Official top 50 Van Halen songs thread!! (Countdown has begun!!)

[KevShmev]

  I'm the One is just meh.

WUT?? I can't believe you just said that!

, says the guy who doesn't like Panama.

(I obviously agree that I'm the One is great)

[devieira73]

5150 is a well done and crafted song, but that intro and chorus... they always make me feel a bit nostalgic and sad (I must admit that I'm ignoring the lyrics).
Light Up the Sky is far from being a "meh" song, but I like better (from VH2): You're No Good, Somebody Get Me a Doctor, Bottoms Up!, Outta Love Again and DOA, that made my Top 50.
Panama (#12) - Always loved this one  from the start (as Jump and Pretty Woman from the videoclips), even when I wasn't a VH's fan.

[HOF]

Panama came in at 34 for me. It’s a definite classic, even if I might personally be a bit tired of it.

Light Up The Sky is cool, just not my preferred flavor of VH.

5151 was my number 10. That opening riff is so great, and I adore Alex’s drumming on this track. Easily my favorite of the rockier songs on 5150. One of those songs that has a sound that puts you in a certain frame of mind. That pre-chorus especially is so great.

[bl5150]

Top 5 is coming this weekend, but first things first, numbers 8 through 6...

08 Panama
Appeared on 15 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 2 (Stadler)

I probably docked this a bit because it is so overplayed, putting it at 15, but it could easily be number 1.  Major classic, and this is actually the VH song I hear the most now whenever the classic rock station is on at work.  Just a great, great song.


07 5150
Appeared on 14 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 6
Highest Ranking: 2 (Puppies_On_Acid)

I had this at 5, and was pleasantly surprised to see how much support this one got.  I didn't think it would be a top 10 tune here, but here it is at 7.  Well done, DTF. Well done.


06 Light Up the Sky
Appeared on 12 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 6
Highest Ranking: 2 (TAC, bl5150)

I was a bit disheartened early on when a few of the first lists didn't have this on there at all (wtf?), but the surge came soon thereafter.  This was my number 3 song.  To me, this feels like one of those "how can you be a fan of Van Halen and not love this song?" kinda songs.

Panama :  I had this #33..........good song but on reflection probably a bit higher in my list than it should be. 


5150:  At #29 in my list.........my 2nd highest Sammy track and great song.  If I could forget the studio version and use the live version on Live Without A Net it would be Top 10 , maybe Top 5.  I played that VHS and that song in particular to death.


Light Up The Sky:   Tim     Could easily have been my #1 on any given day.

[Stadler]

8. Panama - I had this at #2.   I don't know why this song is questionable to some.  I generally am very tolerant of people's likes and dislikes, but I can't imagine liking Van Halen and not liking this.

7. 5150 - I had this at #35.   What a great chorus.

6. Light Up The Sky - I had this at #15

[hefdaddy42]

8. Panama - I had this at #2.   I don't know why this song is questionable to some.  I generally am very tolerant of people's likes and dislikes, but I can't imagine liking Van Halen and not liking this.

I agree.  I didn't have it at # 2, but this is such a great song.

[TAC]

8. Panama - I had this at #2.   I don't know why this song is questionable to some.  I generally am very tolerant of people's likes and dislikes, but I can't imagine liking Van Halen and not liking this.

Panameh.

[pg1067]

8. Panama - I had this at #2.   I don't know why this song is questionable to some.  I generally am very tolerant of people's likes and dislikes, but I can't imagine liking Van Halen and not liking this.

Panameh.

StadRanger   

 And Panameh, indeed (although I like it better than I used to).

Light up the Sky is classic VH and really showcases how valuable Michael Anthony was to the band.  The worst thing about it is that it's so short.

5150 at #7?  It's a fine song.  I don't really care for the verses, but the chorus is catchy.  The thing that always bugged me (which is unusual for me) is the title of the song makes no sense.  It's like someone said, "hey...we REALLY need a title track," and someone said, "well...why don't we just change the name of 'Always Wanting More' to '5150'?"

[DragonAttack]

semi catching up

15 (t) Runnin' with the Devil (#7)
14 Why Can't This Be Love? (#14) at least I nailed one
13 Atomic Punk (#40)
12 Love Walks In (#9)
11 Dance the Night Away (#30)

simply put, I liked them all

[Stadler]

8. Panama - I had this at #2.   I don't know why this song is questionable to some.  I generally am very tolerant of people's likes and dislikes, but I can't imagine liking Van Halen and not liking this.

Panameh.

StadRanger   

 And Panameh, indeed (although I like it better than I used to).

Light up the Sky is classic VH and really showcases how valuable Michael Anthony was to the band.  The worst thing about it is that it's so short.

5150 at #7?  It's a fine song.  I don't really care for the verses, but the chorus is catchy.  The thing that always bugged me (which is unusual for me) is the title of the song makes no sense.  It's like someone said, "hey...we REALLY need a title track," and someone said, "well...why don't we just change the name of 'Always Wanting More' to '5150'?"

Yeah, well I love Night Ranger, so there's that!   

(I get the reference )

I always took the 5150 reference to be a tongue-in-cheek one to crazy girlfriends.  5150 is the police code for a psychiatric hold (thus the inner picture of the band in straight jackets) and the song is clearly about a woman who won't compromise (meet you half the way), who can't be pleased and who is selfish.

[DragonAttack]

10 I'm the One (#24)

09 Right Now (#3)

08 Panama (#27)

07 5150 (NR) another one of those near misses

06 Light Up the Sky (#38)

[Dream Team]

Light Up The Sky 

[TAC]

08 Panama
Appeared on 15 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 2 (Stadler)


07 5150
Appeared on 14 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 6
Highest Ranking: 2 (Puppies_On_Acid)

06 Light Up the Sky
Appeared on 12 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 6
Highest Ranking: 2 (TAC, bl5150)

I had Panama as Not Rated.

I had 5150 at #25. The song has aged really well. The songs in 5150 the album have stood the test of time, but the album still kind of sounds dated. I hate the electronic drums on this.

I had Light Up The Sky at #2! Another great song. Glad to see it got some love. Alex flies a bit under the radar here, but he knocks it out.!

Light Up The Sky:   Tim     Could easily have been my #1 on any given day.

[The Realm]

08 Panama
Appeared on 15 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 2 (Stadler)

07 5150
Appeared on 14 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 6
Highest Ranking: 2 (Puppies_On_Acid)

06 Light Up the Sky
Appeared on 12 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 6
Highest Ranking: 2 (TAC, bl5150)

Panama - my rank 7, missed by 1. Just really not sure how this song isn't in everyone's top 50. A classic VH song.

5150 - my rank 27. Great song but never been one of my favourites. I really didn't think this song which rank so high overall and was thinking my placing was about right. So a bit surprised at the love for this one.

Light Up The Sky - my rank 25. Great song.

5 songs to go, 4 of which are in my top 10 and my number 1 song is still in play.

[wolfking]

Panama I had at 18.  That's a great song even though it's pretty overplayed.

5150 came in at 32.  Great chorus.

Light up the Sky for me was number 4.  I seriously can't fathom 5 people ranking at least 50 songs higher than it.  I know I'm not a die hard VH fan by any stretch but that's crazy if you ask me.

[KevShmev]

Okay, we kick off the top 5!!

05 Mean Street
Appeared on 16 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 5
Highest Ranking: 3 (WilliamMunny)

I thought this had a very strong chance to finish at number 1, but 5 is still pretty damn good.  I was a bit shocked that no one had this ranked at 1 or 2 on their lists. I had it at 4.


04 Hot for Teacher
Appeared on 15 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 8
Highest Ranking: 1 (The Realm)

I was also a little surprised that this one finished this high.  I had it at 21, and figured I'd be pretty close to its final finish, but here it is at 4.  I think it's easily the best video the band ever made, and the song really does kick ass.


03 Unchained
Appeared on 14 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 7
Highest Ranking: 2 (hefdaddy42, devieira73)

I had this at 10, but figured it was a lock for the top 5 overall, and, yep, it lands at number 3.  EVH had much more awesome riffs that you can shake a stick at, but this is one of his best.  Even though I wish more songs from Fair Warning had made the top 50, I love the fact that it is the only album to have two songs in the top 5.

[KevShmev]

Also, here is the breakdown of songs that made the top 50 by album:

Top 50:
Van Halen – 11
Van Halen II – 5
Women and Children First – 4
Fair Warning – 3
Diver Down - 1
1984 - 7
5150 - 7
OU812 - 3
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge - 5
Balance - 3
Van Halen III - 0
A Different Kind of View - 0
Non-album Roth – 0
Non-album Hagar - 1

31 songs total for the Roth era, 19 for the Hagar era.  Nada for Cherone. 

[TAC]

05 Mean Street
Appeared on 16 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 5
Highest Ranking: 3 (WilliamMunny)

04 Hot for Teacher
Appeared on 15 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 8
Highest Ranking: 1 (The Realm)

03 Unchained
Appeared on 14 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 7
Highest Ranking: 2 (hefdaddy42, devieira73)

I had Mean Street at #16

I had Hot For Teacher at #14

I had Unchained at #17

I had all three in my Top 20! All great classic tunes!

  Even though I wish more songs from Fair Warning had made the top 50, I love the fact that it is the only album to have two songs in the top 5.

I put a Fair Warning track in my Top 5 and it didn't even make the Top 50 countdown!!!

[bl5150]

Okay, we kick off the top 5!!

05 Mean Street
Appeared on 16 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 5
Highest Ranking: 3 (WilliamMunny)

I thought this had a very strong chance to finish at number 1, but 5 is still pretty damn good.  I was a bit shocked that no one had this ranked at 1 or 2 on their lists. I had it at 4.


04 Hot for Teacher
Appeared on 15 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 8
Highest Ranking: 1 (The Realm)

I was also a little surprised that this one finished this high.  I had it at 21, and figured I'd be pretty close to its final finish, but here it is at 4.  I think it's easily the best video the band ever made, and the song really does kick ass.


03 Unchained
Appeared on 14 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 7
Highest Ranking: 2 (hefdaddy42, devieira73)

I had this at 10, but figured it was a lock for the top 5 overall, and, yep, it lands at number 3.  EVH had much more awesome riffs that you can shake a stick at, but this is one of his best.  Even though I wish more songs from Fair Warning had made the top 50, I love the fact that it is the only album to have two songs in the top 5.

My rankings:

Mean Street #12

Hot For Teacher #32

Unchained #21


All very cool songs that I rate highly.

I put a Fair Warning track in my Top 5 and it didn't even make the Top 50 countdown!!!

Ditto

[KevShmev]

bl5150, you were literally the only person to have One Foot out the Door in your top 50.

TAC, I thought So This Is Love? had a slim chance at the top 50, but 67 isn't a bad finish. 

I am still a little peeved that neither Sinner's Swing! nor Dirty Movies made the top 50.

[TAC]

My rankings:

Mean Street #12
Hot For Teacher #32
Unchained #21

All very cool songs that I rate highly.

I put a Fair Warning track in my Top 5 and it didn't even make the Top 50 countdown!!!

Ditto

Yay, another fan of Sunday Afternoon In The Park!

Actually, I had So This Is Love? at #5. I love the drums/bass intro to that song.

I am still a little peeved that neither Sinner's Swing! nor Dirty Movies made the top 50.

I had Sinners Swing! at #24, but I've never loved Dirty Movies so I didn't rank it. If it were just DLR songs, it would've found its way into the Top 50 though.

[TAC]

I know the Top 2 songs!!! One made my Top 10 at #9, and the other I had at #15.

[bl5150]

bl5150, you were literally the only person to have One Foot out the Door in your top 50.

One of the songs in my Top 10 is the same - might not have even made anyone's Top 50. 

I called it 

I had So This Is Love at #19 , Dirty Movies #25   

Sinners Swing was just outside the 50.

[WardySI]

Mean Street #34
Unchained #17
Panama #16
5150 #5

[HOF]

There is one song left on my own list that hasn’t been revealed as top 50 and isn’t on the list of songs receiving votes. I have a very hard time believing this song is top 2, even though I like it. I guess we’ll find out if other people really like it or if it was just omitted from the also ran list.

I’m the only non-Mean Street ranker (surprise!). I know it’s loved. It’s a cool song for sure, finished at 63 on my ranker run though I think. I even listened to it again before I finalized my rankings to be sure. Just like other stuff more.

Hot For Teacher was at 38. I used to really like it, always found the lyrics to be funny as a kid but not so much as an adult. Definitely been played a lot, and it’s one I probably don’t need to ever hear again. But I’ll always listen to the drum intro at least. Alex makes the song, and it’s really one of his trademark moments so I had to rank it.

Unchained was 28 and is actually my second highest ranked DLR track. I do really love the riff, and the pre-chorus and chorus are great. A very hooky but heavy song.

[TAC]

Unchained was 28 and is actually my second highest ranked DLR track.

WUT?

Sammy? Is that you??

[Dream Team]

Unchained was 28 and is actually my second highest ranked DLR track.

WUT?

Sammy? Is that you??

  Finally found out HOF's true identity! Some solid evidence to back it up . . .

[KevShmev]

HOF is a good sport, so I am sure he won't mind me sharing this:

He had six songs from Van Halen III in his top 50 that no one else ranked in their top 50.

But hey, we all like what we like. 

[devieira73]

05 Mean Street (#7) - Killer groove both in the guitar riff and the drumming. Maybe the only example of VH composing something funky? I don't know, it isn't really funky, but the end result is amazing!

04 Hot for Teacher (#4) - The drum intro is one of the greatest in Rock history (as all the drumming in the song, in fact) and all the song is built around a truly savage guitar riff. And what to say about the guitar/bass/drums interaction during the solo?

03 Unchained (#2) - We talk a lot about Eddie's amazing/great guitar riffs, but the one here is quite something else... it's his unmatched riff: immensely killer and kind of makes you want to dance, jump and bang your head, all of this at same time! I also love that syncopated part before the chorus.

[HOF]

HOF is a good sport, so I am sure he won't mind me sharing this:

He had six songs from Van Halen III in his top 50 that no one else ranked in their top 50.

But hey, we all like what we like. 

Everyone else is missing out!

[DragonAttack]

05 Mean Street (#42)

04 Hot For Teacher (#36)  well, my wife taught for 30 years.  There were more than a few odd looks from some of the hundred or so gathered at her retirement party when this was included on my mix tape.  And, ‘yep, I’m still hot for her’ 

03 Unchained (NR) on my best of Van Roth, but I didn’t rank it here

[Dream Team]

HOF is a good sport, so I am sure he won't mind me sharing this:

He had six songs from Van Halen III in his top 50 that no one else ranked in their top 50.

But hey, we all like what we like. 

Everyone else is missing out!

I assume you were a big fan of Cherone before VHIII came out?

[devieira73]

I’m also one of the few here that truly likes a lot from VHIII, but I still think Gary never mashed well with the VH sound, even live. He’s a good vocalist, but in VH he sounded like an annoying version of Sammy Hagar.

[HOF]

HOF is a good sport, so I am sure he won't mind me sharing this:

He had six songs from Van Halen III in his top 50 that no one else ranked in their top 50.

But hey, we all like what we like. 

Everyone else is missing out!

I assume you were a big fan of Cherone before VHIII came out?

Not really. I knew and liked a few of their hits at the time, but that was all. I wouldn’t say I’m a huge Extreme fan now either, though I do think Cherone is a great singer and III Sides is an excellent album.

VH III just came out at the right time for me really. 1998 was kind of a big year of music discovery for me, and I spun it a ton that summer. Along with Balance, it was really one of the first VH albums I really got into. I was really excited about the more experimental nature of III, and I was really disappointed that VH kind of disappeared afterwards.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

HOF is a good sport, so I am sure he won't mind me sharing this:

He had six songs from Van Halen III in his top 50 that no one else ranked in their top 50.

But hey, we all like what we like. 

Everyone else is missing out!

I assume you were a big fan of Cherone before VHIII came out?

To be fair, the problem with VHIII isn't Cherone. I like Cherone in Extreme. It's just unfortunate that Van Halen decided to suck for their only album with Cherone.