab that pole I'll meet you down little fashion ho. Wow, them girls are fighting good. Tonight we celebrate when the games are here Hot summer night. [01:21:16] Speaker C: It'S funny, right? Again, he does not incorporate the catchiest part of the song into the solo. [01:21:24] Speaker B: Nope. [01:21:25] Speaker C: I mean, which. And it's and it's just as long as the other one. It's so funny. I mean, I think it's a good solo. I. I would just think, especially coming in from the chorus, he may have incorporated something of it. I like it better here than I. [01:21:39] Speaker B: Do in the other one he doesn't want to use because he knows it's coming back Again, so if he uses it in there and it's all on the. [01:21:45] Speaker C: Yeah, it's all on the right side, right? [01:21:47] Speaker B: Yeah. Well. And he has that. That's nowhere else in the song besides in the solo part. [01:21:52] Speaker C: No, I mean, it's got that groove, but yeah, coming out of a chorus like that, going into that, I'm like, okay. But again, I think it works better for me here than it did in the other one. [01:22:04] Speaker B: Yeah, I like it here. [01:22:05] Speaker C: And I mean, it sounds impressive to me, you know, better than I do. [01:22:09] Speaker B: Guitar playing is good. [01:22:09] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, yeah. [01:22:12] Speaker B: He's using a lot of his tricks. He's using a lot of things. He does harmonics and tapping and all the things and fast runs. And it's impressive. [01:22:19] Speaker C: It keeps it interesting. [01:22:20] Speaker B: Sounds like it was a one take kind of thing, but there was a good groove behind it. You were able to do that kind of stuff because the groove was behind it. And now that he's overdubbing and he's not just playing live, he's able to kind of like work that stuff out a little bit more, which he wasn't able to do before. He would just play it through. And it is what it is. I'm sure he worked parts out. Now he actually has a rhythm behind it to try to figure out what he wants to do. I liked it a lot, so I always liked the song in general. All right, let's continue. [01:22:51] Speaker A: Oh. [01:23:14] Speaker D: Sa. [01:23:44] Speaker C: So they don't go back to the chorus. That's a. Interesting move. They kind of went to the beginning. You thought they. I mean, I. I would just have assumed they would go back to the chorus, but they didn't. [01:23:56] Speaker B: It's an interesting arrangement. I give super props for not going back there. I think the easy move would have been to go back. So you got to give them credit for, like, changing the arrangements around and not trying to stick to the same thing and trying to move it around a little bit. I give people credit that can do that because I would have came back to the chorus, probably. [01:24:15] Speaker C: It's. To me, it's a. It's a song built around the chorus. Personally, I think I'm not. Well, you know, I'll go through my scores. [01:24:25] Speaker B: Well, on that note, why don't you go through your scores? [01:24:27] Speaker C: But it was interesting. I mean, lyrics are. I'm gonna say five. I mean, I don't think they're that great. I mean, I like the nostalgic factor of. Of. Of the factor of the chorus. But I mean, the rest of them, I'll say seven. On the music, because of the solo. I think the solo was very. Was very good. The production, I'm gonna say. I don't know. I don't think it's as well produced as the other one, honestly. I'm gonna say six on the production. It did feel a little empty to me. Melody. I mean, the melody, I think, is all in the chorus. So I'm going to say six on the melody. Arrangement. I'll say seven. On arrangement. I mean, again, the boldness of what they did in the solo and then not going back to the chorus just for the balls of doing that, I'll say seven. Mark. [01:25:22] Speaker B: Okay, I'm going to say lyrics. I'm going to say six. I do like the chorus a lot, so the melody on the chorus, I'm going to give that a 7 because that really is the bulk of the thing. Musicianship. I'm going to say eight. I like the arrangement. I'm going to say eight. The ballsness of doing that. I like the little break in between. I like the fact that he's using this guitar in a way that other people are not using it. Using the technology to do something that no one's really doing. On the musician side, I have to give him an eight for that. And production. Yeah, I'll say. I don't think it's. I don't think it's bad. I'm gonna say seven on that. I think there's stuff that's produced better. Yeah. The arrangement, to me, just not going back to the chorus, changing up in the solo, making a whole new part and using that as the lead into the solo and the solo and then. Then playing the solo the way he does. I. I enjoy that a lot. Frankie. [01:26:14] Speaker A: I really like the guitar on this one. I really, really do. I thought it was going one direction and then he breaks to a different direction for music. I'm going to. I'm going to give. I'm going to give it an eight. For arrangement, I'm gonna give that a seven. Chorus, I'll give that a seven. And then for the lyrics, I'll give that a seven as well. This song was very different than. Than I was expecting it to be at the end. [01:26:39] Speaker B: And what about production? You can get production. Score. [01:26:41] Speaker A: I'm gonna give that production an 8 on this one. [01:26:43] Speaker B: I'm so interested because you've never really heard this song. This is like brand new to you. It seems like you like it. [01:26:49] Speaker A: I did. I did. [01:26:51] Speaker B: So you were going into this album, I think a little bit of a downer now? [01:26:54] Speaker A: Definitely. I most definitely was. I was. I was participating on the protest. [01:27:01] Speaker B: And what do you think now, so far, being on through one side? What do you think? [01:27:05] Speaker A: I mean, I'm starting to walk to it, for sure. I think this song made me kind of say, start listening. [01:27:13] Speaker B: Wow. See, there you go. It's so funny. [01:27:16] Speaker C: No, I was going to say, in All Fairness, 1984. I mean, you said it's your favorite Van Halen album, so, I mean, it just seems like no matter what it's going to be, it's going to come down. [01:27:26] Speaker A: Yeah. How many albums they put out with Hagar? 3. [01:27:29] Speaker B: 4. [01:27:30] Speaker A: 4. Really? [01:27:31] Speaker B: 51. 50 or you at 12 for unlawful call knowledge. Balance. [01:27:36] Speaker A: I forget. Balance. Yeah, Balance. Yeah, balance. Well, what was always a big hit on Balance. I got to go and look that up. [01:27:42] Speaker B: We're not doing those in a row. [01:27:43] Speaker A: All right. [01:27:45] Speaker B: I thought it was real interesting to see the changeover from one singer to the other. I think we're going to try to pick a couple of more albums like this where either singer changes or style changes, like between two albums, because it's interesting because we rarely ever get to do two albums by the same artists in a row. You know what I mean? It's going to be. It'll be interesting to do another one of these. Pick a couple of other ones to do. I have a couple in my head already that we already talked about. Anyway, Sav, why don't you do your thing? [01:28:12] Speaker C: Yep. So we are part of the Deep Dive podcast network again. Great bunch of guys took us in right away. Like I always say, if you want more individualized podcasts, check it out. Of course, you got Van Halen on there, you got Queen, you've got Uriah Heap, Tom Petty, Zeppelin, you name it, it's probably on there. So if you don't want a mishmash like we do, then go check them out. And mark, where can they find us. [01:28:33] Speaker B: On the interwebs Rock with that pod. All the social media. Rockwithpodcast.com submit a new bets idea, put us on your automatic download so you get a new episodes every Tuesday, and please give us a review on whatever podcast app you listen to. So that moves us up in the algorithm so more people get us referred to them and we get more listeners and seems to be working. So we appreciate everyone who does that for us. I guess we'll finish this up next week. And there's a bunch of other good songs on the second side, which Frankie probably hasn't even heard. Maybe he's heard one, but I don't know if he's heard anything else. To him, this is like a brand new record 40 years later. [01:29:10] Speaker A: It really is. It is. It's new to me, you know? [01:29:13] Speaker B: It's new to you. [01:29:14] Speaker A: I just started watching Game of Thrones. It's new to me. [01:29:19] Speaker C: I know. I got to get around to that one, too. [01:29:22] Speaker B: All right, guys, we'll see you next week. [01:29:23] Speaker A: Bye. [01:29:24] Speaker C: Ciao, ciao. [01:29:25] Speaker B: Later. [01:29:31] Speaker D: It.