Today’s the 30th anniversary of Van Halen’s 1984! Here’s a tribute from The Village Voice.
From The Village Voice Blogs:
Today marks the 30th anniversary of Van Halen’s 1984. Let’s put that in perspective: Twice as much time has passed between today and the release of 1984 than between 1984‘s release and the moon landing (the 20th century’s other crowning achievement). It was Van Halen’s most commercially successful album and one of the biggest rock albums of all time, but does it hold up?
Does Diamond Dave’s swagger translate in the age of Twitter, YouTube, Jelly, Path, Uber, Seamlessweb, HopStop, Yahoo News Digest, Smarm, Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones, Tinder, and Facebook? Does Eddie Van Halen’s guitar still blast ear drums the way it did in the age of Reagan and crack cocaine?
Those are the questions, these are the answers — track by YEAH! WHEEEEE ZEE BOPtrack:
1. “1984”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTs4cmiH2yg
This synth intro ushers in the future but takes a quick detour through our hearts. It makes you feel like you are flying in space. Not the soundless and empty void of actual space, but a better, more incredible cosmic arena dreamt up by Ted Templeman, 1984?s producer. The track is a little over a minute but seems to encapsulate the entire universe — and then some. What is that “some”? If any anthologized poets want to hop into the comments section and take a crack at that question, be my guest. Good luck.
Does it hold up?
You bet your ass it does. It’s essentially all of Yeezus, minus the croissants.
2. “Jump”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdfRhU7IFPE
As the album’s most famous song, “Jump” is sometimes accused of being corny or gimmicky. I say “accused” because all charges were dropped: This song rules and is still a total treat. The synth from the intro track is back, but it brought a couple friends (guitars and drums and other musical instruments. Those are the friends). Instead of arguing the merits of “Jump,” I’m going to throw in a link to a YouTube video that teaches you how to play it on the keyboard because learning “Jump” on the synth is a far more valuable use of your time than whining.
It’s a better use of your time than almost anything.
Does it hold up?
Here’s an experiment: Next time you’re at a bar, put “Jump” on the jukebox. If the place doesn’t immediately turn into a sweaty cauldron of dance and cheer, then it means you aren’t at a bar, you’re at a funeral. (Which is a good thing, because this jam can wake the dead.)
Yes, it holds up.
3. “Panama”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-NshzYK9y0
In the video for “Panama” above, Michael Anthony’s bass is painted to look like a bottle of Jack Daniel’s. This is like the 350th coolest thing about this song. That’s how cool “Panama” is.
Quick aside: You know how sometimes on your iPod one song is louder than the others? For years, “Panama” was that song for me. When this happened for non-”Panama” songs, I’d grab my iPod and turn it down as quick as possible. For “Panama,” I would turn it up.
I would turn it up.
I would turn it up.
I. WOULD. TURN. IT. UP.
R.I.P. Steve Jobs.
Does it hold up?
Embarrassing question. Yes, it holds up. It might be holding this entire goddamned country up.
Continue reading at The Village Voice Blogs.