Van Halen’s Finest Part Deux

Part two of Van Halen’s finest dwells into the Sammy Hagar era Van Halen. The fresh face also brought a fresh sound to the band. An accomplished guitar player in his own right Sammy Hagar played rhythm on some on the songs, allowing Eddie to play keyboard live as well. Together they wrote some of Hard Rock’s greatest anthems. Here are some of them.

1) Why Can’t This Be Love

The track was part of Hagar’s first album with Van Halen- 5150. Like many tracks in the album, Why Can’t this be love too was heavily keyboard driven and guided the album to the top of the charts.

.2) Dreams

This fantastic track again from 5150 highlighted Eddie’s growing affinity for the keyboard, along with Sammy Hagar who finally got his chance to stamp his authority.

3) Love Walks In

With ‘Love Walks In’ Van Halen showcased their melodic and sensitive side. Here’s one of Sammy’s lines form the song – ‘To my master I become a slave, T’ill we meet another day.’

4) When It’s Love

The track is rarely spoken of by anyone and is easy to see why. Although the track doesn’t have a riff and keyboard piece which refuses to get out of one’s head, the track is the perfect equilibrium point reached between the old and the new. Sammy Hagar never sounded better and the rest of the band makes it clear that they don’t need to play in your face music all the time to create good music.

5) Poundcake

Easily one of the most instantaneously recognizable tracks on the Van Halen library, ‘Poundcake’ features the electrifying Eddie playing around with an electric drill. Instead of mounting a pick to the end of the drill machine, Eddie just used the speed of the drill to play around with the pitch of the guitar which changed due to the proximity of the drill machine to the magnetic pick ups. Is there something this guy hasn’t thought off?

6) Right Now

Right now is probably one of the greatest songs in the history of rock. Probably the greatest inspirational song ever written and the oh so heavenly piano composition. If ever there was a perfect song this is it.

7) Can’t Stop Loving You

Van Halen sure knew how to cook up a love song or two, without making them sound too queer. Although Halen’s love song kept with the trend of cheesy lyrics, one hardly seems to care when its Halen cause they just make it work every time.

8) Humans Being

This song from the original soundtrack to the movie Twister, is easily the darkest and heaviest song the band has ever reached. The song also marked the end of the decade long marriage of Hagar and Halen. Here’s a taste of their finale. ‘There is just enough Christ in me, to make me feel almost guilty. Is that why God made us bleed, To make us see we’re Humans Being?’