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)
Chevrolet
Van Halen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
we was goin' to the country for what we came for.
I'm sure you've smelled the trees in the air.
The best of motor cruisin's just the joy to get there.
I was approachin' Simonton down by the cotton gin.
There was old man Berkman trying to flag me in.
He asked if I would stay awhile and if I needed gas.
I said, "No thanks, anyhow I don't drive too fast."
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
ride my Chevrolet.
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
ride my Chevrolet.
I took the road down to Cinco
through that red Brazos River land,
done hit that freeway at sunset.
Now the big city lights are at hand.
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
ride my Chevrolet.
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
ride my Chevrolet.
- Billy Gibbons
The lyrics of Van Halen's song "Chevrolet" tell the story of a road trip adventure in a 1941 Chevy with a Stratocaster guitar on the door. The singer is excited about going to the countryside, surrounded by the smell of the trees and the joy of motor cruising. As they approach Simonton, they encounter old man Berkman who flags them down and offers gas and a place to stay. However, the singer declines, saying he doesn't drive too fast.
The song celebrates the freedom and excitement of hitting the open road, taking in the beauty of nature, and the thrill of new experiences. The repeated refrain of "Hallelujah, hallelujah, ride my Chevrolet" reinforces the sense of joy and exuberance in the journey.
Overall, "Chevrolet" is a high-energy, feel-good song that captures the spirit of adventure and the thrill of the journey. It's a celebration of the joy of driving and the freedom to explore new destinations with the wind in your hair and the music blasting.
Line by Line Meaning
In a flat Forty-One with my strat on the door
I am driving a Chevy '41 lowrider and I have my guitar on the passenger side.
we was goin' to the country for what we came for.
We were headed to the countryside to fulfill the purpose of our trip.
I'm sure you've smelled the trees in the air.
I bet you have noticed the scent of trees in the air.
The best of motor cruisin's just the joy to get there.
The best part of driving is the pleasure of reaching your destination.
I was approachin' Simonton down by the cotton gin.
As I was getting close to Simonton, I saw the cotton gin nearby.
There was old man Berkman trying to flag me in.
An elderly man named Berkman was attempting to flag me down.
He asked if I would stay awhile and if I needed gas.
Berkman inquired if I needed fuel and if I would be staying for a bit.
I said, "No thanks, anyhow I don't drive too fast."
I declined his offer and mentioned that I am not a fast driver.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, ride my Chevrolet.
Hallelujah, praise to the Lord, as I drive my Chevrolet.
I took the road down to Cinco through that red Brazos River land,
I drove down the road to Cinco through the reddish Brazos River area.
done hit that freeway at sunset.
I entered the freeway around sunset.
Now the big city lights are at hand.
I am close to the bright lights of the big city.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, ride my Chevrolet.
Hallelujah, praise to the Lord, as I drive my Chevrolet.
Contributed by Audrey M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@rtornellort
I've been looking for this for years,thanks for posting. If you like this check out "Van Halen:School's Out",live at Pasadena High,1975!
@YonOtto
Great solo by Eddie on this one.
@donrutter6765
You think the mic. was next to Eddies cabinet or what????
@MugenMazeru
Not sure, certainly sounds like it!
@chriswaet7893
No he just played that loud, he talked about lining the speaker grill of his cabs with cardboard and other insulation to try and dampen the volume. The only way for him to get his sound was to dime everything
@ryanlee2546
@@chriswaet7893 Dime?
@radiotree1212
Was evh using the destroyer for this show? The timing would make sense, but sounds like he has a floating trem
@longhorn2615
Early VH played a shit ton of ZZ.
@wlaycook
Great guitar showcase material to jam over too.