Van Halen - Van Halen II (1979) - Song by Song

Bergie.

 

The front cans are definitely Bergie's. They were cheap and they did the trick.

 

I think 'You're No Good' makes a great opener. Actually, I think the track order of the whole album album works really well. Starts off a little poppier, gets heavy in the middle and then closes off poppy again.

Anyway, I love this album. It's so live sounding and Eddie is unbelievable on the whole thing. And I love 'You're No Good. My favorite part is when Dave goes 'used to be I couldn't sleep at night, baby...Now you go on and do what you want..to. Just the way he emphasizes 'to'. Dave always has the greatest phrasing.

 

You're No Good live in '79

 

And didn't these guys dress and look a little different than any other band before them?

 

Also, in response to the picture in the studio. I seem to remember the album mix replicating that very model of Dave in the left, Eddie in the right, and the bass section right up front. At the very least I seem to remember Dave's vocals not being front and center.

 

Better than the first album in my opinion

 

wore that cassette out back in the day good times

 

I could always picture the latter as a fabulous opener - Roth could be making his entrance while Eddie is in the middle of that killer opening riff.

 

In an interview a long time ago, Michael Anthony said, "I actually prefer the music on that second record over the first." Sadly, he also mentioned that he had rough mixes of all the old albums with much more bass in them!

 

Definitely. They looked very different at the time. Very 'new' and modern compared to other hard rock bands.

 

Michael Anthony’s pants always fascinated me. The pants themselves to be clear ...

 

Here's Dave in '79 with a picture of Linda Ronstadt behind him.

 

Ready to rule the world.

 

That is one of favorite VH songs - along with D.O.A.

 

So weird to open with "You're No Good" rather than Light Up the Sky or Bottoms Up. Great album, but You're No Good is not only the most boring track, it's also the worst song on the album. If they were going to choose a cover, why not pick a better song (they did well with the two choices on VHI).

It strikes me that that Just Got Paid or Beer Drinkers Hell Raisers (both tunes they covered at that stage) would have been better choices. And pretty hip.

 

Van Halen took “You’re No Good” and made it their own.

 

I've always really dug the "face-off" Ed and Dave get into toward the end of "You're No Good" - Ed zapping out those double red alert sirens and Dave imitating them.

 

That's probably true, but the thing is most of the Van Halen's 'best' songs were cherry picked for the first album thus leaving II with the leftovers. I'm going to say that the debut and II are probably on par with each other material wise. As I said before, there are a couple true classics on II (bordering on some of Van Halen's best songs ever and a few duds, but we'll get to that in due time).

Linda was quite the hottie back then. No doubt about it.

 

Here's a couple more pictures of Van Halen in the studio during the II sessions.



Al on the drums.

 

"Mood ring". Haha.

So that's how he got that sound.

 

Before I gave the record much of a chance, an older friend of mine told me, "Dude, II is beach music!"

It makes sense in some weird kinda way when I listen now.

 

-you're no good-great cover. this album is more poppy and commercial than the first album imo

 

You're No Good

I don't think this one has aged well. Like others noted, it's an odd choice for an opener. Michael is a really good backing vocalist, but I don't care for it here.

Eddie is on point, though. Love his guitar throughout.

 

To echo what others have said, You're No Good was a very odd choice for the opener here. It's an okay cover, but not much more than that. One of the two songs from this album I almost never listen to.