August 1985: David Lee Roth leaves Van Halen. One of the world’s greatest rock and roll bands at the peak of their powers now finds itself without their iconic frontman.
Van Halen began its search for a new lead singer, going as far to offer the position to Daryl Hall and Patty Smyth, who both declined reportedly. Enter the Red Rocker; Sammy Hagar.
Eddie Van Halen was introduced to Hagar through their mutual Ferrari mechanic. Hagar, the former frontman of Montrose (remember Rock Candy?), had enjoyed a successful decade-plus solo career, with several major hits in the 1980s like I Can’t Drive 55, There’s Only One Way to Rock and Three Lock Box. Ted Templeman, who produced Van Halen’s albums up to that point, along with Montrose’s debut album, helped contribute to Hagar joining the band.
Van Halen performed Why Can’t This Be Love live for Warner Bros. president Mo Ostin, who according to Hagar said “I smell money,” and the rest was history. Hagar, Eddie, Michael Anthony and Alex Van Halen went on to be one of the biggest acts of the 1980s and early 1990s. Four Platinum studio albums, several massively-successful tours and some other great songs along the way, the “Van Hagar” era is an iconic and often under-appreciated time in the band’s history. Roth’s time in Van Halen produced some of the best music of the 1970s and 1980s, but I’d wager Hagar’s time with Van Halen isn’t far off from the heights of his predecessor.
Some “Van Hagar” records outsold several Roth-era records, and the tours during Hagar’s time with the band often were much larger than anything Van Halen had done with Roth. In honor of Hagar’s time with Van Halen, the second entry in my “Ranking Van Halen” series, here’s every song by Van Halen ranked: The Sammy Hagar Era:
1. 46. Crossing Over – Balance [Japan] (1995)
Personally, I’m fine that this song wasn’t officially released in the U.S. until 2023’s The Collection II. It was originally included on Balance‘s release in Japan.
2. 45. Doin’ Time / Baluchiterium – Balance (1995)
It’s an Eddie instrumental. It’s fine, but nothing to write home about.
3. 44. Pleasure Dome – Balance (1995)
4. 43. Inside – 5150 (1986)
5. 42. Mine All Mine – OU812 (1988)
We are now entering territory where I feel perplexed these songs are as “low” as they are – until I’m reminded just how loaded Van Halen’s Sammy discography is.
6. 41. Get Up – 5150 (1986)
7. 40. Don’t Tell Me (What Love Can Do) – Balance (1995)
8. 39. 316 – For Lawful Carnal Knowledge – (1991)
While the instrumental had been played by Eddie as early as the 5150 Tour in 1986, it didn’t appear on a record until 1991’s For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge. 316 gets its name from Wolfgang Van Halen’s birthday (March 16, 1991), Eddie’s son and eventual bassist for Van Halen.
9. 38. A Apolitical Blues – OU812 (1988)
… And we never got a bluesy Van Halen album why … ? Missed opportunity. A Apolitical Blues was initially only available via CD and streaming. The song is a cover of Little Feat’s original.
10. 37. Respect the Wind – Twister (1996)
The chilling Van Halen brothers instrumental during the closing credits of the 1996 disaster film Twister.The brothers recorded it due to the initially planned song with Hagar, Between Us Two, was a difficult collaboration between the bandmates. The recording process for Twister eventually led to Hagar leaving the band.
11. 36. Spanked – For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991)
12. 35. Sucker in a 3 Piece – OU812 (1988)
13. 34. Aftershock – Balance (1995)
14. 33. Strung Out / Not Enough – Balance (1995)
15. 32. Feelin’ – Balance (1995)
16. 31. The Dream is Over – For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991)
17. 30. A.F.U. (Naturally Wired) – OU812 (1988)
OU812 (pronounced “oh you ate one too”) has several songs you just have to “turn up to 10.” A.F.U (Naturally Wired) is one of them.
18. 29. Big Fat Money – Balance (1995)
Big Fat Money feels too low here, like many songs on my list. It’s so good. Balance is a criminally underrated album in my mind due to tracks like this.
19. 28. The Seventh Seal – Balance (1995)
20. 27. Learning to See – The Best of Both Worlds (2004)
Anthony contacted Hagar about reunited with the band to record some tracks for the compilation album The Best of Both Worlds in 2003. Hagar eventually called up Alex and spent a day together, which left the pair feeling like a reunion would be great for both parties.
Learning to See was one of the three songs recorded, however Eddie wanted to keep Anthony out of the reunion and subsequent “The Summer 2004” tour. Eddie relented after Hagar’s insistence that Anthony be involved, despite Eddie recording all of the base tracks for the tracks himself. Anthony only provides backing vocals on the original The Best of Both Worlds songs. It’s the last Van Halen song to feature contributions from Anthony and Hagar.
The tour was a disaster due to Eddie’s substance abuse, and Hagar never played with Van Halen again following it, but at least we got more of “Van Hagar.”
21. 26. In ‘N’ Out – For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991)
Another song that feels too low.
22. 25. Source of Infection – OU812 (1988)
This may be my most controversial placement on this list, but I LOVE this song. Hagar, a proud songwriter, cannot stand this song, according to his 2011 autobiography Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock (fantastic read). While lyrically it’s admittedly not some of Hagar’s best and most creative work, the song rocks. I “turn it up to 10” every time it comes up on shuffle. I love everything about Eddie’s guitar playing on this track, Hagar’s high-pitched screams, Alex’s pace-pushing drumming and Anthony’s high-register backing vocals (the true sound of Van Halen in my mind). It’d be higher on this list if I ranked purely based off my favorites.
23. 24. Judgement Day – For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991)
Judgement Day has me convinced someone in the early 1990s could’ve made a post-apocalyptic movie centered around For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, and it would have been great. Arnold Schwarzenegger has to be the lead, right? For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge exists because you can’t call an album “****.”
24. 23. Feel So Good – OU812 (1988)
This would be inside my list’s top-15 if Hagar’s time in Van Halen wasn’t as stacked from cover to cover as it was.
25. 22. Runaround – For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991)
I’m going to get hate for this placement here. Bring it on.
26. 21. It’s About Time – The Best of Both Worlds (2004)
This song is the first track following Eruption on The Best of Both Worlds, the perfect track to reintroduce Hagar with the band. It feels like Van Halen was full of a new energy that could’ve carried the band through the 2000s with Hagar and possibly beyond.
27. 20. Amsterdam – Balance (1995)
This song kicks ass, carried by Eddie’s heavy shredding and riffing.
28. 19. Up for Breakfast – The Best of Both Worlds (2004)
The best original song on The Best of Both Worlds. It’s a shame we never got a mid-2000s Van Halen album, because Up for Breakfast and the other tracks prove Van Halen and Hagar may have been up for the task.
29. 18. Man On a Mission – For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991)
30. 17. Good Enough – 5150 (1986)
“Hhhelllooo baaaaaaabyyyyyyy!” Cue Eddie Van Halen.
The perfect song to top the track list on Hagar’s Van Halen debut. The “Van Hagar” era was better than “good enough.”
31. 16. Black and Blue – OU812 (1988)
Hagar and Eddie at their very best.
32. 15. Take Me Back (Deja Vu) – Balance (1995)
I love this song. It’s easy to reminisce about a loved one no longer around or a special place too far away at the moment when listening to Take Me Back (Deja Vu).
33. 14. 5150 – 5150 (1986)
The title track of the album that could go toe-to-toe with almost any Roth-era record in my mind. 5150 helps prove the first “Van Hagar” record could keep the Van Halen party rolling.
34. 13. When It’s Love – OU812 (1988)
35. 12. Finish What Ya Started – OU812 (1988)
The best song off of OU812 in my opinion, Eddie, according to Hagar, came up with Finish What Ya Started‘s riff at 2 a.m. He then raced over to his then-neighbor and frontman’s house to show it to him. Hagar eventually let Eddie in his house despite being woken up, and the two played guitars on his balcony and finished the song together. It’s amazing what could be accomplished when you can’t sleep. I’ll leave it to the listeners to figure out what the song is about …
36. 11. Best of Both Worlds – 5150 (1986)
Do yourself a favor and watch this restored video of their performance of Best of Both Worlds from 1986’s 5150 Tour. The song’s title inspired the name of the joint Hagar-Roth eras compilation album, and Hagar’s 2024 “Best of All Worlds” tour, which celebrated Eddie and Van Halen’s music.
37. 10. Humans Being – Twister (1996)
The soundtrack for 2024’s disaster sequel Twisters is fantastic, full of amazing original songs from many country artists, however Twister‘s Humans Being is the best track between the two movies. The tornado-chasing caravan off-roading through fields to this song is simply badass. It’s the last track to feature Hagar’s vocals until 2004’s It’s About Time.
38. 9. Cabo Wabo – OU812 (1988)
The song that would go on to inspire the Cabo, Mexico-based restaurant/nightclub chain. Cabo Wabo was inspired by Hagar’s observance of a drunk man walking through the streets of Cabo in the mid-1980s. The track is perfect for any drive down to the beach.
Hagar’s Cabo Wabo was originally a joint venture with the Van Halen brothers, until the brothers became dissatisfied with the establishment, which was a money pit at the time. Hagar bought the brothers out and turned the business around, which infuriated them even more.
39. 8. Top of the World – For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991)
40. 7. Love Walks In – 5150 (1986)
Hey 1980s, this is synthesizer done right.
41. 6. Poundcake – For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991)
The drill sound on Poundcake comes from Eddie playing with a Makita 6012HD drill, which he’d wrap in his iconic Frankenstrat stripes and play at shows. While I never had the pleasure of seeing Eddie perform live, it was still a treat seeing Joe Satriani replicate it live at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion this past August.
42. 5. Right Now – For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991)
Hagar claims Right Now is the best song he’s ever written for Van Halen. He was “tired of writing cheap sex songs.”
43. 4. Dreams – 5150 (1986)
This song may be one of Hagar’s best vocal performances ever.
For my younger audience; Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie, anyone? My brother and I tended to “practice” our Power Rangers acrobatics as small children whenever it’d come on my dad’s basement stereo.
44. 3. Can’t Stop Loving You – Balance (1995)
The best song off of Balance, Can’t Stop Loving You proved Van Halen was still fully capable of writing massive hits midway through the 1990s amid the recent years of imbalanced emotions and egos within the band.
45. 2. Summer Nights – 5150 (1986)
I had to restrain myself from putting this song at one. It may be my favorite Van Halen song from any era, and I do not care how controversial that sounds. Growing up in the Midwest, there were years where it felt dark and cold eight months out of the year – depressing. Summer Nights often found its way through the stereo speakers at the Huff house on those early 2000s nights, drumming up some of the warmest childhood memories I have. Those summer nights spent with family were precious, and the music that played in the background ended up being a big part of that. Songs like Summer Nights keep those memories alive every time they come on, and while it’s a bit on the nose, it’s perfect regardless.
46. 1. Why Can’t This Be Love – 5150 (1986)
Was there any other answer? Why Can’t This Be Love is the best track from Hagar’s time with Van Halen in my opinion. It was the band’s first single with Hagar, and while there have been several detractors since the song’s release, it and 5150 being a major departure from Van Halen’s sound, it’s stood the test of time in my mind.
Stay tuned for more from my “Ranking Every Song” series, along with a future list featuring all the Van Halen songs from every era combined.