big bad bill

**Edward Van Halen** · 04.26.01, 09:00 AM

Does anybody know the backround info on this ong?

**EUX4Life** · 04.26.01, 09:45 AM

I heard that Dave heard (kinda redundant, eh? [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]) the song while in Nashville or some place like that and thought it would be a cool song to cover. I guess they then thought it'd be cool for Jan Van Halen, Ed and Al's dad, to play clarinet on the track too. Jan was a little wary because he had false teeth now and hadn't played in a few years.

I dink dat zit. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[ April 26, 2001 at 09:45 AM: Message edited by: EUX4Life ]

**Unchained Wolfie** · 04.26.01, 09:50 AM

Wasn't Jan a little worried about playing because he lost one of his fingers?

[ April 26, 2001 at 09:51 AM: Message edited by: Unchained Wolfie ]

**Rod Dangle** · 04.26.01, 09:53 AM

I read somwhere Dave had this little 'walkman' & he could pick up this station from the south, Kentucky or something, in just one little spot in his house........Heard the tune, recorded it & played it back for the guys, they all dug it.

About his old man, the teeth thing was right, but also Jan lost one of his middle fingers too in a trailer accident & he was worried about screwing it up 'cause he hadn't played in quite some time.

I love that tune, VH doing jazz, that's cool as hell.

[img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[ April 26, 2001 at 09:54 AM: Message edited by: Rod Dangle ]

**KenyonVincent** · 04.26.01, 06:25 PM

That song is gay, yet cool. [img]smilies/cool.gif[/img] Not your typical VH, but it was nice to hear the musical ability of a senior Van Halen. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] Since he hadn't played in a while, had fake teeth and one less finger shows how the talent runs in the family.

**Dan Halen** · 04.26.01, 08:41 PM

Here's a picture of Ed and Jan if you don't know what he looks like:

**SactoFan** · 04.26.01, 09:51 PM

I think it was an old Leon Redbone tune...could be wrong though

**Top Timmy** · 04.26.01, 10:35 PM

Gonna move this to the Songs/Albums forum guys. Please continue in there. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

**Stuff No More** · 04.27.01, 05:28 AM

All I could find on the authors of the music is last names. "by AGER/YELLEN"

Obviously if I had my DD handy that would help [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

It looks like it's been recorded about 8 or so times by different individuals, all the way from 1940 to the present.

**Goo** · 04.27.01, 05:38 AM

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that Dave picked it up on AM radio from mexico, whist driving round texas somewhere?

Dunno, I left a lot of my old interview magazines and shit back in tassie, I'll have to haul them back when I go over at Xmas

**paradiddle** · 04.27.01, 10:12 AM

Yeah, Jan was nervous about doing the recording, but made it through awesome, he would not, however, play live at the LA Forum on account of his hands, and his time away from the instrument. What a moment to share with your dad, huh? We should all be so lucky...

**BigBubba** · 05.02.01, 05:46 PM

its also nice to hear Jan play because he passed on only like 4 years later. It is kinda special for Ed and Al to have their dad on one of their platinum records.