Joe’s Jams Top Ten Van Halen Songs

September 16, 2008 47 Comments

Granted, this is just one guy’s opinion, but here it is, nonetheless:

Joe’s Jams 09.16.08: Top Ten Van Halen Songs
Posted by Joe Rivett on 09.16.2008

Based on this list, David Lee Roth was clearly better than Sammy Hagar…

10. Little Guitars – One of the advantages of Satellite Radio is that you do not hear the same five Van Halen songs. About a year ago I heard this song and it caught my attention due to its Latin sound. The title of this song describes the song perfectly as it sounds like Eddie is playing a lot of little guitars.

9. Unchained – I love this song because it is fun. David Lee Roth sounds like he is drunk and having a party in the middle of the song.

8. Dreams – I prefer Roth over Hagar but Hagar did have some serious pipes and showed them off in this song. It is a cheesy song but Sammy’s voice makes it one of Van Halen’s best.

7. Jump – I was four years old when this song came out and the synthesizer in this song is one of my first memories of my existence. The video also kicked ass and anyone growing up with this song used this song as an excuse to piss off mom and jump on the bed.

6. I’m the One – This is one of those Van Halen classics where it is fast and features excellent background vocals, something Van Halen rarely gets credit for. If you dig songs with a strong bass, then this song is for you too.

5. Everybody Wants Some – What made David Lee Roth so much better than Sammy Hagar was his ability to have a personality when he sang. This song shows off his personality and his ability to scream in tune. It also features Alex kicking the hell out of the bass drum. Plus, who could argue with the line ‘everybody wants some?’

4. Eruption/You Really Got Me – I combine them because that is how I grew up hearing it on the radio (Sort of like We Will Rock You and We Are the Champions). One of he greatest guitar solos in rock history and I heard that it was done on one take. You Really Got Me is a great Kinks song and Van Halen made it heavy and just as well.

3. Humans Being – This is the song that broke up Sammy Hagar and Van Halen. It often gets overlooked because it was on the Twister Soundtrack but it is by far Van Halen’s heaviest song. The guitar solos build up to an amazing climax before the last verse. I also love this song because Sammy doesn’t try to sound amazing but rather, he sounds gritty.

2. Hot For Teacher – I bought the 1984 album for Panama and Jump but my favorite song quickly became Hot for Teacher. The opening drum and guitar solo catches your attention and is just so damn fast. It is also great because every student male or female had that one teacher they were hot for and could stare at for forty minutes.

1. Ice Cream Man – This is one of those songs that would never be a hit if it were released today because people rarely buy albums but this song was a gem on their first album. It was a cover of the blues guitarist John Brim’s version. This song has all of what makes Van Halen great. David Lee Roth just has a natural blues/jazzy voice mixed with a heavy rock band is why Van Halen is one of the greatest bands ever. For those that love to reminisce, here are the lyrics:

(dedicate one to the ladies…)

Now summertimes here babe, need somethin to keep you cool
Ah now summertimes here babe, need somethin to keep you cool
Better look out now though, daves got somethin for you
Tell ya what it is

Im your ice cream man, stop me when Im passin by
Oh my my, Im your ice cream man, stop me when Im passin by
See now all my flavors are guaranteed to satisfy
Hold on a second baby

I got good lemonade, ah, dixie cups
All flavors and push ups too
Im your ice cream man, baby, stop me when Im passin by
See now all my flavors are guaranteed to satisfy
Hold on, one more

Well, Im usually passin by just about eleven oclock
Uh huh, I never stop, Im usually passin by, just around eleven oclock
And if you let me cool you one time, youll be my regular stop
All right boys

I got good lemonade, ah, dixie cups
All flavors and push ups too
Im your ice cream man, stop me when Im passin by
See now all my flavors are guaranteed to satisfy
Yes Im your ice cream man, stop me when Im passin by
Im your ice cream man, stop me when Im passin by
They say all my flavors are guaranteed to satisfy
Ah, one time

Im your ice cream man, stop me when Im passin by
Im your ice cream man, stop me when Im passin by
They say all my flavors are guaranteed to satisfy
One time, boys
Im your ice cream man
Im your ice cream man
B-b-b-b-b-b-b-baby
Ah my, my, my
All my flavors are guarantee e, e, e, e, e, e, e, eeeeeeeeeeeeeed eeed eed to satis-uh-fy
Ow

Filed Under: Van Halen

Cabo Joe

First of all: Who the fuck is Joe Jam?

Never heard of him on the east coast.

Second of all: How can you rate any VH song?

We all have our favorite songs and preferred singer, We don’t need some DJ(presumeably) from the West Coast telling us which is the best.

All in all. VH rocks!! All of it. Period.
Don’t fucking spoon-feed me which song I should like when I like them all damn it!

Cabo Joe
Boston, MA
Soulless Minion

Cabo, it looks to me like this rating is just for this guy. These are the songs he likes, and why he likes them. Chill.
Joe S

Here Here I agree. Need I say more.
theREALchris

This is a list made by some dude who’s a fan of Dave Halen. Big deal. It’s some random guy’s half brained opinion. Probably going through some mid life crisis until he realized he could just do-over the early eighties and be fine. It’s the same thing Ed did!
theREALchris

He did prop up Humans Being though…..love that tune.
http://mgmgrand.com MGM Vegas

Love his description of Unchained…typical Diamond Dave!
David A

1. Feel Your Love Tonight
2. Panama
3. Unchained
4. Jamies Cryin
5. Romeo Delight
6. Everybody Wants Some
7. Aint talkin’ ‘bout Love
8. D.O.A
9. Little Guitars
10. Dance the Night Away/Hear About it Later
Adrian

hey guys lay off it’s one guy’s opinion. A think it’s actually pretty versatile. Even though I don’t totally agree with it.
JF

VH music is the soundtrack of my life. Having said this, it is absolutely impossible to narrow their catalogue down to a “top 10 list.” It is like choosing which 10 Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders from 1978-2008 I wish I could have nailed? Answer? ALL OF THEM!!!
Stephen

Here’s my TOP 10. That guy who made his Top 10 was high or something. Humans Being? Can he be serious?! By the way, my favorite album is Fair Warning.

1. Mean Street
2. Feel Your Love Tonight
3. Unchained
4. Everybody Wants Some!!
5. Jump
6. Panama
7. “Dirty Movies”
8. Hot for Teacher
9. Runnin’ With the Devil
10. Eruption (You Really Got Me)
kmross

I agree, who is this dude and who cares ??? Can we PLEASE have some news on the current version of VH ? Anything, something, someone, anyone, please …
Thomas

If I like Ratt can I not like Dokken? Point is Van Halen with Dave is a completly different band the with Sammy. It is the vastly different sound that makes the Van Halen’s so incredible. How often has a band had a new singer and changed their sound so much. It’s like apples to oranges. Two separate bands. Both great in their own style and sound. I do agree that Human’s Being is the hardest tune they did. Still get chills when hearing it. Another mind blowing song is from the dreaded and very much underated Van Halen III. Eddies guitar in “A Year To The Day” is spellbounding. No, it does not sound like Dave era material but has a unique sound that shows the ability to tranform the sound in other directions.
http://www.rotharmy.com WARF

This list looks like it was made from someone who just bought the greatest hits album. Secondly, this list is inaccurate because the Van Hagar songs don’t even count as Van Halen!
ClubfootKolby

seventh seal, dont tell me what love can do, runnning with the devil, mine o mine, poundcake, I’ll wait, year to the day, judgement day, black and blue, full bug, everybody wants some,one foot out the door, dreams, atomic punk, top of the world, dream is over, light up the sky, DOA, take your whiskey home, jump, little dreamer, cabowabo, I guess that their all great song, but these are my favorites
Chris

Vhnd started the column by saying “Granted, this is just one guy’s opinion, but here it is, nonetheless:”

I don’t think that was an invitation for all VH fans to write their top ten lists; there’s gotta be another forum for that!

Like kmross says – save the bandwidth for NEWS.
Scott

David A has a better top 10. But I agree, how can you rate VH songs.

PS..Leave Sammy out all together…
http://vhnd murph

“don”t tell me” kicks every song!!!
Justin

A cover at #1? Come on. That’s an insult to any band. This is supposed to be the best VH songs, not the best songs recorded by VH. Lame.

Kids, take out your red pens, cross out “Ice Cream Man,” and write in “Mean Street.”
Shawn

I can’t believe anyone who picks Ice Cream Man as Number 1 is even being givin the time of day. In the words of Ted Templeman “Come On Dave, Give me a BREAK!”
Alfonso Sanabria

Here’s a REAL top 10 list: 10) From Afar 9) Romeo’s Delight, Bottom’s Up 7) Somebody Get Me A Doctor 6) Unchained 5) Panama 4) D.O.A. 3) Mean Streets 2) Dance The Night Away 1) Amsterdam
…..YES I F**kin’ listed a VH 3 track ! & WHAT SON ! That’s How I Roll.
Joe S

JF
I agree Van Halen can’t just have a top 10 there are to many good songs to make or pick a top 10

Thomas
I also agree with you, A Year To The Day is the only good song off Van Halen III.

Now if you want to talk about there worst albums they have
2 Diver Down, over half the album was cover songs and
Van Halen III, it only had one good song A Year To The Day

Other than that all there song are solid.
Dawn

It is too hard to do a top 10 but I tried just for fun.
1. Cathedral
2. Unchained
3. Dance The Night Away
4. Pananma
5. I’ll Wait
6. House of Pain
7. Feel Your Love Tonight
8. Secrets
9. Runnin With The Devil
10. Finish What Ya Started
http://www.dascott.com DaveTheScott

I bet everyone in America over the age of 12 has a list like this…Van Halen is timeless. I don’t agree with Human’s Being or Dreams being on the list, because even if you’re trying to capture the best of the Sammy years, these ain’t it. Joe Jam needs to listen to a few more records. My top 10…

10. Ice Cream Man
9. Cabo Wabo
8. 5150
7. Sinner’s Swing
6. Romeo Delight
5. Dancin’ in the Streets
4. Little Guitars
3. Hot for Teacher
2. Mean Streets
1. Unchained
http://www.dascott.com DaveTheScott

That said, nice list Joe.
Coyoteface

I think top 10′s of best songs ever – or most beautiful woman, best actor/actress, most shocking events or whatever you can think of for that matter – completely useless.

Not only does my own mood affect my opinion on what I like at THAT particular moment, my opinion differs from most people anyway and as much as I respect other people’s opinions, they will never determine mine in the slightest way.

Just to give you an example: Joe Jam puts Ice Cream Man at number one. I personally never cared for the song and whenever I play the VH I album I skip it when I get the chance. I probably have a dozen number one songs in mind, each in their own right. Ice Cream Man is not one of them and it will never become one either.

So much for personal top 10′s, 100′s or 1,000′s. I suggest you save your personal favorites on a piece of paper in case someone has to plan your funeral and needs to know what music you liked.
Joe

Why does this guy’s opinion of a list get even mentioned? Who the heck is he? Does he work for Obama, or something?
http://www.dascott.com DaveTheScott

That is a possibility. Maybe they meant to say, Toe Jam. Who knows…
Eddie’s Dad

I don’t know if Ice Cream Man belongs in the top 10, but the solo is one of Eddie’s best.

It’s good to see Little Guitars on a bunch of the lists people have posted. It’s my favorite VH song and I never thought anyone else really appreciated it as much as I did. Kudos also to the one who listed Secrets on their list….it’s another song with a great melody and a killer Eddie solo.

Also great to see 5150 listed….IMHO it’s the best Sammy era song they did, along with Amsterdam.

Does anyone know if they’re releasing a DVD of the past tour? Wolfie was good….but I missed Mike alot.
FAMAC

I found the post interesting. I don’t know why people have to complain about it with such venom.

I disagree with Dreams being in the top ten. That song is torture to listen to – the Van Halen version of Whitney’s “I Will ALways Love You” – a guy straining to hit the top of his range for four minutes. It brutal on the ears.

I also don’t think Humans Being is the hardest Van Halen tune – its certainly no harder than Unchained or Mean Street. I’ve always felt Humans Being was Eddie’s coming to terms that he wanted Dave back in Van Halen. Ed sings all of the verses, later double tracked by Sammy. That shouted limited range melody Ed came up with is very Dave-like.

Finally, I would disagree with the post above that Hagar changed Van Halen completly. I think they tried to stick with the Roth formula in terms of tune compisition in one major way: the chorus can largely be handled by Eddie and Mike. Roth-era choruses were designed to allow Dave to work the crowd while Ed and Mike handled the melody. Humans Being is a great example of Van Hagar following this style, as is Right Now and How Do I Know When Its Love.

Finally, Poundcake is also harder than Humans Being – though the chorus suffers from Dreams like braying.
barbedbob

I agree that it is tough to pick a Top Ten, but right now here’s what I think are my favorites with Dave:

10. Hear About it Later
09. On Fire
08. Light Up the Sky
07. Little Guitars (Intro)/Little Guitars
06. And the Cradle Will Rock
05. Hot For Teacher
04. Dance the Night Away
03. Girl Gone Bad
02. Romeo Delight
01. Drop Dead Legs

Favorites with Hagar (a lot tougher to even find ten):

10. Poundcake
09. Why Can’t This Be Love
08. Good Enough
07. Black and Blue
06. Source of Infection
05. Dreams
04. 5150
03. Judgement Day
02. Human’s Being
01. Cabo Wabo
Marcin

ok, set list from place ten:

10.Crossing Over
9.House Of Pain
8.Poundcake
7.On Fire
6.Mean Streets
5.Summer Nights
4.Without You
3.Good Enough
2.Eruption
1. Humans Being

p.s. Unchained harder than Humans Being??? Don’t agree!
Adrian

Here are my favorite van halen albums!!!

* Van Halen (1978)
* Van Halen II (1979)
* Women and Children First (1980)
* Fair Warning (1981)
* Diver Down (1982)
* 1984 (1984)
* 5150 (1986)
* OU812 (1988)
* For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991)
* Balance (1995)
* Van Halen III (1998)

o wait thats all of em! I go through times of only listening to F.U.C.K or only 1984 or only VH1 van halen is versatile, always willing to try new things, and has a ton to offer. How do you narrow it down to 10 songs well YOU DON’T.
johnloy

10. Light up the sky/You’re no good (tie)
9. Somebody get me a doctor
8. Little dreamer/Feel your love tonight
7. So this is love?
6. Mean street/Dirty movies
5. One foot out the door – the lyrics are hysterical.
4. Romeo delight/Could this be magic? (tie)
3. Panama/Drop dead legs
2. Everybody wants some
1. And the cradle will rock!
Both Sammy and Dave are excellent.
Stephen

My favorite album, hands down.

Fair Warning
johnloy

One more: all the rest =].
Adrian

I love that album man
reese

Hear about it later has such a silky groove to it…”Ain’t got no money got no house on the hill”….Boys, it was a pleasure to help pay your bills because what I got in return was well worth it. Sammy, I want my money back.
Benjamin

In my opinion…all VH songs are good. TRUE fans like both eras……i mean really guys
Kenny

Ok, I agree, this does not belong on VHND. Just like that Dave for president thing. It belongs on some VH forum, if there even. Lets stick to news. Rather it be VH, Hagar, Roth, Anthony, or Cherone news. I would rather have no new content than content that is not of a news nature. Posting things that are not news takes away from the credibility of this site. This is my favorite VH site BTW. It always has and always will be as long as it continues to deliver breaking VH and VH related news. With that out of the way. It is just about impossible to create a top 10 list. The Closest thing to a list of the best VH songs is the Best Of Both Worlds CD set. And even that has it’s flaws. Ice Cream Man Deserves high ranking, within the top 5 maybe, but not #1. #1 shall always be reserved for Eruption. I love most of the VH stuff equally. My desert island record? Probably Best Of Both Worlds. Just so I have a compilation. If I can’t have a compilation. It would be a hard decision between Van Halen and 5150.
ClubfootKolby

All the Van Halen music is good,some better than the others. But you cant go wrong with Women and Children First, or Balance.
RobbyVenice

1: HANG EM’ HIGH 2: IN A SIMPLE RHYME 3: DIRTY MOVIES 4: WOMEN IN LOVE INTRO 4: LIGHT UP THE SKY 5: OUTTA LOVE AGAIN 6: TOP JIMMY 7: THE FULL BUG 8: HAPPY TRAILS 9: I’M SO GLAD ( US FESTIVAL VERSION ) 10 : ONE FOOT OUT THE DOOR
Nat

I have to agree with several other comments – this doesn’t really belong here. I’m sure we all have our top 10 VH songs, and I’m sure the lists all change from time to time.

It seems like you search things out to post here and as long as there’s some distant link to VH (the recent Ice Cream Man video for example) it gets the greenlight.

I’d rather see nothing unless it’s specifically *news*. Otherwise you should change the site’s name to the Van Halen Related Stuff Desk

Now, if Eddie or Dave made a top 10 list of their own favorite VH songs, that might be news…
Mike Elliott

Joe Jam???? Are you sure it wasn’t Toe Jam??? So…..Dreams is a cheesy song???? Let us know when your album comes out…..So, Joe…What do you think about………IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT YOU THINK!!!!!
JF

“Humans Being” is hard??? Harder than Fools, Romeo Delight Judgement Day or the Full Bug? I don’t think so. Please define ‘hard’.

*Please refrain from the obvious, phallic, gutter-worthy attempts at humor here.
Marcin

“Humans Being” is hard??? Harder than Fools, Romeo Delight Judgement Day or the Full Bug?

Yes, it is.
The full bug is blues-pop-rock, HB is heavy metal, ok?
Just like Ballot or the bullet is harder than Unchained.

Apart from that, it’s very silly to argue about that, for someone even Jamie’s crying may be harder than HB, so let’s just say what I say in that case:”OK, it’s Your point of view”.
JF

Why, then, are you arguing, Marcin? Just answer my initial question and spare me the lecture. When someone is wanting to know your logic, that is not an attempt to argue; it is, rather, an invitation for a discussion.
Paul

Hi

It’s all subjective but if you listen to some of the rhythm work in Van Halen’s songs it’s just pure filth. E.g. Girl Gone Bad, Spanked etc – try playing them! Then try playing em live in front of thousands of people who are watching and listening to every note you play! Just unbelievable. The creativity, diversity and just pure skill to perform their craft at the highest level whilst entertaining at the same time make them the ultimate and greatest band of all time. No wonder they called their video ‘Live Without a Net’.

Top Ten – Just put em all in there.