Question about "Panama"

[UnleashVH]

Originally posted by JJay:
Hey, anybody know the story behind "Panama"? I assume it's about some chick Dave was bangin, but why the reference to Panama. I have some guesses
A) The chick was from Panama
B) Her name was Panama
C) Dave banged her in Panama
Just wondering if anybody knew the story behind "Panama"?

Originally posted by Dan Halen:
I've heard that's it's about a car, but I never thought about it being about a girl.

Oh, Fuck, man! This is about the funniest thread I've ever seen here. How old are you boys?

I'll give you boys a clue...Girls and Panama are known for one thing more than any other, at least from a man's perspective...

LMFAO!!

It's OK, though. Really. Glad to have you both here... Van Halen needs all the young fans it can get.

And I must admit, I originally didn't listen to the song because I thought, "Boy, that's nasty." (So now everyone can laugh at me, too.) But with the dearth of great tunes out there, I gave it another shot 'cause it sounded so good (and still does). I guess I've just learned to lighten up a bit. You can't take things too seriously, I guess.

But back to my point--it only just now crossed Dan Halen's mind that it might have been about somethin' other than a car! LMFAO again!

Am I the only one who thinks this thread is funny?

P.S. Thanks for the lyrics, JJay. I'd have never figured the mystery out otherwise...
:snicker: :snicker:

[Dan Halen]

Give me a break man, I'm 16. I remember lyrics to songs but don't really think about what they mean. The music matters the most. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[UnleashVH]

Originally posted by Dan Halen:
Give me a break man, I'm 16. I remember lyrics to songs but don't really think about what they mean. The music matters the most. [img]smile.gif[/img]

In a way, I can admire that. It seems to me, at least, that lyrics matter more to most kids today. I heard a special on PBS once where some redneck kid about your age was complaining that a Wal-Mart censored rap CD sounded like Dr. Seuss because it had the curse words taken out. I'm thinking, I can't imagine a single Rock 'N Roll song I like that would fall apart so markedly if the cursing were removed. But I also remember the media sighing in relief not too long ago when most kids said they listened to Eminem for the (fucked up) music, not the (fucked up) lyrics.

[Elwood P.]

Well Dave did actually say once that when he realized that he'd never written a song about a car, he wrote "Panama". Having said that, in Dave's demented eyes, nothing is ever as it seems. Obviously there are some potential interpretations. I remember a DJ around here introducing "Jamie's Cryin'" He said "here's a song about a girl who's boyfriend asked her to put out but she didn't. So he went out on the town without and now she's sitting all alone at home miserable. So the moral of the story is, girls put out when your boyfriend wants it." Well he got a few calls from girls who thought he was a bit out of line. He just said "Hey, David Lee Roth wrote the song, what do you think it's about?"

Bottom line is I wouldn't spend too much time looking for the hidden meanings of Dave's songs. We're probably all wrong.

[JJay]

Hey, anybody know the story behind "Panama"? I assume it's about some chick Dave was bangin, but why the reference to Panama. I have some guesses
A) The chick was from Panama
B) Her name was Panama
C) Dave banged her in Panama
Just wondering if anybody knew the story behind "Panama"? Here's the lyrics for anybody who can't remember exactly how it goes.

Jump back, what's that sound?
Here she comes, full blast and top down
Hot shoe, burnin' down the avenue
Model citizen, zero discipline

Don't ya know she's coming home with me
You'll lose her in that turn
I'll get her!

Panama, Panama
Panama, Panama

Ain't nothin' like it, her shiny machine
Got the feel for the wheel, keep the movin' parts clean
Hot shoe, burnin' down the avenue
Got an on-ramp comin' through my bedroom

Don't you know she's coming home with me
You'll lose her in that turn
I'll get her
Uh-oh!

Panama, Panama. Wow!
Panama, Panama oh-oh-oh-oh
Woo!

(Guitar Solo)

Yeah, we're runnin' a little bit hot tonight
I can barely see the road from the heat comin' off
You know what I'm sayin'
Ahh, you reach down put it between my legs n' ease the seat back

She's runnin', I'm flyin'
Right behind in the rearview mirror now
Got the fearin', power steerin'
Pistons poppin', ain't no stoppin' now

Panama, Panama
Panama, Panama oh-oh-oh-oh
Panama, Panama oh-oh-oh-oh
Panama

[Dan Halen]

I've heard that's it's about a car, but I never thought about it being about a girl.

[UnleashVH]

Originally posted by Elwood P.:
Well Dave did actually say once that when he realized that he'd never written a song about a car, he wrote "Panama". Having said that, in Dave's demented eyes, nothing is ever as it seems. Obviously there are some potential interpretations. I remember a DJ around here introducing "Jamie's Cryin'" He said "here's a song about a girl who's boyfriend asked her to put out but she didn't. So he went out on the town without and now she's sitting all alone at home miserable. So the moral of the story is, girls put out when your boyfriend wants it." Well he got a few calls from girls who thought he was a bit out of line. He just said "Hey, David Lee Roth wrote the song, what do you think it's about?"

Bottom line is I wouldn't spend too much time looking for the hidden meanings of Dave's songs. We're probably all wrong.

Maybe...But here's the word from The Van Halen Encyclopedia, 2nd edition, by C. J. Chilvers:

"According to Dave the lyrics to "Panama" were written after a day at the drag races in Fontana, CA, where he'd seen a car named the Panama Express. The lyrics are about a car referred to as a woman."

And, apparently, JJay and Dan Halen aren't the only ones who are confused:

Note that this link may both amuse and offend viewers at the same time.

It certainly starts out cute enough:



Panama

Somewhere in my vast viewing audience of tens of one -- or just the people who mistakenly surf here because I put the words "sex" and "star trek" in my meta-tags -- there must be a Van Halen fan. Not the ones that think Van Halen is the band "that fired Sammy Hagar," but of the old days of yore when every song didn't rhyme "you" with "do." Hopefully, one of those people can explain my confusion with the song Panama.

[JJay]

UnleashVH, I was aware of the double entendre that existed in the lyrics between a car and a woman. I know that Panama is a reference to weed but I just never really put it together. I guess it could be. But, hey, thanks for the excerpt from the VH encyclopedia. That clears it up for me.

[Top Timmy]

Perfect topic for the Van Halen Songs/Albums/Videos forum guys! [img]graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]

Moving it there now for ya'll. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[MikeL]

This is to the best of my recollection. Glenn could fill in the blanks and mistakes.

Dave wrote Panama after getting some heat in an interview about only writing songs about girls and cars. He'd never written a song about a car, and decided to give it a go. Why Panama? It really doesn't matter. It's rock and roll. Sounds good=is good!

[seenbad]

And not just a car but a road race of sorts I believe.

[Elwood P.]

Originally posted by MikeL:
This is to the best of my recollection. Glenn could fill in the blanks and mistakes.

Dave wrote Panama after getting some heat in an interview about only writing songs about girls and cars. He'd never written a song about a car, and decided to give it a go. Why Panama? It really doesn't matter. It's rock and roll. Sounds good=is good!

Exactly.

[Elwood P.]

[quote]Originally posted by UnleashVH:

And, apparently, JJay and Dan Halen aren't the only ones who are confused:

Hey, you talkin' about me or you.

[UnleashVH]

Originally posted by JJay:
UnleashVH, I was aware of the double entendre that existed in the lyrics between a car and a woman. I know that Panama is a reference to weed but I just never really put it together. I guess it could be. But, hey, thanks for the excerpt from the VH encyclopedia. That clears it up for me.

I wasn't aware that Panama was a reference to weed (though I'm sure they grow plenty of weed there). I figured since the lyrics to Panama were written by DLR, his reasoning went something like:

Panama Express --> Express = car --> Panama = Canal --> Canal = Pussy cat --> write song about babe using car references

Who knows? Maybe I am just confused...

[MikeL]

Never try to read too much into a DLR lyric. [img]smile.gif[/img]