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)
China Town
Van Halen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Warring clans in lowered cars
A buck is still a buck in Shanghai
And a buck is all you earn
A great night for all concerned
Steel fingers play a deadly song
Whole lotta Shakespeare going on and on and on
It's all happening downtown
You painted daughters of the Tong underground
Don't mess around
Welcome to China Town
Well, you're in our town now
Welcome to China Town
Heroes aren't born, they're cornered
And this corner is where we write the story
Two tribes warring
Downtown after hours
The best to you each morning
Can't survive and think to win
Drugged into sin
Next episode begins and begins and begins and begins
It's all happening downtown
You painted daughters of the Tong underground
Don't mess around
Welcome to China Town
Well, you're in our town now
Welcome to China Town
It's all happening downtown
Welcome to my town, my town, my town
It's all happening downtown
You painted daughters of the Tong underground
Don't mess around
Welcome to China Town
Well, you're in our town now
Welcome to China Town
Welcome to my town, my town, my town
The lyrics to Van Halen's "China Town" paint a vivid picture of the seedy underworld of a bustling Asian metropolis. The opening line "Headless body in a topless bar" sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics, which describe the dark and dangerous side of the city. The reference to "warring clans in lowered cars" suggests that there are rival factions vying for control of the city's criminal underworld.
The second and third lines speak to the economic realities of the city, with the implication being that life is cheap and money is hard to come by. The chorus welcomes the listener to "China Town," and suggests that they are now in the midst of the city's darkest corners. The line "heroes aren't born, they're cornered" suggests that the only way to survive in this world is through sheer determination and a willingness to do whatever it takes.
The second verse continues this theme, suggesting that the two tribes fighting for control of the city are locked in a never-ending cycle of violence and corruption. The repeated refrain of "it's all happening downtown" underscores the sense of chaos and danger that permeates the city. The closing lines, "welcome to my town, my town, my town" suggest that despite the darkness and danger, this is a city that the singer feels a strong connection to.
Line by Line Meaning
Headless body in a topless bar
A bizarre and unsettling image meant to set the tone of the song and evoke the seedy underbelly of a big city like New York or Shanghai.
Warring clans in lowered cars
Describing the tribalism and territoriality in the city, with different factions vying for power and control
A buck is still a buck in Shanghai
Money has the same value and importance no matter where you are in the world
And a buck is all you earn
Life can be tough and unforgiving, and sometimes all you can do is scrape by
A great night for all concerned
Despite the danger and darkness of the city, everyone is out enjoying themselves and having a good time
Steel fingers play a deadly song
A metaphor for the dangers of the city, where violence and crime are always lurking just beneath the surface
Whole lotta Shakespeare going on and on and on
An allusion to the timeless themes of violence, love, and betrayal that Shakespeare explored in his plays, and which are still relevant today
You painted daughters of the Tong underground
Describing the women who work in the illicit and hidden parts of the city, with the word 'painted' suggesting a focus on appearance and presentation rather than substance
Don't mess around
A warning to be careful, particularly when dealing with dangerous or powerful people in the city
Welcome to China Town
Acknowledging the distinctiveness and uniqueness of this part of the city
Well, you're in our town now
A territorial claim, emphasizing the idea that visitors or outsiders are not welcome or do not belong
Heroes aren't born, they're cornered
A statement about the nature of heroism, suggesting that it only emerges in moments of crisis or danger
And this corner is where we write the story
Reinforcing the idea that the city is a place of conflict and drama, where important stories are written and played out
Two tribes warring
A continuation of the idea of tribalism and factionalism, but with a more specific reference to the idea of 'tribes' or groups who are in conflict with one another
Downtown after hours
A description of the city at night, suggesting a sense of danger and illicit activity that is hidden during the day
The best to you each morning
A kind of darkly ironic benediction, wishing people good luck and safety in a dangerous and unpredictable world
Can't survive and think to win
A recognition of the difficulty of life in the city, and the need to be both tough and smart to thrive
Drugged into sin
An acknowledgement of the role that drugs and addiction play in the dark side of the city, and the way they can lead people astray
Next episode begins and begins and begins and begins
Suggesting that the drama and danger of the city is ongoing and never-ending, with new conflicts and stories arising all the time
Welcome to my town, my town, my town
A final reinforcement of the idea of territoriality and ownership, with the artist claiming the city as their own
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Wolfgang Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Edward Van Halen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Nissim
I think this might be VH's heaviest album. Eddie really went out with a bang.
Trainy
This might be their heaviest song
excalibur2112
This or Fair Warning (their best)
Dennis Hodge
This album represents the heaviest recorded moments of Van Halen of their entire career. Imagine if recording technology was like this in '78/'79... These guys were already the best. If they sounded like this on record, it would have caused a collapse of the space/time continuum! Alex is so underrated. VH rules. RIP Edward. ✌
Kent Adams
The guitar solos on this song are not of this earth - its this kind of playing that makes Ed so highly revered - love it
systemseven1
This song is so good. Dave's sounds great and the music is killer!
The Guy
This blurs the line between rock and metal. This is perfection personified.
metalmaniaxx
@Patrick Romano Williams nah, classic rock is metal's daddy, hard rock is metal's older brother
Patrick Romano Williams
There is no line between Hard Rock and Metal. Hard Rock is Metal's Daddy. Lol
TheAxe4ever
Holy friggin' shit! VH can pack more awesomeness in 3 minutes and 16 seconds than most bands can in a whole album.