From the Vault...

05/29/2016
#1518

info
Van Halen
"Best Of Volume 1"


© Warner Bros. < Records
Rating:

track listing
  • Eruption
  • Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
  • Runnin' With The Devil
  • Dance The Night Away
  • And The Cradle Will Rock
  • Unchained
  • Jump
  • Panama
  • Why Can't This Be Love
  • Dreams
  • When It's Love
  • Poundcake
  • Right Now
  • Can't Stop Lovin' You
  • Humans Being
  • Can't Get This Stuff
    No More
  • Me Wise Magic

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    Van Halen
    "Best Of Volume 1"



    Ok folks, you basically have the entire original Van Halen albums in your collection... But then, a Best Of is released, and the only reason you're going to buy it, is for the unreleased tracks. Best Of Volume 1 combines the Van Halen years with original lead singer David Lee Roth and "Van Hagar" with Sammy Hagar. With 17 tracks, 14 of them being from the original albums, and the remaining of new tracks, there will be "complaints" on what the DLR/SH tracks should be included.


    The David Lee Roth Era...


    The first album, Van Halen begins the compilation with the ultimate guitar solo instrumental from Eddie Van Halen, "Eruption." Great choice, but for those who are true VH fans, they are expecting the band's version of The Kinks' "You Really Got Me" afterwards. This isn't the case, and my guess is that is is cover tune. (Another Kinks remake was "Where Have All The Good Times Gone." This song is not on this Best Of either, and the album it was from, Diver Down contains NO TRACKS AT ALL from the album. My guess is probably the only song fans remember from this album, is another remake, Roy Orbison's (Oh) Pretty Woman"; which also included a great instrumental guitar solo from Eddie, the infamous "Intruder" which leads into the Orbison remake classic.)


    But continuing from the band's debut, another fan favorite that is also NOT on this album is "Jamie's Cryin'". The two remaining songs from their debut here are "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" and "Runnin' With The Devil." Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" is a good song, but I would have selected "Jamie's Cryin'" instead.


    The band's second album, Van Halen II -- Every song from that album is great, and the tracks on this Best Of is ONLY ONE: "Dance The Night Away." What? No "Beautiful Girls" ? This is probably the other song that everyone remembered from their second album.


    Only one track from the third album, Women And Children First, and it's probably THE only track fans will remember: "And The Cradle Will Rock." The same goes for the band's fourth album, Fair Warning: "Unchained." This song is the only track found here on the Best Of.


    Then there was the band's breakthrough fifth album, 1984. It's obvious the song "Jump" Is here -- it would be the band's most popular song from the album, and hitting #1, becoming their only #1 song. "Panama" is the second (and last song here) from 1984. Althoug many would want other songs, such as "Hot For Teacher" and "I'll Wait" to be included.


    The Sammy Hagar Era...


    When David Lee Roth left the band (he left on band terms, where Eddie and the rest of the band would hate DLR. But years later, DLR would return and record new tracks, found on this Best Of and afterwards, record a brand new studio album. If they really hated each other, it must have been for the $$$). A new lead singer was on the hunt, and Sammy Hagar would become DLR's replacement. The "Van Hagar" debut, was 5150. And from it on this Best Of, would be two tracks: "Why Can't This Be Love" and "Dreams." Another favorite from this album, NOT on this Best Of would be "Love Walks In." The band's second album with Hagar, OU812 features only one track, "When It's Love." Another one I would have included would have been "Finish What Ya Started." All of these Hagar tunes included here are great songs; just a few more could have been added to the list.


    The third VH/Hagar album would be "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, (or some people called it the F.U.C.K. album.) "Poundcake" and "Right Now" are from there, however, I would have included "Top Of The World," and "Poundcake" wasn't really one of my favorite VH/Hagar tunes.


    The band's next album was with Hagar, Live: Right Here, Right Now. And like Diver Down with David Lee Roth, no tracks from the live album are found on this Best Of. What was interesting about this live album, were the DLR tunes, sung by Sammy Hagar.


    The next VH/Hagar album was Balance, and from it was only one track, "Can't Stop Lovin' You." (A good choice, and probably the only track everyone would remember from it.)


    NEW TRACKS...


    Closing out the album are three new songs, not released on any Van Halen album. The first one, "Humans Being" was recorded with Hagar, as it was on the soundtrack of the movie Twister. The remaining tracks were with David Lee Roth: "Can't Get This Stuff No More" and "Me Wise Magic."


    At the time of release of this Best Of, members of Van Halen were in dispute. Hagar disagreed with a Best Of and preferred another studio album of new material. Hagar left the band, and David Lee Roth returned, working on new material, with would eventually result in the new tracks found on this Best Of, and a possible reunion with the original lead singer. This was not the case, as both DLR and Eddie were continuing their disputes, as Van Halen was without a lead singer. Two years later, in 1998, Van Halen hired Gary Cherone (of the band Extreme) as the band's third lead singer. Cherone would only appear on one album, Van Halen III. The album bombed, as it was compared to that of Sammy Hagar's style with Van Halen. In 2012, Van Halen released A Different Kind Of Truth, as David Lee Roth returned as lead singer, with new material. The new album resulted in a world tour, which the band hadn't done with DLR, since he was the band's original lead singer, before Hagar. Also to mention, the band fired original bassist Michael Anthony (he toured with Hagar's band, in the result of his firing). He was replaced by Eddie Van Halen's son, Wolfgang. In 2015, Van Halen released a live album with David Lee Roth, Tokyo Dome Live In Concert. As of this date, Van Halen has yet to release a new album, and it looks like they are without a lead singer again -- Eddie: "I'd love to make a studio record. Depends on everyone's timing. I don't know what Dave Lee Roth is up to now. I don't know if he's living in New York on Japan or wherever he is."


    Best Of Volume 1 would reach #1 on the Billboard Albums Chart, in late 1996, for just one week.


    Best Of Volume 1 is a good compilation of both DLR and Hagar as lead singers, in their appropriate eras. The only complaint would be more songs needed. On that note, another Best Of, a 2-disc set, would be released in 2004 - The Best Of Both Worlds. Like DLR did with the band, Sammy Hagar returned to record new tracks for this 2004 Best Of. All the songs would have either David Lee Roth or Sammy Hagar as lead vocalist. Gary Cherone was not included.


    Having the original albums would be your better deal. Van Halen was one of the best bands from Rock. Many feel that David Lee Roth was the better singer than Sammy Hagar, or vice versa. Personally, I liked DLR better. But having said that, Sammy Hagar also recorded some great songs with Van Halen also. It seemed that there were more well-liked songs with DLR, than Hagar, but that is just a personal opinion. Van Halen is one of the best Rock bands in Rock n Roll. Best Of Volume 1 may be an introduction to those not familiar with their music. But there are far more best of songs from VH that everyone will enjoy.


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