Rock legend Eddie Van Halen passed away on Tuesday after a long battle with cancer at the age of 65. His son Wolf Van Halen informed of the guitar virtuoso’s demise to his friends and followers on social media.
“I can’t believe I’m having to write this, but my father, Edward Lodewijk Van Halen, has lost his long and arduous battle with cancer this morning,” said his son in a Facebook post.
Van Halen, who founded the rock group with his elder brother Alex in the early 1970s, was known for "finger-tapping", playing the guitar with two hands, like a piano.
As his fans across the world mourn his death, here are top five songs of the rock legend.
Jamie's Cryin
It’s the song from Van Halen album. Jamie's Cryin song is about a girl who has a one-night stand and she regrets it. She is in search of true love as she feels boys use her. The girl wants to write a boy a letter asking him to call, but she knows this will not be of any use. The number became a mainstay during the David Lee Roth era.
Beautiful Girls
The last song from the album Van Halen II, Beautiful Girls was originally titled Bring on the Girls. It was an essential part of their playlist during their tour for the album, which is the embodiment of don’t-fix-what-ain’t-broke.
Unchained
A song from the rock legend’s fourth album Fair Warning, it starts with an unaccompanied guitar lick. In this song, Van Halen uncorks a solo that begins with divebombing single notes. The song has been crooned by David Lee Roth and it’s one of the singer’s most playful songs about the life of a Sunset Strip bounder.
So This Is Love?
The song from the album Fair Warning featured on #110 on the US Billboard Hot 100, besides peaking on #15 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. It was penned by Edward Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, Michael Anthony and David Lee Roth.
Mean Street
It’s the opening track of Fair Warning. The number is amongst the Van Halen’s band’s best tunes.
The track was originally recorded as Voodoo Queen and this version can be found on the Warner Brothers Demo.