Van Halen Diver Down Song by Song Thread

Where have all the good times gone? I have decided to start the song by song for Diver Down. Released in 1982, this has often gained a somewhat mixed reception due to the presence of covers, but how is this album really? Tune in to find out. I should note that unlike past threads, I am not following one a day, it will now be every 2-3 days. I also want to post some following rules for this thread:
1 - Please limit your comments to the song at hand, or songs that have already been discussed. You can let us know what your favorite song on the album is when we get to it.
2 - Please support your stated opinions, simply because it leads much more fruitful discussion than "This rocks" or "This sucks".

But tell me what how you Discovered this record, initial impressions, etc.

 

can't wait to see the opinions on this release

 

The single “Oh Pretty Woman” was released a few months in advance, so we knew a new album would be coming out very soon and would probably coincide with an ‘82 summer tour. I bought the album right when it was released and loved it all the way through and still do. I also caught the 3rd show on the tour, which was in Charlotte, NC 7/17/82 - sold out on a hot summer night - it was awesome!

 

I bought the cassette tapes of "Diver Down" and Billy Squier's "Don't Say No" at the same time. My first ever purchases of rock music. Both albums hold a lot of sentimental value for me.

 

This and 1984 were the only VH I ever owned and like em both

 

Get the first four, they blow those two away

 

It's a solid record, but it probably sits at 11th place on the list of favorite VH albums for me, ahead of only III.

 

They released Pretty Woman to keep their name out there. When it became a hit, the record company wanted an album , hence the plethora of cover tunes. That being said, I think this is a fun album and the originals are some of their best

 

Impressions.....well all the albums before this were great but this one was was......I am still trying to figure it out. Evidence of an artist that makes your think. Not what I expected. Sure the album did not fit into what you expected but did that make it not as good as the others? No way. This is a great album. As good as all the others. I will argue that till the cows come home.
Just listen to "Secrets".

 

With Van Halen, covers aren't mere covers. I think they transform any song they play. So, in my opinion, covers are not a problem and aren't going to cause me to downgrade a record.

This was the first Van Halen I ever bought, back in the cassette years. I would eventually buy the previous ones, but this one has always been my favorite.

As far as "Where Have All The Good Times Gone," the only way I knew it was a cover was the song credit. I wasn't that familiar with the Kinks, much less the song. To me, at first, this was a Van Halen song. "Open up and shout it out and never try to sing"--that's Dave to a tee.

 

BTW, Happy New Years and today is my birthday

 

Happy Birthday. I really appreciate these VH related threads of yours and find the discussions and included insights very informative.

 

Happy Birthday @Musicman1998

 

I bought it right when it came out. Loved it then, love it now. I'd rank it after the first four but above 1984 and everything after.

 

Oh @GodShifter lead WaCF and FW, while @Rose River Bear did the first album

 

This was the first Van Halen album I ever owned. I was well familiar with them, of course, because everyone else had the albums. Just hadn't bothered for some reason. I got it on cassette as part of the Columbia House 12 albums for a penny deal. Good Times

 

I bought it at release on the strength of Intruder/ Pretty Woman. It's obviously thin on original content, but I like all the covers and most of the originals.

 

My favorite VH album.

 

I got it many years ago as I was building my CD collection. It was the third VH album I bought, in part because you KNEW the covers. Even if you weren't sure about VH's version, you knew the original. It was a slam dunk. As I got older, I got to appreciate the originals on the album. Hang Em High, Secrets, Little Guitars, The Full Bug...even if it had been just a EP, those songs alone would have been worth it. Where I may catch some flack is that I rate it higher than most others do. Some days, it ranks third or fourth. FW sits atop always, but DD stands on its own merits.

 

I always loved Diver Down. An album I would always play in my backyard during a BBQ in the summertime. It always had that summertime feel to it.

 

I still remember when it came out, and it wasn't received so well by my peers who were also into (rock) music.

I think there are some really strong moments on this album. I never really understood the cover artwork, seemed like a lazy job to me, but maybe it has a deeper meaning.

The first song "Where Have All the Good Times Gone" always sounded like an original Van Halen song to me. I think it is a strong opener.

 

The cover art is a diver down flag. Diver down flag - Wikipedia

 

I liked the huge guitar effects. What's the best sounding CD of this one?

 

Same here! I had never even heard the Kink’s version either! And when I finally did, I couldn’t believe how wimpy it sounded! Van Halen’s version rocks! The Kink’s version in comparison is like milk toast, lol!

 

Where Have All the Good Times Gone?:

We open the album with a cover of the Kinks' "Where Have All the Good Times Gone?", written as with most Kinks songs by Ray Davies, and appears on The Kinks Kontroversy and was the B-Side to Til the End Pf the Day. The band had covered many Kinks songs in the early club days, and of course You Really Got Me was the band's first single. Dave later explained that the band chose this song to cover because he noticed how business people were just exploiting whatever was new or in to make a quick buck, making that sound so far removed from what it was and where it came from.
The song starts with a cymbal wash by Alex accented slightly by Eddie before he kicks into a riff at :07, Mike and Al lay down a solid meat and potatoes groove, and the band riff and groove, Dave comes in and :26, and he really nails the vibe and the attitude, he really elevates this song, as does Eddie with his guitar playing, and I love love LOVE Mike's harmony vocals on the chorus, as well as Eddie's solo at 1:52, has such a killer offbeat vibe to it, I love it so much!!!
This song is a great tune. On one hand, it's no You Really Got Me and I kind of wish they had picked a different band, like for example, The Who (one of the sixties songs), but they totally nailed this so I'm sure as hell not complaining.