Listen To Chickenfoot’s “BIG FOOT”

July 31, 2011 286 Comments

Chickenfoot’s first single “Big Foot” premiers online today! On radio and iTunes Aug 1st, 2001.
New album, “CHICKENFOOT III” out Sept 27, 2011. Listen here:

Many CHICKENFOOT SHIRTS $5 OFF for a limited time!

Click the banner above for exclusive official Chickenfoot merchandise at Van Halen Store.

Filed Under: Chickenfoot Tagged With: Big Foot, Bigfoot, chickenfoot, III, Reviews

GDO’G55

its a good song
jk5150

Sam even said Ed never paid attention to the lyrics in any of the songs anyway. Dave said “when Ed speaks, ED SPEAKS!!”
Can’t wait to hear Ed speak….
Lc

All u cvh and vhjnr sheep who rag hagar for hislyrics are kidding themselves and provide such a piss weak argument. You listen to vh for spiritual lyrical enlightement? You idiots. Dlr ‘s lyrics are largely the babblings of a rock star in a rock band.thats it.no deep meanings , no philosophical slant, just rock wordsfor rock songs.and to then critisize sam for hislyrics only shows u have lil comeback for the guys singing prowess and work ethic.roth leaps u are an idiot who is dellusional.
Gunslinger Eddie

I said it when Chickenfoot released their first album and I’ll say it again on their latest offering. Sammy Hagar is the weakest link in this band! His vocals & lyrics sound dated and middle of the road. Sam hasn’t progressed since VH’s 5150 album. Now we know why EVH got sick & tired of his lyrical content or lack of it!! Sammy Hagar is a screamer nothing more nothing less. Some might say Brian Johnson from AC/DC is a screamer too, but the big difference between Sam & Brian is Brian don’t sing cringe worth ballads like Sam loves to!!!

Here’s the real deal, Chickenfoot could have sounded better if a Chris Cornell was on vocal duty. He would have brought an edge, roar and sic element that Sam just can’t. He would have made Chickenfoot sound new. I love Chris’s vocal/lyrical and songwriting; he is truly a great artist.

It’s a shame about Chickenfoot because I like Joe’s guitar playing and kind of feel for him that Chickenfoot is a dated band. It is not his fault nor is it Mike’s or Chad’s. Well with Chad’s drumming I’ve heard better but I can tolerate him. But for the sake of Joe’s breaking into that band thing like EVH, Page, Slash etc, he needed a vocalist that can take his music and give it a contemporary edge and freshness to it. Even if Joe himself sang on the songs instead of Sammy it would have sounded much better.

Oh and listening to Mike’s backing vocals on these 2 Chickenfoot albums proves to me how important EVH’s backing vocal sound is together with Mike’s. EVH’s backing vocal sound gives Mike’s sound depth & dynamics, kind of smooth’s it out. Mike’s backing vocal sound in Chickenfoot sound hollow, there’s no depth there. IMHO
Wilkster5150

@Ken A
I stand by my statement. Chad is good, but not even CLOSE to Al, who truly is one of the All Time Greats.
Halen High

pete says:
“i find it somewhat silly that people are actually breaking down the lyrics to van halen songs…when you have the greatist guitarist of all time who really cares?lyrics to me are just kind of backround noise anyways.”

So without the creative input of lyrics, what would you have suggested they called Runnin’ With The Devil? Track One?

And have you ever sang along to a song on the radio? Or do you just hum the music to yourself?
http://www.ievolvedintothis.com Ken A

Any idiot can write lyrics about chicks and booze, but–and I know this is going to come as a shock to some–not everybody can do it well.

Dave’s lyrics may not be Pulitzer-worthy, but there’s a sense of persona and sly wordplay. Sam, as good a singer as he is, rarely achieves those qualities. They usually sound as though they were written as an afterthought, and it’s getting to the point where he comes off as your uncle trying to be hip. Sam has a lot of positive traits, but his lyrics are deficient.
Lupercal

@ Gunslinger Eddie

If Chris Cornell had sung this, it just would’ve sounded like Audioslave.

Mike’s backing vocals sound hollow? Dude, EVH wasn’t much of a singer. Mike without Ed still sounds like Mike – Ed without Mike however, well, we’ll see on the upcoming album.
Wazza1013

Jeebus, all you Sammy haters need to put a cork in it and all you guys out there that hate on the Sammy haters, shut up too. It’s awesome that BOTH bands are bringing out new material this year and I will definitely be buying both CD’s.

Bigfoot is a great rocker. It’s not Runaround or Unchained, but hey, if it’s indicative of the new stuff CH is throwing my way, bring it on guys, you’ve got a fan even if you don’t tour my town. Van Halen aren’t the same anymore. So what? Anything by them I will blind buy. It’s Van Halen for christssake! Same with Chickenfoot. They carried the flag while most of the crap coming out in 09 was pathetic and lame.

Love Sammy and Dave. Have absolutely NO problems with either dude’s attitude or style. Dave said some pretty nasty things about Sammy and the boys back in 86, and when Sammy released his book relating HIS side of the tale, everyone jumped on him like he was Satan on a stick.

I figure, I’ve got the Best of Both Worlds having my two favorite bands releasing new stuff this year. And oh, yeah, I’ll be seeing VAN HALEN on October 3rd!!!!! BooYaa!
EEASCURLY

I have tried to keep an open mind with Chickenfoot. I didn’t like it at first, liked it, now I don’t like it again. It is all starting to sound the same.
http://vhnd chuckie lee

as i have stated in many of these discussions, chixfeet is not good music to me… i really did not like the first record, and dont like this tune either.. however it is better than anything on their first record. liked 5150, ou812, and liked some tunes on for unlawful carnal knowledge.. thats it..what really gets me heated, is how often, and how unnderhandedly hager keeps taking shots at the legacy of van halen…so he goes out and lies, takes cheap shots, blames, exaggerates and plays makebelieve. he is very bitter, and very insecure of how he is looked at by the masses. he aint stupid and he knows he is the least missed…… if the shoe fits…
http://www.ballistickarma.com Derek

Im pretty let down. I was excited at first, but after hearing it, its just predictable and not as good as anything on the last Chickenfoot CD.
http://none Dirty Duck

chuckie lee:

Agreed….

The truth is, if you were ever part of a legendary rock group like VH, there are gonna be comparisons in anything you do. Most likely for the rest of your life.
Hagar’s problem is, he cant stop talking about vh, so it takes away the magic of anything he wants to do.
As far as the bitter comment, I also agree, but watch what you say around here. Most sam fans will defend him no matter what he’s wrote or what he’s said. Think about that one. Sad huh. It could be in print….black and white and some fans wont accept it as fact. They tip toe around it…thinking it will go away…thinking we’ll forget. Well I havent forgotten and I still feel he’s a phoney. I dont need to explain myself or apologize to anyone here. The day that happens is the same day that dave sings “love walks in”….
AC

Hey,

I’m not a musician so I apologize if I can’t articulate the problem well. But to me it’s 2-fold.

1) A song like Bigfoot and many others on the self-titled lack melody and a big-chorus. Like Satriani is still doing solo-stuff. He’s not the songwriter Eddie is, he’s strictly a jammer and a soloist. I don’t think he can’t write a catchy tune. He ran rock, he can groove, and does a lot of amazing things on the guitar. But I don’t think he can write a memorable tune.

2) Sammy suffers from Satriani’s music. The music is too choppy and Sammy is not able to get a melody around anything. Satch does not play to Sammy’s strength. And Sammy’s lyrics suffer as a result since he’s forced to throw in too many yeahs, ooohs and ooows and revert to stupid innuendos and just nonsense. Eddie made Sammy a better singer and lyrisict, and just brought out his strengths overall.

And Sammy needs to calm down about how great this band is….if Bigfoot is the featured single it does not bode well for the rest of the album.

New VH would have to really stink to not overshadow this type of song. If they simply go back to the classic sound they’ll be alright!

This is my first comment by the way….so how’d I do?
http://vhnd chuckie lee

true that dirty duck… it is what it is, to only the sane..ac, you did great…. welcome to the party pal…
http://none Dirty Duck

AC:

Honesty….is the best policy!
Panama Red

I was on the road earlier and I was listening to “Big Foot” at a Very loud volume and I love it. You know why I love it? Because it’s fun! It is a fun song to listen to and sing.
Chickenfoot is a great rock band comprised of some kick ass musicians, I love Chad’s drumming and Satch’s tone in this song.
This is what Rock and Roll is supposed to be about, having fun, enjoying life. And that’s what this song does for me. I don’t know why that’s such an alien concept for some people to grasp, that this song is supposed to be fun! I was driving around singing “I Got Both Hands On The Wheel, And My BIGFOOT ON THE GAS!” and you know what, I was having a pretty good time driving and rocking out to real ROCK!
That’s what it’s about man. I swear guys, I get it that we all have our opinions and I’m totally cool with that but I shake my head sometimes at some of the downer attitudes here. If you can’t get into a good rock song, oh well. But instead of being the fly in someone’s soup how about taking your attitude the other direction and have fun anyway doing something else. Rock Out to Van Halen and enjoy yourself. Some people are always hating and seem so bitter and down and out. It’s only Rock and Roll!
I’m sure We could all use more good times, that’s what Rock and Roll is for
http://none Dirty Duck

P-Red:

I really think a lot of this has to do with sam leaving a bad taste in many a mouth around here. He’s said some things things that turned me off completely. Let me put it this way….it’s like meeting a gorgeous girl….and she has bad breath.
pete2

@Halen High…im not saying that lyrics have no importance but to break them down to the degree that some people do on here is silly.to me they are just part of the package and a rock band is bigger than some singer prancing around on stage.without eddie i really dont care about sammy or dave roth.
Expanded Consciousness

Lyrics, delivery and personality of the lead singer are all an integral part of any rock song and rock band. Van Halen is not a solo act or a bunch of instrumentals. Pretending it is isn’t very useful. David Lee Roth’s lyrics, style and personality is as much responsible for Van Halen’s greatness as is Eddie’s guitar work and composition genius. No point in artificially separating the two and only valuing Eddie.
Panama Red

Dirty Duck – Hahaha. It took me a while to figure out what you meant. So you’re saying you acknowledge that Chickenfoot is a good solid band (i.e. Gorgeous girl) but you can’t stand the singer (i.e. bad breath) LOL. I guess I’m kind of slow, but I did think it was pretty funny when it occurred to me what you meant, even though you know I disagree with you about the bad breath, Hahahaha.
I usually disagree with your input about Hagar but I’m still glad you came back to this website, I dig your passion for CVH.
I think I understand your stance on Sammy Hagar and your problem with him, I just don’t agree with the specifics of the actual issues you have with him. You know what I mean? I get where your coming from even though I don’t agree with the actual reasons you’re mad. That’s as close to agreeing with you about Hagar as I can get
I’ve read your reasons you dislike him and I get it, but I see things differently.

I think it’s kind of a shame that someone would miss out on having a good time listening to Chickenfoot because of their personal feeling towards the singer. If you don’t like Sammy’s voice for whatever reason or just can’t get into the ‘Foot that’s one thing, but for someone to automatically hate Chickenfoot because you don’t like Sammy Hagar’s personality is another thing. Some people may be cheating themselves out of hearing some really good, solid rock!
For instance, Pantera is one of my all time favorite bands. And I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure Phil Anselmo is one of the biggest assholes on the planet. Aside from just acting like a tool sometimes, he’s also talked some shit about Dimebag (before he died) But I still listen to Pantera just about every day and scream my f-ing head off to Anselmo’s lyrics because I love Pantera and Dimebag and Vinnie kick so much ass!
Maybe that is too different of a scenario to compare because I don’t think you ever liked the Hagar era VH, even at the beginning, like I’ve always loved Pantera.
Okay…it’s like the thing with me and actors. There are some weird ass celebrities out there but I still enjoy some of their work regardless of how stupid, weird or douchey I think they are in real life.
Take Tom Cruise for instance, he seems like a narcissistic weirdo, all the crap he has said in interviews and the way he acts sometimes….cuckoo…cuckoo.
But that doesn’t mean I’m not entertained by some (not all, but some) of his work. I appreciate his performances in “Born On The Fourth Of July” and “The Last Samurai” Pretty cool and impressive stuff.
Anyway Duck, that might not be a great analogy either because the stuff surrounding Tom Cruise and Sammy Hagar are different. You are very passionate about CVH and Sammy Hagar said stuff that pissed you off, Tom Cruise didn’t say anything about Van Halen, hahaha.
I guess, I’m just shooting the shit ‘cause I got a buzz. Anyway, if there is one Sammy hater here that I’d like to drink a beer with, I’m pretty sure you would be my first choice. Aside from our different views about Hagar I think we have quite a few things in common. I remember some of the stuff we talked about in the past. That was pretty cool.
Later Duck.
Halen High

Expanded Consciousness says:
“Lyrics, delivery and personality of the lead singer are all an integral part of any rock song and rock band….David Lee Roth’s lyrics, style and personality is as much responsible for Van Halen’s greatness as is Eddie’s guitar work and composition genius. No point in artificially separating the two and only valuing Eddie.”

Exactly! I can understand why guitar players may be more interested in Eddie, but some take it to the level of delusion when they ignore the obvious impact Dave had on the CVH era, and the last tour.

pete2 says:
“@Halen High…im not saying that lyrics have no importance but to break them down to the degree that some people do on here is silly.to me they are just part of the package and a rock band is bigger than some singer prancing around on stage.without eddie i really dont care about sammy or dave” roth.”

Then folowing your logic, it’s also fair to say any great rock band is bigger than some guitar player wanking away on stage.

If you are a guitar player, then fair enough, Eddie is your focus. But keep in mind, Dave helped construct many of Eddie’s great compositions and helped give them further life with his vocal style and lyrics. It’s interesting to note that Eddie is only regarded as one of, if not THE, most influential guitar players of all-time – while he was working with Dave. And the same can be said of Dave as a frontman. That’s called chemistry. Without it, we are left with Van Hagar. And that’s no attack on Sammy – creatively, both he and VH were better off without each other.
yeahright

To me this offering by CF has nothing to do with Van Halen. I judge a book by the book, not by the cover, or by what the critics say. I listened, I commented, just like others did. And I think it was just a lazy effort collectively from all members on this one. This tune didn’t hold a candle to anything on the first album IMHO, and much of that one was forgetable, too. Takes alot to keep mpeople riveted in todays’ world… It is what it is. Some say Yay, some say Nay, that’s rock and roll. I do look forward to hearing the rest of the album, and I will choose what I like and don’t,same as I will from the new VH album. I will be much more apt to buy the new VH album however, than I will this one, especially if their first single really lights it up for me and others, unlike this one.
Halen Goer

Lyrics are simply the LEAST important element in a song! It is and has always been about the music and HOW the song was SUNG/AND/OR DELIVERED. I mean most of the “great” rock songs have ridiculous lyrics but are wonderful songs; “I am a Walrus”, “Mony, Mony”, “Get off of my Cloud” the list goes on and on. Yes, some artist are known for their wordsmanship but it’s ALWAYS about the song.

Van Halen has ALWAYS been about the MUSIC. It starts and end with AL & ED, all other element are frosting to the cake.

Love the chatter on VHND. Keep the opinions coming, it just shows were all passionate about everything VH related.

Rock on!!
D.O.A.

Props to you again, Red! Appreciate your passion as always.

I’ve said something similar a thousand times to myself as I look over the venom spewed here regularly: How can you not have fun driving down the road listening to a groove like that?

Lookin’ forward to the rest.

Yes, I’m ready!!!!!!!!!!
Expanded Consciousness

Lyrics don’t matter on Get Off Of My Cloud? Wrong. Sorry it is not just the music (groovy, energizing) and the vocal delivery (raspy, full of attitude). The words and imagery and meaning absolutely matter. The theory by some on this thread that all rock lyrics should be dismissed as stupid and inconsequential, fails.

DLR’s Lyrics > Hagar Lyrics.

GET OFF OF MY CLOUD
(M. Jagger/K. Richards)

I live in an apartment on the ninety-ninth floor of my block
And I sit at home looking out the window imagining the world has stopped
Then in flies a guy who’s all dressed up just like a Union Jack
And says, I’ve won five pounds if I have his kind of detergent pack

I said, Hey! You! Get off of my cloud Hey! You! Get off of my cloud
Hey! You! Get off of my cloud
Don’t hang around ’cause two’s a crowd n my cloud, baby

The telephone is ringing I say, “Hi, it’s me. Who is it there on the line?”
A voice says, “Hi, hello, how are you, well, I guess I’m doin’ fine”
He says, “It’s three a.m., there’s too much noise don’t you people ever wanna go to bed?
Just ’cause you feel so good, do you have to drive me out of my head?”

I said, Hey! You! Get off of my cloud
Hey! You! Get off of my cloud
Hey! You! Get off of my cloud
Don’t hang around ’cause two’s a crowd
On my cloud baby

I was sick and tired, fed up with this and decided to take a drive downtown
It was so very quiet and peaceful there was nobody, not a soul around
I laid myself out, I was so tired and I started to dream
In the morning the parking tickets were just like a flag stuck on my window screen

I said, Hey! You! Get off of my cloud
Hey! You! Get off of my cloud
Hey! You! Get off of my cloud
Don’t hang around ’cause two’s a crowd
On my cloud

Hey! You! Get off of my cloud
Hey! You! Get off of my cloud
Hey! You! Get off of my cloud
Don’t hang around, baby, two’s a crowd
Halen High

Halen Goer says:
“Van Halen has ALWAYS been about the MUSIC. It starts and end with AL & ED, all other element are frosting to the cake.”

Sounds like someone forgot to add the frosting on the How Many Say I cake……and the chef seemed to go missing during the baking of OU812……then there’s the cake known as LRHRN which came out a little flat and tasteless…..then there’s BOBW – the frosting on those cakes was just plain off……
Halen High

Panama Red says:
“Take Tom Cruise……I appreciate his performances in “Born On The Fourth Of July”

Great, great movie – must be Cruise’s best performance.
Russ

I’ll say it again – I like the song but I don’t think Sam is trying his best. He’s having fun and we’re along for the ride.

Case in point: I listened to “Three Lock Box” on the way to work this morning…

Suckers walk, money talks!
But it can’t touch my three lock box!
Uh! Oh, yeah!
Mysteries of the days of old.
You find the key, you got the gold.
One, two, three lock box.
One, two, three lock box.
One, two, three lock box.
One, two, three lock box.
Treasure’s here, sunken there.
Buried treasure’s everywhere.
One, two, three lock box.
One, two, three lock box.
Don’t go far, circle close.
The father, son, the holy ghost.
To the trinity, I raise a toast!
Ahh, yea!
One, two, three lock box.
One, two, three lock box.
One, two, three lock box.
One, two, three lock box.
-solo-
Secrets of the trinity lie within the number three.
Uh! Hey!
One, two, three lock box.
One, two, three lock box.
One, two, three lock box.
One, two, three lock box.
(Three Lock Box)
One, two, three lock box.
One, two, three lock box.
(Three Lock Box)
One, two, three lock box.
One, two, three lock box.
(Three Lock Box)
[Repeat To Fade]

As Sammy Hagar explains it, the three locks represent spirituality, physicality, mentality. If you have these three things in balance, no one person or event that effects you can get to your soul because you have these three most valuable things that are key to living an enjoyable life.

…these lyrics seem like Pulitzer prize material compared with Big Foot.
Diver Down

If Chickenfoot would have released “Three Lock Box” as the new single instead of
“Big Foot”, it would have been much more impressive. Why Sammy can’t make
music like this anymore is beyond me. He played with one of the most talented bands
in the world, Van Halen, for a decade and has incredible musicians in his new band (Joe,
Chad and Michael). Yet the guy can’t write anything great. Sammy is like a great athlete
who’s at the end of his career just sort of going through the motions with no great effort.
I wish he would be back on his game to push Van Halen to compete with more great music
but as of right now, Chickenfoot is no Led Zeppelin as he likes to compare his band to.
Sammy’s was truthful about one thing, the aliens downloaded his brain and sucked all his
talent.
http://none Dirty Duck

Panama Red:

The feeling is mutual my brother. No matter what is said, or what you dont agree with, you always respond with class. Wish I could be like that a little more often, but being a die hard classic vh fan it can take its toll on my tude’.
Eiether way it’s only rock and roll and im doing my best to keep the positive vibe goin, but sometimes some poster’s (poseurs?) around here can really rub me the wrong way at times and the beast is unleashed! LOL. Imagine seeing an angry duck comin’ at ya!
Stay cool as always my man! Talk soon! Keep on rockin’!
Kayser Sozay

Diver Down – what? I agree there are some silly lyrics on the first chickenfoot album and but there are some really great lyrics on the album too. Did you catch “Avenida Revolucion”? The lyrics and music are extremely evocative. You don’t just hear the mexican experience with all the violence going on – you feel it.

Same thing with Bitten by the Wolf. I’ve never been to New Orleans but I get a real Anne Rice “Interview with the Vampire”/voodoo type vibe from that one. Future’s in the Past – once I heard Sammy explain on the live DVD what the song was about – learning from your mistaks – it made perfect sense. Learning to Fall, Runnin Out . . . also good.

Problem is, Chickefoot came out of the chute with “Oh Yeah,” “Soap on a Rope,” and “Get it Up” – The three songs with the silliest lyrics I’ve heard in a long time. And because we all know Sam’s written duds like Up for Breakfast in the past, we paint the whole album with that brush. In a vacuum though, I think the majority of the lyrics on that album are good – some excellent. I’m pretty sure that if people here who criticize Sam all the time for his lyrics had no idea it was him on those tunes, the great majority of them would get thumbs up across the board. And for many people on this site, if they thought for one second is was Dave, it would be “Man, it goes Roth, Shakespeare, Shelley, Dickens, and Keats. . . in that order.”

On a Chickenfoot topic having nothing to do with Hagar for a moment, for my money, as dim-witted as the lyrics to “Soap on a Rope” are, the instrumental ride out on that song (like from 3:55 to the end) may be the best piece of music I’ve heard. It’s amazing.
Diver Down

@Kayser Sozay:

In all fairness, I took another listen to the first Chickenfoot album and you do have a valid point. The songs you pointed out are very good in music and lyrics, especially “Avenida Revolucion”. Why not choose a great song like this as your single and win over
fans from the get go?
kayser sozay

Agreed Diver Down. They should have led with different songs. It’s why I have a lot of hope for the new album. Big Foot is a catchy tune but some of the lyrics seem a bit weak to me – a la the Houses of the Holy reference “cuz yeah! that shit rocks!” Ew. Hopefully the rest of the album will be better. The way the members are talking about it though they all seem to think its better. Sam saying it’s the best album he’s ever made I take with a grain of Salt. He’s always over-the-top enthusiastic about anything he’s doing which is a great way to be but I’ve learned to not just take his word for it.
D.O.A.

OK Kayser…..gotta know: Usual Suspects? If so, please explain.
kayser sozay

Bingo DOA. Big fan of the movie.