Diver Down instead of Fair Warning

[Pappy P]

I pickedup the CD case for Fair Warning at Half Price Used Books. Paid my $7.98 and listened to the CD.

 

I didn't even notice I was listening to Diver Down until I got to pretty woman. I know I will get some abuse for that but I deserve it.

 

Now I want to go back an buy the right CD so I can have both and the right inserts.

 

 

BTW: my kids love Happy Trails. They want to hear it over and over. We are all sing, Bum-Be-Dee-Da, Bum-Be-Dee-Da.

 

My daughter says that it is not really Van Halen, she thinks I am joking or something.

 

Anyway:

 

Hearing Big Bad Bill sorta reminded me of Just a Gigalo. Now I am wondering what DLR's fasicnation is with vaudeville tunes.

 

The songs are sorta cool in a gimicky novelty way. And I would've expected it on a DLR solo album, but how the Hell did he convince EVH to put that track on the album?

 

s that the real reason DLR got kicked out of the band: his Paul McCartney-esque fascination with Vaudeville tunes>

 

Also, will I be surprised by anymore vaudeville tunes on Fair Warning?

[D. Fox]

Diver Down was the beginning of the end for the classic Van Halen. Thankfully, they were able to release 1984 and give us one last bit of brilliance. All that aside, go get Fair Warning....that album is EVH at his sickest and most inventive. And there are is no Vaudeville claptrap!

[GuitarPlayerFL]

To me, Fair Warning was the last album to have the brown sound. Everything after had much more treble to the guitar tone.

[picker]

Is that the real reason DLR got kicked out of the band: his Paul McCartney-esque fascination with Vaudeville tunes?

 

I always thought it was his Roger Waters-esque facination with himself...

[Hound Dog]

Originally posted by Picker:

Is that the real reason DLR got kicked out of the band: his Paul McCartney-esque fascination with Vaudeville tunes?

 

I always thought it was his Roger Waters-esque facination with himself...

I think he always knew he would end up in Vegas and was just getting prepared.

[Big Red 67]

Originally posted by Picker:

Is that the real reason DLR got kicked out of the band: his Paul McCartney-esque fascination with Vaudeville tunes?

 

I always thought it was his Roger Waters-esque facination with himself...

LOL Yup!

[TimEm]

I always thought DLR immagined himself as a sort of "Song and Dance Man" - you know, an entertainer - almost Bugs Bunny-ish. Singing, dancing, the physical stuff, vaudeville seems right up his alley...

[Gifthorse]

I love big bad bill, and that is Eddie's Dad playing the clarinet. That was the cool thing with Roth, he was always throwing a curve ball.

 

Off Women and children they have 'could this be magic' another cool tune.

 

My favorite song on Diver Down is Secrets. Well crafted song, original with Roth singing. Sorry Sammy dress up in your red clothes and rejoin Montrose---for the love of God LEAVE US ALONE!!

[fantasticsound]

I share that love of vaudeville, but I don't think I'm up to being as goofy as Dave.

 

I love Big Bad Bill! What a fun departure from their bread and butter. Same (although not so much a departure) with Ice Cream Man off VHII.

 

But it's been well documented that Eddie, Alex & Mike were interested in making Eddie's music. DLR always wanted to make the most popular music, whether it was Eddie's or from outside sources. He and Ted Templeman talked them into doing Dancin' In The Streets and Pretty Woman. But I think the final straw was when EVH began playing more keyboard DLR told him that wasn't what VH fans came to see him do. He should stick to guitar pyrotechnics.

 

At least that's what I remember reading. But it's been decades so I may not be entirely accurate.

[Pappy P]

Thanks Flagship. I forgot to ask who played clarinet. That was pretty darn good playing.

[timrocker]

Same (although not so much a departure) with Ice Cream Man off VHII.

 

Hey, sorry to fact-check you, but actually...,

Ice Cream Man was on Van Halen I.

 

[Hardtail]

Diver Down isn't one of my favorites but it does have some gems: Full Bug, Hang Em' High (I especially love this tune) and Secrets are some decent tunes.

 

Dancing in the Streets and Pretty Woman got old really quick. That's all I heard on the radio of this album during that time.

 

And the video for Pretty Woman was God awful! Even for videos put out during that time, it was really bad. DLR made up for it with his California Girls video.

[Gifthorse]

Dancin in the streets has a KILLER solo tho!! I think for the Marshall/roth era Diver Down is the worst sounding VH record, and also the worst song selection.

[guitarisawayoflife21]

I agree with flagship, I never really care for Diver Down too much compared to the other works of that era.

[fantasticsound]

Originally posted by timrocker:

Same (although not so much a departure) with Ice Cream Man off VHII.

Hey, sorry to fact-check you, but actually...,

Ice Cream Man was on Van Halen I.

 

Doh!

 

You are correct, sir! I should've remembered it's on VH because Ice Cream Man is the cool, goofy song at the end of I and Beautiful Girls is the cool, goofy song at the end of VHII.

 

My favorite cuts off those albums, and they're chock full of great cuts.