David Lee Roth (born October 10, 1954 in Bloomington, Indiana) is an Americ… Read Full Bio ↴David Lee Roth (born October 10, 1954 in Bloomington, Indiana) is an American singer-songwriter, rock climber, adventurer, actor, author, and former radio personality, being best known for his work with the hard rock band Van Halen and for his fast-talking, larger-than-life persona. Though earning critical and commercial success, Roth left Van Halen due to creative differences in 1985, being replaced by Sammy Hagar (of Montrose and HSAS), and Roth went solo. After a short time spent performing tongue-in-cheek jazz music, Roth recruited a rock supergroup of Steve Vai (guitar), Billy Sheehan (bass), and Gregg Bissonette (drums). The guys released the wildly successful 'Eat 'em and Smile' album on July 7, 1986.

Roth's follow-up work, called 'Skyscraper', came out on January 26, 1988, dividing his fans due to its synthesizer-heavy, pop-fueled style yet having an iconic hit in the upbeat tune "Just Like Paradise". After his solo group's line-up shifted, guitar prodigy Jason Becker (formerly of Cacophony) came into the fold in 1989. Sadly, Becker contracted Lou Gehrig's Disease, and before too long he could no longer play, having only performed on one album (1991's 'A Little Ain't Enough').

Since then, Roth has employed a revolving line-up of musicians in his band. As the 90s went on, the shuffling of performers around him and changing musical tides, styles such as alternative rock becoming far more popular, found Roth's mainstream commercial fortunes diminishing. Still, he kept on touring to his own wild fan-base, and rumors of a reunion between him and his old Van Halen buddies bubbled up again and again.

In 2007, David Lee Roth rejoined Van Halen for a semi-reunion with the Van Halen brothers, along with Eddie Van Halen's son (Wolfgang Van Halen) on bass (replacing Michael Anthony from the original lineup), which lasted into 2008. On December 26, 2011, Van Halen (again with Roth) announced a tour for 2012. In what felt like no time, the rejuvenated outfit released their first album in fourteen years, titled 'A Different Kind of Truth', on February 7, 2012.

Sunburn
David Lee Roth Lyrics

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First I take my finger
And put it on your skin
Makes a little white mark
And then it turns to red again

So if you're lazy on a Sunday
And you got nothin' to do
And you want to get a sunburn

Come on up to the roof

I think your nose is peelin'
The sun is hot and clear
The city's fairly steamin'
I can taste your skin from here

So if you're lazy on a Sunday
Any Tuesday'll do
And you want to get a Sunburn
Come on up to the roof

See, I was up here yesterday
Saw some pigeons on a power line
Looked like notes upon a music paper
I wrote it down
I guess Manhattan

Gets the last line
Sounds like

Overall Meaning

"Be my baby"

The lyrics of David Lee Roth's song Sunburn paint a picture of a lazy summer day spent sunbathing on a rooftop with a lover or partner. The opening lines describe the act of placing a finger on the skin, leaving a white mark that quickly turns to red. The song's narrator encourages the target of their affection to join them on the roof for a day of sunbathing, suggesting that any day will do. As the verses unfold, the imagery becomes more vivid, with references to peeling skin and the sun's intensity. The song's bridge includes a clever nod to the song "Be My Baby," as the city's sounds seemingly coalesce around that song's iconic refrain.

Line by Line Meaning

First I take my finger
The singer touches someone's skin

And put it on your skin
The singer touches someone's skin with their finger

Makes a little white mark
The touch leaves a light-colored mark

And then it turns to red again
The mark turns red, signifying a sunburn

So if you're lazy on a Sunday
If someone has nothing to do on a Sunday

And you got nothin' to do
If someone has no plans for the day

And you want to get a sunburn
If someone desires a sunburn

Come on up to the roof
They are invited to go to the roof to tan

I think your nose is peelin'
The singer notices the person's nose is peeling from sun exposure

The sun is hot and clear
It is a clear, sunny day with high temperatures

The city's fairly steamin'
The city feels hot and humid