Van Halen Diver Down Song by Song Thread

This song has a lot of great lines but so many sites get the lyrics wrong. Even VHND which is a great site full of useful information for the most part...even they have the lyrics completely wrong. Like there's a line they have as 'take those', 'need' and 'give all', this much you understand' - when it's really 'takers need a giver, this much you understand'. Takers need a giver is a really great line.

I think this is part of why Dave doesn't always get the credit he's due as a lyricist. All these gems of his are butchered on these lyric sites.

 

Their own fault - they never included the lyrics in the albums.

 

"The Full Bug" is right there with "Hang Em High" for my favorite on the album. It's the blues: VH style. Love the intro. Also love the tempo change in the middle that reverts back to the intro. The up tempo parts are just classic VH. We even get some harmonic thrown in there. Love this one. 5 stars out of 5.

 

Wait, I thought I was doing “Full Bug”?

:: takes his toys and goes home ::

 

Largo '82

 

'Baltimore Washington!' - DLR, about 100 times during that show.

 

I have this boot but it sounds crappy, maybe there are different versions.

I listened to "The Full Bug" from the US Festival last night. Not so great sound quality but the performance shines through.

 

In my memory, I hear that line as "takers may be givers". Seems a little more Zen. I better listen again. . .

Edit: Just relistened and you are correct, sir.

 

This is between you and Musicman1998, who rattled my cage late yesterday, Pasadena Standard Time.

 

I'm going to do a side two wrap-up all-in-one like I did for side one. But I have to say I was way off in what I assumed "the full bug" meant. I interpreted it as a metaphor for a bug (i.e., a mosquito or tick) who has feasted on the blood of a host and is full to bursting.

Does this mean I possibly misinterpreted what Gene Simmons REALLY meant when he sang about wanting "to put [his] log in [her] fireplace?"

 

The Full Bug:
First off, thank you @wavethatflag for your review, and I'm truly sorry to @GodShifter, I had asked wavethatflag as you seemed not to be able to post a review.

Now onto the review.....
The song begins with Eddie doing some acoustic pickin while Dave sort of scatting over it, with the band jumping in fullforce at :19, and the band boogies in their own way, and Goddamn, is it awesome, and Dave is awesome as always on this song, such attitude, such pizazz! And I love Eddie's solo at 1:47, and the little bass run underneath. And the harmonica at 1:59 is awesome, everything about this song is awesome, f--- yeah!
This song rules, period, end of story.

 

Happy Trails:

And now we sadly conclude the album, but we conclude with Happy Trails, written by Dale Evans and sung by her and Roy Rogers as the theme song to their radio show and then television show. Van Halen would often end shows by singing this a capella, and so it concludes this album.
The song is kicked off by Dave and then the rest of the band comes in, and I love this tune, has a very offbeat charm to it, and feels very Dave.

Overall Thoughts and Rankings
While not quite on par with the first four, this is a very underrated album, has such a fun, unpretentious, devil-may-care attitude that encapsulates OG Van Halen, Classic Van Halen, real Van Halen so well.
Ranking:

1. Big Bad Bill (5/5)
2. Cathedral/Secrets (5/5)
3. Intruders/(Oh) Pretty Woman (5/5)
4. The Full Bug (5/5)
5. Hang Em High (5/5)
6. Dancing In the Streets (5/5)
7. Happy Trails (5/5)
8. Little Guitars (4.5/5)
9. Where Have All the Good Times Gone! (3.5/5)

 

Great LP and as stated very underrated thank you for a great thread and so many responses and for now Happy Trails To you......................

By the way enjoying the Yes Album thread

 

Happy Trails-nothing more than a fun way to end the album. After all the diversity that came before it this makes perfect sense.

 

Awesome, thanks

 

Thanks for the thread. Great job on the writeups and keeping it going among your other "duties" here on the forum! Any thread that gives more positive attention to DD is a well worthwhile endeavor!

 

Indeed

 

For sure. I loved to sing along with Dave's "bumba deeda's".

 

The Full Bug

Well, as a Blues fan, I am loving this. Definitely got the Full-Tilt Boogie going on here, John Lee Hooker would be proud. Bringing the non-stop energy that a boogie can provide. Guitar solo with the descending lines is interesting. Harmonica solo is decent (for a rock song, not saying Dave is exactly Little Walter or anything). I am thinking this could be Hot for Teacher's daddy.

9.7 out of 10!

 

Happy Trails (Dale Evans)

This song was actually my introduction to Diver Down. I hadn't bought the album yet and was in a diner somewhere and the 45 was on the jukebox. Someone played it and I was like "What is going on here". Noticed it was a B-side to Pretty Woman, of which I knew the original, and I played the A-side a few times. Visited the record store that following week and found it on cassette (Yes, audiophile forum, I used to listen to cassettes on my Sony Walkman!) It's a fun little song that only fits on Diver Down. But it does fit!

 

Without pulling the song up and listening to it, I can't seem to remember it.

Overall, "Diver Down" is a relatively short album, much like "1984" after it. I realize it's short because it was quickly put together on the strength of a hit single, but, like "1984", it's over as soon as it started.

 

Great thread! @Musicman1998 l'll sub in for you in any thread if I own the album.

There were a lot of great comments and insights by those who participated. Rock on.

 

Love “Happy Trails” from Dave’s odd intro (is he getting in tune?) to the laughter at the end.

If you didn’t regularly conclude your high school parties with a group singalong to this, you were doing it wrong.

 

'77 demo version

 

US Festival, '83