Was the 3rd album the charm for Van Hagar?

**I Coulda Hada VH** · 06.18.21, 06:28 PM

Did Van Halen 'F.U.C.K.' Up Their Third Hagar Album?: Roundtable (ultimateclassicrock.com)

**It's Mike** · 06.18.21, 06:36 PM

Best sounding album but the material wasn't as strong. It has some of my favourite tunes with Sammy (Runaround and Top of the World), but too many songs that i felt weren't very good.

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**I Coulda Hada VH** · 06.18.21, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by It's Mike

Best sounding album but the material wasn't as strong. It has some of my favourite tunes with Sammy (Runaround and Top of the World), but too many songs that i felt weren't very good.

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Well said. Half killer, half filler.

**Al Van Bundy** · 06.18.21, 06:55 PM

Judgement Day, Pleasure Dome & The Dream Is Over are 3 of VH's best songs, regardless of era.

The production was certainly a step up from 5150 and OU812, but it still doesn't sound as full and clear as Balance and the 3 tracks done for Best of Volume 1.

**I Coulda Hada VH** · 06.18.21, 07:13 PM

Originally Posted by Al Van Bundy

Judgement Day, Pleasure Dome & The Dream Is Over are 3 of VH's best songs, regardless of era.

The production was certainly a step up from 5150 and OU812, but it still doesn't sound as full and clear as Balance and the 3 tracks done for Best of Volume 1.

Those aren’t even the 3 best songs on this album.

**MF5150** · 06.18.21, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by I Coulda Hada VH

Those aren’t even the 3 best songs on this album.

What songs do you feel are better on FUCK?

Removing those three leaves:

In/Out
Right Now
Man on a Mission
Spanked
Poundcake
316
Top of the World

None of those songs above unseat Judgement Day, Pleasure Dome or Dream Is Over. Not one, IMO.

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**Brett** · 06.18.21, 07:56 PM

Top of the World is one of the best songs the band ever did with Sammy. So there’s one. I like Poundcake more than Pleasure Dome too. Basically I like everything more than PD. That’s like one of my least favorite Van Halen songs period. Just never got all the love for that song.

And I just can’t agree with with anything on FUCK being the some of the best Van Halen songs ever. Just don’t see that one.

**JUNGLE DRUMMER** · 06.18.21, 08:24 PM

The Dream Is Over and PD are two of my favorite Van Hagar tunes. TOTW is great, and I really like Poundcake, JD, and Runaround.

But the other four tunes are bottom tier Van Hagar tunes. And, I know I'm a broken record on this, but as a drummer, the drum sound on this album is the MOST OVERRATED of any VH album. I was so disappointed in Andy Johns' work on this album. The snare has too sharp of a clap to it and I prefer the AVH "woody" brown sound snare, the cymbals are also too bright and sharp. And again, the muddy indistinguishable mess of a tom sound on Poundcake and JD is especially egregious. Then the dry, blah sounding tom sound on almost all the rest of the tracks doesn't help.

This album is also one of VH's least eclectic, especially coming on the heels of such a wide range of songwriting on OU812. Only like this album more than Balance and VHIII but that's it.

**I Coulda Hada VH** · 06.18.21, 09:14 PM

Originally Posted by MF5150

What songs do you feel are better on FUCK?

Removing those three leaves:

In/Out
Right Now
Man on a Mission
Spanked
Poundcake
316
Top of the World

None of those songs above unseat Judgement Day, Pleasure Dome or Dream Is Over. Not one, IMO.

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Runaround (my 2nd favorite song from the Sammy era, behind only 5150), Poundcake and Top Of The World.

**Dutchie5150** · 06.18.21, 10:49 PM

Easily the strongest album of the Hagar era for me..

**I Coulda Hada VH** · 06.18.21, 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by Dutchie5150

Easily the strongest album of the Hagar era for me..

Third strongest of the Hagar era for me.

**YankeeRose** · 06.18.21, 11:48 PM

It's an incredible album! Judgement Day is my favorite, followed by The Dream Is Over, Top Of The World & Poundcake. I also like Runaround & Right Now. I love the production on it too.

**Raldo** · 06.19.21, 03:02 AM

Top of the World and The Dream is Over are my 2 faves.
I liked how during that tour, the band played PD.

**jagerdave** · 06.19.21, 04:41 AM

For years this was my favorite album. But as I've grown older, I just don't think it holds up as well as some of their other albums. I don't understand having "Spanked" on there. If anything, that should have been a Japanese bonus track.

**It's Mike** · 06.19.21, 04:46 AM

Originally Posted by MF5150

What songs do you feel are better on FUCK?

Removing those three leaves:

In/Out
Right Now
Man on a Mission
Spanked
Poundcake
316
Top of the World

None of those songs above unseat Judgement Day, Pleasure Dome or Dream Is Over. Not one, IMO.

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Top of the World might be the best anthem they wrote with Sammy. Runaround might be my favourite Sammy tune. Those two are great.

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