And that comment and sentiment were the reason why Ed had a problem with Mike. He was jealous Mike got all the credit for backing harmonies. Most people don't know that in the very early days Ed was the vocalist and Alex had to make him stop, he did not want to. He thought he was a much better singer than he really was. Sad.
To me David Lee Roth was a Ferrari on nitrous road racing thru the mountains of Europe. Sammy was like a convoy of tanks just rolling on and on till the diesel ran out. Two totally different styles, both excellent. And Mike Anthony tied it all together with is backups. Us big VH fans always saw his talent.
Eddie Van Halen was one of the greatest rock guitarists ever. Not spotlighted as much on this song, but always great. Another amazing talent gone too soon💔
This is what some people might call Van Hagar. It's Van Halen with Sammy Hagar on vocals after David Lee Roth the original singer split from the band. Both versions of the band are/were excellent. Side note: if or when you react to their song "Right Now", you have to see the official video. Other reactors have done that song, but they didn't see the official video and really missed out on the strong message that goes with it!
The turn they took creatively wasn't TO this kind of music... it INCLUDED this kind of music. They still ROCKED on those albums... HARD, in some cases. But Eddie also had THIS in him and wanted to explore it.
When It's Love was an underrated song, yet one of the best rock ballads of the 80s. When Sammy Hagar came aboard, the energy changed, and the maturity really shone with Eddie, Mike and Alex in their musicianship. With Sammy came four number one albums, and I believe two Grammy nominations. And the sign is the combo of the V and H of the name Van Halen. Great reaction Britt!👍
No longer Van Halen, everyone in my neck of the woods called them Van Hagar when David Lee Roth exited the band. I am still unsure how I feel that he left 30 years later, but VH continued to move forward, so it was not a detrimental move on there part.
The reason Van Hagar had #1 albums was because the made great quality POP music. Much more radio friendly than the Dave fronted Hard Rock. Van Hagar played on POP stations, as well as Adult Contemporary stations along side of Phil Collins and Celine Dion.
Van Halen ultimate summer band there’s not a bad song on that album. I can’t wait till you run across a band called Whitesnake and happy Mother’s Day to you too ❤
the bassist Michael Anthony is the underrated other vocalist in all of VH's catalog (other than Sammy's overdubs)...I still love me some Diamond Dave, but I've always loved Sammy since "Montrose"...
5150 my favorite album of the 80s. It captured a time gone. When today's would take it the wrong way. Summer nights was a time when you cruised the main drag (street) as a 16 year old unattended 8n your own car and hang out with your friends till midnight. Your parents never knew where or with who you where at. No cell phones...no home computers....real raw music and people too.
I love all types of music. Van Halen is my favorite rock band. Clearly the best overall band of the last 45-50 years.(in rock) The songs with David Lee were harder and reflected the young party image of the age of the band at the time. Sammy introduced more meaningful lyrics as the band grew and matured as they aged. It's all fantastic and done with the greatest rock guitarist of our lifetime. 🎸 🎼 🎤
As a VH fanatic I will say they are not "clearly" the best overall. They may be, but AC/DC must be in the discussion. Especially when you consider they too had to replace their original singer, released many more albums, and are still playing today. Greatest American rock band? Hands down yes. The top three are LZ, VH, AC/DC in whatever order one may like. Even as a VH freak, I think Zeppelin was the greatest. Alex once said VH was trying to be Zeppelin, and Ed said he got the idea of tapping watching Jimmy play Heartbreaker live.
@@justme7185 Fair enough. You make good points. I'm not a huge Zepplin fan but acknowledge the talent there. ACDC was/is great also. I just feel overall that VH brings alot more to the table. And no disrespect, but Eddie is in another class than Jimmy Page. Sorry.. I do think Aerosmith should be in the discussion also if were bringing ACDC in. Thanks for the conversation 🎸
I'll never forget the first time I heard this album. My friend got a big system in his car (just four speakers and a small amp) We cranked it up and went cruzin. To this day I have to listen to it loud.
It's a spiritual song. It was a different, more mature Van Halen with more adult music about life issues because they were living them. It's about the opening of the heart.
Another great one they did with Sammy Hagar was "Why Can't This Be Love?". If you want to listen to one of his solo songs, I would recommend "I Can't Drive 55".
Every band member operating at the highest level to produce magic music. Makes me happy to see your genuine appreciation of my favorite band!!! Thanks Britt ❤.
Two different musical directions with the two singers, and both were really exceptional. FYI, It was released in 1988 as the second single from their eighth studio album.
Their first few albums (1978-1984) were with singer Davide Lee Roth who left to go solo (Just a a gigolo) in 1985. Sam Hagar came in 1986 to take over with Michael Anthony on bass and Eddie Van Halen guitar, Alex Van Halen, drums. They stayed together on and off until 1996 when Gary Cherone of Extreme took over for an album. Since then, all three have toured with the brothers a few times in reunions until Eddie died a couple years ago. This was from around 1988.,
Van Halen and Van Hagar both had their highs and lows. Both put out incredible songs. Sammy has a special place in my heart. He's St.Louis's RED ROCKER! We supported Sammy when he first started out with Montrose back in the 70s. Montrose didn't get a lot of air time back then and we helped keep the torch alive. The rest is history. R.I.P. EVH.
The whole album 5150 is amazing would also recommend, Love Walks in, Why Can't This be Love, and Dreams all incredible songs and huge hits from this album with the same kind of energy and feel as this one, this album shot to #1 pretty quickly when it came out
The departure of David Lee Roth, replaced by Sammy Hagar, split the Van Halen fans right down the middle. The "purists" wanted nothing to do with a version of the band that didn't include DLR. He was the singer that wrote lyrics that epitomized the stereotype of rock bands..."sex, drugs and rock n roll." He was the flashy flamboyant front man. In my opinion, as time went on, he became more about himself than about the band. Enter Sammy. He brought a new feel to the band's music. Some songs...he added more guitar, as he was a great guitarist in his own right. But he also brought a broader range of ideas for song topics...bringing an evolution to their song lyrics. You nailed it when you used the word "matured." That's pretty much what was happening once DLR was out of the band. They matured. The music added more emotion. The lyrics added more feeling. The purists hated it, because it didn't sound like "rock and roll" in the way they had grown accustomed to. They didn't like the keyboards that became prevalent when Sammy came in...completely ignoring the fact that keyboards were heavy in the last DLR album "1984." The keyboards were not because of Sammy. They were brought in because Eddie Van Halen wanted more versatility in the band's sound. The purists blamed it all on Sammy, anyway, because there's just NO WAY the greatest rock and roll guitarist in the world would be so in love with synthesizer and keyboards. Sammy wrote lyrics more about love than about sex and one night stands with groupies. DLR wrote about sex, partying and living on the edge. Sammy was just more ..mature... in his lyricism. As for me...I absolutely love both eras.
BOOOO.....VAN HAGAR SUCKED......I mean they literally had all love songs. When i think of Van Halen I think of eddies bad ass guitar....Alex hitting it on hot for teacher. Michael with a Jack Daniels bottle. David yelling like no other person did at that time. When I think of Sammy I think of LOVE SONGS.....My Favorite love song from the band is AINT TALKIN ABOUT LOVE.
The most fascinating thing about Eddie Van Halen couldn't read a lick of music to save his life, He learned to play piano by ear as a kid and won Piano competitions.. He said he had always looked at his hands because he had to remember where they had to be when he played.
Indeed so many great tunes on this album, When its Love, Love Walks in, Why Can't This be Love, (see the theme), and my favorite one from this album Dreams. All were Huge hits when they came out
David Lee Roth never wanted keyboards in the band's music. He tried to discourage Eddie by telling him no one wants to hear a "guitar hero" play keyboards, yet songs like "Jump" were successful. When DLR left the band and Sammy Hagar joined, Sammy wasn't only a singer, but was also an accomplished guitarist... not at Eddie's level of skill, but really good on his own. Anyway, I believe he helped Van Halen become more well-rounded and helped bring more success to the band. With Sammy and Van Halen, there eventually was a hard parting of ways. Thankfully, Eddie and Sammy were able to mend their relationship before Eddie's passing. You should also check out Wolfgang Van Halen's music out!!&! The apple did not fall far from the tree!!&! ❤
David Lee Roth was the lead singer for Van Halen from 1974-1985 and then went to a solo project, and Eddie picked up Sammy Hagar from a solo career from the same time to lead vocal in 1986. This song came out in 1988 when I was 20, and watching it is like a time warp to 35 years ago when I first heard it. Still as powerful, still as good. I love both iterations of Van Halen, but for me, I didn't discover Van Halen until I was 14 with the release of Pretty Woman on Diver Down listening to Casey Kasems Top 40 living in rural America without MTV in 1982, and by 1986, I started College, so David was from my teens years and Sammy Hagar whose music I liked before Van Halen, was my college adult years forward until he left in 1996. In reality, the band was always Eddie Van Halen, the guitarist, and his brother Alex Van Halen on drums, it was their band, but stylistic, it really was two different bands with the two different lead singers.
I agree with you about the band being mostly about Eddie. DLR is a poet, who I believe is the only frontman capable of writing comparable lyrics over Eddie’s insane guitar compositions.
I as anofficial old Farnam here to tell you,in 1979 I first heard these guys,was an immediate fan,have continued to be,when Sammy Hagar first joined Van Halen, man I was pissed,love Dave. However their music changed in a good way,became a new thing and I still wasn't happy that Dave was gone, I git into it. I always liked Sammy best on his own or with Montrose.
This song is basically a bookend for the 1984 song "I'll Wait" same power ballad energy with different singers. "I'll Wait" is about obsessing about someone. "When It's Love" is about love and relationship. Edward Van Halen wrote both songs in a style that's an homage to his guitar hero Eric Clapton: long sustained notes and a slow blues solo.
Great review of a great song. You might want to try "Right Now" off the For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge album... yes, that's the name, and yes, the acronym was deliberate. Again, good job!
Quite simply Brittany, Sammy Hagar is a down to earth, approachable normal human being, extremely talented too. Look up narcissist, ego driven, self centered all these adjectives have one thing in common, they have a picture of David Lee as the description of what they look like in practical form. 😂 Happy Mothers day. Btw OU812 album is Sammy's debut with VanHagar and it rocks.
OU812 was a good album but the absolute worst concert i ever went to in my life. From beginning to end the band with the exception of Alex were so drunk they couldnt sing in tune and couldnt play in time and then Michael Anthony Puked off the front of the stage. I always loved the band and the studio work was top notch but i never went to another concert. The 1984 Concert with DLR waa 1000x better.
Check out "Dont Tell Me What Love Can Do" or "Poundcake" .... Van Halen is an Institution with Dave and Sammy but Michael Anthonys backing vocals really kept the sound throughout it all... besides the obvious musicianship of the Brothers Eddie and Alex....
"you look at every face in the crowd.." well,today they look only at the phone and so we need dating sides,heres where the problems start..nice react ,good pick.
Yeah this is a great gem of a song. And the guys have mixed a lot of slower ballad type in with some seriously high energy stuff as they went along. If u wanna hear what they can really do, i have 2 songs for u to check out from both spectrum ends. A piano ballad called Not Enough, and then do Judgement Day, that one will blow ur hair vack into the next time zone
I'm firmly in the Dave-era camp, but I've always loved this song from the Sammy era -- especially the synth! (as verboten as that may be). Love the intro, love Mike's basslines, love Al's drumming and I love the slower tempo. The only thing that takes it down a notch for me is Sammy screeching. I've never acclimated myself to that. His vocals on his pre-VH solo albums were much better imo. "When It's Love" and "Damn Good" were the best things from Dave and Ed after their divorce in '85. Love both of them!
You always look so simply amazing gererous on your youtube channel love it Britt. Thank you for sharing your video with us you always give an awesome reaction everytime too thank you for sharing your video with us great beautiful voice you have too your so awesome love it Britt.🌹❤️❤️❤️👍
