| They Might Be Giants – Damn Good Times Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| David Lee Roth's typical Tuesday would be considered a "revolution" by many foreign governments... Imagine his 21st birthday party. | |
| David Lee Roth – The Dogtown Shuffle Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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The moniker "Dogtown" is associated with late 1970s-mid 1980s skateboarding culture of Southern California, (i.e. in Los Angeles.) David Lee Roth's Van Halen (i.e. Van Halen's music from 1978-1984, pre-Sammy Hagar,) emerged from the same Southern California youth culture as "Dogtown," (albeit a few miles away in Pasadena, CA,) Early Van Halen's sense of aggressive fun, wanderlust, and technical virtuosity were all characteristics embraced and embodied by Dogtown. More than any other rock band of the time, Van Halen came to be associated with that formative period of skateboarding. "The Dogtown Shuffle" was written by then-former Van Halen vocalist David Lee Roth in 1990. In the song's lyrics, Roth looks back on what compelled kids around his age to become part of "Dogtown." His conclusion is the opposite of what he described in "Just Like Paradise." In the "Dogtown Shuffle" Roth describes LA as a dangerous city that treats the lyrics' protagonists (kids from Dogtown) as nuisances or worse -- and protagonists who want to escape boredom, seek challenges to prove themselves, and back up their talk by "walking the walk," so to speak. Roth describes how the Dogtown youth culture was shaped by homelessness, drugs, and parents who treated their children as ne'er-do-wells -- parents for whom there's not too much difference between "a pat on the back" and kicking them out on the street. Roth, of course, saw "the Dogtown Shuffle" relatively up-close. Although he was playing in a band, many of these people were his age, his friends, or just slightly younger... And his music was the soundtrack to their lifestyle. |
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| David Lee Roth – Just Like Paradise Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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"Just Like Paradise" describes the events and feelings associated with youthful romance/adventure. Amidst a whirlwind of images from the rock and roll era -- music blasting from the stereo of [Suzy's] "Daddy's car" -- the lyric's protagonist seeks some adventure ("I got the itch/ And a restless soul," with his romantic infatuation, Suzy. The rock/pop-craft of "Just Like Paradise" is an 1980s update on the early-1960s 'California teen romance' songs by The Beach Boys. Roth had successfully covered The Beach Boys on 1985's "California Girls." "Just Like Paradise" was presented to Roth by his keyboardist, Brett Tuggle -- ands produced using numerous tracks and overdubs by Steve Vai, Roth's guitarist, and Roth himself. "Just Like Paradise" is the lead-off song to the musical "Rock of Ages." |
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| David Lee Roth – Goin' Crazy! Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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David Lee Roth's "Goin' Crazy" was to be the theme song to his $20 million (in 1985 US dollars,) CBS motion picture debut, "Crazy From The Heat." The soundtrack was originally pitched to Van Halen as the follow-up to the band's huge "1984," but ended up being one of the many reasons for Roth leaving Van Halen. "Crazy From The Heat" was the title of Roth's successful 1985 solo EP, which he released while still a member of Van Halen. It later became the title of his 1997 autobiography. Roth's movie, "Crazy From The Heat," was entirely written and ready to shoot -- and judging by the movie's script (accessible online,) it was basically an extended Van Halen/David Lee Roth video, (e.g. "Hot For Teacher," "California Girls," "Just a Gigolo," etc.) Interestingly, a reunited Aerosmith had been contacted and tentatively slated to contribute to the movie's soundtrack. CBS Pictures was sold before shooting commenced on "Cazy From The Heat," which ultimately sidelined the movie, along with numerous other films. |
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| David Lee Roth – Yankee Rose Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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David Lee Roth states that the "Yankee Rose" in this song is a personification of NYC's Statue of Liberty, which was being renovated during 85-86, (while this lyric was written.) In the song, Roth sings about Lady Liberty as though she was an actual girl, personifying her - in Robert Christgau's words, "makes Miss Liberty a burlesque queen and neither lady a whore." This was one of the two completed lyrics that David Lee Roth had written for Van Halen's follow-up to "1984." These lyrics, originally, were written to the song that became "Good Enough" on Van Halen's "5150." |
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