The Most Hard Rocking Van Halen Songs Ever

When somebody says hard rock, it’s not hard to think of the blistering flavor Van Halen brought to the table at their prime. Considered as one of the best hard rock outfits to ever exist, the band showcased pure, unadulterated fun during their stage performance, a weird but enjoyable cross between man and child. The band dished out tracks that contained a viral energy, primarily brought on by its namesake, Eddie Van Halen. Juggling between different frontmen in the course of their career, the band has seen better days, depending on which team you’re on. With that aside, here are some hard to miss tracks from the iconic band!

“Romeo Delight” – Women And Children First (1980)

Showcasing EVH’s need for speed with the intro, “Romeo Delight” shines through with its excellent variation in technique. The song carries on to ride on a hype-based arrangement, with prominent high points that satisfactorily dive down to a point of resolution.

“On Fire” – Van Halen (1978)

While Van Halen’s debut catalog was saucy enough to wake the slumbering spirits of rock aficionados, the band didn’t seem to think so. Thus, “Fire” was born, and burn it did. Riffs and licks galore, it was a track you’d gladly go deaf from.

“Little Guitars” – Diver Down (1982)

Evolution is something that comes with time, and Van Halen isn’t exempt from it. More like a modern pop rock fusion, “Little Guitars” was a beautiful romance track that didn’t rely on the edgy tones the band was known for, but still managed to pull it off with a certified Van Halen sound.

“Dance The Night Away” – Van Halen II (1979)

Another pop-ish sounding track from the band, it didn’t totally shy away from EVH’s flair, with him busting some arpeggios in the radio-friendly format. The bass lines provide proper detailing, and we see the unusual switch to rhythm guitar by EVH.

“Panama” – 1984 (1984)

With the beautiful notion of ambiguity comes their heaviest material of the era, “Panama”. Contrasting the goofiness of the classic music video is the scathing arrangement, with EVH adding riffs, solos, and Lamborghini revs all over the place.

“Unchained” – Fair Warning (1981)

A subtle deviant from the direction of most Van Halen tracks, “Unchained” was a grittier, more realistic take on the high life. With a prominent drop tuning on EVH’s main riff, bizarre minor chord usage, and equally edgy lyrics, “Unchained” takes the listener to a dark place effectively.

“Eruption” – Van Halen (1978)

The brief instrumental changed the rock landscape vastly in an equally brief amount of time as well. EVH’s virtuousic style of finger tapping, shredding picks, and dive bombs and pulls, became an instant hit with contemporaries and aspirants.

“Hot For Teacher” – 1984 (1984)

The controversial song and video amassed critics and fans alike, but Van Halen was too into it to notice. The classic hot teacher fantasy is driven by massive drum fills and patterns, while the solo and riffs implemented was off the charts. This remains an anthem to all school boys who have had little crushes on their teachers.

“Everybody Wants Some!” – Women and Children First (1980)

The blatant revelry in sex is driven by “Everybody Wants Some!”, with the energy-filled riffage accompanied by the congo tones of the bass and drum progressions. Van Halen was known for their excessive showmanship back in the day, and this track is a perfect example of that.

“Runnin’ With The Devil” – Van Halen (1978)

Van Halen brought on a new charm with its uniquely regularly-paced “Runnin’ With The Devil”. Certainly one of the heaviest tracks under the band’s belt, the track has a booming arrangement thanks to the bass and drums working together for that atmosphere, coupled with the intense guitarwork on the track.