Thanks for this, Melinda...this video is pure joy! You light up so much talking about Van Halen that it's absolutely infectious. Now I have to go spin my VH records for the rest of the day! :-)
I'm so glad you and Frank encouraged me to get into Van Halen. As you know, just jaw-dropping guitar work! Excellent video and ranking. I've bounced around their discography but the debut album is still my favorite. And I love that Van Halen sweater! Take care!
Thank you. Their debut is hard to beat. I'm sure album fatigue plays into my list a little bit. I have worn that first album out. It's great to see you listening to genres and bands that are new to you. I am trying to do the same. Have a great weekend!
Oh wow Joel! That's so nice. I have loved these albums my whole life so I do have alot to say about them. Lol. Thank you for watching and have a great weekend.
Love this, Melinda! I like to think I had a part in this video, as I had “just” asked you to do this! Cool! Great video! My order would have been a little different. My least favourite would have to be III. My favourite is For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge”. With 1984 being a very close second. Great video! It’s fun to see another fellow HUGE fan of VH!🤘😎🇨🇦
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge is an incredible album. I got to see them on that tour twice. Good choices. I do remember you asking about this. I had already been thinking about it so it was nice to get a request at the same time. Thank you and have a great weekend!
I enjoyed your list very much.. it's spot on. One thing for sure the Gary Schroene effort is forgettable but not to say he wasn't great with extreme. My Top 5 albums are 1. Van Halen - Van Halen with Eruption. 2. 1984 their best all around effort 3. Women and Children First 4. 5150 - Probably my favorite Sammy Hagar collaboration 5. Diver Down. I do like Balance also. The rest are interchangeable. Have a Great Weekend.
I agree that Gary was very special in Extreme and I hope I didn't come across to hard on him. I like your list too. Most people put 5150 as the best Sammy era album. They are all great to me. Take care.
Wow!! What a wonderful rockin’ video!! I enjoyed listening to you talk about your favorite Van Halen records!! I love Van Halen, too!! I have all of Van Halen CDs & 1, 2, Diver Down, Women and Children First, Fair Warning, 1984, 5150, OU812, on vinyl records. Thank you for you your video. I will tune in next time. Take Care.🎼🎤🎸🎵🥁
this was simply great...and your list was spot on too...i love your descriptions of why you put each album where you did...my number one is diver down...and though i love sammy hagar from montrose and his solo efforts, no one could replace dave...saw them in concert inthe early years, and then , a few years later, my band at the time was asked to tour third bill with them (when dave was still with them)...we turned the tour down for various reasons, but it is interesting these days the van halen/van hagar legacy that has lasted....great video...been enjoying them all...peace..rocky
Thank you! Diver Down as you know was my introduction to VH. Pretty Woman was the song that started it all. I agree, the Dave years were magical. Take care.
Nice job with this list Melinda. I know it is hard to sometimes be objective with your favorite band, but I think you shared why you liked them so well. I do agree Balance is an incredible album and they showed a lot of range and maturity in the songs (even though Eddie destroyed a piano on one of the songs). I was lucky to see both the 1984 and For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge tours. Both a great time, and both great shows, but I can say Dave's ego in the band at the time was pretty big. Fun fact, they were shooting the video for Panama the night I saw them live on the 1984 tour. You cannot see me, as I was in the back, but I was there.
I'm so jealous of you right now. 😮 I can't believe you were there. ❤️ Panama is my favorite song of all time. Seeing them make the video would have been a dream come true. It's good to know that someone else does love Balance. People are really hard on that album but I think it rocks. Thank you and have a great weekend!
Great video thank you,I love every VH album , I first saw them live in 1980 Invasion tour and ended up seeing them live W DLR 7 times Sammy 4 times and Gary 1 time . It really didn’t matter who was singing it was always just to hear that Eddie guitar sound .RIP EVH.
You saw some great shows. I wish I had seen the VH 3 tour. I agree with you that Eddie was the true star in the band and as long as he was there - it was all good. Take care.
Excellent ranking Melinda my favorite Van Halen album is either the debut or women and children first. I’m always going back and forth between those two.
I saw the 1984 Tour in Roanoke Virginia... What a great album !! People didnt love "Jump" but that whole album rocks... Anyway saw VH twice back in the day and Van Hagar around 1989.. To me after Hagar took over I just didnt get into as much... Good video !
Hi Melinda! I love it when people rank the albums of their favorite artists. I remember growing up my dad had a massive CD collection and my sister and I would always go through them and look at the covers. He had a lot of Van Halen. I always remember being so confused by the 1984 cover with the baby angel with cigarettes. Anyways, I enjoyed your video! Have a great weekend! :)
Very cool to see you do a ranking video Melinda! It is appropriate that you rank Van Halen, as when I think of you I immediately think of Van Halen! I've never been much on the Sammy Hagar era, I've just never been a fan of Hagar's vocal stylings. I haven't really listened to a full album from the Hagar era, I've just heard some of the bigger hits and some of Sammy's solo stuff as well. On the other hand, I love David Lee Roth! Great video as always Melinda!
Thank you Marichen. I love Sammy in Van Halen but I don't own any of his solo albums. How weird is that? They just haven't been a priority. Eddie is the main reason of why I love VH anyway. The Dave years were magical. Have a great weekend!
Words can't express how much Van Halen influenced me. All incarnation's!!! Roth, Haggar, etc. All good, All timeless and they will always be one of my favorites. Thanks for another great video.
Hello Melissa; Nice to see you do a ranking of your favorite VH LP's. Agree with your picks as they are the ones you like the best. Not being a big Van Halen buyer, We can't go far beyond the first LP. We are surprised that you have not researched bootleg LP's & CD's by the band as there are 1,000's. Live shows & outtakes. The soundboard shows only. From the 70's on thru to the present. These performances would give you an in-depth listening experience, throughout the bands history. Just a thought. Take Care. Tina & Pat!~
Thank you Tina! With Eddie's passing, I have been reflecting more on their music. I have picked up a couple of unofficial releases and was disappointed at the sound quality. I would love to have outtakes and concerts that sound good, I'm just a little nervous about picking any more of them up. It would be nice if the Van Halen family would decide to do some special packages that would include outtakes and shows. I would love it. Thank you and have a great weekend!
Great video as always 😁 Diver down is my favorite VH album. Wore the cassette out when first released in’82 5150, 1984, II, women & children then fair warning.
Great vid Melinda, love seeing everyone's perspective on VH and where it fit into there lives. I'm old school...so my top five are ..84, wacf, fw, II, VH.
Great album collection you got there Melinda and another great video, i hope you continue buying his album even if there songs you all ready have and try to keep him in the charts like i do with Elvis and Johnny Cash try to keep there memories alive ..
I will Curtis. I hope they do some reissues or even a box set of the Van Halen albums. I would love to have a beautiful box set. Take care and have a great weekend!
This video was great and just wild to think that he is not here now !!!! Jut they sure did rock and I did have fun seeing all of your great collection :). take care .
Hi Melinda...WOW shocker right from the start I would of never guessed OU812 would be as your last in line. These ads are annoying. I picked up the same VH III and TBH was the 1st time I hear it all the way through and I think it gets a bad rap. I passed on A Different Kind of Truth and kick myself now for not picking it up but the Tattoo single turned me off that much. Nice Japan pressings BTW . Balance has yet to really grow on me. 1984 was the first tour I seen of VH and that album was huge you could not escape it on radio & Mtv. Really surprised by number 1 but love it !!! You defiantly were not predictive in your rankings ! Nice job - take care , Vance
Hi Vance! I originally passed on A Different Kind of Truth and paid out the nose later. There is an unofficial release on a website called Rollin Records. I'm not into unofficial copies but that is where I picked up VH 3 and it sounds much better than I expected it to. ADKOT is not a great sounding album to begin with so I don't know if the unofficial one is any good either. TH-cam places in the adds so I'm sorry if they are annoying. I like it when they place them at the beginning or end better. I'm sure my list is very different than what others think but Eddie's playing on VH 3 is some of his best work. It just feels like Eddie's album. I truly love all of them. Thank you and have a great weekend.
@@MelindaMurphy I did pick up the VHIII from Rollin too and I really liked more that I thought I would. I have picked up a few "pirate" copis of records that are just way out of my price range or just can't find a OG so until then I pick these up. 98% that I have got are really good in sound considering one that comes to mind is the last Tool LP. I just don't think fans were ready for a 3rd singer just yet. Oh I know you do not have control over the ads was typing out loud sorry LOL. I often wonder why Eddie didn't do a album with no vocals maybe VHIII could of been that or not. Thats why when the time is right and Alex and Wolfgang are ready maybe there will be some sort of guitar only EVH release we shall see . But I give you props on doing this it would take a long time for me to come up with a list like this on Led Zeppelin or Pearl Jam or other bands that I love all their work. enjoy your weekend :) - V
@@MelindaMurphy I had never owned Carnal Knowledge on vinyl so i recently picked up (what I believe to be) an unofficial release on red vinyl, and it sounds absolutely fantastic. If you ever get a chance to read these newer replies on older videos, please share where you saw the unofficial re-release of ADKOT. I'd love a second copy. The original vinyl release is a work of art in every way but the sound.
Aloha Melinda, You have a super collection of Van Halen record albums . Really enjoyed your ratings of all their albums. My favorite is their 1st album, it's Sentimental to me, I first heard it while working at a record shop, I purchased it in 1978 the same day we played the demo in the store. This is the time when disco records was selling off the shelf and lots of 12" singles. Disco dancing happening at all the nite clubs. DJ's spinning recordings of Donna Summer, & other disco groups & dancing hits. We rockers were waiting for a rock savior! So when I purchased & Played it at home that first song I was hooked, if I'm not mistaken I think it was " Running with the devil ", my other favorites were, Eruption, Jamie Cryin, & the remake of the Kinks, You really got me. I'm not sure if I still have my copy if I do might be under the house, slowly I'm digging out my old record albums, about 3 weeks ago I found my copy of "Women and Children first" under their pack away , I think I might have their 2nd lp & 1984 somewhere in one of those boxes of record albums. Melinda thank for sharing your least to most favorite Van Halen record albums. Looking forward to your next Video. Mahalo ed.
Hello Ed! I think it is so cool that you still have some vinyl from your youth. That is very cool to me. I can't imagine working at a record store and hearing Van Halen for the first time. In the midst of all that disco, VH must have really stood out. ❤️ That is such a cool memory. No offense to disco or even Donna Summer, but Van Halen was truly a hero for the times. Thank you for sharing such a great memory with me. We grew up in an amazing time. Take care - Mahalo!
12. VH 3 11. Different Kind of Truth 10. Balance 9. VH 2 8. 1984 7. Women and Children First 6. For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge 5. Diver Down 4. Van Halen 3. 5150 2. OU812 1. Fair Warning Always enjoy your videos!
Fair Warning is an excellent first place album. It's a little heavier and darker than the rest. Mean Streets is one of my favorite songs. Have a great weekend!
Thank you! I truly think that the magic years were with Roth but there are some wonderful Sammy albums too. What an amazing band. I sure do miss Eddie. Thank you and take care.
Hi. Love your channel. Love Van Halen. Got my holy grail records this week,balance and a different kind.... both in near mint. I'm so happy right now. Now we wait for the one steps.🙂👍
Great video! Can't argue with your pics! These lists are so subjective and with a band like Van Halen there are no wrong answers! I like your number one, I would probably flip back and forth depending on the day with VH1 and fair warning! Wished that we would have got more with Sammy and Gary. Who knows maybe we'll get a box set with some unreleased gems someday.
Love this list Melinda. My #1 is Women and Children First! I love when you spoke about Hot for Teacher and when Dave says, "I don't feel tardy." I remember back when the song came out and I first heard the line "I brought my pencil!" Haha...I went to school the next day saying that. Everybody thought I was nuts. 😂😂 Maybe I was, but I was just nuts for Van Halen. Great video. ~Have a nice weekend!
I’ve been listening to VanHalen since the 70’s I’ve never even heard VanHalenIII after your description I’m not going to waste my time. I’ve got all of the other records and your order is right on! Thanks great video!
Really cool video Melinda and nice tribute to Eddie. He was such a great talent and a legend. My favorite is the debut album, 2nd would be 1984. I think I like Diver Down more than WACF even though it does have more covers on it. Next time I get sick and have to call off work I might just tell them I feel Tardy lol That VH sweater looks warm and cozy (:
Haha! I hope feeling tardy works for you. I love 1984. It came out at a special time in my life. Diver Down has great original tracks on it. It's a great album. In A Simple Rhyme and Everybody Wants Some are what puts WACF number one for me. 🤩 Have a great weekend Jeff.
Oh wow! It was so great to talk to you. I love meeting other vinyl collectors while out and about. I hope you enjoy your new record. ❤️ Thank you for saying hello! Take care.
Hi Melinda 🙂 After Eddie died, my son and I have been listening to Van Halen A LOT.. And we have both become big fans of them. We love both the David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar era. But Eddie stands out as the most important member. He's the only one that couldn't be replaced. Great video 👍
You're exactly right. There is no replacing Eddie. I love everything VH did. It's cool that you listen to VH with your son. My daughter likes them too. Thank you and have a great day!
great video melinda. i have a very clear memory of my brother calling me into his room in 1980 when i was maybe 11 and he wanted me to hear some music. he played me And the Cradle WIll Rock... and made a point to tell me to listen, listen to this part, and it was the break when Dave says "Have you seen Junior's grades?" I just posted another VH video myself: my picture discs.
@@MelindaMurphy more Dave solo than VH but hope ya check it out regardless. I've been posting a ton of old interviews as well. Not sure if those thigs interest you.
Melinda (I LOVE your name by the way; you have no idea) your channel popped up on my feed for whatever reason and I have to say I was captivated rather quickly by the authenticity that is evident in the way you communicate with the camera. I do not know where you are from or live but you could absolutely pass for the kind of person I would've hung out with and had fun with here in Texas back in the 80s. I hope you continue doing these vids; VH is also my all time favorite band. I just saw Sammy Hagar and the Circle a few months ago in Houston and that guy still sounds awesome! They did a variety of VH songs and Michal Anthony sang "Aint Talkin Bout Love" it just brought the house down. Thank you for investing the time to do these videos and sharing your perspectives with the world. Watching your video gave me a lot of joy today.
Thank you so much for the sweet comments. I really appreciate it.😀 I bet that was a fantastic show. It's the closest we will ever get to Van Halen again. Thank you again and take care.
I just watched the video you made on your listening gear. I wanted to comment on the vintage console you have that belonged to your parents. These units can be surprisingly good sounding if refurbished. I'm in the process of refurbishing an old Fisher amp out of a console and the improvement to the audio quality is striking. The main issue with old gear is the worn out (dried out or sometimes leaky) electrolytic capacitors. Just replacing these will dramatically improve the sound. Replacing other components will also help. I cannot comment on the speakers, which may or may nor be of similar quality to the electronics. Keep up the great work.
Thank you so much Jeff. I always thought the console had decent sound, especially the bass. The problem I was running into was that it was constantly breaking down. My husband was always able to fix it but it was time-consuming. I am amazed at the complexity of these old consoles. It's still very sentimental but I don't use it very often.
EVH! Seen VH many many times. Like 20. #1 concert of all time for me. Easy. VH Fair Warning Tour oh boy! Have 10 or so VH concert T shirts, too we saw the 2015 Tour three or 4 times. Once in Irvine and 3 times I think at Hollywood Bowl. Thumbs up to you very cool vid. From mtw and 99 in LA. Jam night jammers and VH fans. ps we play You Really Got Me and Aint Talkin B. L. all the time! ; )
Thank you so much! I bet you have alot of fun with the Van Halen songs. ♥️ I wish I had the opportunity to see them as often as you did. Good for you! 😍
Hi Melinda. This is by far my most favorite you've done. I've watched you for a long time and I know Van Halen is your favorite band. To hear you talk about your favorite VH albums seems truly honest and I can tell you're a fan "from the heart." That being said, I HATED FAIR WARNING! LOL. My introduction to Van Halen was "Dance the Night Away." I bought the 45 at Value City in Latonia, KY because I kept hearing it on the radio. Then, I heard much of their early music when I saw the movie "Over the Edge" on HBO. Still a favorite! My number one is 1984. I was in high school when it came out, and it was just so perfect for the time. I miss Eddie!
I still miss Eddie too. 🥲 Thank you for the kind words. My love of VH is definitely from the heart. They have been my favorite band since I was 12 years old. We all have albums that we like more than others. For me, OU812 is their weakest. Thank you and have a great weekend. 🤗♥️
The very first song I ever heard by VH was And the cradle will rock. I was a very talented basketball player and I was ten years old. I was outside practice and my brother who is ten years older than me brought out his boom box and put in Women and Children First. I hear the very beginning of And the cradle will rock and I could not believe my ears. I kept playing it over and over and over. Needless to say I was hooked forever by the Mighty VH. Lol
Great to see another Van Halen video like this. Hi I am new to subscribing to this channel. I have seen a lot of videos just have been very busy. I have been following Beatle Brad and Mean Mr. Mayo. Anyways I do agree with all the albums you ranked the way you did. Great history about Van Halen as well. I did not know some of the things I have learned from this video. I collect a lot of colored vinyl. I have a Van Halen album my father gave me. It is an original pressing. Driver Down is the album. Was blown away when I played it. Thank you for making these videos.
Diver Down is a great album and like I said in the video, Pretty Woman from Diver Down was the first song I heard from Van Halen. I loved them from them on. I am a big fan of Beatle Brad and Mean Mr Mayo. They have great channels. Thank you for the sub and take care.
5150, Best of Both Worlds, and Dreams are my favorite on this album. 5150 is my favorite album of all Van Halen. I'm so glad you're doing this video because you and I have that in common that they are our favorite band.🤗🤟🤟
Thanks Melinda, great video. I noticed you have mostly Japanese pressings. Q: In what ways do you prefer them over others, and is the price point much higher?
I like Japanese pressings but I also enjoy a record that is pressed in the country the album was recorded in. Japanese pressings are usually very clean and in good shape. Thank you and I apologize for the delayed response. Take care. ❤️🤗
Very nice review and ranking Melinda. Van Halen I will always be my favorite. Refreshing and you can hear them having fun playing together. Bought the album back in 1978 (i was 12 or 13) and it's in my top 5 of hard rock albums of all time.
It deserves the high praise it gets. Van Halen seemed to be a very fun loving kind of band. It's a shame they went through so may lead singers. Thank you so much!
I honestly haven't compared the sound. The Japanese pressings have a very clean sound and are in excellent condition. I think they look cool as well. I can't say they sound better but they sound great.
Very cool ranking. VH on the 1984 tour was my very first concert. If i remember correctly Autograph was the opener. Havent looked at all your past vids but have you done a Led Zeppelin ranking? Would be cool to see
I just love the name 0u812 I don't know why every time I hear it I smile I guess I'm immature...lol. I had a copy of van halen 3 when it came out the record company sent it to our radio station and we're not playing that style of music so I kept it in my car for myself. Great video as always
OU812 was a creative name for an album. Lol. 🤩 One thing Van Halen 3 had going against it was the changing sound of music. Van Halen's sound wasn't in at the time. Your station was a perfect example of that. Having a third lead singer didn't help either. Have a great weekend Rod.
Hey. I wondered if you have any DVDs of VH? Don't know if you would own still VHS. I have 3 shows on VHS. US Festival 83. The commercial Live Without A Net -New Haven 86 and Tokyo 89. The 1st and 3rd got at record show years ago both soundboards. So whenever was in a VH watching moment I would pop one in. Need a new DVD/VHS combo again. Old one stop working.😢 Watching on comp Dvds is not the same then ones couch.
The first Van Halen album is my number 1 favorite cause it made me a fan. I have Van Halen 2, Woman and Children First and Diver Down on vinyl. The first one, Balance I have on cd. Also on cd I have the double cd Best Of Both Worlds which is a greatest hits one with Dave and Sammy. I wanted to see the 5150 tour but it sold out quickly. They played 2 sold out nights here in Connecticut and filmed it. I have the DVD which is called Live Without A Net. I believe it’s on TH-cam too so if you haven’t seen it check it out. However I did see them in 1982 with Dave on the Diver Down tour. Awesome show. Take care and have a great weekend
I think I saw that concert a long time ago. I need to watch that again. Sammy can definitely sing. I have that Best Of Both World's cd as well. I would love for them to put more releases out on vinyl. Maybe someday. Take care.
What a great ranking! You definitely surprised me with some of the orders here...not gonna lie, lol! I knew Women And Children First was gonna be number one for you though!
Yeah! I have mentioned it being my favorite many times. Lol. My list is a little different but in truth, I love all of them. I think Balance is extremely underrated. Eddie is awesome on VH 3. Thanks Mike. Take care.
@@MelindaMurphy I didn't want to butt-in but Ringo's 1973 self-titled album is great. All The Beatles are on it plus T.Rex, The Band, Harry Nilsson, and Randy Newman.
You are on fire on this one Melinda, but that's not surprising. I would have 1984 and 5150 as my No.1 and No.2 but I came to Van Halen on those 2 albums and I always think the first albums you hear by a band are often the ones you love the most. An outstanding set of albums in any order.
I agree that any order is a great order. My sentimental favorites would be 1984 and For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge. Those albums came at a time when interesting things were happening in my life. Thank you and have a great weekend!
That was a lot of fun to watch Melinda. It's always fun to see super fans rank albums from their favorite bands because you love them all. Maybe I should do that with AC/DC... hmm. Rock on Melinda.
Great video Melinda. I’ve just finished listening to all of the 2015 reissues of the dlr era albums. Those sound phenomenal, I really like those Japanese pressings you have. I bet all of those sound phenomenal as well. Do you have the two compilation albums with the non album tracks. Really glad I got to see them live before Eddie passed on and I’m glad you did as well. It was mesmerizing watching him play. Here goes my ranking 1. Fair warning 2. Debut 3. Women and children first 4. 1984 5. Van Halen 2 6. For unlawful carnal knowledge 7. Diver down 8. Balance 9. A different kind of truth 10. 5150 11. Ou812 12. Van Halen 3 Bonus compilation tracks. 1. Me wise magic 2. Humans being 3. Can’t get this stuff no more 4. It’s about time 5. Learning to see 6. Up for breakfast Take care. Looking forward to your next video. 🙂
Great list. How awesome would it be if they did a 3 lp set with that Greatest hits and Got Me Wise Magic and Human being on vinyl!!! WE NEVER get that on RSD considering all the crap they do seem to push lol.
Very cool list. ❤️ Me Wise Magic is my favorite of those songs too. I have the CD but I would love it on vinyl if they ever release it. Thank you and take care.
I would definitely get it as well. There’s enough material to make another lp. Even better if it included the following instrumentals. Donut city, respect the wind, rise and Catherine. Ps. The sweatshirt is excellent. 👍
hello Melinda,great post, i got a lot of VH records,my favorite is Van Halen = 炎の導火線 japan 1978 Warner Bros. Records - P-10479W this record sounds unbelievable awesome.crystal clear,and with a lot of power, even though i like sammy hager more als singer . btw i just got my first MFSL record i bought Stevie Ray Vaughan And Double Trouble* - Couldn't Stand The Weather UltraDisc One-Step,from a dealer here in switzerland,
Congrats on picking up the SRV One Step. I bet it is so nice. I haven't seen a Van Halen album on clear vinyl before. Very cool. 😮 Thank you and take care.
So I’m watching and disagreeing with some of your choices (which is fine😀) but then you shock me and have the same #1 and #2 pick as myself! I don’t know why but I never would have guessed that WACF would be your number one. I love that album! It’s my favorite. It’s pretty heavy at times too. Really fun ranking video!! (BTW I would love to get my wife one of those sweaters! Super cool 😎)
Hi! I got the sweater from the Van Halen store online. I know that alot of people would disagree but so many Van Halen albums are great and the list really doesn't matter. I'm glad we agree on the heavy hitters. 😃 Have a great week.
I know I'm late in finding your channel (which I absolutely love), I find it really difficult to list MY favorite VH albums in order but depending on the day and my mood, my top 3 have always been Fair Warning, Women and Children First, and Diver Down..... till A Different Kind Of Truth came out. I waited what felt like a lifetime to get one more album with Van Halen fronted by Dave. For me it was like a Christmas present that keeps on giving till this day. Notably I had no sentimental attachment to any of those songs and because of the engineering of it, it took me some time to fully appreciate (great music grows on you). But now, most days ADKOT is my #1 because it fills me with such joy. Outta Space, Stay Frosty, Big River.... so darned good. I had to get the vinyl to fully appreciate how well it was mixed. It may be very compressed, but on the vinyl, every instrument is perfectly blended, and I can hear them with such clarity.l I love the soaring guitars of Tattoo, and although Dave's lyrical winks are more obvious, I think the lyrics are fun. But that soaring guitar? Wow. It reminds me of Dreams and what I love about that song. Dreams however is a perfect song, Tattoo is not....IMO. Edit: My introduction to Van Halen was also Diver Down. I used to go see a really great cover band at a local club every Monday night and all the great songs they played turned out to be Van Halen songs so they, and a friend started introducing me to VH's other albums and from there I was hooked. New Years Eve 1984, I left an epic New Years Eve party to listen to 1984 played in it's entirety by a local radio station at Midnight. I still need to listen to 1984 before I play Jump, it otherwise feels incomplete.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I love everything you shared here. ADKOT is a great album but it took me a while to get used to the song Tattoo. Lol. I'm so grateful we have that final album with Dave. The die hard fans needed that. I agree that to fully appreciate Jump, I need to hear 1984 first. It's so great to hear from you. Take care.
i‘m wondering how the japanese pressings sound like (especially 1984). would you recommand them? usually i don‘t buy japanese pressings of rock records because most of them don‘t have bass.
I think they sound really nice. I honestly have never done a shoot out with the US pressings so I don't know which ones I prefer. I would love for Intervention Records or another audiophile company to do their magic on these albums. Take care.
@@MelindaMurphy nice to know! i will probably try to get them. by the way: if you like elton john i can hardly recommand the japanese pressing of „too low for zero“. its one of the best sounding pressings i have and it was only 6€
I love Japanese pressings. They are usually very clean and the obi is cool. I have never done a shoot out to see if I like the sound quality of the Japanese pressings better than the US. I think both are good. Thank you and take care.
@@watchingthecrazyworld7761 yeah it was epic! Dave even lit up a joint I threw on stage, but a rode came and took it off. Seeing those shows were almost life changing.
So cool and fun to hear a woman reflect on the VH catalog. Great job! I'm a huge VH fan, and was born and raised out on the SoCal coast, so for me it was seeing our local boys make good. I was blessed enough to see them early on, while on a road trip back east in 81, in Pittsburgh, on the Fair Warning tour, back when they were really raw and high velocity. I saw them again back in LA twice in 82, again in 84, and finally with Sammy on the Monsters/OU812 tour, but it was never the same as it was back in 81, so I feel massively fortunate. Anyway, more to my point, I noticed you mentioning I'll Wait as a fav, and had to see if you were aware that Michael McDonald wrote some of those lyrics, when Dave couldn't finish them while in adjoining studios where the Doobies were recording. Little bit of fairly cryptic VH trivia, as MM was never credited in the album liner notes till more recent pressings, so most folk are unaware. Also noteworthy is Nicolette Larson's singing on Could This Be Magic. Yet another WB artist recording in the studio at the same time.
Thanks for saying hello. I wish I could say I saw Van Halen very early on but unfortunately I was too young. They are definitely my favorite band. I did know about Michael McDonald. It's a great song and it's a shame he wasn't credited. Most big fans do know but still... I miss Eddie and thankfully, I did get to see them on their last tour. Ed was having so much fun playing alongside his son and brother. Dave made a point to say that some of the best times of his life were spent on stage with Eddie. ♥️ I will never forget it. Thank you and have a great weekend.
Great choices, glad to see the #1. As a question, have you heard the songs Wolfgang is releasing? It’s good, but sounds exactly like the foo fighters’ bridge burning and a little rage against the machine groove
I have heard the two songs he has released. I like both of them so far. I think he is going to purposely stay away from the VH sound. He doesn't want the comparison. I did pre-order his album off of his website. The limited edition colored vinyl comes with an autographed insert. Take care.
I personally did not know that they had that many albums. I forgot about III Definitely you have the passion for this group. Who am I to argue against your list. Steve
They had 12 albums. I am so thankful for every one of them. I was really hoping for a full blown argument with you about this list. How dare you ruin that fun for me by respecting my judgement. Haha! Just kidding. Thank you!
Love watching these ranking videos..always interested in what people think and like about music. My favorite is VH 1. What a debut. I might do a RUSH or Cheap Trick ranking on my channel. So many records.
Just found your channel, great job. You nailed why Dave was the best for this band. My mom took me to see Diver Down tour in 82, was a little surprised to see that one so low. Lol
Thank you for the kind words. I would love to make this video again just to see where the Dave albums would rank. I have a feeling they would all be higher in my rankings. I do love Diver Down. VH never made a bad record in my opinion. Thank you and take care.
@@MelindaMurphy I only heard about Montrose because I read Sammy Hagar’s book. I think he did 2 albums with them in the early 70’s. Eddie and Alex were big fans of them growing up. Sammy and Eddie had the same car mechanic and he suggested Sammy to Eddie when David Lee Roth left the band to go solo (Patty Smith from ‘Scandal’ was also offers the job to replace David). .. Sammy Hagar sounds great on their albums. I was able to get both albums very cheaply... HSAS is a super group / side project that I had never heard of until I saw the album in a bargain bin a couple of years ago. Sammy on vocals and Neal Schon from Journey on guitar (when Journey was on hiatus when Steve Perry went solo)... the album is very good too, kind of opposite of KISS ALIVE (the HSAS album was recorded from a live concert and they removed the audience to make it sound like a studio album). Came out before Sammy joined Van Halen... Also check out Sammy’s “solo” album ‘I never said goodbye “ it’s basically a Van Halen album (Eddie plays bass on it) that was put out in 1987 to fulfill Hagar’s contract with Geffen so he could join Van Halen - it’s got the songs Where Eagles Fly and Give to Live which he played on VH tours
@@billymuellerTikTok I think the self-titled Montrose album is my favorite Sammy Hagar work. I hope this doesn't offend any Van Halen fans. That album is one of my favorite rock albums from the era. The drum intro to Rock Candy - spare and powerful. And Sammy's wailing voice on top of that is pure gold. I highly recommend this Montrose album to any Van Halen fans.
Thanks for this video. I have to admit that I don’t have any Van Halen in my collection which I need to remedy ASAP. I’ve been eyeing their debut album and 1984 on Discogs. After seeing your rankings, I think I’m headed in the right direction to start off!! 👏🏻👏🏻
Definitely buy those two records. I don't think you will regret it. Build up from there if you like what you hear. They are all great in my opinion. Take care.
Im so proud: Van Halen, the 2 Dutch brothers. My first guitar was a "Charvel" cause of the Van Halen sound. Till today i wish i did not sell my Charvel guitar. It is and was the best one i ever played. And i also had Fender, Ibanez, Gibson.
Sweet guitar collection! The "Van Halen" family is the perfect example of an immigrant story and the contributions they made to our country. We can both be very proud. Take care.
My wife and I are just getting back into vinyl. She’s more of a DLR VH fan and I’m more Sammy. One of our first Albums to buy was 1984. It’s so fun. Thanks for reminding me about balance. I have that CD and absolutely love the darker vibe Sammy’s voice sounds . Definitely gonna look to pick that up too!
I'm Not the biggest Van Halen fan , however think Dance the night away is a brilliant song there debut and 84 are amazing and loosing Eddie was heartbreaking. I respect there body of work. I enjoy your videos and planning my own VC channel. How did you find a lp of Van Halen III.
I bought the "unofficial" copy of VH 3 from Rollin Records. It sounds good for it being an unofficial release. Dance The Night Away is really fun and the harmonies are beautiful. I think about Eddie every day. As much as I miss him, I really feel bad for his son. He is way too young to lose his dad. Have a great weekend.
@@MelindaMurphy my dad saw Van Halen at Texas jam back in the day there around the same age . I’m excited for Wolfgang new album . Have a great weekend .
Hey Melinda, I've been looking forward to an in-depth Van Halen video from you for a long time. I've always wondered what you would say about them, since they're your favorite band of all time. Van Halen definitely falls in my top ten favorite rockin' bands of all time. Eddie's guitar playing is just flat out incredibly good. Sometimes I'll play Van Halen and listen to it with my son, and I never fail to point out to him how great Eddie's guitar playing was. It just put me in a terrific mood. Very few guitarists can do that and not in the same way as Eddie. No matter how good Eddie was, he was one part of a band. Don't get me wrong, the other members of the band were really good too, but Eddie was far ahead of them that they kinda made the band less, and the other members brought down the status of the band in my view. Regardless, Van Halen was truly great, and I love a lot of their music. It's a funny thing though, because I'll like some songs on one album, but not the rest so much. My favorite VH song is Unchained. The rest of the Fair Warning album is excellent, but Unchained surpasses everything else on the album that it leaves you wanting more songs like that one. For a long time, I did not like bands that did covers, but VH changed my mind on that. Pretty Woman & Dancing In The Street are just such great re-imaginings of those classics that you just can't help but love them. The only full album from the Van Hagar years I own is OU 812; it's an original issue I purchased new in the day. The Hagar years, with the exception of a handful of songs, just doesn't get it for me. Now for the greatest VH album in my view, that is 1984. I have an original vinyl issue in the original shrink wrap with the hype sticker(s) in NM condition that I bought brand new during the day. Panama is probably my 2nd favorite song after Unchained. My ambivalence about VH albums has led me to their greatest hits albums. I love the greatest hits albums that focus on the DLR days. In the end, greatest hits albums or original complete albums from the DLR days always get it for me, and sometimes they get me higher than a kite! Thanks for a great video, Melinda. It was really cool hearing what VH means to you; your memories of listening to them; and the line-ups you like; and your thoughts on the absolutely extraordinary EVH. 👍💖🎸😎
Hey there. This was a fun and special video for me to make. I sometimes wonder what they would have done if Dave never left the band. I was so sad when he left. I appreciate and like the Sammy years too but the Dave years were pure magic. I would love for them to put the Greatest Hits album on vinyl. For me, it is those hidden gems that were never played on the radio that I love the most. I appreciate you watching my videos and always leaving such thoughtful comments. Take care and have a great weekend.
@@MelindaMurphy Sure, you're welcome, Melinda. I'm glad that you find my comments to be interesting and maybe even amusing sometimes. I can even imagine you rolling your eyes on some things I say, like how I think KISS is terrible. It's all good. We're all on the music journey in whatever direction we choose. You have a great weekend as well! 👍👍👍
@@MelindaMurphy This version of Eruption on the violin I discovered today is second only to EVH's original: th-cam.com/video/eTb0TQtVT6k/w-d-xo.html. 😍 When you hear this, you will be floored. I was.
OH M!! Just when I thought we were freinds.... You put OU812 last and 5150 that low :( lol. ...and where the HECK did you get VHIII? Nice boot!!! Had no idea there was a pressing out there. I was guessing that VH II would be your top favorite. From my TOP Favorite Down... 1. 5150 2. 1984 3. OU812 4. VH 5. VH II 6. For Unlawful... 7. Women and Children 8. Fair Warning 9. Balance 10 Truth 11VH III 12. Diver Down Funny this is....you could shuffle 4-9 around and send it back to me next week and I would think those were my picks lol.
I agree that the ones in the middle are fluid. Lol. They are all outstanding records. I picked up the VH 3 at Rollin Records. It sounds pretty good for an unofficial release. I hope you have a great weekend! We're still friends. 🤗
@@audiophileman7047 Heck yeah man!!!! Song for song that album is amazing!!! Totally at #1. Then again I don't have a problem with the synth in VH as many people do/did. That album was just so musical and it was Eddie really capturing what made Sammy so amazing.
I’ve mentioned a couple of times just like you VH is also my favorite band. Here’s my ranking(I love them all though). 1.) 1984 2.) Fair Warning 3.) Self-Titled 4.) II 5.) Women and Children First 6.) Diver Down 7.) A Different Kinda Truth 8.) 5150 9.) For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge 10.) OU812 11.) Balance 12.) III The top 3 have been that way for years for me. The next 3 have changed over the in order over the years but I dearly love the first 6 albums so much and they are damn near perfect for me. ADKOT instantly move up right behind them upon release. I also love the Sam era and I really do like III. 1984 has been my favorite album for as long as I can remember and the song Girl Gone Bad is my favorite song by anyone. And you’re correct Eddie and Al father played clarinet on DD.
Thank you for confirming that it was their dad on Diver Down. That makes that song more special. Great list. I am so happy to see 1984 as so many people's favorite album. Girl Gone Bad is a killer track and has become a favorite off of that album for me too. They had so many wonderful albums. The Dave era was near perfect. Thank you and have a great weekend!
I SOOOOOO enjoyed your Top 12 presentation. Very cool and even made me laugh a couple times. I’m pretty sure that you’re a good singer. 😉😎😃 Here’s my top 12: 1. 1984 2. Van Halen 1 3. Women And Children First 4. Van Halen 2 5. Diver Down 6. Fair Warning 7. Balance 8. A Different Kind Of Truth 9. 5150 10. OU812 11. For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge 12. Van Halen 3 (The only totally awful album from them to me.) I also must admit, hun. When you touched on how much you miss Eddie and reminisced about 1984, it choked me up a little bit. I never thought that I’d get emotional watching your awesome videos. But this is the one. Stay safe! 💖
Awww! Thank you. I still get choked up thinking about Eddie and hearing his music. For some reason, Dreams gets me every time. I appreciate your kindness, but I am definitely not a good singer. Lol. Take care.
@@MelindaMurphy 😃 You’re so very welcome. I love your list. I was pleasantly surprised with your #1. Not too many people I know had this classic at the top. For me, the top 3 on my list changes every month. 😂😂😂😂😂 But they’re that dang good. Have an awesome week ahead. 😎💖
Great video!! Your list is sure different than mine. At the bottom I would have VH3. I don't think it's as bad as VH fans say it is, but it's not as good as the other albums. Right behind it would be Different Kind Of Truth. At the very top of the list is 5150. That is my favorite VH album without any doubts. Close behind it would be Fair Warning. To me it was their best with DLR. No matter how these albums are ranked VH was a incredible band. So glad I got to see them live 4 times(every time with Sammy). Classic band!
I agree, VH was incredible. There is no wrong preference list. Every album is great and they sound just as good today as they did back then. Thank you and take care.
Hi Melinda. Great ranking list. Myself, I would’ve ranked #3 Women and Children #2 VH 1 and #1 1984, because of the sentimental value. For me 1984 is the best from beginning to end with no “filler” type songs. To be fair though, I haven’t listened to Women and Children from beginning to end on vinyl. That one and 5150 are the only VH albums I have left to add to my vinyl collection. Might change my mind after getting those and giving them a full spin :) Have a great day
The album 1984 is a sentimental one for me too. That was in a special time of my life and I still enjoy every song. They are all good to my ears. Van Halen forever! ❤️
Thanks for this, Melinda...this video is pure joy! You light up so much talking about Van Halen that it's absolutely infectious. Now I have to go spin my VH records for the rest of the day! :-)
Very cool! Thank you so much! Have a great weekend!
I'm so glad you and Frank encouraged me to get into Van Halen. As you know, just jaw-dropping guitar work! Excellent video and ranking. I've bounced around their discography but the debut album is still my favorite. And I love that Van Halen sweater! Take care!
Thank you. Their debut is hard to beat. I'm sure album fatigue plays into my list a little bit. I have worn that first album out. It's great to see you listening to genres and bands that are new to you. I am trying to do the same. Have a great weekend!
Great video Melinda! You made a lot of great points, and I ended up watching your video twice. - Joel
Oh wow Joel! That's so nice. I have loved these albums my whole life so I do have alot to say about them. Lol. Thank you for watching and have a great weekend.
Love this, Melinda!
I like to think I had a part in this video, as I had “just” asked you to do this!
Cool! Great video!
My order would have been a little different.
My least favourite would have to be III. My favourite is For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge”. With 1984 being a very close second.
Great video! It’s fun to see another fellow HUGE fan of VH!🤘😎🇨🇦
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge is an incredible album. I got to see them on that tour twice. Good choices. I do remember you asking about this. I had already been thinking about it so it was nice to get a request at the same time. Thank you and have a great weekend!
i heard a lot of van halen on the radio when i was a lot younger,, liked it then and i still do. great video again, thank you.....cheers.
They were on the radio constantly all through my teenage years. Great memories! Thank you and have a great weekend!
I enjoyed your list very much.. it's spot on. One thing for sure the Gary Schroene effort is forgettable but not to say he wasn't great with extreme. My Top 5 albums are 1. Van Halen - Van Halen with Eruption. 2. 1984 their best all around effort 3. Women and Children First 4. 5150 - Probably my favorite Sammy Hagar collaboration 5. Diver Down. I do like Balance also. The rest are interchangeable. Have a Great Weekend.
I agree that Gary was very special in Extreme and I hope I didn't come across to hard on him. I like your list too. Most people put 5150 as the best Sammy era album. They are all great to me. Take care.
Balance is my favorite VH album. Glad to see it ranked high on your list
Very cool. I love Balance and I am thrilled to see someone rank it at number 1! 🤩
Wow!! What a wonderful rockin’ video!! I enjoyed listening to you talk about your favorite Van Halen records!! I love Van Halen, too!! I have all of Van Halen CDs & 1, 2, Diver Down, Women and Children First, Fair Warning, 1984, 5150, OU812, on vinyl records. Thank you for you your video. I will tune in next time. Take Care.🎼🎤🎸🎵🥁
Thank you so much Dianne! I'm glad you enjoyed it and share in the love of Van Halen. ❤️🤗 Take care!
Hi Melinda, good video, have you seen the Matt Bianco Van Halen mash up combining the songs Jump and Get Out of Your Lazy Bed?
I haven't. I will need to check it out. Thank you!
this was simply great...and your list was spot on too...i love your descriptions of why you put each album where you did...my number one is diver down...and though i love sammy hagar from montrose and his solo efforts, no one could replace dave...saw them in concert inthe early years, and then , a few years later, my band at the time was asked to tour third bill with them (when dave was still with them)...we turned the tour down for various reasons, but it is interesting these days the van halen/van hagar legacy that has lasted....great video...been enjoying them all...peace..rocky
Thank you! Diver Down as you know was my introduction to VH. Pretty Woman was the song that started it all. I agree, the Dave years were magical. Take care.
Nice job with this list Melinda. I know it is hard to sometimes be objective with your favorite band, but I think you shared why you liked them so well. I do agree Balance is an incredible album and they showed a lot of range and maturity in the songs (even though Eddie destroyed a piano on one of the songs). I was lucky to see both the 1984 and For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge tours. Both a great time, and both great shows, but I can say Dave's ego in the band at the time was pretty big. Fun fact, they were shooting the video for Panama the night I saw them live on the 1984 tour. You cannot see me, as I was in the back, but I was there.
I'm so jealous of you right now. 😮 I can't believe you were there. ❤️ Panama is my favorite song of all time. Seeing them make the video would have been a dream come true. It's good to know that someone else does love Balance. People are really hard on that album but I think it rocks. Thank you and have a great weekend!
Great video thank you,I love every VH album , I first saw them live in 1980 Invasion tour and ended up seeing them live W DLR 7 times Sammy 4 times and Gary 1 time . It really didn’t matter who was singing it was always just to hear that Eddie guitar sound .RIP EVH.
You saw some great shows. I wish I had seen the VH 3 tour. I agree with you that Eddie was the true star in the band and as long as he was there - it was all good. Take care.
Excellent ranking Melinda my favorite Van Halen album is either the debut or women and children first. I’m always going back and forth between those two.
Me too. You can throw 1984 into the mix as well. All great albums for me. Have a great weekend!
Good Morning 🌅 Melinda ! - My Top 3 are Van Halen S/T , 1984 & Van Halen 2 - I am partial to the David Lee years. Have a great Super Bowl Weekend ! 🏈
Super Bowl weekend is always exciting isn't it? I can't argue with your favorites. They are all fantastic. Take care.
I saw the 1984 Tour in Roanoke Virginia... What a great album !! People didnt love "Jump" but that whole album rocks... Anyway saw VH twice back in the day and Van Hagar around 1989.. To me after Hagar took over I just didnt get into as much... Good video !
I really enjoy all eras of Van Halen buy the magic was with Dave. You got to see some wonderful shows. ❤️ Have a great weekend!
Hi Melinda! I love it when people rank the albums of their favorite artists. I remember growing up my dad had a massive CD collection and my sister and I would always go through them and look at the covers. He had a lot of Van Halen. I always remember being so confused by the 1984 cover with the baby angel with cigarettes. Anyways, I enjoyed your video! Have a great weekend! :)
Thank you so much Kate. You're dad is really cool by the way. 🤩
You have impeccable taste! Thank you for posting this
Thank you so much! ♥️🤗
Very cool to see you do a ranking video Melinda! It is appropriate that you rank Van Halen, as when I think of you I immediately think of Van Halen! I've never been much on the Sammy Hagar era, I've just never been a fan of Hagar's vocal stylings. I haven't really listened to a full album from the Hagar era, I've just heard some of the bigger hits and some of Sammy's solo stuff as well. On the other hand, I love David Lee Roth! Great video as always Melinda!
Thank you Marichen. I love Sammy in Van Halen but I don't own any of his solo albums. How weird is that? They just haven't been a priority. Eddie is the main reason of why I love VH anyway. The Dave years were magical. Have a great weekend!
Words can't express how much Van Halen influenced me. All incarnation's!!! Roth, Haggar, etc. All good, All timeless and they will always be one of my favorites. Thanks for another great video.
I agree! Van Halen forever!!! ❤️
Glad you ranked Balance so high
I love that album. Thank you!
Hello Melissa; Nice to see you do a ranking of your favorite VH LP's. Agree with your picks as they are the ones you like the best. Not being a big Van Halen buyer, We can't go far beyond the first LP. We are surprised that you have not researched bootleg LP's & CD's by the band as there are 1,000's. Live shows & outtakes. The soundboard shows only. From the 70's on thru to the present. These performances would give you an in-depth listening experience, throughout the bands history. Just a thought. Take Care. Tina & Pat!~
Thank you Tina! With Eddie's passing, I have been reflecting more on their music. I have picked up a couple of unofficial releases and was disappointed at the sound quality. I would love to have outtakes and concerts that sound good, I'm just a little nervous about picking any more of them up. It would be nice if the Van Halen family would decide to do some special packages that would include outtakes and shows. I would love it. Thank you and have a great weekend!
Great video as always 😁 Diver down is my favorite VH album. Wore the cassette out when first released in’82 5150, 1984, II, women & children then fair warning.
I borrowed the cassette of Diver Down from a guy friend and I had to buy him a new one because I played his copy so much. Great choices! Thank you!
Great vid Melinda, love seeing everyone's perspective on VH and where it fit into there lives. I'm old school...so my top five are ..84, wacf, fw, II, VH.
Those are great. The DLR years were pure magic. ❤️
Love love love this, Melinda!!! 😎👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Thank you so much! 🤗❤️
Great album collection you got there Melinda and another great video, i hope you continue buying his album even if there songs you all ready have and try to keep him in the charts like i do with Elvis and Johnny Cash try to keep there memories alive ..
I will Curtis. I hope they do some reissues or even a box set of the Van Halen albums. I would love to have a beautiful box set. Take care and have a great weekend!
@@MelindaMurphy you to my friend and they will even some unrelease stuff to like outtakes and concerts
This video was great and just wild to think that he is not here now !!!! Jut they sure did rock and I did have fun seeing all of your great collection :). take care .
Thank you Beatle Brad. I'm still sad that Eddie is gone. I didn't know he was in such poor health. His music lives on. ❤️
:).
@@MelindaMurphy and that is a good thing :) all the best to you !!!!
).
Nice list my friend. We are pretty close on the rankings. I too would rather have a poster of Eddie and his guitar than David with no shirt🤣👊🏻
A poster of the band would have been awesome. 🤗
Hi Melinda...WOW shocker right from the start I would of never guessed OU812 would be as your last in line. These ads are annoying. I picked up the same VH III and TBH was the 1st time I hear it all the way through and I think it gets a bad rap. I passed on A Different Kind of Truth and kick myself now for not picking it up but the Tattoo single turned me off that much. Nice Japan pressings BTW . Balance has yet to really grow on me. 1984 was the first tour I seen of VH and that album was huge you could not escape it on radio & Mtv. Really surprised by number 1 but love it !!! You defiantly were not predictive in your rankings ! Nice job - take care , Vance
Hi Vance! I originally passed on A Different Kind of Truth and paid out the nose later. There is an unofficial release on a website called Rollin Records. I'm not into unofficial copies but that is where I picked up VH 3 and it sounds much better than I expected it to. ADKOT is not a great sounding album to begin with so I don't know if the unofficial one is any good either. TH-cam places in the adds so I'm sorry if they are annoying. I like it when they place them at the beginning or end better.
I'm sure my list is very different than what others think but Eddie's playing on VH 3 is some of his best work. It just feels like Eddie's album. I truly love all of them. Thank you and have a great weekend.
@@MelindaMurphy I did pick up the VHIII from Rollin too and I really liked more that I thought I would. I have picked up a few "pirate" copis of records that are just way out of my price range or just can't find a OG so until then I pick these up. 98% that I have got are really good in sound considering one that comes to mind is the last Tool LP. I just don't think fans were ready for a 3rd singer just yet. Oh I know you do not have control over the ads was typing out loud sorry LOL. I often wonder why Eddie didn't do a album with no vocals maybe VHIII could of been that or not. Thats why when the time is right and Alex and Wolfgang are ready maybe there will be some sort of guitar only EVH release we shall see . But I give you props on doing this it would take a long time for me to come up with a list like this on Led Zeppelin or Pearl Jam or other bands that I love all their work. enjoy your weekend :) - V
@@MelindaMurphy I had never owned Carnal Knowledge on vinyl so i recently picked up (what I believe to be) an unofficial release on red vinyl, and it sounds absolutely fantastic. If you ever get a chance to read these newer replies on older videos, please share where you saw the unofficial re-release of ADKOT. I'd love a second copy. The original vinyl release is a work of art in every way but the sound.
Aloha Melinda,
You have a super collection of Van Halen record albums .
Really enjoyed your ratings of all their albums.
My favorite is their 1st album, it's Sentimental to me, I first heard it while working at a record shop, I purchased it in 1978 the same day we played the demo in the store.
This is the time when disco records was selling off the shelf and lots of 12" singles. Disco dancing happening at all the nite clubs. DJ's spinning recordings of Donna Summer, & other disco groups & dancing hits.
We rockers were waiting for a rock savior! So when I purchased & Played it at home that first song I was hooked, if I'm not mistaken I think it was " Running with the devil ", my other favorites were, Eruption, Jamie Cryin, & the remake of the Kinks, You really got me. I'm not sure if I still have my copy if I do might be under the house, slowly I'm digging out my old record albums, about 3 weeks ago I found my copy of "Women and Children first" under their pack away , I think I might have their 2nd lp & 1984 somewhere in one of those boxes of record albums.
Melinda thank for sharing your least to most favorite Van Halen record albums.
Looking forward to your next Video.
Mahalo ed.
Hello Ed! I think it is so cool that you still have some vinyl from your youth. That is very cool to me. I can't imagine working at a record store and hearing Van Halen for the first time. In the midst of all that disco, VH must have really stood out. ❤️ That is such a cool memory. No offense to disco or even Donna Summer, but Van Halen was truly a hero for the times. Thank you for sharing such a great memory with me. We grew up in an amazing time. Take care - Mahalo!
12. VH 3
11. Different Kind of Truth
10. Balance
9. VH 2
8. 1984
7. Women and Children First
6. For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
5. Diver Down
4. Van Halen
3. 5150
2. OU812
1. Fair Warning
Always enjoy your videos!
Fair Warning is an excellent first place album. It's a little heavier and darker than the rest. Mean Streets is one of my favorite songs. Have a great weekend!
Great video!! Your ranking isn't the cliche ranking, which is very refreshing imo :)
Thank you! I truly think that the magic years were with Roth but there are some wonderful Sammy albums too. What an amazing band. I sure do miss Eddie. Thank you and take care.
Huge Van Halen fan here!!!
Very cool! ❤️
Hi. Love your channel. Love Van Halen. Got my holy grail records this week,balance and a different kind.... both in near mint. I'm so happy right now. Now we wait for the one steps.🙂👍
Oh wow! You got a couple of really hard to get records. I bet you are excited.♥️ I hope you enjoy them. Now we wait for the One Steps. Take care.
Great video! Can't argue with your pics! These lists are so subjective and with a band like Van Halen there are no wrong answers! I like your number one, I would probably flip back and forth depending on the day with VH1 and fair warning! Wished that we would have got more with Sammy and Gary. Who knows maybe we'll get a box set with some unreleased gems someday.
I am hoping for some box sets and unreleased material. We need reissues so badly. We shall see. Awesome picks. Fair Warning is killer.
Love this list Melinda. My #1 is Women and Children First! I love when you spoke about Hot for Teacher and when Dave says, "I don't feel tardy." I remember back when the song came out and I first heard the line "I brought my pencil!" Haha...I went to school the next day saying that. Everybody thought I was nuts. 😂😂 Maybe I was, but I was just nuts for Van Halen. Great video. ~Have a nice weekend!
That is such a fun song. Dave always comes up with funny lines like that. Haha! Thank you so much! Have a great weekend!
I’ve been listening to VanHalen since the 70’s I’ve never even heard VanHalenIII after your description I’m not going to waste my time. I’ve got all of the other records and your order is right on! Thanks great video!
You should give VH 3 a listen. You may like it better than you think. I actually like it but not as much as their other albums. Take care.
Could you do a video on your less popular titles which you own, many people may not be aware of, hidden, lesser known gems?
Thank you for the suggestion. I would have to give that some thought. It's a great idea. 🤗
Love the video! My personal listing is:
1. VH 2
2. Fair Warning
3.VH 1
4.Diver Down
5.1984
6.F.U.C.K
7. WACF
8. 5150
9. Ou812
10. Balance
11. ADKOT
12. VH 3
Great list. I love that Fair Warning is so high up there. 😍
@@MelindaMurphy yes I love Fair Warning! Its such a great album. I love Alex’s drums and the guitar riffs are incredible
Do you know if the Twister soundtrack is available on vinyl anywhere? I just love love love the song Humans Being
I don't have it but I am pretty sure it is available on vinyl. I need it too. 🤩
Really cool video Melinda and nice tribute to Eddie. He was such a great talent and a legend. My favorite is the debut album, 2nd would be 1984. I think I like Diver Down more than WACF even though it does have more covers on it.
Next time I get sick and have to call off work I might just tell them I feel Tardy lol
That VH sweater looks warm and cozy (:
Haha! I hope feeling tardy works for you. I love 1984. It came out at a special time in my life. Diver Down has great original tracks on it. It's a great album. In A Simple Rhyme and Everybody Wants Some are what puts WACF number one for me. 🤩 Have a great weekend Jeff.
Melinda, it was great running into you today at the Antique Mall. I hope you had a nice day with the family, and found something fun! Take care.
Oh wow! It was so great to talk to you. I love meeting other vinyl collectors while out and about. I hope you enjoy your new record. ❤️ Thank you for saying hello! Take care.
Hi Melinda 🙂
After Eddie died, my son and I have been listening to Van Halen A LOT.. And we have both become big fans of them. We love both the David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar era. But Eddie stands out as the most important member. He's the only one that couldn't be replaced.
Great video 👍
You're exactly right. There is no replacing Eddie. I love everything VH did. It's cool that you listen to VH with your son. My daughter likes them too. Thank you and have a great day!
great video melinda. i have a very clear memory of my brother calling me into his room in 1980 when i was maybe 11 and he wanted me to hear some music. he played me And the Cradle WIll Rock... and made a point to tell me to listen, listen to this part, and it was the break when Dave says "Have you seen Junior's grades?" I just posted another VH video myself: my picture discs.
What??? Van Halen picture discs??? I didn't know they existed. I will check it out soon. 😍
@@MelindaMurphy more Dave solo than VH but hope ya check it out regardless. I've been posting a ton of old interviews as well. Not sure if those thigs interest you.
Melinda (I LOVE your name by the way; you have no idea) your channel popped up on my feed for whatever reason and I have to say I was captivated rather quickly by the authenticity that is evident in the way you communicate with the camera. I do not know where you are from or live but you could absolutely pass for the kind of person I would've hung out with and had fun with here in Texas back in the 80s. I hope you continue doing these vids; VH is also my all time favorite band. I just saw Sammy Hagar and the Circle a few months ago in Houston and that guy still sounds awesome! They did a variety of VH songs and Michal Anthony sang "Aint Talkin Bout Love" it just brought the house down. Thank you for investing the time to do these videos and sharing your perspectives with the world. Watching your video gave me a lot of joy today.
Thank you so much for the sweet comments. I really appreciate it.😀 I bet that was a fantastic show. It's the closest we will ever get to Van Halen again. Thank you again and take care.
I just watched the video you made on your listening gear. I wanted to comment on the vintage console you have that belonged to your parents. These units can be surprisingly good sounding if refurbished. I'm in the process of refurbishing an old Fisher amp out of a console and the improvement to the audio quality is striking. The main issue with old gear is the worn out (dried out or sometimes leaky) electrolytic capacitors. Just replacing these will dramatically improve the sound. Replacing other components will also help. I cannot comment on the speakers, which may or may nor be of similar quality to the electronics. Keep up the great work.
Thank you so much Jeff. I always thought the console had decent sound, especially the bass. The problem I was running into was that it was constantly breaking down. My husband was always able to fix it but it was time-consuming. I am amazed at the complexity of these old consoles. It's still very sentimental but I don't use it very often.
EVH! Seen VH many many times. Like 20. #1 concert of all time for me. Easy. VH Fair Warning Tour oh boy! Have 10 or so VH concert T shirts, too we saw the 2015 Tour three or 4 times. Once in Irvine and 3 times I think at Hollywood Bowl. Thumbs up to you very cool vid.
From mtw and 99 in LA. Jam night jammers and VH fans. ps we play You Really Got Me and Aint Talkin B. L. all the time! ; )
Thank you so much! I bet you have alot of fun with the Van Halen songs. ♥️ I wish I had the opportunity to see them as often as you did. Good for you! 😍
Hi Melinda. This is by far my most favorite you've done. I've watched you for a long time and I know Van Halen is your favorite band. To hear you talk about your favorite VH albums seems truly honest and I can tell you're a fan "from the heart."
That being said, I HATED FAIR WARNING! LOL. My introduction to Van Halen was "Dance the Night Away." I bought the 45 at Value City in Latonia, KY because I kept hearing it on the radio. Then, I heard much of their early music when I saw the movie "Over the Edge" on HBO. Still a favorite!
My number one is 1984. I was in high school when it came out, and it was just so perfect for the time.
I miss Eddie!
I still miss Eddie too. 🥲 Thank you for the kind words. My love of VH is definitely from the heart. They have been my favorite band since I was 12 years old. We all have albums that we like more than others. For me, OU812 is their weakest. Thank you and have a great weekend. 🤗♥️
The very first song I ever heard by VH was And the cradle will rock. I was a very talented basketball player and I was ten years old. I was outside practice and my brother who is ten years older than me brought out his boom box and put in Women and Children First. I hear the very beginning of And the cradle will rock and I could not believe my ears. I kept playing it over and over and over. Needless to say I was hooked forever by the Mighty VH. Lol
That's a wonderful memory. ♥️
Great to see another Van Halen video like this. Hi I am new to subscribing to this channel. I have seen a lot of videos just have been very busy. I have been following Beatle Brad and Mean Mr. Mayo. Anyways I do agree with all the albums you ranked the way you did. Great history about Van Halen as well. I did not know some of the things I have learned from this video. I collect a lot of colored vinyl. I have a Van Halen album my father gave me. It is an original pressing. Driver Down is the album. Was blown away when I played it. Thank you for making these videos.
Diver Down is a great album and like I said in the video, Pretty Woman from Diver Down was the first song I heard from Van Halen. I loved them from them on. I am a big fan of Beatle Brad and Mean Mr Mayo. They have great channels. Thank you for the sub and take care.
5150, Best of Both Worlds, and Dreams are my favorite on this album. 5150 is my favorite album of all Van Halen. I'm so glad you're doing this video because you and I have that in common that they are our favorite band.🤗🤟🤟
I love those songs too. Dreams makes me cry now that Eddie is gone though. 😒
Thanks Melinda, great video.
I noticed you have mostly Japanese pressings. Q: In what ways do you prefer them over others, and is the price point much higher?
I like Japanese pressings but I also enjoy a record that is pressed in the country the album was recorded in. Japanese pressings are usually very clean and in good shape. Thank you and I apologize for the delayed response. Take care. ❤️🤗
@@MelindaMurphy thanks Melinda. Cheers.
Very nice review and ranking Melinda. Van Halen I will always be my favorite. Refreshing and you can hear them having fun playing together. Bought the album back in 1978 (i was 12 or 13) and it's in my top 5 of hard rock albums of all time.
It deserves the high praise it gets. Van Halen seemed to be a very fun loving kind of band. It's a shame they went through so may lead singers. Thank you so much!
Small correction- that IS a power drill on Poundcake. Fun video - thanks for making it! Think I’ll try to track down that Unofficial copy of III now!
Melinda do you find that the Van Halen Japanese vinyl sounds better than domestic VH vinyl?
I honestly haven't compared the sound. The Japanese pressings have a very clean sound and are in excellent condition. I think they look cool as well. I can't say they sound better but they sound great.
@@MelindaMurphy ok thank you !
Cool ranking I think the Sammy albums would rank higher but I understand your ranking
I love 5150 and ou812
I do too. I just like others a little better. 🤗
I love how you have every Van Halen record on vinyl. . I'm a big vinyl fan my favorite is my unopened 1969 Abby Road
It's pretty remarkable that you have a Beatles album that is still sealed.😯♥️ Have a great day!
Very cool ranking. VH on the 1984 tour was my very first concert. If i remember correctly Autograph was the opener. Havent looked at all your past vids but have you done a Led Zeppelin ranking? Would be cool to see
I haven't put out any other ranking videos but I am hoping to in the future. Thank you and take care.
I just love the name 0u812 I don't know why every time I hear it I smile I guess I'm immature...lol. I had a copy of van halen 3 when it came out the record company sent it to our radio station and we're not playing that style of music so I kept it in my car for myself. Great video as always
OU812 was a creative name for an album. Lol. 🤩 One thing Van Halen 3 had going against it was the changing sound of music. Van Halen's sound wasn't in at the time. Your station was a perfect example of that. Having a third lead singer didn't help either. Have a great weekend Rod.
Hey. I wondered if you have any DVDs of VH? Don't know if you would own still VHS. I have 3 shows on VHS. US Festival 83. The commercial Live Without A Net -New Haven 86 and Tokyo 89. The 1st and 3rd got at record show years ago both soundboards. So whenever was in a VH watching moment I would pop one in. Need a new DVD/VHS combo again. Old one stop working.😢 Watching on comp Dvds is not the same then ones couch.
I don't really have any dvds or vhs tapes anymore. I do need to watch Live Without A Net soon. Maybe today. 😍
Awesome insights!!
Thank you! 🤗❤️
The first Van Halen album is my number 1 favorite cause it made me a fan. I have Van Halen 2, Woman and Children First and Diver Down on vinyl. The first one, Balance I have on cd. Also on cd I have the double cd Best Of Both Worlds which is a greatest hits one with Dave and Sammy. I wanted to see the 5150 tour but it sold out quickly. They played 2 sold out nights here in Connecticut and filmed it. I have the DVD which is called Live Without A Net. I believe it’s on TH-cam too so if you haven’t seen it check it out. However I did see them in 1982 with Dave on the Diver Down tour. Awesome show. Take care and have a great weekend
I think I saw that concert a long time ago. I need to watch that again. Sammy can definitely sing. I have that Best Of Both World's cd as well. I would love for them to put more releases out on vinyl. Maybe someday. Take care.
What a great ranking! You definitely surprised me with some of the orders here...not gonna lie, lol! I knew Women And Children First was gonna be number one for you though!
Yeah! I have mentioned it being my favorite many times. Lol. My list is a little different but in truth, I love all of them. I think Balance is extremely underrated. Eddie is awesome on VH 3. Thanks Mike. Take care.
1. Van Halen I
2. Van Halen II
3. Women and Children First
4. Fair Warning
5. Diver Down
6. 1984
Great list! ❤️🤗
Good one you gotta do one for all of the solo Beatles!!!!!!
Haha! I don't own a single Ringo album believe it or not. Lol. 😮
@@MelindaMurphy I own 2 you should get the self titled one and time takes time to see if you like his solo career!
@@MelindaMurphy I didn't want to butt-in but Ringo's 1973 self-titled album is great. All The Beatles are on it plus T.Rex, The Band, Harry Nilsson, and Randy Newman.
You are on fire on this one Melinda, but that's not surprising. I would have 1984 and 5150 as my No.1 and No.2 but I came to Van Halen on those 2 albums and I always think the first albums you hear by a band are often the ones you love the most. An outstanding set of albums in any order.
I agree that any order is a great order. My sentimental favorites would be 1984 and For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge. Those albums came at a time when interesting things were happening in my life. Thank you and have a great weekend!
That was a lot of fun to watch Melinda. It's always fun to see super fans rank albums from their favorite bands because you love them all. Maybe I should do that with AC/DC... hmm. Rock on Melinda.
I would love to see your ACDC rankings. It is always very cool to watch a huge fan discuss their favorite band. Have a great week.
Friends sister went on a date with Eddie . She worked at HOB in Las Angeles at the time
That's really cool. Was it before or after Valerie?
@@MelindaMurphy After around 2008
Great video Melinda. I’ve just finished listening to all of the 2015 reissues of the dlr era albums. Those sound phenomenal, I really like those Japanese pressings you have. I bet all of those sound phenomenal as well. Do you have the two compilation albums with the non album tracks. Really glad I got to see them live before Eddie passed on and I’m glad you did as well. It was mesmerizing watching him play. Here goes my ranking
1. Fair warning
2. Debut
3. Women and children first
4. 1984
5. Van Halen 2
6. For unlawful carnal knowledge
7. Diver down
8. Balance
9. A different kind of truth
10. 5150
11. Ou812
12. Van Halen 3
Bonus compilation tracks.
1. Me wise magic
2. Humans being
3. Can’t get this stuff no more
4. It’s about time
5. Learning to see
6. Up for breakfast
Take care. Looking forward to your next video. 🙂
Great list. How awesome would it be if they did a 3 lp set with that Greatest hits and Got Me Wise Magic and Human being on vinyl!!! WE NEVER get that on RSD considering all the crap they do seem to push lol.
Very cool list. ❤️ Me Wise Magic is my favorite of those songs too. I have the CD but I would love it on vinyl if they ever release it. Thank you and take care.
I would definitely get it as well. There’s enough material to make another lp. Even better if it included the following instrumentals. Donut city, respect the wind, rise and Catherine. Ps. The sweatshirt is excellent. 👍
Diver Down was my first VH album too, it's still one of my favorites. Gun to my head VH 2 is probably my favorite.
Great choices. There are incredible so far on each of those albums. Take care.
hello Melinda,great post, i got a lot of VH records,my favorite is
Van Halen = 炎の導火線 japan 1978
Warner Bros. Records - P-10479W
this record sounds unbelievable awesome.crystal clear,and with a lot of power,
even though i like sammy hager more als singer .
btw i just got my first MFSL record
i bought Stevie Ray Vaughan And Double Trouble* - Couldn't Stand The Weather
UltraDisc One-Step,from a dealer here in switzerland,
Congrats on picking up the SRV One Step. I bet it is so nice. I haven't seen a Van Halen album on clear vinyl before. Very cool. 😮 Thank you and take care.
So I’m watching and disagreeing with some of your choices (which is fine😀) but then you shock me and have the same #1 and #2 pick as myself! I don’t know why but I never would have guessed that WACF would be your number one. I love that album! It’s my favorite. It’s pretty heavy at times too. Really fun ranking video!! (BTW I would love to get my wife one of those sweaters! Super cool 😎)
Hi! I got the sweater from the Van Halen store online. I know that alot of people would disagree but so many Van Halen albums are great and the list really doesn't matter. I'm glad we agree on the heavy hitters. 😃 Have a great week.
I remember spending hours upon hours in my bedroom listening to and working out the songs on my guitar, *Eddie was my 'music teacher'.
He was so amazing. His guitar playing made Van Halen stand out from every other band. Thank you and take care.
I know I'm late in finding your channel (which I absolutely love), I find it really difficult to list MY favorite VH albums in order but depending on the day and my mood, my top 3 have always been Fair Warning, Women and Children First, and Diver Down..... till A Different Kind Of Truth came out. I waited what felt like a lifetime to get one more album with Van Halen fronted by Dave. For me it was like a Christmas present that keeps on giving till this day. Notably I had no sentimental attachment to any of those songs and because of the engineering of it, it took me some time to fully appreciate (great music grows on you). But now, most days ADKOT is my #1 because it fills me with such joy. Outta Space, Stay Frosty, Big River.... so darned good. I had to get the vinyl to fully appreciate how well it was mixed. It may be very compressed, but on the vinyl, every instrument is perfectly blended, and I can hear them with such clarity.l I love the soaring guitars of Tattoo, and although Dave's lyrical winks are more obvious, I think the lyrics are fun.
But that soaring guitar? Wow. It reminds me of Dreams and what I love about that song. Dreams however is a perfect song, Tattoo is not....IMO.
Edit: My introduction to Van Halen was also Diver Down. I used to go see a really great cover band at a local club every Monday night and all the great songs they played turned out to be Van Halen songs so they, and a friend started introducing me to VH's other albums and from there I was hooked. New Years Eve 1984, I left an epic New Years Eve party to listen to 1984 played in it's entirety by a local radio station at Midnight. I still need to listen to 1984 before I play Jump, it otherwise feels incomplete.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I love everything you shared here. ADKOT is a great album but it took me a while to get used to the song Tattoo. Lol. I'm so grateful we have that final album with Dave. The die hard fans needed that. I agree that to fully appreciate Jump, I need to hear 1984 first. It's so great to hear from you. Take care.
Great insight!
Thank you! 🤗
Wacf is my all time favorite too. I never get tired of Everybody Wants Some.
I agree. I love that song and it was incredible live! ❤️ Romeo Delight is also a favorite. Take care.
i‘m wondering how the japanese pressings sound like (especially 1984). would you recommand them?
usually i don‘t buy japanese pressings of rock records because most of them don‘t have bass.
I think they sound really nice. I honestly have never done a shoot out with the US pressings so I don't know which ones I prefer. I would love for Intervention Records or another audiophile company to do their magic on these albums. Take care.
@@MelindaMurphy nice to know! i will probably try to get them. by the way: if you like elton john i can hardly recommand the japanese pressing of „too low for zero“. its one of the best sounding pressings i have and it was only 6€
Hi Melinda. Alot of Japanese pressings. Was it because of availability or sound quality? Enjoyed the video.
I love Japanese pressings. They are usually very clean and the obi is cool. I have never done a shoot out to see if I like the sound quality of the Japanese pressings better than the US. I think both are good. Thank you and take care.
Imagine being on the front row smashed against the barricade in front of Eddie and Dave for the 80, 81, and 82 tours. Yeah I did that.
That must be some great memories. Wow!!!
I'm jealous. ♥️
@@watchingthecrazyworld7761 yeah it was epic! Dave even lit up a joint I threw on stage, but a rode came and took it off. Seeing those shows were almost life changing.
I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT DAVE'S BAND WAS CALLED MAMMOTH DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.
Very cool. Eddie's son has a band called Mammoth WVH now. ❤️
Wolfie.
So cool and fun to hear a woman reflect on the VH catalog. Great job! I'm a huge VH fan, and was born and raised out on the SoCal coast, so for me it was seeing our local boys make good. I was blessed enough to see them early on, while on a road trip back east in 81, in Pittsburgh, on the Fair Warning tour, back when they were really raw and high velocity. I saw them again back in LA twice in 82, again in 84, and finally with Sammy on the Monsters/OU812 tour, but it was never the same as it was back in 81, so I feel massively fortunate. Anyway, more to my point, I noticed you mentioning I'll Wait as a fav, and had to see if you were aware that Michael McDonald wrote some of those lyrics, when Dave couldn't finish them while in adjoining studios where the Doobies were recording. Little bit of fairly cryptic VH trivia, as MM was never credited in the album liner notes till more recent pressings, so most folk are unaware. Also noteworthy is Nicolette Larson's singing on Could This Be Magic. Yet another WB artist recording in the studio at the same time.
Thanks for saying hello. I wish I could say I saw Van Halen very early on but unfortunately I was too young. They are definitely my favorite band. I did know about Michael McDonald. It's a great song and it's a shame he wasn't credited. Most big fans do know but still... I miss Eddie and thankfully, I did get to see them on their last tour. Ed was having so much fun playing alongside his son and brother. Dave made a point to say that some of the best times of his life were spent on stage with Eddie. ♥️ I will never forget it. Thank you and have a great weekend.
Great choices, glad to see the #1. As a question, have you heard the songs Wolfgang is releasing? It’s good, but sounds exactly like the foo fighters’ bridge burning and a little rage against the machine groove
I have heard the two songs he has released. I like both of them so far. I think he is going to purposely stay away from the VH sound. He doesn't want the comparison. I did pre-order his album off of his website. The limited edition colored vinyl comes with an autographed insert. Take care.
I personally did not know that they had that many albums. I forgot about III Definitely you have the passion for this group. Who am I to argue against your list. Steve
They had 12 albums. I am so thankful for every one of them. I was really hoping for a full blown argument with you about this list. How dare you ruin that fun for me by respecting my judgement. Haha! Just kidding. Thank you!
Love watching these ranking videos..always interested in what people think and like about music. My favorite is VH 1. What a debut. I might do a RUSH or Cheap Trick ranking on my channel. So many records.
Thank you so much! They would be great bands with incredible albums to rank. Take care.
Rush for sure please 😎🤙
Just found your channel, great job. You nailed why Dave was the best for this band. My mom took me to see Diver Down tour in 82, was a little surprised to see that one so low. Lol
Thank you for the kind words. I would love to make this video again just to see where the Dave albums would rank. I have a feeling they would all be higher in my rankings. I do love Diver Down. VH never made a bad record in my opinion. Thank you and take care.
what do you think of Montrose or H.S.A.S. ?
I do love what I have heard of Montrose. I only have the one common album of theirs. 🤗
@@MelindaMurphy I only heard about Montrose because I read Sammy Hagar’s book. I think he did 2 albums with them in the early 70’s. Eddie and Alex were big fans of them growing up. Sammy and Eddie had the same car mechanic and he suggested Sammy to Eddie when David Lee Roth left the band to go solo (Patty Smith from ‘Scandal’ was also offers the job to replace David). .. Sammy Hagar sounds great on their albums. I was able to get both albums very cheaply... HSAS is a super group / side project that I had never heard of until I saw the album in a bargain bin a couple of years ago. Sammy on vocals and Neal Schon from Journey on guitar (when Journey was on hiatus when Steve Perry went solo)... the album is very good too, kind of opposite of KISS ALIVE (the HSAS album was recorded from a live concert and they removed the audience to make it sound like a studio album). Came out before Sammy joined Van Halen... Also check out Sammy’s “solo” album ‘I never said goodbye “ it’s basically a Van Halen album (Eddie plays bass on it) that was put out in 1987 to fulfill Hagar’s contract with Geffen so he could join Van Halen - it’s got the songs Where Eagles Fly and Give to Live which he played on VH tours
@@billymuellerTikTok I think the self-titled Montrose album is my favorite Sammy Hagar work. I hope this doesn't offend any Van Halen fans. That album is one of my favorite rock albums from the era. The drum intro to Rock Candy - spare and powerful. And Sammy's wailing voice on top of that is pure gold. I highly recommend this Montrose album to any Van Halen fans.
Very nice! A ststion here is doing 24hrs of van halen you can listen at tunein 90fm
That would be awesome!!! ❤️
Thanks for this video. I have to admit that I don’t have any Van Halen in my collection which I need to remedy ASAP. I’ve been eyeing their debut album and 1984 on Discogs. After seeing your rankings, I think I’m headed in the right direction to start off!! 👏🏻👏🏻
Definitely buy those two records. I don't think you will regret it. Build up from there if you like what you hear. They are all great in my opinion. Take care.
@@MelindaMurphy Thanks Melinda!! I just ordered them!! Take care !!
Im so proud: Van Halen, the 2 Dutch brothers. My first guitar was a "Charvel" cause of the Van Halen sound. Till today i wish i did not sell my Charvel guitar. It is and was the best one i ever played. And i also had Fender, Ibanez, Gibson.
Sweet guitar collection! The "Van Halen" family is the perfect example of an immigrant story and the contributions they made to our country. We can both be very proud. Take care.
New subscriber! Love your demeanor and your insights.
I really appreciate it. Thank you for the kind words and for your support. ♥️🤗
My wife and I are just getting back into vinyl. She’s more of a DLR VH fan and I’m more Sammy. One of our first Albums to buy was 1984. It’s so fun. Thanks for reminding me about balance. I have that CD and absolutely love the darker vibe Sammy’s voice sounds . Definitely gonna look to pick that up too!
In my opinion, you are both right. Lol. I love both versions of Van Halen. 🥰
I'm Not the biggest Van Halen fan , however think Dance the night away is a brilliant song there debut and 84 are amazing and loosing Eddie was heartbreaking. I respect there body of work. I enjoy your videos and planning my own VC channel. How did you find a lp of Van Halen III.
I bought the "unofficial" copy of VH 3 from Rollin Records. It sounds good for it being an unofficial release. Dance The Night Away is really fun and the harmonies are beautiful. I think about Eddie every day. As much as I miss him, I really feel bad for his son. He is way too young to lose his dad. Have a great weekend.
@@MelindaMurphy my dad saw Van Halen at Texas jam back in the day there around the same age . I’m excited for Wolfgang new album . Have a great weekend .
Hey Melinda, I've been looking forward to an in-depth Van Halen video from you for a long time. I've always wondered what you would say about them, since they're your favorite band of all time. Van Halen definitely falls in my top ten favorite rockin' bands of all time. Eddie's guitar playing is just flat out incredibly good. Sometimes I'll play Van Halen and listen to it with my son, and I never fail to point out to him how great Eddie's guitar playing was. It just put me in a terrific mood. Very few guitarists can do that and not in the same way as Eddie. No matter how good Eddie was, he was one part of a band. Don't get me wrong, the other members of the band were really good too, but Eddie was far ahead of them that they kinda made the band less, and the other members brought down the status of the band in my view. Regardless, Van Halen was truly great, and I love a lot of their music. It's a funny thing though, because I'll like some songs on one album, but not the rest so much. My favorite VH song is Unchained. The rest of the Fair Warning album is excellent, but Unchained surpasses everything else on the album that it leaves you wanting more songs like that one. For a long time, I did not like bands that did covers, but VH changed my mind on that. Pretty Woman & Dancing In The Street are just such great re-imaginings of those classics that you just can't help but love them. The only full album from the Van Hagar years I own is OU 812; it's an original issue I purchased new in the day. The Hagar years, with the exception of a handful of songs, just doesn't get it for me. Now for the greatest VH album in my view, that is 1984. I have an original vinyl issue in the original shrink wrap with the hype sticker(s) in NM condition that I bought brand new during the day. Panama is probably my 2nd favorite song after Unchained. My ambivalence about VH albums has led me to their greatest hits albums. I love the greatest hits albums that focus on the DLR days. In the end, greatest hits albums or original complete albums from the DLR days always get it for me, and sometimes they get me higher than a kite! Thanks for a great video, Melinda. It was really cool hearing what VH means to you; your memories of listening to them; and the line-ups you like; and your thoughts on the absolutely extraordinary EVH. 👍💖🎸😎
Hey there. This was a fun and special video for me to make. I sometimes wonder what they would have done if Dave never left the band. I was so sad when he left. I appreciate and like the Sammy years too but the Dave years were pure magic. I would love for them to put the Greatest Hits album on vinyl. For me, it is those hidden gems that were never played on the radio that I love the most. I appreciate you watching my videos and always leaving such thoughtful comments. Take care and have a great weekend.
@@MelindaMurphy Sure, you're welcome, Melinda. I'm glad that you find my comments to be interesting and maybe even amusing sometimes. I can even imagine you rolling your eyes on some things I say, like how I think KISS is terrible. It's all good. We're all on the music journey in whatever direction we choose. You have a great weekend as well! 👍👍👍
@@MelindaMurphy This version of Eruption on the violin I discovered today is second only to EVH's original: th-cam.com/video/eTb0TQtVT6k/w-d-xo.html. 😍 When you hear this, you will be floored. I was.
OH M!! Just when I thought we were freinds.... You put OU812 last and 5150 that low :( lol. ...and where the HECK did you get VHIII? Nice boot!!! Had no idea there was a pressing out there. I was guessing that VH II would be your top favorite. From my TOP Favorite Down...
1. 5150
2. 1984
3. OU812
4. VH
5. VH II
6. For Unlawful...
7. Women and Children
8. Fair Warning
9. Balance
10 Truth
11VH III
12. Diver Down
Funny this is....you could shuffle 4-9 around and send it back to me next week and I would think those were my picks lol.
I agree that the ones in the middle are fluid. Lol. They are all outstanding records. I picked up the VH 3 at Rollin Records. It sounds pretty good for an unofficial release. I hope you have a great weekend! We're still friends. 🤗
5150 at #1? Really????
@@audiophileman7047 Heck yeah man!!!! Song for song that album is amazing!!! Totally at #1. Then again I don't have a problem with the synth in VH as many people do/did. That album was just so musical and it was Eddie really capturing what made Sammy so amazing.
@@mrhoffame In my world, the DLR era albums are better, but if you love that album then great! 🎸🎸🎸
Any tips on finding a vinyl copy of van halen III? It's the only album I'm missing in my collection and I can't seem to track one down. Thanks!
There has only been an unofficial vinyl release so far. I'm not sure it's even in print anymore. We are in need of many VH reissues. Best wishes! 🤗
Thanks Melinda! I managed to track down one of the unofficial copies yesterday, so I'm happy!
I’ve mentioned a couple of times just like you VH is also my favorite band. Here’s my ranking(I love them all though).
1.) 1984
2.) Fair Warning
3.) Self-Titled
4.) II
5.) Women and Children First
6.) Diver Down
7.) A Different Kinda Truth
8.) 5150
9.) For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
10.) OU812
11.) Balance
12.) III
The top 3 have been that way for years for me. The next 3 have changed over the in order over the years but I dearly love the first 6 albums so much and they are damn near perfect for me. ADKOT instantly move up right behind them upon release. I also love the Sam era and I really do like III. 1984 has been my favorite album for as long as I can remember and the song Girl Gone Bad is my favorite song by anyone.
And you’re correct Eddie and Al father played clarinet on DD.
Thank you for confirming that it was their dad on Diver Down. That makes that song more special. Great list. I am so happy to see 1984 as so many people's favorite album. Girl Gone Bad is a killer track and has become a favorite off of that album for me too. They had so many wonderful albums. The Dave era was near perfect. Thank you and have a great weekend!
I SOOOOOO enjoyed your Top 12 presentation. Very cool and even made me laugh a couple times. I’m pretty sure that you’re a good singer. 😉😎😃 Here’s my top 12:
1. 1984
2. Van Halen 1
3. Women And Children First
4. Van Halen 2
5. Diver Down
6. Fair Warning
7. Balance
8. A Different Kind Of Truth
9. 5150
10. OU812
11. For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
12. Van Halen 3 (The only totally awful album from them to me.)
I also must admit, hun. When you touched on how much you miss Eddie and reminisced about 1984, it choked me up a little bit. I never thought that I’d get emotional watching your awesome videos. But this is the one. Stay safe! 💖
Awww! Thank you. I still get choked up thinking about Eddie and hearing his music. For some reason, Dreams gets me every time. I appreciate your kindness, but I am definitely not a good singer. Lol. Take care.
Also, I think you have a great list!!!
@@MelindaMurphy 😃 You’re so very welcome. I love your list. I was pleasantly surprised with your #1. Not too many people I know had this classic at the top. For me, the top 3 on my list changes every month. 😂😂😂😂😂 But they’re that dang good. Have an awesome week ahead. 😎💖
Great video!! Your list is sure different than mine. At the bottom I would have VH3. I don't think it's as bad as VH fans say it is, but it's not as good as the other albums. Right behind it would be Different Kind Of Truth. At the very top of the list is 5150. That is my favorite VH album without any doubts. Close behind it would be Fair Warning. To me it was their best with DLR. No matter how these albums are ranked VH was a incredible band. So glad I got to see them live 4 times(every time with Sammy). Classic band!
I agree, VH was incredible. There is no wrong preference list. Every album is great and they sound just as good today as they did back then. Thank you and take care.
Hi Melinda. Great ranking list. Myself, I would’ve ranked #3 Women and Children #2 VH 1 and #1 1984, because of the sentimental value. For me 1984 is the best from beginning to end with no “filler” type songs. To be fair though, I haven’t listened to Women and Children from beginning to end on vinyl. That one and 5150 are the only VH albums I have left to add to my vinyl collection. Might change my mind after getting those and giving them a full spin :) Have a great day
The album 1984 is a sentimental one for me too. That was in a special time of my life and I still enjoy every song. They are all good to my ears. Van Halen forever! ❤️
Hi Melinda! How are you doing? Nice video. Could you rank the Kiss' albums too?! Greetings from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
That would be fun. I will definitely consider it. Thank you.