Van Halen – 1984 – 1984

I guess there’s more than one reason to name your album 1984. First of all, since it was the year it came out of course. But I can’t help but think it also has something to do with George Orwell book about a future dystopian world where ‘Big Brother’ sees and hears everything you do. A Totalitarian world. 1984 Doesn’t sound too dystopian though. It’s mostly happy songs and the bigger hit from the album – Jump is probably the happiest-sounding song of them all.

I remember when I got this album back in the day. I bought this back when it first came out. At that point, I don’t think I have heard any Van Halen prior to that but I know that Eddie Van Hales was supposed to be one heck of a guitarist. I was so disappointed about the heavy synthesized Jump. Was this really Hardrock? Was it really pop? Have I been set up? Fooled? Of course, now I know better and I think that I really wanted Van Halen to be more Metal than Rock. When listening to the earlier albums these days I realize that this was never the case.

Megahit

Anyway, since Jump, the megahit, was such a disappointment I went for the second song on 1984 – Panama. Or the third song if you count the instrumental intro. This was more guitar-driven but still pretty lame to the other music I was listening to at the time. It took a while to get used to and I don’t think I even listened to 1984 in its entirety, it just wasn’t my thing. When I listen to it now I ‘get’ it. Sure, there are synths on there but there were those in the previous albums as well, Maybe not as heavy as on the album 1984. Certainly not as heavy as on Jump and I’ll Wait, but on the tracks, the guitar is more present than ever.

In fact, I think that 1984 is the first album where I can hear a more traditional mixing. The guitar is more in the foreground and suitable. It’s more about the guitar playing and solos than before. Michael Anthony gets less space for the bass and I feel like this is starting to be a showcase for Eddie more than a well-welded band of musicians. Today I like JUmp, I still like Panama, and my favorite track i Top Jimmy with some very inventive guitar playing. I guess Hot for Teacher has gone down in history as a hit as well and it’s a decent track. But I like the songs that are not so straightforward more, whereas Van Halen doesn’t try so much to impress with a catchy melody.