Women and Children First by Van
Halen
Vanhalen Women And Children Frist.
Japanese pressing. Reissue of 1980 original release has been remastered
and comes in a standard jewel case. Warner. 2005.
Personal Review: Women and Children First by Van Halen
Van Halen's third album (their first with a proper title) called Women and
Children First was originally released in March of 1980.
The album was recorded in two weeks in early 1980 but the way that lead
singer David Lee Roth, guitarist Eddie Van Halen, his drummer brother
Alex Van Halen and bass player Michael Anthony played here it doesn't
sound it. The album was also produced again by Ted Templeman and their
first where the band wrote all of the songs on the album.
The opening rocker "And the Cradle Will Rock..." had a killer keyboard riff
which sounds like an electric guitar but was a distorted Wurlitzer piano
cranked through a Marshall amp and stack and two killer Eddie Van Halen
guitar solos in the middle. David Lee Roth's vocals were killer on this
album. "Everybody Wants Some" is next with Alex's superb drum intro and
an awesome song and all I can think about is the claymated hamburger
singing this song in Better Off Dead but a killer song nonetheless with
stellar bass work from Michael Anthony and more guitar work from Eddie
whom just rocks on this entire album. "Fools" follows and is an awesome
track which starts out with just Diamond Dave and Eddie's guitar before
going into a full throttle rocker. The first half closing rocker "Romeo
Delight" is a killer and sounds like proto-thrash with its punkish drumming
and metal riffs.
The second half kicks off with the killer fanfare "Tora! Tora!" before rocking
out to the speed metal sounding "Loss of Control". Next is the bluesy Take
Your Whiskey Home which may have started out as an acoustic piece at

first and then rocks out. Next is the acoustic blues of "Could This Be
Magic" with Eddie doing some killer dobro and the late Nichollette Larson
suppylying some uncredited backing vocals towards the end of the track.
The closing "In a Simple Rhyme" starts out as an acoustic piece before it
rocks out then slows again then rocks for the solo then slows for the end
like in beginning. After the song ends, there is a hidden 30 second
instrumental at the end of the album.
When this album was released, it stormed right into the US Top 5 and was
another Multi-Platinum hit for the band.
I first heard this album when I got it for Christmas in 1984 on cassette and
the album still sounds great today.
Highly recommended!
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