Author Topic: Official top 50 Van Halen songs thread!! (Countdown has begun!!)  (Read 26672 times)

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Offline Stadler

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Kev:  seriously, thanks for being complete (Crossing Over, Me Wise Magic, the rest of the songs from the two greatest hits).  Impressive (I was 96% sure I was going to have to mention "Crossing Over", a b-side from the Balance era).  I think I'm going to do better with "listening" before I rank, since I have the time.

Offline KevShmev

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Kev:  seriously, thanks for being complete (Crossing Over, Me Wise Magic, the rest of the songs from the two greatest hits).  Impressive (I was 96% sure I was going to have to mention "Crossing Over", a b-side from the Balance era).  I think I'm going to do better with "listening" before I rank, since I have the time.

Don't get me too much credit, as I would have forgotten Crossing Over had I had not gone to wikipedia to double check my work (I have never been able to find Crossing Over online, so it is not in my iTunes :( ).  I think the new Sammy songs for the 2nd greatest hits are all pretty blah, but the two new ones with Roth in '96 were both pretty great. Will be interesting to see where both finish for me.

Offline Stadler

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Check your email.

There are other songs that I don't think fit here, but in the interest of showing off completeness: "Respect The Wind", Eddie and Alex from the "Twister" soundtrack, and the two songs Eddie did for the porn movie "Sacred Sin", which are pretty good considering ("Catherine" and "Rise")

Offline Dream Team

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I was wondering whether you were including cover songs, looks like you are. I will not be listing any just on principle. Just doesn't feel right.

Offline WilliamMunny

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Email set ;D

Thanks again, Kev!

Offline KevShmev

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Email set ;D

Thanks again, Kev!

 :tup :tup

Check your email.

There are other songs that I don't think fit here, but in the interest of showing off completeness: "Respect The Wind", Eddie and Alex from the "Twister" soundtrack, and the two songs Eddie did for the porn movie "Sacred Sin", which are pretty good considering ("Catherine" and "Rise")

Thanks, man!!  :tup :tup

I thought about Respect the Wind, but that is technically not VH, but just Eddie and Alex, so I left it off. 

I was wondering whether you were including cover songs, looks like you are. I will not be listing any just on principle. Just doesn't feel right.

I get that, but I included them this time because they were tracks on the proper albums, not just live covers, bonus disc tunes or on a separate EP.

Offline hefdaddy42

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I am going to do my best to actually get this done in time to participate, which I didn't do for DT or Rush.
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Offline Deadeye21

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I actually like Inside, enough so that it might make the 50.
Let's go with a P for Deadeye has premature alphabetejaculation.

Offline HOF

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I've run through VH, 1984, 5150 and going through OU812.  Hmm...can see why I'm not the biggest VH fan, this is going to be tough.

Jeez, I thought the Hagar stuff was a lot better than it is.  There's some real duds here.  Most of the songs from the two Roth albums I've been through heavily outweighs the Hagar stuff.
I prefer Hagar to Roth, hence why 5150 is my favorite VH album, but OU812 and For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge are nowhere near as good.

I think, by and large, the least best Hagar tracks are much worse than the least best Roth tracks, but I think the best Hagar songs are neck and neck with the best they did with Roth.  I used to not like OU812 that much either, but I have really come around to loving it in the last few years.  It took me over 30 years, but I got there.  :lol :lol  ..Carnal Knowledge is a bit lopsided for me in that it has four or five killer songs (I suspect four songs from it will make my overall top 20-25), but it has a bunch of average ones as well, ones that would sit near the bottom if I had to rank every VH song.

There are some really bad Van Hagar tracks for sure. A lot of the album cuts from the first three are quite terrible, and going through this last night, even some of the radio tracks that I used to really like don’t hold up that well. Until you get to Balance. Most of that album is really great, with a couple exceptions.

Actually, some of the deep tracks on For Unlawful are really good, but there are a couple stinkers there too.

Offline HOF

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List sent. The singer breakdown surprised me a bit (I thought it would be more like 30/10/10). Mostly a result of some Sammy era songs not aging well for me.

Hagar: 22
Roth: 17
Cherone: 11

Though some of those are instrumental anyway!

Offline TAC

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List sent. The singer breakdown surprised me a bit (I thought it would be more like 30/10/10). Mostly a result of some Sammy era songs not aging well for me.

Hagar: 22
Roth: 17
Cherone: 11



April Fools was four days ago.
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline DragonAttack

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Kev:  seriously, thanks for being complete (Crossing Over, Me Wise Magic, the rest of the songs from the two greatest hits).  Impressive (I was 96% sure I was going to have to mention "Crossing Over", a b-side from the Balance era).  I think I'm going to do better with "listening" before I rank, since I have the time.

Don't get me too much credit, as I would have forgotten Crossing Over had I had not gone to wikipedia to double check my work (I have never been able to find Crossing Over online, so it is not in my iTunes :( ).  I think the new Sammy songs for the 2nd greatest hits are all pretty blah, but the two new ones with Roth in '96 were both pretty great. Will be interesting to see where both finish for me.

I had used this for eons to convert youtube audio to iTunes for free   https://www.4kdownload.com/products/youtubetomp3/7   

During Orbert's Jethro Tull discography is when I discovered the tons of their originally unreleased bonus tracks for their 70s albums.  And then, at one point, some of them would not convert.  This happened with some artists last year as well.  I ended up spending the $25 or so for their 'premium package', and considering I was able to download fifty or so songs that I couldn't before, it was worth the cost.

And here's your choices for 'Crossing Over' (one of my Top 50s....oops,....one of my 'considerations' for my Top 50 ;))

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=van+halen+crossing+over

It can be frustrating due to the often erratic 'base' volume that some of these uploads have in order to find what you want that equals what you have.  But it's certainly better than nothing.
...going along with Dragon Attack's Queen thread has been like taking a free class in Queen knowledge. Where else are you gonna find info like that?!

Offline Stadler

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I found this from Wikipedia:

"The track [Without You] debuted at number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, the second in the magazine's history to do so (after Rush's "Stick It Out" in 1993)."   Where did "Stick It Out" end up on the Rush list?   :)  :) :)

I can safely say I know what my number one will be (I will also predict I will be the only one to rank this song that high), and I know the number of Cherone songs that will make the Top 50.  Everything else is up to the Ranker.   :)

Offline HOF

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List sent. The singer breakdown surprised me a bit (I thought it would be more like 30/10/10). Mostly a result of some Sammy era songs not aging well for me.

Hagar: 22
Roth: 17
Cherone: 11

Though some of those are instrumental anyway!

Well, no wonder. I had some songs mis-labled in my spreadsheet. Actual breakdown:

Hagar: 26
Roth: 13
Cherone: 11


Offline KevShmev

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I like it.  It would be boring if every list was mostly Roth stuff, so getting some with a bunch of Sammy and even a few Cherone tunes will mix it up a little and make it a less predictable.  I will be curious to see if any Cherone tunes actually make the top 50.  My guess is it depends on how many lists get submitted, as it feels like the more lists there are, the less likely Cherone songs are to see representation.  That is my theory.

Offline DragonAttack

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List sent. The singer breakdown surprised me a bit (I thought it would be more like 30/10/10). Mostly a result of some Sammy era songs not aging well for me.

Hagar: 22
Roth: 17
Cherone: 11


April Fools was four days ago.

 :lol :rollin
...going along with Dragon Attack's Queen thread has been like taking a free class in Queen knowledge. Where else are you gonna find info like that?!

Offline WilliamMunny

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List sent. The singer breakdown surprised me a bit (I thought it would be more like 30/10/10). Mostly a result of some Sammy era songs not aging well for me.

Hagar: 22
Roth: 17
Cherone: 11

Though some of those are instrumental anyway!

Well, no wonder. I had some songs mis-labled in my spreadsheet. Actual breakdown:

Hagar: 26
Roth: 13
Cherone: 11

I'm so with you on Hagar, though my list was a little more 50/50 (which surprised me).

That Cherone album is great, and I maintain that if it had been billed as something else (say, an EVH solo album), it would have been way more well-received and likely revered at this point.

Offline TAC

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List sent. The singer breakdown surprised me a bit (I thought it would be more like 30/10/10). Mostly a result of some Sammy era songs not aging well for me.

Hagar: 22
Roth: 17
Cherone: 11

Though some of those are instrumental anyway!

Well, no wonder. I had some songs mis-labled in my spreadsheet. Actual breakdown:

Hagar: 26
Roth: 13
Cherone: 11

I'm so with you on Hagar, though my list was a little more 50/50 (which surprised me).

Are you sure it's not more like.....51/50? :neverusethis:




Sorry.
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline Stadler

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Don't apologize. Finish what you started.  :)

Offline TAC

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OK, but you'll hear about it later.
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline KevShmev

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That Cherone album is great, and I maintain that if it had been billed as something else (say, an EVH solo album), it would have been way more well-received and likely revered at this point.

I don't think any new singer would have had a chance of being accepted by the fanbase as a whole.  The Sammy fans were ticked that he was fired, and the DRL fans were aggravated after getting teased about a full-on reunion that didn't happen.  VHIII was dead in the water before it was even released.  Throw in that it was smack dab in the middle of EVH's experimental phase, thus it not sounding at all like classic VH, and it's no wonder the album was not widely accepted. There are a lot of rough edges to it, but there are moments of true greatness, and a few songs that have held up for me as being really good.  I'll take it any day over Diver Down.

Offline WilliamMunny

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That Cherone album is great, and I maintain that if it had been billed as something else (say, an EVH solo album), it would have been way more well-received and likely revered at this point.

I don't think any new singer would have had a chance of being accepted by the fanbase as a whole.  The Sammy fans were ticked that he was fired, and the DRL fans were aggravated after getting teased about a full-on reunion that didn't happen.  VHIII was dead in the water before it was even released.  Throw in that it was smack dab in the middle of EVH's experimental phase, thus it not sounding at all like classic VH, and it's no wonder the album was not widely accepted. There are a lot of rough edges to it, but there are moments of true greatness, and a few songs that have held up for me as being really good.  I'll take it any day over Diver Down.

Fun fact: in the past 20 years, I've probably listened to VHIII and ADKOT ten times more than the rest of the catalog combined. Both just sound, for lack of a better word, 'fresh' to my ears.

Offline Stadler

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That Cherone album is great, and I maintain that if it had been billed as something else (say, an EVH solo album), it would have been way more well-received and likely revered at this point.

I don't think any new singer would have had a chance of being accepted by the fanbase as a whole.  The Sammy fans were ticked that he was fired, and the DRL fans were aggravated after getting teased about a full-on reunion that didn't happen.  VHIII was dead in the water before it was even released.  Throw in that it was smack dab in the middle of EVH's experimental phase, thus it not sounding at all like classic VH, and it's no wonder the album was not widely accepted. There are a lot of rough edges to it, but there are moments of true greatness, and a few songs that have held up for me as being really good.  I'll take it any day over Diver Down.

Fun fact: in the past 20 years, I've probably listened to VHIII and ADKOT ten times more than the rest of the catalog combined. Both just sound, for lack of a better word, 'fresh' to my ears.

See, I straddle this line.   I LOVE ADKOT.  My album of the year in 2012, and it's very high on my list of VH albums.  In fact, I think it's DAVE'S best album; not the band's best, but the best overall for Dave.  I think his lyrics on that album are as good as any album out there in terms of creativity and cleverness.  There's a subtle depth to them as well that I think VH in general doesn't get any credit for.  There will no doubt be several entries on my Top 50.   

Having said that, I'm a HUGE Extreme fan, I've seen Gary three times with Extreme (including back before they went on their first hiatus) and he's KILLED it every time.  I was psyched to potentially get a Van Halen show that would cover all eras relatively equally.   Having said that, I was distinctly disappointed with the record.  One or two good songs, some flashes of greatness, but it just doesn't deliver enough of the highs that a Van Halen album is expected to deliver. 
« Last Edit: April 06, 2022, 06:48:22 AM by Stadler »

Offline TAC

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Two shortcomings of the VHIII album are..

1. While you can tell it's Alex VH by his style, the album lacks the dynamics and liveliness that his drums are known for. This album would benefit from Alex's trademark sound.

2. The same can be said for the backing vocals. Michael's (especially) and Eddie's backing vocals, to me, are one of the band's trademarks. The backing vocals on this album are really stifled.

Cherone sounds fine, if not a lot like Sammy. The songs aren't great, but if it sounded more like VH, with the two above points as an example, I think it would've been better.
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline HOF

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Much of my love for VH III is just that it was a big part of my soundtrack for the summer of '98, which just happened to be a really great summer for me for a bunch of different reasons. But I also think it's great that they basically chucked the playbook and made an oddball album and really stretched out musically into territory they really hadn't before (although Balance was a bit out there too). At that time I remember thinking it was going to lead to this whole new, interesting direction for the band, and then they just farted it all away. In retrospect, I don't think Eddie was really very with it at the time that album was made, and if you watch interviews from that period you can just tell everything was going downhill.

Offline hefdaddy42

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I don't think Eddie was really very with it at the time that album was made
That's what the album sounds like.
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Offline devieira73

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I'm a bit on the fence in participating on this one because, although I have all VH albums, I'm much more familiarized from 1984 on, wich are the albums that I've heard much more. And, believe or not, I truly believe there's an excellent 40-45 minutes album in III...
So I'm a bit worried to make a bizarre VH top 50. :lol
Kev, when it will be the deadline to send the list?
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Offline TAC

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Kev, when it will be the deadline to send the list?

The OP says the end of April, but if you're including Cherone songs, then you have until the end of August.
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline TAC

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I hope this thread helps people rediscover just how fucking good Alex Van Halen was.
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline devieira73

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Kev, when it will be the deadline to send the list?

The OP says the end of April, but if you're including Cherone songs, then you have until the end of August.
:D :D
"one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." (RIP Neil Armstrong)

Offline HOF

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I hope this thread helps people rediscover just how fucking good Alex Van Halen was.

Agreed. I have some tasty Alex moments in my top 50.

Offline King Postwhore

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I hope this thread helps people rediscover just how fucking good Alex Van Halen was.

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Offline DragonAttack

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I hope this thread helps people rediscover just how fucking good Alex Van Halen was.

I'll put on my neck bracecto remember.

I’m going to wear a bracecto as well 😀
...going along with Dragon Attack's Queen thread has been like taking a free class in Queen knowledge. Where else are you gonna find info like that?!

Offline TAC

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I hope this thread helps people rediscover just how fucking good Alex Van Halen was.

I'll put on my neck bracecto remember.

I’m going to wear a bracecto as well 😀

Do I just go to the store and ask where the bracectos are?
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline KevShmev

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A preliminary ranking on my part using the engine got about what I expected as far as the breakdown goes:

Roth - 29
Hagar - 20
Cherone - 1