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

[The Realm]

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)

Three great songs today.

Mean Streets - number 21 for me. Could easily have been higher so not surprised it ranked where it did.

Hot For Teacher - this is my number 1 but it actually isn't my favourite VH song. The 2 songs still to be revealed (which I ranked 3 and 4) are my favourite VH songs. I ranked Eruption at number 2 because of its significance in guitar history and I ranked Hot For Teacher at 1 because I actually think this song is the absolute peak of Roth era VH. The performances of Eddie, Alex and Mike are awesome on this track and Dave's tongue in cheek lyrics and swagger is on full display. I didn't think this song would rank so high overall but happy to see it make it to number 4.

Unchained - number 8 for me. Classic.

[HOF]

I think I know what one of the last two songs is, but I really am not sure about the other.

[Cool Chris]

Hot For Teacher - this is my number 1 but it actually isn't my favourite VH song.

 

[The Realm]

Well, I did try to explain why I ranked Hot For Teacher number 1, I just think this is the song that represents VH the best at the peak of their powers - awesome musicianship, combined with cheek and swagger. I mean, I have seen a few VH cover bands over the years and rarely have I seen this song performed perfectly. Even though it isn't my very favourite, it deserves a number 1 ranking, so from me - it got it!

As for the 2 songs left, no spoilers are allowed but if anyone isn't sure then upon reveal they should be fairly obvious.

[Dream Team]

I think I know what one of the last two songs is, but I really am not sure about the other.

I know one for sure, but totally blanking on the other.

[HOF]

I think I know what one of the last two songs is, but I really am not sure about the other.

I know one for sure, but totally blanking on the other.

There are two notable songs left, one which I’m pretty sure is number 1. The other would really surprise me but maybe I’m missing something else.

[wolfking]

Mean Street was 37 for me.  Maybe I need to check it out again since it's rated so high.

Hot For Teacher was number 6 and Unchained was number 3.

[WardySI]

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

WUT?

Sammy? Is that you??

 

Yeah one of the last will please me but can't think what the other is just yet.

Like said earlier, my Top5 could've and would've been switched about any other day of the week so can appreciate those that have shuffled things around themselves maybe their epitome VH over their personal #1 etc...

Wasn't easy and both keen and dreading trying to sort a Maiden list 

[wolfking]

Well, I did try to explain why I ranked Hot For Teacher number 1, I just think this is the song that represents VH the best at the peak of their powers - awesome musicianship, combined with cheek and swagger. I mean, I have seen a few VH cover bands over the years and rarely have I seen this song performed perfectly. Even though it isn't my very favourite, it deserves a number 1 ranking, so from me - it got it!

As for the 2 songs left, no spoilers are allowed but if anyone isn't sure then upon reveal they should be fairly obvious.

I think you are doing this wrong.

[The Realm]

Well, I did try to explain why I ranked Hot For Teacher number 1, I just think this is the song that represents VH the best at the peak of their powers - awesome musicianship, combined with cheek and swagger. I mean, I have seen a few VH cover bands over the years and rarely have I seen this song performed perfectly. Even though it isn't my very favourite, it deserves a number 1 ranking, so from me - it got it!

As for the 2 songs left, no spoilers are allowed but if anyone isn't sure then upon reveal they should be fairly obvious.

I think you are doing this wrong.

Each to their own but I really don't think it is fair to say I am doing it wrong. At the end of the day if I 'did it right' I would of had Hot For Teacher at number 4 and then probably would have nailed the top 2 songs. I'm not sure that would of made any difference to the final countdown. I was just explaining my thinking, sorry if you disagree. With Van Halen, I just don't have a definitive number 1 song, so I chose Hot For Teacher as that song, with Rush I do and with Iron Maiden (coming up next) I do.

[wolfking]

Well, I did try to explain why I ranked Hot For Teacher number 1, I just think this is the song that represents VH the best at the peak of their powers - awesome musicianship, combined with cheek and swagger. I mean, I have seen a few VH cover bands over the years and rarely have I seen this song performed perfectly. Even though it isn't my very favourite, it deserves a number 1 ranking, so from me - it got it!

As for the 2 songs left, no spoilers are allowed but if anyone isn't sure then upon reveal they should be fairly obvious.

I think you are doing this wrong.

Each to their own but I really don't think it is fair to say I am doing it wrong. At the end of the day if I 'did it right' I would of had Hot For Teacher at number 4 and then probably would have nailed the top 2 songs. I'm not sure that would of made any difference to the final countdown. I was just explaining my thinking, sorry if you disagree. With Van Halen, I just don't have a definitive number 1 song, so I chose Hot For Teacher as that song, with Rush I do and with Iron Maiden (coming up next) I do.

I was just being tongue in cheek, I actually don't give a fuck how anyone ranks their lists.

[KevShmev]

I do.

I should have stuck to my guns and disqualified any list that didn't have Outta Space.

[TAC]

Could've just renamed the thread Kev's VH Top 50 List.

[KevShmev]

What's really funny is that I pointed out the other day that the number 1 song was my number 1 song, and I overlooked the fact that the number 2 was also my number 2 song. 

[TAC]

[KevShmev]

Top 2 coming early tomorrow!

[DragonAttack]

I know they are my #4 and #25, so I guess I'm ready

[The Realm]

Well, I did try to explain why I ranked Hot For Teacher number 1, I just think this is the song that represents VH the best at the peak of their powers - awesome musicianship, combined with cheek and swagger. I mean, I have seen a few VH cover bands over the years and rarely have I seen this song performed perfectly. Even though it isn't my very favourite, it deserves a number 1 ranking, so from me - it got it!

As for the 2 songs left, no spoilers are allowed but if anyone isn't sure then upon reveal they should be fairly obvious.

I think you are doing this wrong.

Each to their own but I really don't think it is fair to say I am doing it wrong. At the end of the day if I 'did it right' I would of had Hot For Teacher at number 4 and then probably would have nailed the top 2 songs. I'm not sure that would of made any difference to the final countdown. I was just explaining my thinking, sorry if you disagree. With Van Halen, I just don't have a definitive number 1 song, so I chose Hot For Teacher as that song, with Rush I do and with Iron Maiden (coming up next) I do.

I was just being tongue in cheek, I actually don't give a fuck how anyone ranks their lists.

All good. Hard to read humour in the written word sometimes…

[Cool Chris]

I started it so I apologize, I read your post quickly as I was on the go, and I do appreciate your response. I had assumed everyone was ranking songs based on their personal preferences, not where they thought a song deserved to be. But the different perspectives are what makes these threads great! 

[wolfking]

Well, I did try to explain why I ranked Hot For Teacher number 1, I just think this is the song that represents VH the best at the peak of their powers - awesome musicianship, combined with cheek and swagger. I mean, I have seen a few VH cover bands over the years and rarely have I seen this song performed perfectly. Even though it isn't my very favourite, it deserves a number 1 ranking, so from me - it got it!

As for the 2 songs left, no spoilers are allowed but if anyone isn't sure then upon reveal they should be fairly obvious.

I think you are doing this wrong.

Each to their own but I really don't think it is fair to say I am doing it wrong. At the end of the day if I 'did it right' I would of had Hot For Teacher at number 4 and then probably would have nailed the top 2 songs. I'm not sure that would of made any difference to the final countdown. I was just explaining my thinking, sorry if you disagree. With Van Halen, I just don't have a definitive number 1 song, so I chose Hot For Teacher as that song, with Rush I do and with Iron Maiden (coming up next) I do.

I was just being tongue in cheek, I actually don't give a fuck how anyone ranks their lists.

All good. Hard to read humour in the written word sometimes…

All good.  I can totally see how it looked like I was serious.

[Dream Team]

At least the Top 10 was dominated by Roth, as it should be.

[KevShmev]

Time for the top 2.  Kinda funny that the top 2 were both track 4 on the first album with each of the two main singers (sorry, Cherone).

02 Dreams
Appeared on 14 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 10
Highest Ranking: 1 (hefdaddy42, FreezingPoint, Puppies_On_Acid, bl5150, wolfking)

Seems hard to believe that this wasn't number 1 given that five people had it at number 1 and it was in the top 10 on 10 lists, but it was left off altogether on three, which resulted in finishing just a little bit behind number 1.  Great song, and I do think it is the best song they did with Sammy.  I had it at number 2.


01 Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love
Appeared on 16 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 7
Highest Ranking: 1 (KevShmev)

Unlike other favorites, I don't really have a "set in stone" number 1 song with VH, as my top 7-8 could really bounce around based on my mood, but when I did the rankings engine, it just always felt like this song was better than everything else.  Despite being number 1 on only 1 list (mine) and being on three less top 10s than Dreams, it finished at 1.  It was left off only one list, and no one of the 16 (who ranked it) had it lower than 26, so it was ranked pretty high by almost everyone. Great song, and most deserving of number 1. 

[bl5150]

I'm a bit surprised with the #1 but yeah..............great song that barely made it on to the debut album according to Ed (remembering a long lost interview )

I had it at #7 and I had Dreams at #1.   Any of my top 3-4 could've been the #1 in my countdown but Dreams deserves it and I have been pretty tough on Sammy era stuff in my Top 50 so that helped tip it over the line.  In the end I doubt I have listened to a VH song more often than Dreams over my life , despite favouring DLR era as a whole.   It's interesting that my reasons for loving most Van Halen songs are heavy guitars, humour, attitude etc....and Dreams is really none of those things.  Just a damn great song with an equally great vocal.

[TAC]

02 Dreams
Appeared on 14 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 10
Highest Ranking: 1 (hefdaddy42, FreezingPoint, Puppies_On_Acid, bl5150, wolfking)

01 Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love
Appeared on 16 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 7
Highest Ranking: 1 (KevShmev)

I had Dreams at #9.
The only Sammy track in that made my Top 20. Great tune.

  It's interesting that my reasons for loving most Van Halen songs are heavy guitars, humour, attitude etc....and Dreams is really none of those things.  Just a damn great song with an equally great vocal.

Interesting take. You're right.



I had Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love at #15.

Another iconic track you really can't go wrong with. Not my fave, but it's a song I love that still stands up. Legit choice for #1.

[devieira73]

Dreams (#22) - Beautiful song with outstanding melodies all the way through, with goosebumps everytime on the "And get higher and higher..." part. But I'm little shocked that this song is so loved by many here, since I see it in the same vein as Love Walks In, that I like even more.

Ain't Talk About Love (#3) - A quintenssensial VH song without a guitar solo?!  Definitive proof of its greatness.

[HOF]

Wow, Dreams did make it to number 2! I knew it was missing from both lists, but I really didn’t think it was this beloved. Or at least I assumed that the DLR crowd would have knocked it down. I had it at 15 and think it’s great, but it might be the most syrupy of the Sammy era hits. It’s aged a little less well than some of the other stuff just because the keys are so twinkly. The guitar solos are tremendous though, and it’s a heck of a vocal performance by Sammy. Great drumming too. A worthy track, just wasn’t expecting that!

Did not rank Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love. Just never really liked this song at all. The opening riff is cool though.

[TAC]

Thank you Kev for doing this! It is really appreciated.

It was great to relive so many of these great tunes. Van Halen is truly underrated, but IMO, it's really their own fault. Eddie was basically AWOL many years.

[KevShmev]

Thanks, it was fun!

And thanks to everyone who submitted a list and/or participated in this thread.

Time to take a breather before the next monster countdown...

[HOF]

Definitely many thanks to Kev for running another great list. Enjoy your well, deserved break!

[KevShmev]

Total points tally:

01 Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love      624
02 Dreams            597
03 Unchained            539
04 Hot for Teacher         537
05 Mean Street         503
06 Light Up the Sky         470
07 5150                460
08 Panama             451
09 Right Now             427
10 I’m the One          389
11 Dance the Night Away      351
12 Love Walks In         335
13 Atomic Punk         332
14 Why Can’t This Be Love      329
15 (t)  Runnin’ With the Devil      314
15 (t) Romeo Delight         314
17 Poundcake            313
18 Jamie’s Cryin’         310
19 In a Simple Rhyme       308
20 Judgement Day         295
21 Eruption            294
22 On Fire            293
23 And the Cradle Will Rock…   290
24 The Seventh Seal         288
25 Hear About It Later      287
26 Summer Nights         278
27 Everybody Wants Some!!   277
28 Somebody Get Me a Doctor   274
29 Beautiful Girls         272
30 (t) Jump             270
30 (t) I’ll Wait            270
32 Top Jimmy            267
33 The Dream Is Over      265
34 D.O.A.            263
35 Top of the World         251
36 Best of Both Worlds      249
37 (t) Little Dreamer         248
37 (t) When It’s Love         248
39 You Really Got Me      243
40 Feelin’            237
41 Little Guitars         236
42 Humans Being         229
43 (t) Ice Cream Man         226
43 (t) Don’t Tell Me (What Love…)   226
45 Girl Gone Bad         212
46 Drop Dead Legs         211
47 Mine All Mine         210
48 Good Enough         208
49 Feels So Good         207
50 Feel Your Love Tonight      205

51 Sinner’s Swing!         203
52 Hang ‘Em High         191
53 Aftershock            189
54 Dirty Movies         173
55 Outta Love Again         170
56 Me Wise Magic         164
57 Can’t Stop Lovin’ You      155
58 Blood and Fire         155
59 Women in Love…         153
60 China Town            152
61 The Full Bug         150
62 Black and Blue         148
63 House of Pain         147
64 Loss of Control         144
65 Cabo Wabo            143
66 Get Up            138
67 So This Is Love?         136
68 (Oh) Pretty Woman      131
69 Outta Space         131
70 Take Your Whiskey Home   127
71 Not Enough            127
72 Pleasure Dome         124
73 Take Me Back (Déjà vu)   123
74 Fools                119
75 Runaround            115
76 Bottoms Up!         111
77 She’s the Woman         109
78 Source of Infection      107
79 Push Comes to Shove      106
80 Big River            99
81 Honeybabysweetiedoll      95
82 Sucker in a 3 Piece      89
83 Secrets             88
84 A.F.U. (Naturally Wired)   83
85 Without You         82
86 Crossing Over         76
87 Amsterdam            74
88 Bullethead            73
89 Finish What Ya Started      66
90 Baluchitherium         65
91 As Is               58
92 Once                57
93 316               55
94 Dirty Water Dog         52
95 Could This Be Magic?      50
96 One Foot out the Door      46
97 Learning to See         43
98 You’re No Good          39
99 In ‘n’ Out            39
100 From Afar            38
101 Stay Frosty            35
102 Can’t Get This Stuff No More   34
103 Year to the Day         34
104 Spanish Fly            32
105 Big Fat Money         31
106 Josephina            31
107 One I Want            29
108 Fire in a Hole         26
109 Spanked            23
110 Man on a Mission         22
111 It's About Time         16
112 You and Your Blues      16
113 The Trouble with Never      16
114 Ballot or the Bullet      10
115 Inside            8
116 Happy Trails         6
117 (t)  Dancing in the Street      5
117 (t) Little Guitars (intro)      5
119 Where Have all the Good…   4   
120 (t) Cathedral            3
120 (t) Doin’ Time             3
122 Neworld            2
123 How Many Say I         1
124 (t) Tora! Tora!            0
124 (t) Sunday Afternoon in the Park   0
124 (t) Intruder            0
124 (t) Big Bad Bill            0
124 (t) 1984               0
124 (t) A Apolitical Blues         0
124 (t) Strung Out            0
124 (t) Primary             0
124 (t) Up for Breakfast         0
124 (t) Tattoo             0
124 (t) Beats Workin’         0

[TAC]

131 points for Outta Space?? 

[devieira73]

Thanks, it was fun!

And thanks to everyone who submitted a list and/or participated in this thread.

Time to take a breather before the next monster countdown...

Thanks, Kev and everybody here, ideed very fun!

[wolfking]

I honestly didn't think so many would rate Dreams at number 1.  Thought I'd be alone on that one.

[The Realm]

02 Dreams
Appeared on 14 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 10
Highest Ranking: 1 (hefdaddy42, FreezingPoint, Puppies_On_Acid, bl5150, wolfking)

01 Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love
Appeared on 16 of 17  entrees
Top 10 finishes: 7
Highest Ranking: 1 (KevShmev)

Dreams number 3 for me and Ain't Talkin 'Bout Love number 4. Both classics and deserving of their places in the countdown. More than surprised, I am astonished Dreams was only on 14 lists but yes that is part of what makes these countdowns so great.

Thanks Kev for doing this and really looking forward to Iron Maiden next.

[KevShmev]

131 points for Outta Space?? 

I know, right? It should have had twice as many!