Don’t tell the Redheads, but Diamond Dave was the first Van Halen frontman to sing about being a bum in the sun and having fun with a drink in your hand and your toes in the sand!
Continuing with our celebration of the start of summer, we serve up a playlist of David Lee Roth songs for your summer listening pleasure.
“Ice Cream Man”
From: Diamond Dave (2003)
Before Van Halen recorded “Ice Cream Man” for their 1978 self-titled debut album, most people didn’t even know the song existed. In fact, many thought it was an original Van Halen track until checking the album credits. Originally written by bluesman John Brim, it was first recorded in 1953, but not released until 1968. Dave used to play the song in solo acoustic form during his pre-Van Halen days, while the frontman in his first band, Red Ball Jet. He brought it back during his post-Van Halen days for his 2003 album Diamond Dave. Originally recorded in 1996, this version features Greg Phillinganes on piano, Edgar Winter on saxophone, and Nile Rodgers on guitars. Summertime is here, babe, and David Lee is gonna keep us cool!
“Going Places”
From: DLR Band (1998)
And he’s got a car that’s cool too. Just a little bit of room, but just enough for you! Strap in, and hang on tight, Dave is about to take you on a ride. Full blast and top-down, of course.
“Let’s Take A Ride”
Unreleased song (2023)
Dave’s ’51 Mercury is gassed up and ready to go. Destination Harbor Freeway baby! Artist and die-hard DLR fan Ramses Rios put together this animated video to complete the “chill and laid back” vibe of this summer song. Just one of many you can find on his Mojo Dojo YouTube channel.
“It’s Party Time”
From: Episode 9 of The Roth Show (2019)
We have arrived at Diamond Dave’s Mojo Dojo. Let the summer party begin! Originally heard back in 2019 as part of Dave’s podcast The Roth Show, Ramses Rios spent the summer of 2020 putting together his own video for the song. It’s so good we suggest you play it all Dave, all night, all summer long!
“California Girls”
From: Crazy From The Heat (1985)
In the summer of 1965, The Beach Boys scored a #3 single with “California Girls”. Twenty years later, fresh off the 1984 tour and while still a member of Van Halen, David Lee Roth took the song back to #3 on Billboard with his faithful-to-the-original cover, which features original Beach Boy Carl Wilson on backing vocals.
For the MTV video, Roth directed one of the most classic music videos of all time, along with fellow “Picasso Bother” Pete Angeles, which went on to influence the look of subsequent music videos by many other artists.
Nearly 30 summers later, this remains one of Dave’s finest musical moments.
Did you know? Both the song and video for “California Girls” were insanely popular in 1985. In fact, other than “Jump”, Roth’s “California Girls” charted higher than any other Van Halen, Roth, or Hagar song ever written. The song reaching #3 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks and #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 (“Jump” reached #1 a year earlier, and “Why Can’t This Be Love” would also reach #3 a year later). The song’s video was one of the most popular MTV videos of the year.
“Yankee Rose”
From: Eat ‘Em and Smile (1986)
After his exit from Van Halen, Dave was back in circulation with his first full-length studio album Eat ‘Em and Smile in 1986. The lead single “Yankee Rose” was written as a tribute to a very special lady – Lady Liberty. The song’s lyrics are about the Statue of Liberty in New York. At the time of the song’s release, the statue was going through renovations in celebration of its 100th year. We include this DLR track in celebration of the summer of 2024!
“Ladies Night In Buffalo?”
From: Eat ‘Em and Smile (1986)
Put the top down, hit the road. We’re heading for…..Buffalo? Not exactly the first place you’d think of heading to when the summer rolls around but leave it to David Lee Roth, he sure knows how to paint the perfect picture with his lyrics:
Heat wave blast, kids are screamin’
Pavement’s hot (and the) sidewalk’s steamin’
Only me, happens every time
Thinkin’ ’bout you and me
Hello – Goodbye
According to guitarist Steve Vai, Dave never told him what the song is about or what inspired the lyrics. “Exactly what it is: Ladies’ night in Buffalo, N.Y. — that’s what it’s about, I guess,” Vai said. “You’d probably be better off asking Dave.” Hey Dave, care to share the story with us?
“A Lil’ Ain’t Enough”
From: A Little Ain’t Enough (1991)
While we’re on the topic of clever lyrics from The Diamond One, we gotta give it up to Dave again:
Was vaccinated with a phonograph needle one summer break
Same summer that I kissed her on her daddy´s boat
And shot across the lake
Singing all the way
That’s more than enough for us to put “A Lil’ Ain’t Enough” on the playlist!
“Sunburn”
From: Your Filthy Little Mouth (1994)
If you’re lazy on a Sunday this summer and got nothin’ to do, why not head on up to the roof and catch some rays with Dave? This hidden gem comes from Dave’s overlooked ’94 effort Your Filthy Little Mouth.
“Goin’ Crazy!”
From: Eat ‘Em and Smile (1986)
Of course, all that heat up on the roof may make you go crazy. “Goin’ Crazy!” was slated to appear in Dave’s debut feature film titled Crazy From the Heat. He had the screenplay written and secured a $10 million budget from CBS Theatrical Films. But in November 1985, days before shooting was scheduled to begin, CBS announced that it was shuttering its film division and pulled its funding for the project. Turning a lemon into a nice big glass of lemonade, Dave made the most of this and a few other songs intended for the film by including them on his album Eat ‘Em and Smile.
“Black Sand”
From: DLR Band (1998)
There are songs in David Lee Roth’s solo catalogue that are criminally overlooked and this one places high up on the list. From the album released in the summer of ’98 – DLR Band – Dave’s imagination takes us to a place you won’t find on any map.
“Low-Rez Sunset”
Stand-alone single (2021)
The day is almost done? Already?! Son of a beach! No worries, Dave’s inviting us to chill with him at land’s edge to check out the Low-Rez Sunset. Featuring John 5, this is another DLR track accompanied by a video from Ramses Rios.
“Coconut Grove”
From: Crazy From The Heat (1985)
An unexpected song for Dave to cover. Then again, if you’ve followed his career long enough, you know to always expect the unexpected. This song was written by the Lovin’ Spoonful’s John Sebastian and Zalvan Yanovsky and included on the band’s 1966 album Hums of the Lovin’ Spoonful. Coconut Grove is a real coastal resort town in Florida. Tonight we’ll find a dune that’s ours, and softly she will speak the stars until sun-up. The perfect way to wind down after an epic summer party with Diamond Dave.
