"Little Guitars": Your Take

[Marlowe01]

I was pissed not to hear this when I saw Dave last summer. Definitely a lost classic.

P.S.- I wish he'd do a cover of "Tin Cup Chalice" again...GOD i love that song.

[TwoFoolsAMinute]

Little Guitars:
Damn near the best Van Halen song ever.

[sambo]

Little Guitars.. a masterpiece. I remember the first time I heard that song... completely blew me away..

[horty07]

Great song

[DLRdelight!]

Great guitar work, great everything

[DeadOrAlive]

Ok, so is it Etch a Sketch or Catch as Catch?

[Marlowe01]

Catch as Catch

[dave_is_vh]

Little Guitars is probably the best Van Halen song.

Has Dave EVER performed that live as a solo artist?

I am sure Dave's guitarist could pick up one of those little guitars at Toys R Us.

[Marlowe01]

yeah, he has. Especially on his 1999 tour, he did. There's a live version of that from this 1999 tour in the downloads section of the website. It's from the 1999 Dallas, TX bootleg here. Check it out!

[dave_is_vh]

How do they play the guitar parts? You can't play that song on a regular guitar can you?

[DeadOrAlive]

Catch as catch

[Northern Girl]

Little Guitars is my absolute favorite VH song. Dave performed it on his 2001 tour also. It was great to hear it live.

[frenchie]

good good song...........;eddie probably don't remember he wrote that with david!twenty years ago

[Marlowe01]

lol...I think it's funny how everyone keeps bringing up that he's such an alocholic! And, that he is SO drunk all the time, that he doesn't even REMEMBER THAT HE USED TO PLAY WITH DAVID LEE ROTH IN THE BAND, that he doesn't even know where he is, etc. Keep it up. That stuff never ceases to amuse me. lol

[Matt White]

"Little Guitars" is a textbook example of CLASSIC VAN HALEN: Great Riff, Great Lyrics, very inspired performance. Vastly under appriciated and Great vocal performance by DAVID LEE ROTH.


DAVE OR THE GRAVE BABY!!!!

[Wayne L.]

Little Guitars is probably the most underrated VH rock classic of all time despite being a kick ass tune.

[diamondsgirl]

I was just checking out the US Festival (again. LOL). This song is one of the highlights., IMO.

Sounds great live, Ed was so into it. Dave was too.

I love seeing that, but then I get really sad.

[DeadOrAlive]

Great song

[spmusicplyr]

i remember the first time i heard this song...the guitar reminded me of a baby version of panama in the beginning

[monkeythe]

Great song. Best song on Diver Down. If it was on either 1984 or VH1, it would have received a lot more airtime.

[crzefrmtheatgrl]

i heard it was writen for someone

[diamond den™]

That song is INCREDIBLE.

[GAR]

Originally posted by dave_is_vh
You can't play that song on a regular guitar can you?

The main guitar track is (was) a 1979 bone stock Fender stratocaster, black w/black pickguard.

[Rikk]

Originally posted by diamondsgirl
I was just checking out the US Festival (again. LOL). This song is one of the highlights., IMO.

Sounds great live, Ed was so into it. Dave was too.

I love seeing that, but then I get really sad.

The song is amazing in Montreal '84. Dave is rapping to the audience and then waves at Alex, who begins the drum intro:

BOOM, BOOM DA, BOOM BOOM BOOM DA...awesome shit.

[jay_are]

I worked at a television station in Tampa back in 1990 and I used "Little Guitars" in a air show piece. It had the Thunderbirds in the piece and it look great. That song has always been one of my favorites. I know one thing, my news director loved the choice I made for the news feature.

[Big Troubles]

I love playing along to that song. Truly, the creative juices for all members of that band were flowing.

[smaz]

I didn't think much of Diver Down the first time I listened to at. After that, I left it alone for a while. But after a couple of threads about Little Guitars being great, I gave it a listen.

Haven't stopped since

Reminds me of Crazy From The Heat in the guitaring style used (for the verses at least)? I don't know how to describe it, the way it's "jumpy"?

[Antman]

Definitely my favorite VH tune, especially live. Why wasn't it included on either best of? Just a great tune, intro and all.

[Antman]

[

Reminds me of Crazy From The Heat in the guitaring style used (for the verses at least)? I don't know how to describe it, the way it's "jumpy"? [/B][/QUOTE]

I've always said that about Goin Crazy. Has the same vibe or vane if you will.

[VHII]

that was the song that popped out from diver down for me, everything is great about it

[Mothereffer]

Little Guitars was a fucking classic for sure! When I first got the record in 1982, at age 14, I couldn't understand what the fuck Roth was saying in the chorus ...then I found out a few years ago ------"catch as catch...catch as catch can........" what the fuck does that mean anyway? Who cares? Great tune.

[LookN4AMootBeat]

Yes indeed, this is hands down my favorite van halen song of all time. I spent years trying to figure it out on guitar, and was so happy when i finally got it I haven't stopped playing it lol. I even learned it completely in the wrong key, played it that way for years, then had to re-learn it after seeing Eddie play it at the US festival. Singing AND playing it was a huge challenge, but now it's a hundred times more enjoyable...it's just a fun, happy song.

Yes, you can play it on a regular guitar, but you have to tune the low E string down to D, then use a capo on the third fret. If you can't figure it out from there feel free to PM me.

"Catch as catch can" is a saying that means basically "you gotta take it when you can get it" this goes along with the song in that the girl he's after is sort of "on a fence" about him, she's not sure she wants him.....but he sees that it's obvious they go great together, and it's silly if she says no.
"Can't crow before you're outta the woods" means you can't count your chickens before they're hatched, meaning he knows they should and will be together but he also knows he can't rush things with her. This also has a meaning for the girl in the song, that whatever her reasons for not wanting to be with him.....those things could change and not be what she expected so she might want to "get it while she can".

"there's exceptions to the rule".......while not trying to rush things, he still wants to convince her.

For those who are not sure about the lyrics to the second verse/refrain the end of which kindof gets a little mush-mouthed:

"You say you're lonesome just getting by, but you turn your eyes from me.......be sure you only know before you fly, baby, you've got me"

I love this song.

[Antman]

Little Guitars was a fucking classic for sure! When I first got the record in 1982, at age 14, I couldn't understand what the fuck Roth was saying in the chorus ...then I found out a few years ago ------"catch as catch...catch as catch can........" what the fuck does that mean anyway? Who cares? Great tune.

I always thought he was saying "Etch a sketch" like the toy.

[Matt White]

Originally posted by LookN4AMootBeat

"You say you're lonesome just getting by, but you turn your eyes from me.......be sure you only know before you fly, baby, you've got me"

I love this song.

Good to see ya Bro!
Not trying to nit-pick, but I believe the lyrics you ae talking about are really:
"You say you're lonesome, just getting by, but you turn your eyes from me. Please, Senorita, before you fly, 'cause you've got me."

ROTH ON MAN!!!!

[LookN4AMootBeat]

Well bro, I don't consider that a nitpick, because on the studio version that's a very hard mush-mouth to make out. In fact, I just listenned to it again and it's hard to tell if my line is right, it sounds like it might be, but to me it definitely doesnt' sound like "please senorita".

What led me to believe it's "be sure you only know before you fly" was hearing the live version from the US festival, where Dave says what sounds like "see you only know.....before you cry..." but again..that is also quite mush-mouthed.

Another live version which i'm not sure where it was played but i have it, he seems to say "be sure you honey though before you cry"
To me, "be sure you only know before you cry/fly" makes more sense.

It's a tough call, but it certainly is a message for the girl to basically remember "you've got me" before she either cries or flies.

[wombattt]

Love it...I would rank it in my personal top 10 CVH songs

[Snow Ho]

diver down gets shit on a lot by assward van halen. but i think it has a lot of underrated songs. little guitars being one of them.

[buckshotjenkins]

'be sure you're hurting though before you cry' maybe?

[Big Troubles]

no real meaning I dont think. Roth always wrote tunes to make ya question them. hell, half of the classic VH catalogue is a riddle.

[tydhurst]

That WAS the best song of that album. It kicked so much ass, i was listening to it earlier and dancing about my mum's room!