The Ten Most Overrated Van Halen Songs

**Van Squalen** · 07.21.06, 12:37 PM

Sure, they might be washed out for ya. Sure, you've heard many of 'em so many fucking times they sound like cats screeching while dry humping. But I'm talking about the ones everybody gives SO much kudos to, when in actuality there are generally far, far better tracks on the same album, both musically, harmonically, technically, lyrics-wise, tone and crunch, sound and reverb, background vocals and instrumentation/overdub mix, etc, etc. They might even be tracks that you personally dig.

1. Jump
2. Best of Both Worlds
3. Running with the Devil
4. Ain't Talkin' About Love
5. Poundcake
6. Runaround
7. You Really Got Me
8. And the Cradle will Rock
9. The Seventh Seal
10. Beautiful Girls

Yeah, that's right. I said 'em. For the record, I love a number of these tunes. But comparable to other tracks on the composite level, they're overrated.

IMO, of course.

**hatchetforce** · 07.21.06, 12:49 PM

Mine All Mine
Judgement Day
Aftershock
Dream is Over
Big Fat Money
Spanked
Sucker in a 3 Piece
In 'n' Out
Man on a Mission
Apolitical Blues

**Rockguitarstar** · 07.21.06, 12:53 PM

Van I think you just named my top ten favorite Van Halen songs....

in all honesty there are songs that I think arent all that great, but to lay a blanket statement over 3 eras of the Band and say which are overated is tough. I could see the top 5 overated Dave songs or Sammy Songs or Gary Songs but depending on who you like more or less is going to determine what you like. For the life of me I will never understand why 5150 did so well, there are three songs off of there that I like and the same goes for OU812, FUCK and Balance are two of their best albums. In other words I simply disagree, but you are entitled to your opinion.

Im a fan of the Dave era so my picks for overated would be Get Up, Mine all mine, all of OU812 outside of Source of Infection and Finish what you started, Man on a Mission

**ZachenFoot** · 07.21.06, 12:54 PM

1. Jump
2. When It's Love
3. Can't Stop Lovin' You
4. Feels So Good
5. Top of the World
6. And the Cradle Will Rock...
7. You Really Got Me
8. So This Is Love?
9. Love Walks In
10. Why Can't This Be Love

As pro-Dave as I am, I believe "Jump" was always far overrated. "When It's Love," "Can't Stop Lovin' You," and "Feels So Good" are some of the worst songs in Van Halen's catalogue. "Top of the World" gets too much radio play. "And the Cradle Will Rock..." is simply too worn out, as is "You Really Got Me." Fair Warning is my favorite album, but I've heard "So This Is Love?" far too many times. "Love Walks In" is in the same category with 2-4, and "Why Can't This Be Love" has just been overplayed.

**sixstring** · 07.21.06, 12:56 PM

In no particular order:

Top Of The World
Feel Your Love Tonight
Jamie's Cryin'
Love Walks In
When It's Love
Sinner's Swing!
Everybody Wants Some!!
DOA
Beautiful Girls
(Oh) Pretty Woman

**chefcraig** · 07.21.06, 12:57 PM

I'll give ya eight of them, I disagree on "Runaround" and "Beautiful Girls".

As a pop song, I like the way "Runaround" works, yet I would not say it's over-rated. Most fans tend to dismiss it as lightweight.

If anything, I'd say "BG" is under-rated . Yup, it's played to death. Yet the construction of the song, the hilarious asides from Roth, the singing throughout, Mike's bass playing and the thrown-off nature of Ed's playing make this thing a classic in every sense of the word.

The arrangement of "You Really Got Me" was ripped off from Rick Derringer's band, "Best Of Both Worlds" features a main riff taken directly from Kool And The Gang's "Celebrate", and the rest are hardly what one would consider the band's finest moments, with several primarily being based around two chords and simply not going very far. So in that regard, we're in agreement.

**Double Down** · 07.21.06, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by Van Squalen

Sure, they might be washed out for ya. Sure, you've heard many of 'em so many fucking times they sound like cats screeching while dry humping.
1. Jump
2. Best of Both Worlds
3. Running with the Devil
4. Ain't Talkin' About Love
5. Poundcake
6. Runaround
7. You Really Got Me
8. And the Cradle will Rock
9. The Seventh Seal
10. Beautiful Girls

Other than Seventh Seal you've got 9 heavily played radio songs throughout the years. It seems to me that they're not overrated they are just well-liked. Every one of those songs are great tunes. If VH released any of them brand new today you'd probably love 'em. They're not overrated, you're just tired of them.

**ziggysmalls** · 07.21.06, 01:28 PM

Running with the Devil
The Cradle Will Rock
Pretty Woman
Jump
Why Can't This Be Love
When Its Love
Right Now
Can't Stop Loving You

Crap I need two more....

You Really Got Me
Poundcake

**onefootoutthedoor** · 07.21.06, 01:46 PM

Mean Street
"Dirty Movies"
Sinner's Swing!
Hear About It Later
Unchained
Push Comes To Shove
So This Is Love?
Sunday Afternoon In the Park
One Foot Out the Door

Since Push Comes To Shove is sooo overrated, I'll count it as two songs.

**Van Squalen** · 07.21.06, 01:53 PM

Ballads can't be overrated or underrated. Van Halen ballads are oxymorons.

So no need to put tracks like WIL or CSLY on your lists.

Teach, I'm not necessarily tired of them. There is such a concept as overrated tracks, whether they're considered by the general public or diehard fans. If ya don't wanna play the game, then don't, no sweat off our balls.

**Van Squalen** · 07.21.06, 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by onefootoutthedoor

Mean Street
"Dirty Movies"
Sinner's Swing!
Hear About It Later
Unchained
Push Comes To Shove
So This Is Love?
Sunday Afternoon In the Park
One Foot Out the Door

Since Push Comes To Shove is sooo overrated, I'll count it as two songs.

Heh heh. I forgot, who WAS that kid that pranced around claiming Fair Warning was overrated?

**Double Down** · 07.21.06, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by Van Squalen

Teach, I'm not necessarily tired of them. There is such a concept as overrated tracks, whether they're considered by the general public or diehard fans. If ya don't wanna play the game, then don't, no sweat off our balls.

Hey, I have no problem playing the game, but people are listing most of Van Halen's most identifiable songs. But they're identifiable because they're great tunes. But sure, I have a few:

And The Cradle Will Rock - It's a huge radio song but I wouldn't even have it in my top 25.

Push Comes To Shove - I only list this because lately I've seen people in other threads raving about it and putting in their own top 5. I don't see that at all.

Why Can't This Be Love - Not even in my top 20 Sammy Era songs.

Light Up The Sky - Not a radio hit, but around here I've seen people rave about this one. Sorry, I don't see it. Solid tune but nothing too special IMO.

**I'm_your_IceCreamMan** · 07.21.06, 03:14 PM

The hard part for me is, what I think is overrated today, I might think it's the best thing they've ever done a month from now. Bottom line is, as a fan, it's always hard for me to look at something in this manner, but anyway, here's my overrated VH (in no particular order, it's hard enough coming up w/10 as it is):

Jump
Jamie's Cryin'
And The Cradle Will Rock
Pretty Woman
I'll Wait
Dreams
Best Of Both Worlds
Black And Blue
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
Poundcake

**VAREB** · 07.21.06, 03:43 PM

Don't have the heart to post here. Was hard enough coming up with two VH songs I didn't like a little while back.

**sixstring** · 07.21.06, 03:57 PM

With all due respect, threads like this have become pretty irelevent to me lately. BAD VH is still better than most anything out there today that's considered 'great'. But, I guess operating under the pretense that VH is in their own league, you could compare one of their tunes against another for the sake of argument...

...I guess...