David Lee Roth album by album thread

Eat em and Smile came out the day before my 10th birthday. I assume I got it for a gift, as I was digging that Yankee Rose video (to the chagrin on my mother, who disapproved of Dave's assless chaps). I havent played the album in forever (like, 20+ years!), but I know my favorite tracks were "Shy Boy" and "Tobacco Road". "Goin Crazy" is permanently branded into my brain. I'll make an effort to play the album this week. I've never owned this on CD, which seems like an oversight!

 

Here's a song Dave recorded in 1999 for a 9 year old girl who was battling leukemia (she's since made a full recovery):

 

Final one, for now:
Diamond Dave (2003)



1. You Got The Blues, Not Me: Cool opening, and Dave's swagger shines through this cool bluesy song, Promising opening.

2. Made Up My Mind: More of an old school vibe, but Dave does shine, even if the song itself isnt that great.

3. Stay While The Night Is Young: This song goes for more of a "quiet storm" feel, not really feeling this one either.

4. Shoo Bop: Pretty fun song, with more of a funk vibe in it.

5. She's Looking Good: Not terrible, but nothing I'd seek out either.

6. Soul Kitchen: Cool Doors cover, would have been better with better production (the production on this album is pretty dire all around).

7. If 6 Was 9: The parts where Dave is singing lower arent bad, but this song doesnt really work.

8. That Beatles Tune: Wonder why he didnt just call it Tomorrow Never Knows. Anyway, this is sadly the worst song on the album, with a repetitive rhythm section, and even the vocals seem phoned in.

9. Medicine Man: Short number with deliberately low-tuned sound, sadly, the bad production means it's unlistenable.

10. Let It All Hang Out: More of Dave delivering a monologue over a music track than an actual song.

11. Thug Pop: The only rock song on this album. Too bad he couldnt make a whole album of songs like this with this band, because it's pretty cool and the best song on the album.

12. Act One: Just Dave messing around in the studio

13. Ice Cream Man: Dave covers this song again, but this time it's closer to the original. Second fav track on this album.

14. Bad Habits: And we close with Dave doing his whole big band schtick. Actually pretty good.

This was disapointing. Only a handful of songs I'd actually want to listen to again. I know Dave wasnt really making a rock album (though that doesnt explain Thug Pop), but most of the album fell flat, and the production was terrible. Hopefully we'll get another album that's better than this.

 

And we end the retrospective with Dave's tribute to EVH:



Well, I had some fun with this. What's next in my retrospectves? "We Aint Sure Pal"

 

Crazy from the Heat. I love Gigalo/Got Nobody, one of guilty pleasure sing alongs in the car whenever it comes on the radio. California Girls is a descent cover. I probably like the video more than the song.

Eat 'em and Smile - A great album, maybe even a classic at least in terms of the DLR and VH catalogs. Great playing, good variety, all catchy songs. It even works in spanish which I have on cassette. My favorite from Roth.

Skyscraper - Just OK but a big let down from EEAS. I sold off my CD in the 90's but actually reacquired a couple years ago as a dollar bin rescue. My opinion hasn't changed.

A Little Ain't Enough / Your Filthy Little Mouth. - I just acquired both of these within the past two months. I was not familiar with either other than the songs that made Greatest Hits. Still getting familiar but initial reaction is both have some good moments. And some duds. Maybe both are better than or at least equal with Skyscraper.

 

Little known fact: "Bad Habits" had first appeared in the 1996 Steve Martin film "Sgt. Bilko".

 

i think the last 2 tracks were recorded in 1996

 

"Ice Cream Man" was recorded around 1995 promote Dave's ill-fated casino venture. But the only way to hear the song was to call an 800 number that also included some prerecorded bit from Dave plus an advertisement for the show. Dave also produced a promo video for the song (which included footage from his casino show rehearsals), but I don't think it got very much promotion.

 

Great EP it's not easy to do cool cover songs unless you are VH, David Lee Roth, Evan Dando or the Grateful Dead.

Don't forget DLR drafted some of the Beach Boys for backing vocals and Edgar Winter to play on this album.

 

The DLR Band album is underated it really rocked and John 5 and Ray Luzier was also in the band.

 

I became a fan after seeing the Just Like Paradise video - to me the guy was a real life superhero! And I just love the comps of all his stage moves and jumps/kicks. In his prime without a doubt the coolest man in the planet.

My favourite will probably always be Skyscraper, I just adore the songs and production on it. A departure for sure from the Ted Templeman sound.
At a guess I’d say he may have been influenced by the sound and production values of Hysteria.

 

And now, the Dave TV VHS with commentary.

 

This appear on that last compilation he did as a bonus disc?
I know he did a commentary track for the No Holds Bar-B-Q vid.

 

My favorite album, but as for me others solo albums worth nothing.

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8WhoxWR9Ed4&t=2s

Dave needs to hire this guy!

 

Not sure if it was intentional or not, but the mountains kinda look a bit like Eddie's striped guitar!

 

It was on t-shirts in ‘88 so probably a coincidence. Good spot though

 

Looks like the YouTube video is based on the insert of the Skyscaper vinyl album:

 

Very cool - I’m a cd guy (or tapes back when Skyscraper was released) and that’s not featured in the booklet - a pity!

 

It did. Not sure about the commentary.

 

I passed on it coz I heard it was a poor transfer of the original vhs.

And as far as comps go I thought ‘The Best’ was far superior too - more tracks and an excellent booklet.

 

It was hard being a Roth fan in 1994. If the 80’s were one long party for DLR, then the 90’s were definitely the hangover!

I’ll give the man his due - he sure did roll the dice on ‘Your Filthy Little Mouth’, it was either gonna be a massive hit or a massive fail and I think he knew he was gambling with his current fan-base (ALAE did at least go Gold, so he had a market) and aiming for a whole new audience. Unfortunately it didn’t come off for him and that must’ve been tough after spending a year writing/recording those songs (I remember him mentioning this in an interview at the time).

I think there’s the bones of a great rock album buried in there but it could do with a little trimming. I’d lose ‘A Little Luck’, ‘Cheatin Heart Cafe’, ‘You’re Breathin’ It’, ‘Lands Edge’, and I’d most definitely include the killer ‘Mississippi Power’.

Still a very enjoyable album I listen to when I want a change of pace from the “Non-stop talker/What a Rocker” ‘Diamond Dave’ albums.

 

I'm really hoping Dave releases his sessions with John 5 soon. I always found his solo albums underrated.

 

I saw him on this tour and it was kind of depressing. The venue was a small local theater which was not a bad place at all, but to see him in place that size when it seemed like only yesterday he was the king of rock was depressing. Plus his band seemed very uncool, I think his drummer had one of those shield things and they all just looked very Vegas/studio player to me. It was a drag. A lot of the reasons it was a drag were probably in my head but it still bummed me out.




edit: this was the place. The Globe Theatre in Norwalk, CT

 

Great album... might be the best summer album ever.

I had turned 11 before this came out. It was released a couple weeks after 5th grade ended. It quickly became the soundtrack of the summer of 86....

WWF/AWA action figures, playing outside at my apartment complex, riding skateboards, barefoot girls running through the sprinklers, buying Superstar popsicles from the ice cream man, staying out until our parents yelled for us to come inside.... and David Lee Roth.

What more could a kid ask for that summer....

I loved the whole album but my favorites at the time were Yankee Rose and Going Crazy.

As I got older, the real gems became Big Trouble and Ladies Night in Buffalo.