What Van Halen song has the most meaning to you?

[fraroc]

Just like the title says, What Van Halen song has the most personal meaning to you. Mine would be Me Wise Magic because believe it or not, MWM was the first Van Halen song I EVER heard. I was about 3-4 years old when my dad first bought the Best Of Vol.1 CD and I could remember it was a cloudy, shitty day and I was playing outside, either in my kiddie pool or in my sandbox and my dad was playing Van Halen Best Of Vol.1 (the one with the unintentional "remix" of Running With the Devil) on his old ghetto blaster in fact, I believe he still has that old boom box somewhere in my house. My point is was that because he liked the two new songs so much, he skipped ahead to Track 17, which was Me Wise Magic. And as a little 3 year old kid at the time, I was absolutley fucking FLOORED. It was the best thing I have ever heard. And I remember just how atmospheric the "DO YOU BELIEVE.....don't you trust me? Me Wise Magic" part was. In fact, whenever it's really cloudy and shitty out, I always think of that chorus.

Believe me, I was floored when I first listened to Unchained and Panama, but nothing did it the same way as Me Wise Magic did to me when I was 3.

[DLR Bridge]

There have been similar threads, but it's a topic that never gets old. I'll play along.

Being 11 when MTV first aired, I was subjected to a lot of the same videos over and over and over again due to the fact that it was such a new outlet in America, that hardly any American acts were ready for it. There were lots of videos from budding English new wave bands, but American acts such as Van Halen, first got their feet wet with the video genre by posting their live performances. I vividly remember watching the 3 live clips of VH not really knowing what to make of it. I had grown up on Kiss and the Beatles and wasn't quite in the market for something else real to latch on to yet. Then, it hit me. The Pretty Woman video knocked me off of the couch and I was hooked. That crazy intro with the hunchback enraged at what he was witnessing. The four oddball characters coming to the rescue, but not before improperly hanging the phone up, and who could forget the surprise ending? This marvelous visual was accompanied by such a sweet crunching guitar sound, one Dave would later describe as "chick friendly" and an awesomely harmonized vocal that just struck me. These guys must be the shit. Sure enough, they were, are.

While the song doesn't quite do it for me anymore and should probably be yanked from the live shows in lieu of something better, that original sounding cover tune from Diver Down has to be the song I'd cuntsider most meaningful due to it's impact it had on me and the life long impression it has made on me.

[hambon4lif]

Anything from the 6-pack holds a special place, that's a given. For most of us, it's the soundtrack to our adolescence, and we've heard them so many millions of times that they're embedded in our bones. They're a part of who we are.

As strange as it may sound to some, over the years it's actually been Dave's solo tunes that stick with me even more.

"Big Trouble" is one song that holds a special meaning. The chorus in particular...
"How many times have you said to yourself
'pack up and go!'
I've been here too long?
I'll bet if you asked 'em, our heroes would say
'Hey! we're already gone"

...The whole "fuck this! I'm moving on" message has always had a special meaning for me. Who the hell doesn't go through that a few times in their life?


"Damn Good" holds a special meaning, especially when you're hanging out with old friends.
It explains itself, and it's one of the greatest songs Dave has ever written....it's one of the greatest songs ever written, period!

This one has been playing over and over in my head. (Especially over this last weekend, though I can't for the life of me figure out exactly why)...



As much as I love the Van Halen stuff, Dave has done some songs that have seriously struck a chord, and hold a special meaning..to me.

[Coyote]

"Big Trouble" is one song that holds a special meaning. The chorus in particular...
"How many times have you said to yourself
'pack up and go!'
I've been here too long?
I'll bet if you asked 'em, our heroes would say
'Hey! we're already gone"

...The whole "fuck this! I'm moving on" message has always had a special meaning for me. Who the hell doesn't go through that a few times in their life?

Verily.

Also,
"In A Simple Rhyme". The lyrics hit home a couple of times...

"Push Comes To Shove". On repeat a few years ago, because of a woman.

"Unchained" & "Jump". The ultimate motivational combo.

[hambon4lif]

"Push Comes To Shove". On repeat a few years ago, because of a woman.

Absolutely! Great tune, and for the exact same reason...

Women

Most of mine are named 'Hina', or something similar......

[Coyote]

Man, the line "will you ever be the same/is this the one that got away" hit hard at one point...

[DLR Bridge]

"In A Simple Rhyme". The lyrics hit home a couple of times...

I always liked "...I'm always a sucker for a real good time. Woke up in life to find I almost missed it..."

[vandeleur]

"You go through life as someone's doormat
While you don't get no sporting chance
There ain't much distance between a pat on the back
And a kick in the pants"

Resonated a few times

[sadaist]

Ain't Talkin 'Bout Love - was the opening riff I took to my guitar teacher on my 2nd lesson. 1st lesson was how to tune haha. He almost shat himself when I played it and said with joy "THIS! I WANNA LEARN THIS!"


Dance The Night Away - seeing Dave & Eddie for the 1st time ever in 2007, and at the break in the middle when the audience sang their part "Dance Dance Dance The night awayyyyyyy"...13,000 people filled with joy and singing together to Dave & Eddie was something special. Will never forget it as long as I live.

[VetteLS5]

"Push Comes To Shove". On repeat a few years ago, because of a woman.

Angriest solo ever.

ATBL was first, heard walking down school hallway when some upper classman was playing on their boombox back when the 1st record came out. But I think the one that really stuck with me was SGMD for some reason. It actually got pretty consistent airplay at night on a couple stations in the area, and I would blast it through my headphones.

[jhale667]

Man, the line "will you ever be the same/is this the one that got away" hit hard at one point...

Still does every time I see a picture of a certain young lady...

[vaijuju]

When I was 17 , I spent my holidays on hospital (tuberculose) .. It was in 1981 and i've just a VH K7 "fair warning" I listened, listened all days "Fair warning" songs like push comes to shove or dirty movies or Hear about it later !!!

[SunisinuS]

"Secrets"

[TwoFoolsAMinute]

I guess the most memorable for me, and the one that really moves me is Feels So Good. Every time I hear it I start puking and shitting uncontrollably and sometimes end up in the hospital. I'll never forget that one. Memories.

[Terry]

A tough question to answer, in terms of singling out a particular song...

Sinner's Swing! never fails to get me motivated. That fucker just moves me. Like, to the point where if I had a heart attack and my life force was fading away, putting that tune on 10 next to my hospital bed would do more than an adrenaline shot or chest shocks.

Doctor: "Okay, we need 100dbs of FW, Side 1, Track 3...CLEAR!"

[Kristy]

'Right Now'

I was the young, impressionable Pepsi can in the commercial.



Now I'm old, not Von old but I owe my early acting career to Edwardo and Spammy

[Kristy]

Pepsi: sell out and set your hair on fire

[78/84 guy]

The one Eddie sings. It reminded me how great the Dave years were.

[chefcraig]

Without a doubt, it has to be "Fools." Probably the dumbest, most lame-brained and gut-fucking, nut-kicking three-chord riff since The Kingsmen barfed up "Louie Louie" back in the early 1960s. Lyrically, in just under six minutes, David Lee Roth puts into fine edge the sheer and total futility of teenage angst that dorks like Nirvana spent entire careers defining.

FOOLS

Well, I ain't about to go to school.
And I'm sick and tired of golden rules.
They say I'm crazy, from the wrong side of the tracks.
I never see them, but they're always on my back.
Well, I'm sick and tired of cleaning room.
And it's the final bell for pushing broom.
Damned if I do, and then I'm damned if I don't.
Won't someone tell me what it is they all want?
It makes me blue!
Ooh, I live with fools!
Ooh, it makes me blue!
Ooh, I live with fools!
I just can't take it!
My teachers all gave up on me.
No matter what they say, I disagree.
And when I need something to soothe my soul,
I listen to too much rock 'n' roll.
Don't want no class reunion.
This circus just left town.
Why behave in public if you're
Livin' on a playground?
It makes me blue!
Ooh, I live with fools!
Ooh, it makes me blue!
Ooh, I live with fools!

[Satan]

Does anybody really need to ask me this question?