#7 Van Halen:
Edward Van Halen and cohorts flat out rocked for a period from 1978 to 1986 (or so). This has been somewhat overshadowed over the past two decades due to their unsurpassed ability for non-musical drama. To truly appreciate Van Halen I think you had to grow up in Louisville. We had one rock station ... WQMF 95.7. QMF played three bands in strict rotation, and while the songs could vary, these were the only three bands that were ever played: Led Zeppelin, Heart, and Van Halen. The Halen is the only one of those three I enjoyed. If I hadn't, this neverending blogging exercise would probably consist of Alabama, Eddie Rabbitt, & Oak Ridge Boys, because that's what the other side of the dial was.
Of course, if El Cuarte was doing the countdown of the 80's, it'd be a one-blog countdown consisting of these guys.
Best Songs: Panama, You Really Got Me, And The Cradle Will Rock, Jump, Ain't Talking Bout Love, Unchained, Ice Cream Man, Right Now, Dreams
Worst Songs: Jamie's Cryin', Dance the Night Away, Love Walks In
5 comments:
KMD guesses
5 - J Cougar Mellencamp
4 - REM
3 - Rainmakers
2 - U2
1 - Big Country
A couple of thoughts:
1. There's nothing wrong with Jamie's crying, and Dance the Night Away - I would pin-point the whole 1984 album as the worst collection of songs in their suite. This goes for the David Lee Roth Van Halen, of course. What's worse is
2. any Van Halen song with Sammy Hagar as the lead - he started in 1985.
3. How can you not like Heart's Barracuda, one of the most rockin songs of the 70's? Perhaps you mean post-Barracuda Heart.
Oh well. Keep on Rockin!
Just wondering, do you plan to give an honorable mention for combination "Best 1-hit wonder of the 80's"/"Best drunken appearance on Letterman" to (good ole) Henry Lee?
(seeing JCM in KMD's picks reminded me of the time we saw "good ole" open for JCM at the Indiana State Fair)
Stephen
I did hear a "good ol'" Henry Lee song the other day on XM radio. I guess it was his one big hit "I Wish I Had A Girl". I'd forgotten all about "Good Ol'" until then.
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