WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST Re-visited

[ClubDave]

I like the way the line runs up the back of the stocking man

[sambo]

I've always liked those kind of high heels, too, ya know I...

[Rikk]

No no no no, don't take 'em off...leave 'em on...

[sambo]

Yeah, that's it...a little more to the right :D

[sambo]

You gotta love this album...

[Bill Lumbergh]

I, for one, have always loved this album. When I first heard it my fucking jaw dropped, no bullshit. I rank it second just behind FW. Thanks again Rikk, stellar review man!

[Terry]

The classic lineup was beginning to peak, full throttle, with this album. Continued with Fair Warning (Van Halen's last album that was consistently excellent from start to finish).

And The Cradle Will Rock - Probably the most radio-friendly tune on the album. Some restrained (by Eddie's standards) soloing, but definitely appropo for the song. A relatively low-key way to kick the album off.

Everybody Wants Some!! - A classic. Jungle-vibe intro, patented in your-face chorus. Even with it's consistent play on the radio over the years, hasn't become tiresome for me (unlike, say, Jump).

Fools - The tune drips attitude. The guitar solo has a bluesy feel to it. Most of the solos on this effort are a little slower in tempo than on Van Halen and Van Halen 2, but don't suffer for it. The whole album has a very live feel to it, but you can hear the depth of the production quality....a definite improvement over Van Halen 2 in that respect. Templeman and VH definitely complimented one another.

Romeo Delight - This song is in my top five of all time, probably coming in at a close second to Sinner's Swing! Even the post-solo breakdown (Mmmm baby, feel my heartbeat), which Roth reportedly wasn't all that thrilled with , works. The solo is a monster, and the band is just meshed and flying forward. Great lyrics.

Tora Tora - Effective intro to Loss Of Control. Primarily effective because of it's brevity.

Loss Of Control - Almost punkish in its feel. Off-the-wall solo from Ed. For some reason, this whole album feels like the band just went in, drank beer and let it rip. Definitely didn't suffer from putting too much thought into what they were gonna record, and this results in an immediacy and intensity missing from the overworked tunes that plagued Van Hagar.

Take Your Whiskey Home - An older tune slightly revamped for the album. As far as Ed's claim that Eric Clapton was his primary influence, this albums solos are about the only thing in VH's catalog that make me believe it. Almost simplistic by the standards of the first two albums (Romeo Delight to one side).

Could This Be Magic? - Kinda tones down the proceedings somewhat, but great for what it is. An example of VH's diversity.

In A Simple Rhyme - Very Zeppelinesque. Probably the most overtly Zep influenced VH song short of Secrets.

Guitar technique to one side, this album comes across as more of a Seventies-style album to me than the first two (which were actually released in the Seventies), but bottom line it represents one of the zenith albums of VH's career.

5 out of 5 stars

[tobinentinc]

The More I listen to this album, the more I love it period. It kicks major ass from start to finish. It has soo many different styles from begining to end. Everybody Wants Some . . . to Could this Be Magic? This album has got it all.

[The Knockz]

WACF demonstrated just how obnoxious and arrogant VH were and deserved to be.
When your nearest competition is miles behind you, its ok to gloat and this album was the big F U to all the other posers and wanna-be's who werent yet and may never be.

[Bill Lumbergh]

Originally posted by Terry

Guitar technique to one side, this album comes across as more of a Seventies-style album to me than the first two (which were actually released in the Seventies), but bottom line it represents one of the zenith albums of VH's career.

Great comment here, I totally agree. And by the way (amazingly)this album has never really been at the top of Classic VH fans list of six pack albums. That's unbelievable to me.........FW,WACF, and I are untouchable IMO.

[Rikk]

Bill, my great friend...when are you going to learn? They're all untouchable. Van Halen was an unbeatable band. But you're right. There's a certain feeling of indestructability on this album that no band in rock history has ever really repeated. I love this album so much.

[Mr. G]

Rikk you are the ablosute king of critics. By the way the rain you hear on "could this be magic" is real. I heard Dave say once durring an interview that when they were recording it it was raining outside and he decided to open the doors and get some of it in the mix. Pretty cool.

[Matt White]

I was in 6th grade when WACF was released!!!!!:D HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!
"cough,cough!!" WOW! And, I had a teacher in 6th grade who let us bring in records once a week to listen to. SHE brought in WACF!!! She was the COOLEST!!!!
I remember the RUMORS around this time as well!!! ANYBODY else remember when the national media SPECULATED that VAN HALEN might be KISS without the makeup?!?!?!HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
WTF!!! I remember my older Bro showing me this article in the DETROIT NEWS that said something to that effect. WOW! Where those simpler times or what???



DAVE OR THE GRAVE MOTHERFUCKERS!!!!!!!!!

[sambo]

I was in 5th Grade when WACF was released. My first album was VHII, a birthday present from my Aunt and WACF was all I wanted for my next birthday. Although I don't remember the makeup rumour making its way Down Under tho' Matt

1981...Ah they were the days... Missile Command, Defender, Donkey Kong, Randy Rhoads, Kiss Unmasked... I could go on....

[Bill Lumbergh]

Originally posted by Rikk
Bill, my great friend...when are you going to learn? They're all untouchable. Van Halen was an unbeatable band. But you're right. There's a certain feeling of indestructability on this album that no band in rock history has ever really repeated. I love this album so much.

Of course they're the top six albums of all fucking time bro! I just meant those are the best of the best out of the six IMO.