Studio Album Review: Van Halen - 1984

Van Halen, the All-American rock n' roll band of the 80's, were at the peak of their career when 1984 was released on January 9th, 1984. The album featured David Lee Roth on vocals, Eddie Van Halen on lead guitar, Alex Van Halen on drums, and Michael Anthony on bass guitar. It was be the last album David Lee Roth would record with Van Halen before going solo. The album was so great that it was eventually certified Diamond, selling over 10 million copies. Now lets take a deeper look at what made this album so great with an analysis of each song.

1984 (1:07) -The album opens with a short instrumental utilizing heavy synthesizer effects. It is fairly stereotypical of the era but is a very good lead-in to the next song which is... 6/10

Jump (4:04) - Probably the most recognizable song off of the album, if not from the band overall, Jump starts out with a melodic synthesizer riff that is present throughout the rest of the song. Despite the feel-good vibe of the song, it is commonly thought to be about a social outcast getting ready to jump off of a bridge or building, supporting lyrics such as "Might as well jump" and "Go ahead, jump". 8/10

Panama (3:32) - This song opens up with an exciting, heart pounding guitar riff that sets the pace for the rest of the song. The song is clearly about street or drag racing with lyrics including "Got the feel for the wheel, keep the moving parts clean" and "Pistons popping, ain't no stopping now". Directly after the guitar solo is a breakdown where the revving of a sports car engine can be heard. The Song then goes into a final chorus before ending on "Panama!". 9/10

Top Jimmy (3:02) - Opening up with a mellow guitar riff featuring many natural harmonics, this song quickly picks up into a fast-paced good-times song. The lyrics seem to depict recalling going to see a phenomenal musician named "Top Jimmy" live in concert. 8.5/10

Drop Dead Legs (4:15) - Starting off with a melodic guitar riff in the key of A, the song leads into a heavier guitar riff with an accentuated beat that creates a distinctive feel that is revisited throughout the song. The lyrics feature no apparent undertones and are very direct, depicting an attractive woman with "Drop dead legs". 8.5/10

Hot for Teacher (4:44) - This is easily one of the most recognizable intros to any Van Halen song. It starts out with one drum track resembling something close to an idling motorcycle. It is them accompanied by a second and third drum track creating a very full, intricate drum sound. It only gets better from there when Eddie Van Halen enters with an amazing guitar riff integrating fret board tapping. The rest of the song is very fast-paced, energetic, and depicts a young boy who is attracted to one of his school teachers. 9.5/10

I'll Wait (4:45) - The longest song on the album, I'll Wait, takes a break from the hard rocking standard that was set by the first six songs. Like Jump, it starts out with a synthesizer riff. However, this time it is much slower and is more present throughout the rest of the song. The song appears to be about a man who has a desire for a woman. 7.5/10

Girl Gone Bad (4:35) - The 8th song on the album starts out in a similar fashion to Top Jimmy and Drop Dead Legs. It then picks up and goes into another unique vibe that features many exotic-sounding chords played by Eddie. It seems to depict a woman that the singer's character used to be close to but has "gone bad". 6.5/10

House of Pain (3:19) - The closer song is an average song for Van Halen, not bad, but not outstanding either. It starts off with a heavy guitar riff that carries the rest of the song. The lyrics are thought to be about a man in a love-hate relationship with a woman. 6.5/10

-Summary-
As you can see, 1984 was not only a great album, but an album that defined a band and a decade.
Overall, I'll give this album a 9/10

-Sources-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_%28Van_Halen_album%29
http://www.songmeanings.net/