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)
Feelin
Van Halen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gotta lotta things on my mind
Kickin' down, where to start
It's the hardest thing
Oh...
Grow it long, shave it off
Life is hard, never soft
I need a change, I need it quick
That's what's on my mind
Pay attention, watch your back
Pay your dues, stay on track
Got no room to second-guess
Puts me under stress
Oh...
If I were you, you were me
I wonder who I'd want to be
With just one wish you can't refuse
I wouldn't know what to choose
Feelin'...no, don't like what I've been
Told I'm feelin'
Feelin' what no one else will ever
Know I'm feelin'
Oh...
Now black is white and white is
Black
Got politicians smokin' crack
And John Paul's all bullet-proofed
It puts me through the roof
Yea...
I were you and you were me
I wonder who I'd rather be
If I had one wish I'd take it
Feelin'...oh, I don't like what I've been
Told I'm feelin'
And I'm seein'
What no one else will ever know I'm
Seein'
Come on, feelin'
Hey, I don't understand these things
I'm feelin'
No...
Outta touch most all the time
Too many things on my mind
Shuttin' down, gotta stop this thing
Feelin'...no, I don't like what I've been
Told I'm feelin'
I'm bleeding...like no one else will
Ever know I'm bleeding
Dealin'...I'm dealin' with these things
I'm feelin'
I'm dreamin', I'm dreamin', I'm
Dreamin' things that show me what
I'm seein'
Seein'...I'm seein' things that I don't
Know I'm feelin'
I've been feelin', I'm feelin', I'm feelin'
Things that I don't know
I don't know, I don't know what I'm
Seein'
Hey, I don't understand
The lyrics of Van Halen's song "Feelin'" address the frustration and confusion that comes with feeling disconnected and out of touch with the world around us. The singer is overwhelmed with too many things on their mind, struggling to sort through it all and find a starting point. They express a desire for change, but are unsure of what that change should be or how to achieve it. The themes of stress, uncertainty, and the difficulty of making choices run throughout the song.
The lyrics also touch on larger societal issues, such as the corruption of politicians and the dangers of feeling bulletproof. The singer feels like they are bleeding and dealing with things alone, unable to fully articulate or make sense of what they are feeling or seeing. The song ends on a note of confusion and ambiguity, with the singer admitting that they don't fully understand what they are going through.
Overall, "Feelin'" paints a vivid picture of the struggle to navigate a complex and overwhelming world, where everything feels like it's changing too fast to keep up with. Despite the heaviness of the themes, the song also includes upbeat and energetic instrumentals that add a sense of urgency and momentum to the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Outta touch most the time
I feel disconnected from everything around me most of the time
Gotta lotta things on my mind
I have a lot of thoughts and worries constantly going through my head
Kickin' down, where to start
I feel overwhelmed and don't know where to begin to address my problems
It's the hardest thing
Dealing with my issues is incredibly difficult
Grow it long, shave it off
I am considering making a drastic change to my appearance to try and feel better
Life is hard, never soft
Life is always tough and I struggle to find moments of ease
I need a change, I need it quick
I feel an urgent need for something to change in my life
Before it makes me sick
If I don't make changes soon, my situation will only get worse
Pay attention, watch your back
I need to remain vigilant and cautious in my actions and decisions
Pay your dues, stay on track
I need to work hard and earn my way to achieve my goals
Got no room to second-guess
I can't afford to doubt myself, I need to be confident in my choices
Puts me under stress
This pressure and responsibility is causing me a great deal of stress
If I were you, you were me
I wonder what it would be like to switch places with someone else and experience their life
I wonder who I'd want to be
I am struggling to come to terms with who I am and who I want to be
With just one wish you can't refuse
Even with the power to make any wish come true, I am unsure of what I truly want
I wouldn't know what to choose
I am faced with so many options and possibilities, I don't know what to choose
Feelin'...no, don't like what I've been
I am experiencing emotions that I don't understand or enjoy
Told I'm feelin'
Others are aware that I am going through something, even if they don't know the specifics
Feelin' what no one else will ever
I am experiencing something that is unique to me and my situation, nobody else can truly understand
Know I'm feelin'
I am aware of my emotions, even if I don't fully understand them
Now black is white and white is
The world around me seems to be turned upside down and nothing makes sense
Black
There is corruption and chaos everywhere, even among those in power
Got politicians smokin' crack
Even those who are meant to lead us and keep us safe are caught up in destructive behavior
And John Paul's all bullet-proofed
Even religious leaders are not immune to the dangers and threats of the world
It puts me through the roof
All of this madness and chaos is causing me intense stress and anxiety
Yea...
I am feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about the state of the world and my place in it
If I were you and you were me
I am struggling with my own identity and trying to understand who I am and who I want to be
I wonder who I'd rather be
I am unsure of what path to take and which version of myself I want to become
If I had one wish I'd take it
Even with the power to change my situation, I am unsure of what I truly want or need
And I'm seein'
I am witnessing things that are disturbing and confusing
What no one else will ever know I'm
These experiences are personal and unique to me, nobody else will fully understand how I feel
Seein'
I am observing and processing the world around me in a way that is difficult to articulate
Come on, feelin'
I am experiencing emotional turmoil that I can't quite describe or even fully understand myself
Hey, I don't understand these things
I am confused and struggling to make sense of my own emotions and experiences
Too many things on my mind
My mind is constantly racing with thoughts and worries
Shuttin' down, gotta stop this thing
I am starting to feel overwhelmed and need to take a step back to regroup
I'm bleeding...like no one else will
The emotional pain I am experiencing is unique to me and my situation, nobody else can fully understand
Ever know I'm bleeding
I am hurting and dealing with emotional pain that I can't fully share or express to others
Dealin'...I'm dealin' with these things
I am trying to manage and cope with the difficult emotions and experiences I am going through
I'm dreamin', I'm dreamin', I'm
In my mind, I am exploring different possibilities and trying to envision a better future for myself
Dreamin' things that show me what
My dreams and imaginings are helping me to see what I want and need in my life
I'm seein'
I am experiencing things that are shaping my worldview and beliefs
Seein' things that I don't
I am encountering situations and experiences that are unfamiliar and challenging
Know I'm feelin'
I am experiencing emotions that I don't fully understand or know how to cope with
I've been feelin', I'm feelin', I'm feelin'
I am going through a difficult period full of intense and confusing emotions
Things that I don't know
I am struggling to understand my own thoughts and feelings
I don't know, I don't know what I'm
I am lost and uncertain about my own emotions and experiences
Seein'
I am encountered with things that are changing my perceptions and beliefs
Hey, I don't understand
I am struggling to make sense of everything that is happening to me and around me
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALEX VAN HALEN, EDWARD VAN HALEN, SAMMY HAGAR, MICHAEL ANTHONY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nathan N5REL
So powerful. One of the most underappreciated VH songs in their entire body of work.
Jim Shook
N5REL agreed! 73 KE8WC
Rob Rohrer
The Vocals + Guitar is second to N0N€...
chief 2017
Agreed. My favorite song from them
Les Young
That scream at the end... You can just feel it
Irish Mike Rachel
I was younger than the Van Halen fast times at ridgemont high generation but I knew my guys were influenced by EVH, I took my nephew to see them their last time around at Madison square garden, I loved the shows bc I didn’t know the deep tracks but I liked them. I’m listening to the VH tribute ch on Sirius & heard this for the 1st time in my life & thought wow...that’s a Great Song!
Marc I.
How anyone can criticize the song is beyond my understanding. RIP, Eddie...
Iknowthelaw
I'm such a Roth defender all the way. But even I have to admit this is an incredible piece of music. All the way around. Vocals, intro, solo, the ending run. Great song.
Mark Haus
Always thought Sammy Hagar was the superior singer. Although I do like the Roth stuff. Eddie he just kicks ass no matter what! Rip
Johnny English
I love Little Dreamer and I love Feelin. What matters more imo is paying respect to Eddie. EVH forever. My fave guitarist ever.