THE LEGAL WATCHDOG: Thanks for the music and the memories, Diamond Dave!

"Gimme a bottle of anything. And a glazed doughnut. To go!"

Songs like Jump and Panama elevated both David Lee Roth and his band, Van Halen, from mere rock-star fame to household names. Unfortunately, the dust had barely settled after the Hot for Teacher video when Van Halen started to breakup. The boys did eventually get back together—albeit way too late and for only one studio album. But in the 1980s, DLR was king of the rock world. After releasing four platinum albums that decade with VH, Dave minted another three post-VH platinum records before the 80s ended: Crazy from the Heat, Eat ’Em and Smile, and Skyscraper. I’m no music historian, but being a hard-rock lead singer with seven platinum albums out of seven tries, in a single decade, no doubt puts Dave in a truly elite class.

In any case, about a year ago, Eddie Van Halen passed away. And now, DLR has announced his retirement. Retirement is not death, of course, though Dave seems to acknowledge that the inevitable isn’t too far way when he said: “Hey Ed, objects in the rearview mirror are probably me.” (Sounds like Panama-inspired words of wisdom: “right behind in the rearview mirror now!”) But although DLR still roams the earth, it feels to me like another small piece of my world has died—or at least is slowly fading from existence. For me, Dave’s post-1984 music was a big part of my life, and is now intertwined with memories of better days. So to keep those memories alive, and to celebrate his solo career, here are some of my favorite songs from my four favorite DLR albums.

Yankee Rose (on Eat 'Em and Smile)

What’s Dave to do after parting ways with guitar legend Eddie Van Halen? Go out and recruit Steve Vai, that’s what. I’m still not sure if Steve Vai is human or alien, but teaming up with him was one helluva way to come back after the VH breakup. And there was no better way for Dave to launch his new band than with the song Yankee Rose. Only DLR would dream about the Statue of Liberty coming to life, and only he could tell that story to the rest of us. Yankee Rose, like the entire Eat ’Em and Smile album, was a critically-acclaimed return to Van Halen’s heavy-rock roots. It was a glorious in-your-face, fuck you VH, “I will eat you and smile” return to what made DLR great. Yes, Dave was back. And through him, so was the original Van Halen. Don’t remember? Well, just “roll up onto the sidewalk and take a look!”

If you liked Yankee Rose but want to hear Dave sing it in Spanish, click here. For a live version in Detroit in 1986, click here. For the music video—a distracting but absolutely glorious 1980s work of art—click here. And for other great songs off Eat ’Em and Smile, check out Shy Boy (serious heavy metal), Ladies’ Nite in Buffalo (deep, rich, and bluesy), and Goin’ Crazy (synthesizer-based, 1984-like, feel good music).

Just Like Paradise (on Skyscraper)

Some critics thought Dave’s follow-up album, Skyscraper, was better than Eat ’Em and Smile. I can’t agree with that, although Skyscraper is filled with so many great songs it’s hard to choose a favorite. While I’m tempted to pick Knucklebones or Hot Dog and a Shake, Dave released Just Like Paradise as the first single for a reason. Who am I to argue? Listening to this song brings back fond memories of college, friends, family, and of course MTV in the late 1980s.

A Lil’ Ain’t Enough (on A Little Ain’t Enough)

Near the end of the video for A Lil' Ain’t Enough, from the album of (nearly) the same name in 1991, Dave predicts the date of his last performance: Oct. 10, 2021. Although he made that prediction thirty years ago, he was amazingly accurate. Dave’s last concert is actually scheduled for Jan. 8, 2022, within three calendar months of his now thirty-year-old prediction. Hey, no one’s perfect, and it’s been a long career. “Stayin’ ’round here takes patience. It’s like a full-time occupation!”

Slam Dunk (on DLR Band)

I was toiling away in law school when this album, DLR Band, was released. It was a complete surprise, came out of nowhere, and was Dave’s best album since Eat ’Em and Smile. And if it was hard to pick a favorite song from Skyscraper, it’s almost impossible to pick one from this album. Little Texas and Indeedido could easily have won the top spot. And Weekend with the Babysitter would win hands down if the competition was for best lyrics. In a tribute to his VH days:

You think that I got no respect
She's a no limits kind of creature
Let's hope that mom and daddy
Are at a triple feature
Suddenly occurs to me, maybe I need therapy
Cause I'm also hot for teacher

But once again, Dave knows best. He released Slam Dunk as the lead single for good reason. It’s tight, fast, and aggressive. And just like early Dave-VH classics such Take Your Whiskey Home and Light up the Sky, it leaves you hungry for more – and the rest of the DLR Band album delivers.