{"id":76258,"date":"2023-11-07T09:31:07","date_gmt":"2023-11-07T15:31:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=76258"},"modified":"2023-11-07T09:31:10","modified_gmt":"2023-11-07T15:31:10","slug":"song-spotlight-dreams-by-van-halen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=76258","title":{"rendered":"Song Spotlight: &#8216;Dreams&#8217; by Van Halen"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>By NICK McCOY<\/strong><br><em>Tiger Media Network<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Line-up changes are very common in famous bands. Whether it\u2019s due to creative differences, wanting to move on to other things, or a tragic case of losing a band member, having a new member join a band happens a lot more than you might think. Typically, if it\u2019s a guitarist or drummer, it may not be that significant, although there are certainly exceptions. However, it is a different case entirely when it comes to replacing singers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Dreams\" width=\"790\" height=\"593\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cLdqOQTTTRY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe> \n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the best examples of this transition is Van Halen. A massive powerhouse of the late 70s through to the early 90s, hard rock would be defined by the impeccable and undeniable guitar work of the late great Eddie Van Halen, whose incredible lead and rhythm guitar playing, combined with his famous tapping technique, would influence rock and metal music in a major way. Another defining part of the band was lead singer David Lee Roth.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While far from the greatest singer, Roth had an undeniable stage presence and made an excellent frontman, attributing quite a bit to the band\u2019s style and image. However, in 1985, Roth left the band due to creative differences with Eddie. Shortly after, the band found a suitable replacement: Sammy Hagar, who in comparison to Roth, sported an incredible set of vocals, and would mark a distinctive change in the band\u2019s style. This change could be felt on Van Halen\u2019s 1986 album, \u201c5150\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"639\" data-attachment-id=\"76259\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?attachment_id=76259\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-1.jpg?fit=640%2C639&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"640,639\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"&#8216;Dreams&#8217; Song Spotlight Pics 1\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-1.jpg?fit=260%2C260&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-1.jpg?fit=640%2C639&amp;ssl=1\" data-id=\"76259\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-1.jpg?resize=640%2C639\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-76259\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-1.jpg?w=640&amp;ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-1.jpg?resize=260%2C260&amp;ssl=1 260w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-1.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"790\" height=\"526\" data-attachment-id=\"76260\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?attachment_id=76260\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-2.jpg?fit=980%2C652&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"980,652\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"&#8216;Dreams&#8217; Song Spotlight Pics 2\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-2.jpg?fit=370%2C246&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-2.jpg?fit=790%2C526&amp;ssl=1\" data-id=\"76260\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-2.jpg?resize=790%2C526\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-76260\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-2.jpg?w=980&amp;ssl=1 980w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-2.jpg?resize=370%2C246&amp;ssl=1 370w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-2.jpg?resize=150%2C100&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-2.jpg?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 790px) 100vw, 790px\" \/><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption\"><strong>Formed in 1973, Van Halen would gain widespread recognition throughout the 70s and 90s, known for their energetic live shows and of course, the guitar playing of the group\u2019s founder and lead guitarist, Eddie Van Halen. Known for his intricate lead and rhythm playing, and his popularization of the tapping technique, he is considered one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time. He sadly passed away in October of 2020 from throat cancer, but his legacy and influence can still be felt in modern rock and metal music.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While the change to a more synth-heavy sound proved to be controversial among fans, the album led to some absolutely great songs, such as \u201cWhy Can\u2019t This Be Love,\u201d \u201c5150,\u201d \u201cSummer Nights,\u201d and today\u2019s Song Spotlight and in my opinion, a classic of the 80s: \u201cDreams.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Initially formed in 1973, Van Halen has become one of the most beloved and well-recognized hard rock bands. Of course, you can\u2019t talk about the band without talking about the man himself, Eddie Van Halen. Considered by many (including me) to be one of the greatest guitarists of all time, his influence can be felt throughout the entirety of rock and metal music, thanks in large part to his iconic tapping technique; perfectly showcased on the iconic \u201cEruption.\u201d Alongside drummer and Eddie\u2019s older brother Alex Van Halen, bassist Michael Anthony, and David Lee Roth, the band released a string of highly acclaimed albums before Roth departed from the band after their massive sixth album, \u201c1984\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sammy Hagar served as the new lead singer from 1985 to 1996. Extreme frontman Gary Cherone briefly served as the band\u2019s singer for the much-maligned \u201cVan Halen III\u201d, before the band went on hiatus. Michael Anthony would be fired from the band in 2006, being replaced by Eddie\u2019s son, Wolfgang. Following a hiatus and reunion tour with Roth, Eddie Van Halen sadly passed away from throat cancer in 2020, marking the end of the band and its incredible journey.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"790\" height=\"549\" data-attachment-id=\"76261\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?attachment_id=76261\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-3.jpg?fit=1200%2C834&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1200,834\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"&#8216;Dreams&#8217; Song Spotlight Pics 3\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-3.jpg?fit=370%2C257&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-3.jpg?fit=790%2C549&amp;ssl=1\" data-id=\"76261\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-3.jpg?resize=790%2C549\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-76261\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-3.jpg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-3.jpg?resize=370%2C257&amp;ssl=1 370w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-3.jpg?resize=1024%2C712&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-3.jpg?resize=150%2C104&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-3.jpg?resize=768%2C534&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 790px) 100vw, 790px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"790\" height=\"790\" data-attachment-id=\"76262\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?attachment_id=76262\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-4.jpg?fit=900%2C900&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"900,900\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"&#8216;Dreams&#8217; Song Spotlight Pics 4\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-4.jpg?fit=260%2C260&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-4.jpg?fit=790%2C790&amp;ssl=1\" data-id=\"76262\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-4.jpg?resize=790%2C790\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-76262\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-4.jpg?w=900&amp;ssl=1 900w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-4.jpg?resize=260%2C260&amp;ssl=1 260w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-4.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-Song-Spotlight-Pics-4.jpg?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 790px) 100vw, 790px\" \/><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption\"><strong>From 1974 to 1985, David Lee Roth (left) would serve as Van Halen\u2019s frontman, known for his energetic stage presence and style, which defined much of the band\u2019s image. He would leave the band due to creative rifts between him and Eddie. He would be replaced by Sammy Hagar (right) for the album \u201c5150\u201d, who became known for his vocal ability. He would ultimately leave the band in 1996 for similar reasons to Roth. Both singers would reunite with Van Halen for subsequent reunion tours.\u00a0<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sammy Hagar\u2019s first album with the band, \u201c5150,\u201d featured the hard rock flair fans loved, while also containing some more synth-heavy tracks, \u201cDreams&#8221; being such a track. The second single off \u201c5150\u201d, Dreams reached number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100, and became a concert staple during that time. Even if fans were divided on the new direction, \u201cDreams,\u201d in my eyes, still stands as one of the group&#8217;s best songs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The song begins with an instantly recognizable synth line, accompanied by Eddie Van Halen on the acoustic guitar. It soon transitions from acoustic to electric guitar, with the whole band joining before the first verse. Of course, Hagar\u2019s vocals are a massive standout on this song, showing just how good of a singer he is, especially in comparison to Roth. Then, the chorus hits; Hagar belting out \u201cWe\u2019ll get higher and higher!\u201d is guaranteed to give you chills. The song continues with Hagar\u2019s amazing vocals, and the synths, guitar, bass and drums performed expertly before Eddie Van Halen delivers one of his iconic solos. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A mixture of harmonics, great use of the whammy bar, and tapping gives you way to a short but incredibly sweet solo. As the song transitions to its last couple of minutes, Hagar continues to give it his all along with the band. Eddie finishes the song off with his guitar playing the synth intro from the beginning, complete with an amazing tap solo as Hagar\u2019s vocals hit the final notes, with the line \u201cAnd in the end, on dreams we will depend, cause that\u2019s what love is made of.\u201d The song concludes with gentle synth notes and an equally refrained acoustic harmony.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The song, by all accounts, is an absolutely fantastic piece of music. Even if you\u2019re more of a fan of the David Lee Roth era of the band, to me this song is just impossible to hate. From the always impeccable playing of Eddie, the amazing synth line, the great rhythm of Alex and Anthony, and of course, the soaring vocals of Hagar, this song deserves so much more attention. This song, in my opinion, is some of the band\u2019s best work, and an absolutely killer song of the 80s.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By NICK McCOYTiger Media Network Line-up changes are very common in famous bands. Whether it\u2019s due to creative differences, wanting to move on to other&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":142,"featured_media":76263,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[56,3402,3399,55],"tags":[15464,6325,15463,14765,8360,15116,15462],"class_list":["post-76258","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-entertainment","category-area-music","category-music-reviews","category-opinion","tag-david-lee-roth","tag-dreams","tag-eddie-van-halen","tag-nick-mccoy","tag-sammy-hagar","tag-song-spotlight","tag-van-halen"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Dreams-by-Van-Halen.png?fit=512%2C289&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76258","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=76258"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76258\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":76264,"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76258\/revisions\/76264"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/76263"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=76258"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=76258"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=76258"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}