Van Halen: Women and Children First (1980) Song by Song

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by GodShifter, Nov 30, 2017.

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  1. ian christopher

    ian christopher Argentina (in Spirit)

    Location:
    El Centro
    please reign me in if I'm off topic here, but did all of us VH fanatics ever post our Top 10 all-time VH songs?
     
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  2. dadonred

    dadonred Life’s done you wrong so I wrote you all this song

    Location:
    Austin, TX
    The band performance is awesome on this, subdued but tight. I especially love Eddie's parts in this one. The chord changes are amazing. People do not discuss this much,.but the mighty VH tends to put out some very beautiful,.melodic work. (Not just pop, but music that pulls you in, relaxes you. This and Women in Love for example.) Of course this song could also be Jamie's crying's ittle sister. I used to play this one over and over. The dynamics and pace changes are wonderful here, along with nice vox.
     
  3. dadonred

    dadonred Life’s done you wrong so I wrote you all this song

    Location:
    Austin, TX
    I'm pretty happy with the bass sounds on W&CF.
     
  4. ian christopher

    ian christopher Argentina (in Spirit)

    Location:
    El Centro
    interesting reference by Eddie (not wanting to sound too much like Zeppelin) -- In A Simple Rhyme is a perfect exposition of 4 musicians pushing themselves to the max, similar to what Led Zeppelin did many times.
     
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  5. dadonred

    dadonred Life’s done you wrong so I wrote you all this song

    Location:
    Austin, TX
    You, sir, are welcome here!
     
  6. dadonred

    dadonred Life’s done you wrong so I wrote you all this song

    Location:
    Austin, TX
    Not to me. But then again, his solos and fills were already hummable, memorable to me. That said, the next album was quite a (n unhappy shock) to me sonically.
     
  7. dadonred

    dadonred Life’s done you wrong so I wrote you all this song

    Location:
    Austin, TX
    Love your galloping drums description...
     
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  8. ian christopher

    ian christopher Argentina (in Spirit)

    Location:
    El Centro
    he does play with dissonance a bit on "Seventh Seal" and "AFU" from the Hagar era . but I hope we can go over those records at a later date :)
     
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  9. pool_of_tears

    pool_of_tears Searching For Simplicity

    Location:
    Midwest
    @GodShifter, thanks for starting this thread.

    I've spent the day (I'm on vacation), blasting my Roth-era VH vinyl. It was like seeing some long lost friends. Of the classic 6, I find the first 4 (especially WACF and Fair Warning) to be the warmest sounding.
     
  10. npgchris

    npgchris Forum Resident

    Could This Be Magic?

    Wow, this was unexpectedly cool. I love this song. I imagine the typical 13-16 year-old VH fan back in the day was scratching his head, but this is tons of fun.

    After loving their debut album, I never owned the second or third albums. I think it was a few years before one of my best friends went back and bought these, and by then, I wouldn't have made a point to have sat down and listened to them. I know that part of the reason that I didn't make an effort to seek out II or WACF when they were first released was that the "word on the street" was that these albums were only so-so. Or at the very least, they weren't garnering the raves that the debut had gotten. Hearing a track like this, coupled with "Loss Of Control" (and to a lesser extent, the last two tracks on side one), I can understand why the "word on the street" was decidedly mixed on this album. But the very elements that may have turned off a young "rawk" fan are the very things that make this album memorable. This song was really enjoyable!


    In A Simple Rhyme

    Realistically, this is not a song I should be commenting on after hearing it only twice. It strikes me as the kind of song that probably takes 6-12 listens (or more) to fully reveal its charms. There's no doubt that Alex's drumming on this is impressive. And I like the guitar tone, and a lot of what Eddie and Mike are playing. It's not knocking me out, but again, I haven't heard it enough to really give it a thorough critique. I could potentially see this one growing on me.

    Dang, that "Growth" riff sounds killer! Count me as disappointed that it wasn't developed into the opening cut of the next album.


    Well, you guys have won me over on this album's worth. I quite like it. I hope @GodShifter continues these Van Halen song-by-song threads. Other than the debut and 5150, and to a lesser extent Fair Warning, I'm relatively unfamiliar with the band's catalog. (And even those 3 albums I haven't listened to in a while).

    Cheers, Godshifter. Nice job! :cheers:

    (Now I need to get caught up in the Highway To Hell thread!)
     
  11. Oliver

    Oliver Bourbon Infused

    Thanks :cheers:
     
  12. swandown

    swandown Under Assistant West Coast Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    RE: In A Simple Rhyme

    Do you think Dave sings "You think you got the interest" or do you think he sings "You think you got the address"? Because I think it could go either way.
     
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  13. Oliver

    Oliver Bourbon Infused

    I'll just add that I never knew Ed played 12 string on Simple Rhyme. I just assumed it was overdubbed 6 string parts.
     
  14. smitquest

    smitquest Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lancaster, NY, USA
    always took it as "address", as it's followed by "c'mon and take the time," denoting both the where and the when.

    'cuz, y'know, dave and the boys were always logical like that :)

    smitquest
     
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  15. vamborules

    vamborules Forum Resident

    Location:
    CT
  16. Sixpence

    Sixpence Zeppelin Fan

    Location:
    Connecticut
    A band firing on all cylinders on this album. Outside of their first lp, this is a close second.
     
  17. ElevatorSkyMovie

    ElevatorSkyMovie Senior Member

    Location:
    Oklahoma
    I would say WACF and Diver Down are best at showing the diverse interests of DLR. I like the Sammy era. I wore 5150 out. But with Sammy, VH was just meat and potatoes rock.

    Dave took all the swagger and swing when he left.
     
  18. GodShifter

    GodShifter Forum Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Dallas, TX, USA
    I have absolutely zero interest in the Sammy Hagar era. I bought 5150 when it came out and I was so excited with the prospect of Hagar joining VH, but after hearing “Dreams” on the radio I was like “ uhhh”. I bought OU812 and just gave up. I haven’t heard anything past that except for ADKOT.
     
  19. GodShifter

    GodShifter Forum Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Dallas, TX, USA
    I think the most shocking thing with me was how much Eddie changed his sound and style. He just seemed kind of haphazard with his playing and there was no bite to his guitar tone. It was really disappointing. I try to forget ‘that’ Eddie Van Halen and remember him more for the first four or five records. I’d compare the contrast almost like Iommi through MoR and then his tone went south. I guess I don’t like change very much.
     
  20. GodShifter

    GodShifter Forum Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Dallas, TX, USA
    Hi Mike! :laugh:

    I’m sitting in a bar at the moment who’s owner knows you. He said you drink like a fish and are pretty short. Said you were nice, though. I guess Sammy came in with you a few times as well ;)
     
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  21. GodShifter

    GodShifter Forum Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Dallas, TX, USA
    Last post, I promise:

    If I was to undertake another album which one would you guys like to do? II? Fair Warning? I’m interested in what you’d like to cover.
     
  22. SonicBob

    SonicBob Forum Resident

    Location:
    West Virginia
    Catching up yet again and I'll give my thoughts on the 2nd half of the record

    Tora Tora!/Loss of Control- The beginning of Tora Tora! sounds like a Sabbath steal or homage and introduces a hyperactive, perhaps half finished number in Loss of Control. The sheer speed of this tune is pretty exhilarating and fast, kinda seems like a purposeful twist within the grooves of the album to kick it up a notch and it works! 7 out of 10 or a B rating.

    Take Your Whiskey Home- I love the quick acoustic blues intro from Eddie and sorta like "Fools" tempo wise from earlier, Whiskey's a pretty solid number to round out the second side with. 7 out of 10 or a B rating.

    Could This Be Magic?- A complete abandon for the record, this acoustic number has some novelty charm with Dave and Mike's "from the hip" harmony singing on its chorus and Eddie gets in some nice chickin' pickin' slide on the solo breaks. It's not definitive of VH, but shows diversity and that's just enough to warrant merit. 6.5 out of 10 or B-/C+ rating.

    In a Simple Rhyme- One of my top VH songs EVER, Rhyme exhibits the parameters and boundaries the band were capable of pushing towards growing creativity within their musical palette and this number is a peak of sorts. The continuing vocal harmonies coming forth, along with a grand, semi-epic theme introduced and some more prolific guitar playing establishing and embellishing the tune, this one caps off Women and Children First as best ever song to do so within the Roth era, in my opinion. 10 out of 10 or A++ rating.

    Women and Children First/Overall Rating- A
     
  23. ian christopher

    ian christopher Argentina (in Spirit)

    Location:
    El Centro
    We definitely see eye-to-eye on Iommi.

    Ward saved them on Vol IV, but by SBS only Ozzy's voice was still firing on all cylinders, and I listen to heavy rock just a bit more for riffs than vocals
     
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  24. ian christopher

    ian christopher Argentina (in Spirit)

    Location:
    El Centro
    I'd have to flip a coin, although II is my fave VH disc (by a hair over Fair Warning) - diversity and the energy in songs like Light Up The Sky and the experimentation of Outta Love Again but II on the top.

    Cherone actually sounded pretty good singing songs from the first 4 albums on the 1998 tour.
     
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  25. ian christopher

    ian christopher Argentina (in Spirit)

    Location:
    El Centro
    2-3 GREAT songs per album - the rest are decent ballads and throw-away tracks.

    Sammy gets me with the lyrics of Mine all Mine, and the raw power of 5150 (title track), AFU, Seventh Seal, Pleasure Dome, and Aftershock make it into my playlists quite often even today.
     
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