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Van Halen II

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Van Halen II is the second studio album by American rock band Van Halen. Released by Warner Bros Records on March 23, 1979, it peaked at number six on the U.S. Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart and yielded hit singles "Dance the Night Away" and "Beautiful Girls." As of 2004, it had sold almost six million copies in the United States alone. Critical reaction to the album has been positive, with The Rolling Stone Album Guide praising the "feel-good, party atmosphere" of the songs.

Van Halen II
A graphic of the "VH" flying-V style logo
Studio album by
Van Halen
ReleasedMarch 23, 1979 (1979-03-23)
RecordedDecember 10–16, 1978[1]
StudioSunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood, California
Genre
Length31:36
LabelWarner Bros.
ProducerTed Templeman
Van Halen chronology
Van Halen
(1978) 		Van Halen II
(1979) 		Women and Children First
(1980)
Singles from Van Halen II
  1. "Dance the Night Away"
    Released: April 1979
  2. "Beautiful Girls"
    Released: August 1979
  3. "Somebody Get Me a Doctor"
    Released: August 1979 (Japan)

Background and recording

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Recording of the album took place at Sunset Studio less than a year after the release of the band's 1978 debut album, Van Halen.[2] Recording of the album began on December 10, 1978, just one week after completing their first world tour, and was complete within a week.[3] The band used a Putnam 610 console to record the album, similar to the console Eddie would later install in his home studio in 1983.[3] Many of the songs on Van Halen II are known to have existed prior to the release of the first album, and are present on the demos recorded in 1976 by Gene Simmons, and in 1977 by Ted Templeman, including an early version of "Beautiful Girls" (then known as "Bring On the Girls") and "Somebody Get Me a Doctor."[4]

Compared to the group's debut album, Van Halen II sees the group stretching out their sound and developing on directions only hinted before, and is often seen as lighter and poppier in tone; however, according to author Morgan Brown, it is evenly balanced between radio-friendly songs and "more intense, aggressive material".[5] Eddie said: "I hate it when albums are happy-happy or heavy-heavy all the way through. We had a little bit of both on Van Halen II".[5]

"You're No Good" opens with solo bass guitar treated with a flanger, followed by Eddie gently swelling guitar chords by using a volume control to mute their initial attack, a technique later used on "Cathedral" (from Diver Down, 1982).[5] The hit single "Dance the Night Away" sees the group fully embrace the bubblegum pop idiom, and features calypso rhythms in the intro and after the second chorus, whereas "Outta Love Again" is funkier than any of Van Halen's earlier material, with percussive vocals from David Lee Roth and jazz-funk drumming from Alex van Halen.[5] A more challenging track, "Light Up the Sky" features cerebral, progressive elements combined with an adrenalized energy, leading Brown to compare it to a hybrid between progressive rock band Rush and the aggression of hardcore punk.[5]

The brief interlude "Spanish Fly" is a intricate solo performed on an acoustic nylon-string guitar, with chiming natural harmonics; it is followed by the loud "D.O.A.", which begins with a dissonant intro.[5] Later, "Women in Love..." features themes of female bisexuality and an evocative intro with an ethereal guitar part played almost wholly on tapped harmonics, emboldened by double tracking to the point it resembles an electric piano more than a guitar. During the song's outro, Eddie plays both power chords on his lower guitar strings, and a drone on the open higher strings.[5]

Artwork and packaging

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The black-and-yellow guitar on the back of the album known as "Bumblebee" is buried with Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell, who was killed December 8, 2004. Eddie Van Halen placed it in his Kiss Kasket at his funeral because Darrell had said it was his favorite.[6] Eddie himself stated in an interview conducted in December 1979 by Jas Obrecht and published in the April 1980 edition of Guitar Player Magazine, that the guitar itself was not actually used on the tracking of Van Halen II, as it had only been completed just in time for the photo shoots for the album.[7]

However, the guitar was completed by Charvel, delivered to Eddie by Karl Sandoval in early October 1978 and was photographed in use on the 2nd European leg of Van Halen's 1978 tour. Despite this, there is no conclusive evidence that the guitar itself was or was not used for the tracking of the album. It is likely that Eddie had, in fact, taken the guitar apart and reassembled it just in time for the photoshoot, as there is evidence of swapped parts and a new guitar strap made from a lap-style seatbelt seen in the photos from the shoot.[citation needed]

David Lee Roth is shown in a cast in the inner liner notes, as he allegedly broke his heel on the third try of the spread-eagle jump used on the back cover photo.[8]

In the liner notes, The Sheraton Inn of Madison, Wisconsin, is thanked. On Van Halen's first tour, they stayed at the hotel and destroyed the seventh floor, having fire extinguisher fights in the hallways and throwing televisions out windows. They blamed the incidents on their tour-mates at the time, Journey.[9]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [10]
Christgau's Record GuideC+[11]
Classic Rock     [13]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music     [15]
The Great Rock Discography7/10[14]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide     [12]

In a 1979 Rolling Stone review, Timothy White writes, "Scattered throughout Van Halen's second album are various Vanilla Fudge bumps and grinds, an Aerosmith-derived pseudobravado, a bit of Bad Company basement funk and even a few Humble Pie miniraveups," adding that the "LP retains a numbing live feel."[16] The New York Times deemed the album "screaming macho rock howlings and power-driven electric guitar attacks."[17]

In a retrospective review, Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic noted that the album is "virtually a carbon copy of their 1978 debut," though goes on to say it is "lighter and funnier" and "some of the grandest hard rock ever made." Erlewine praises Eddie's "phenomenal gift" and Roth's "knowing shuck and jive."[18]

Commercial performance

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It reached No. 6 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart[19] and No. 23 on the UK Albums Chart.[20] Van Halen II was certified 5× Platinum in 2004. About 5.7 million records have been sold in the United States as of 2004.[21] In 2000, Van Halen II was remastered and re-released.[22]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, Michael Anthony and David Lee Roth, except for "You're No Good", which is by Clint Ballard Jr.

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."You're No Good"3:16
2."Dance the Night Away"3:06
3."Somebody Get Me a Doctor"2:52
4."Bottoms Up!"3:05
5."Outta Love Again"2:51
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."Light Up the Sky"3:13
2."Spanish Fly"1:00
3."D.O.A."4:09
4."Women in Love..."4:08
5."Beautiful Girls"3:56

Personnel

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Van Halen

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Production

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  • Corey Bailey – engineering
  • Dave Bhang – artwork and design, art direction
  • Jim Fitzpatrick – engineer
  • Gregg Geller – remastering
  • Elliot Gilbert – photography
  • Donn Landee – engineer
  • Jo Motta – project coordinator
  • Ted Templeman – production
  • Neil Zlozower – photography

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[34] 2× Platinum 200,000^
France (SNEP)[35] Gold 100,000*
Netherlands (NVPI)[36] 2× Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[37] 5× Platinum 5,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ Rosen, Steven (2010). Record Review Interview. ISBN 9780879309695. Retrieved March 6, 2013.
  2. ^ Halen, Van. "Van Halen Interviews 2 on Vimeo". Vimeo.com. Retrieved March 20, 2012.
  3. ^ a b "'Van Halen II' 40th Anniversary & Tribute". Van Halen News Desk. March 23, 2019. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
  4. ^ "Gene Simmons Talks Lost Seventies Van Halen Demos". Rolling Stone. March 22, 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Brown, Morgan (2023). On Track ... Van Halen: Every Album, Every Song. England: Sonic Bond Publishing. pp. 23–29. ISBN 978-1-78952-256-3.
  6. ^ "Pantera". VH1: Behind the Music. 38 minutes in. VH1.
  7. ^ "Van Halen - 1980 - Interview Eddie Van Halen w Jas Obrecht". Van Halen. April 1, 1980. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  8. ^ "Van Halen II". Classicvanhalen.com. Retrieved March 20, 2012.
  9. ^ "Van Halen II: Twice The Pleasure, Twice The Fun!". Van Halen News Desk. Van Halen News Desk. March 22, 2012. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
  10. ^ Van Halen II at AllMusic
  11. ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: V". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 9, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  12. ^ "Van Halen: Album Guide | Rolling Stone Music". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 10, 2012. Retrieved March 20, 2012.
  13. ^ Rock, Classic (April 18, 2019). "Van Halen: Van Halen II - Album Of The Week Club review". Loudersound. Retrieved April 30, 2019.
  14. ^ Strong, Martin C. (2006). "Van Halen". The Great Rock Discography. Edinburgh: Canongate Books. pp. 1, 149–1, 150. ISBN 1-84195-827-1.
  15. ^ C. Strong, Martin (2004). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Canongate. ISBN 1841955515.
  16. ^ "Van Halen II". Rolling Stone. July 12, 1979. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
  17. ^ Rockwell, John (April 15, 1979). "A Musical Grab Bag from California". The New York Times. p. D21.
  18. ^ "Van Halen II – Van Halen | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
  19. ^ "Van Halen – Chart history | Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
  20. ^ "VAN HALEN | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
  21. ^ "Gold & Platinum – RIAA". RIAA. RIAA. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
  22. ^ "Van Halen II: Twice The Pleasure, Twice The Fun!". Van Halen News Desk. March 22, 2012. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
  23. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 319. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  24. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4779a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  25. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Van Halen – Van Halen II" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  26. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Van Halen – Van Halen II" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  27. ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  28. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Van Halen – Van Halen II". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  29. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  30. ^ "Van Halen Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  31. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2021. 3. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  32. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1979". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  33. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1979". Billboard. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  34. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Van Halen – Van Halen II". Music Canada.
  35. ^ "French album certifications – Van Halen – Van Halen II" (in French). InfoDisc. Select VAN HALEN and click OK. 
  36. ^ "Dutch album certifications – Van Halen II – Van Halen II" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved February 27, 2020. Enter Van Halen II in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  37. ^ "American album certifications – Van Halen – Van Halen II". Recording Industry Association of America.

Further reading

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