From 1974 until 1985, Van Halen consisted of Eddie Van Halen; Eddie's brother, drummer Alex Van Halen; vocalist David Lee Roth; and bassist/vocalist Michael Anthony. Upon its release in 1978, the band's self-titled debut album reached No. 19 on the Billboard pop music charts and would sell over 10 million copies in the U.S. By 1982, the band released four more albums (Van Halen II, Women and Children First, Fair Warning, and Diver Down), all of which have since been certified multi-platinum. By the early 1980s, Van Halen was one of the most successful rock acts of the day. The album 1984 was a commercial success with U.S. sales of 10 million copies and four hit singles; its lead single, "Jump", was the band's only U.S. number one single.
In 1985, Roth left the band to embark on a solo career and was replaced by former Montrose lead vocalist Sammy Hagar. With Hagar, the group released four U.S. number-one, multi-platinum albums over the course of 11 years (5150 in 1986, OU812 in 1988, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge in 1991, and Balance in 1995). Hagar left the band in 1996 shortly before the release of the band's first greatest hits collection, Best of Volume 1. Former Extreme frontman Gary Cherone replaced Hagar and recorded the commercially unsuccessful album Van Halen III with the band in 1998, before parting ways in 1999. Van Halen then went on hiatus until reuniting with Hagar in 2003 for a worldwide tour in 2004 and the double-disc greatest hits collection The Best of Both Worlds. Hagar again left Van Halen in 2005. In 2006 Roth returned, but Anthony was replaced on bass guitar by Eddie's son, Wolfgang Van Halen. In 2012, the band released their final studio album A Different Kind of Truth, which was commercially and critically successful; it was also Van Halen's first album with Roth in 28 years and the only one to feature Wolfgang.
As of March 2019, Van Halen is 20th on the RIAA list of best-selling artists in the United States; the band has sold 56 million albums in the States and more than 80 million worldwide, making them one of the best-selling groups of all time. As of 2007, Van Halen is one of only five rock bands with two studio albums to sell more than 10 million copies in the United States and is tied for the most multi-platinum albums by an American band. Additionally, Van Halen has charted 13 number-one hits on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart. VH1 ranked the band seventh on a list of the top 100 Hard Rock artists of all time.
Eddie was diagnosed with cancer in 2001, and died of the disease on October 6, 2020. A month after his father's death, Wolfgang confirmed that Van Halen had disbanded.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Halen
Studio albums
Van Halen (1978)
Van Halen II (1979)
Women and Children First (1980)
Fair Warning (1981)
Diver Down (1982)
1984 (1984)
5150 (1986)
OU812 (1988)
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991)
Balance (1995)
Van Halen III (1998)
A Different Kind of Truth (2012)
Bg Fat Money
Van Halen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bad for the rock, bad for the roll
Bad for the heart, bad for the brain
Bad for damn near everything, oh
Yeah
It must be good for something
Come on pay the rent
Telephone, telefax, telefunkin',
Tell a cop, tell a friend
Think we've hit the stoney end
Nothing left, nothing right
Now they want a bigger bite
Everybody wants some
Everybody wants big money, oh yeah
They want big fat money
That's what I want
Big fat money
Too much temptation
Enough to kill a generation
Space station, starvation, premature
Ejaculation
This ain't groovin', this ain't funky
It's on my back
But it ain't my monkey, no
Oh yeah, gimme some of that big big
Money
That's what I want
Big fat money
Big big money
Smoke this, eat that
My ol'lady's gettin' fat
High rise, high rent
Before it's earned, it's all been spent
Where's it gonna come from?
Who's it gonna go to?
Ain't beatin', but I'm being eatin' by
Money, oh yeah
Big big money, gimme, gimme, gimme
Some of that big money, alright
That's what I want
Well alright, oh, big big money
Now gimme, gimme, gimme
Some of that big money
That's what I want
That's all I need
Gimme big fat money
Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme
Gimme some of that big fat money
The lyrics to Van Halen's song "Big Fat Money" seem to be making a commentary on society's unhealthy obsession with money. The first few lines suggest that there are those who believe money is bad for the soul, rock and roll, the heart, the brain, and basically everything. The repetition of the phrase "bad for" emphasizes the negative effects that money can have on people and their values. However, despite this, the song acknowledges that there must be something good about it, as evidenced by the line "It must be good for something."
The lyrics then go on to describe the various ways in which people interact with money, from paying the rent to dealing with telemarketers and the police. The line "They want big fat money" emphasizes the desire for wealth and how it can drive people to pursue it at any cost. The chorus repeats the phrase "Big fat money" several times, emphasizing the central theme of the song.
The song then takes a darker turn in the second half, describing the negative consequences of chasing after money, including temptation, the potential to harm future generations, and even premature ejaculation. The lines "This ain't groovin', this ain't funky / It's on my back but it ain't my monkey" suggest that the pursuit of money can be burdensome and unfulfilling, but ultimately it is a choice that individuals make for themselves.
Overall, "Big Fat Money" is a critique of society's fixation on wealth and how it can lead to negative consequences. The lyrics suggest that while money may be desirable, it is ultimately not worth sacrificing one's values or well-being to obtain it.
Line by Line Meaning
Some say money is bad for the soul
There are those who believe that money can corrupt one's morals and values
Bad for the rock, bad for the roll
Money can negatively impact the spirit and authenticity of artistic expressions like rock music
Bad for the heart, bad for the brain
Money can lead to emotional and mental distress and disconnection from reality
Bad for damn near everything, oh
Money can have a pervasive negative impact on various aspects of life
It must be good for something
Despite the potential drawbacks of money, people still desire it and see a value in it
Come on pay the rent
Money is needed to fulfill basic necessities like housing
Telephone, telefax, telefunkin', Teletrash
Reference to how technology promotes the spread of commercialism and consumption
Tell a cop, tell a friend
Money can influence people's decision-making and behavior, even those in authoritative positions
Think we've hit the stoney end
We may have reached a roadblock or dead end in our pursuit of financial gain
Nothing left, nothing right
There may be limited options or opportunities to make money
Now they want a bigger bite
Despite having little to offer, those with power and wealth still seek to take more
Everybody wants some
Money is a universal desire
Everybody wants big money, oh yeah
People desire vast amounts of money
They want big fat money
People desire a significant sum of money
That's what I want
The singer desires money
Too much temptation
Money can lead to excessive desires and impulsive actions
Enough to kill a generation
Excessive focus on money can have destructive, long-lasting consequences for society
Space station, starvation, premature Ejaculation
Reference to societal problems that continue to persist despite advances in technology and wealth
This ain't groovin', this ain't funky
Money-centered lifestyles lack the vibrancy and energy of true musical expression
It's on my back
The burden of earning money weighs heavy on the artist
But it ain't my monkey, no
Although money is a burden, it is not the artist's responsibility alone
Oh yeah, gimme some of that big big Money
The artist craves a large sum of money
Smoke this, eat that
People are willing to do whatever it takes to earn money, even if it means sacrificing their health
My ol'lady's gettin' fat
Money can lead to overindulgence and neglect of physical health
High rise, high rent
Money can lead to exorbitant living expenses
Before it's earned, it's all been spent
The desire for material possessions and luxury can prevent people from saving and investing their money
Where's it gonna come from?
Money can be difficult to obtain and its source is often uncertain
Who's it gonna go to?
The distribution of wealth is often unequal and determined by those in power
Ain't beatin', but I'm being eatin' by Money, oh yeah
While the artist may not actively pursue money, the influence of money is still prevalent in their life
Big big money, gimme, gimme, gimme Some of that big money, alright
The singer desires a large sum of money and is willing to pursue it aggressively
That's what I want
The singer's main desire is money
Well alright, oh, big big money
The artist acknowledges the desirability of large sums of money
Now gimme, gimme, gimme Some of that big money
The artist repeatedly requests money, emphasizing their desire for it
That's what I want
The artist's main desire is money
That's all I need
For the singer, money is the most important thing
Gimme big fat money
The artist desires a significant amount of money
Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme Gimme some of that big fat money
The singer repeatedly requests a large sum of money
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALEX VAN HALEN, EDWARD VAN HALEN, SAMMY HAGAR, MICHAEL ANTHONY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jason Calvin
I had read that the guitar solo to this song was recorded in one take - the producer asked Eddie if he had a hollow-body guitar, so Eddie grabbed a Gibson ES-335 and played something jazzy as the producer had asked him to demonstrate, not knowing that the guitar track was armed and that his jazzy noodling was being recorded. Take 1... Done. Legendary.
James Gomez
So cool. I like to use this song to demonstrate Eddie's crazy ears. Playin' those fuckin' changes
Michael Tanner Moss
Lol bro Eddie made this album just like every album it’s blues because it’s. A blues guitar riff lol with a shot of EVH baby lol
Mark Slima
After all these years listening to Van Halen I've missed this song. Super awesome energy!
Jac Sig
Alex sounds insane on this song!
Doug Millyard
Whole "Balance" album rocked
Juan Pablo Marin
God on guitars!! Eddie the greatest!
Iknowthelaw
This is the closest Sammy came to Dave's level. This is a witty lyric that doesn't take itself too seriously. Also love the keys toward the end of the tune.
Jac Sig
DLR doesn't come close to Sammy Hagar. Sammy could actually sing!
Hilborn Nailhead
Settle down children, put your differences aside......it's time to rock.