Look over Sammy Hagar’s catalog of songs, and what do you get? Effectively, you most likely get a bit of worn out, since few rockers’ catalogs are so filled with anthemic fist-wavers. However you additionally get some respect for the various types he’s lined and the aspect journeys he’s taken, all whereas sustaining his standing because the eternally youthful Purple Rocker.
Since he’s recorded in so many conditions for therefore many labels, there’s by no means been a compilation that wraps up the very best of all the things. 2004’s The Important Purple Assortment comes closest, however even that’s obtained a couple of notable omissions. What follows is our try and wrap the very best of Sammy, from the beginning of his solo profession to the current, right into a tidy 15-track set that matches on a single CD. That is strictly drawn from solo albums (and group albums the place he will get high billing), so Montrose, Van Halen, and Chickenfoot can wait their flip. It additionally attracts (with one exception) solely on songs he wrote or co-wrote.
Let’s name this assortment One Option to Rock, since that tune (which we’ve in fact included) all the time gave the impression of a title observe ready to occur. Taking this in chronological order…
Purple (from Sammy Hagar, 1977)
This rocker is the anthemic opener and sort-of title observe to Sammy Hagar’s self-titled 1977 album, recognized to followers because the Purple Album. The title isn’t a double entendre like Aerosmith’s “Pink”: He simply loves the colour and thinks that pink knocks ‘em useless. The album as an entire is a good start line for early Sammy, with buried treasures in “Free Money” – sure, one of many first covers anybody did of a Patti Smith track – and the high-attitude “The Pits,” which might be on this assortment if we had extra room for deep cuts.
Heavy Metallic (from Heavy Metallic, 1980)
The fantasy magazine Heavy Metallic was throughout school dorms within the late ‘70s, and its one animated movie featured big names from the hard rock/metal world. For this theme song, Sammy Hagar leaves out the fantasy element and instead celebrates heavy metal as a sound and a lifestyle – musically, it’s most likely probably the most Zeppelin-esque he ever obtained.
Area Station #5 (from Stay 1980)
We mentioned there wouldn’t be any Montrose on this set, however this track sneaks in since Sammy Hagar revisited it on his 1980 stay album, faithfully recreating the house truckin’ groove of the unique. Although Ronnie Montrose’s lead guitar is missed, this model isn’t any slouch: Give a cheer for guitarist Gary Pihl, a mainstay of the Hagar band earlier than shifting right into a longtime gig with the band Boston.
I’ve Finished Every thing for You (from Rematch, 1982)
It’s simple to overlook that Sammy Hagar obtained his first massive hit as a songwriter, not a singer: Initially on his 1978 stay album All Evening Lengthy, it obtained picked up by Rick Springfield three years later. It went Prime Ten because the followup to “Jessie’s Girl,” and it gave the teenager idol the harder picture he was after. Hagar then reduce his personal studio model for a best-of assortment. Followers have lengthy questioned who impressed this track, one of many nastier ones he’s written.
Your Love is Driving Me Loopy (from Three Lock Field, 1982)
‘80s pop metallic at its hookiest. This was Sammy Hagar making good with the manufacturing traits of the day, placing these massive drums within the forefront, including some shiny synths, and protecting all of it danceable. And it really works, primarily as a result of the track is strong – and by Hagar requirements, good and romantic. This was his largest solo hit single, the one one to hit the Prime 20. It formally launched his glory days, with the even larger follow-up coming simply eleven months later.
I’ll Fall in Love Once more (from Standing Hampton, 1982)
For all of the party-animal vibe he places throughout, Sammy Hagar can be a severe pop craftsman. There’s no higher proof than this infectious observe, a chugging rocker with a breezy California really feel and some Seashore Boys touches within the harmonies. He tempers his lead vocal to maintain it radio-friendly. Characteristically, the lyric greets a romantic letdown with the peace of mind that all the things’s gonna be alright.
There’s Solely One Option to Rock (from Standing Hampton, 1982)
Rock anthems had been making a comeback within the early ‘80s – see “I Love Rock & Roll,” “The Heart of Rock & Roll,” and ELO’s “Rock & Roll is King” – however this Sammy Hagar track arguably had the largest beat and probably the most perspective. The tune impressed numerous wiseguy critics to level out assorted different methods to rock, however that wasn’t the purpose. This was simply pure enjoyable. The track was the second hit from Standing Hampton, and you’ll grin if you understand what that album title means.
I Can’t Drive 55 (from VOA, 1984)
This in fact is the definitive Sammy Hagar track, and one of many solo hits he obtained to do with Van Halen: You hitch an instantaneous catchphrase to a between-the-eyes refrain, and also you’ve obtained a hard-rock basic. The title has lengthy since grow to be a code for being unable to play by the foundations. However in keeping with his personal recollections, Sammy wasn’t being that a lot of a foul boy: The cops pulled his Ferrari over when he was doing 62, which is completely authorized in some components of city.
Valley of the Kings/Giza (from HSAS, 1984)
Time to drag one ignored observe out of the fireplace. HSAS was Sammy Hagar’s short-lived (just a few months) supergroup with Santana alums Neal Schon and Michael Shrieve, plus bassist Kenny Aaronson. The one was an unlikely cowl of “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” however this observe was a much more profitable stab at doing one thing grand and mythic, within the vein of Zeppelin’s “Kashmir.” Schon slings riffs all through – clearly getting off on being in a band with out keyboards – and Hagar’s voice actually soars, particularly on the enigmatic closing chant.
Eagles Fly (from I By no means Stated Goodbye, 1987)
Not a hint of occasion spirit on this one, which dares to go for a deeper inspirational temper. The track sports activities one among Sammy Hagar’s extra considerate vocals, and musically it splits the distinction between basic exhausting rock and trendy synth-rock. This was submitted for Van Halen’s 5150, whose producer discovered it too severe – however you may take into account it a Van Halen observe anyway since Eddie (who performs bass by means of the album) throws in some licks within the guitar solo.
Little White Lie (from Marching to Mars, 1997)
Skipping forward ten years, we come to Sammy Hagar’s first post-Van Halen radio hit – and it finds him in an unusually vengeful temper, persevering with the extra severe really feel of his VH swansong Stability. Starting with a cappella voice and acoustic guitar, the track is all about pressure: The association retains you in suspense for the complete band to kick in, which doesn’t occur till it’s practically over.
Mas Tequila (from Purple Voodoo, 1999)
That is much less a celebration track than an precise occasion, pressed immediately onto CD. Sure, the groove is borrowed from Gary Glitter’s “Rock & Roll, Part 2” (Glitter and collaborator Mike Leander get a writing credit score), however Hagar throws in his personal inventory of excellent instances – and Glitter’s tune didn’t have that nifty key change earlier than the guitar solo. (Further factors for namechecking Tone-Loc’s then-15-year-old rap nugget, “Funky Cold Medina.”) Tequila could be extraordinarily good to Hagar, his Cabo Wabo model was a roaring success and he finally offered it for $80 million.
I Love This Bar (from Livin’ It Up!, 2005)
A Sammy Hagar nation crossover album was most likely the very last thing anybody anticipated after Van Halen, however followers who suppose they hate nation ought to verify this one out. Now with the Waboritas as common band, this album featured a canopy of Toby Keith, collaborations with Kenny Chesney, and the religious affect of Jimmy Buffett (who’d later signal Hagar to his Mailboat label). And it winds up making excellent sense, since he meets these artists the place they hang around – on the seaside in fact, the place the spirit flows and the spirits circulation. A shock spotlight was this harder-rocking spin on a good-timey Keith hit.
Belief Fund Child (from Area Between, 2019)
2019 discovered Sammy Hagar with a brand new Allstar band (Jason Bonham, Michael Anthony, and Vic Johnson), and he didn’t name it the Circle for nothing: With a couple of small tweaks, this observe might have match again on the Purple Album. Rocking quick and exhausting, he comes up with a couple of novel methods to level out that he ain’t no lucky son.
Funky Feng Shui (from Lockdown 2020, 2020)
Sammy Hagar and the Circle lifted spirits with their on-line posts through the pandemic – primarily doing cowl tunes, but additionally posting this 90-second observe as a track in progress. It’s a probable hit as soon as they end it, nevertheless it’s additionally massive enjoyable proper now; displaying he can nonetheless hit these excessive notes in his lounge with out studio assist – and that in any case these years, he’s nowhere close to able to relax.
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