David Lee Roth was the singer of the original and classic Van Halen line-up, a band that transformed hard rock in the end of the 70s due to Eddie Van Halen’s amazing guitar skills. But Dave had also a powerful voice, so we separated his incredible isolated vocal track on the classic “Running With the Devil”.
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“Runnin’ with the Devil” is the second single from Van Halen’s 1978 eponymous debut album. The song lyrics were inspired by the Ohio Players song “Runnin’ from the Devil”. In 2009, it was named the 9th greatest hard rock song of all time by VH1.
The song begins with a collection of car horns sounding. The horns were taken from the band’s own cars and mounted in a box and powered by two car batteries, with a foot switch. Producer Ted Templeman slowed the horns down before adding them to the track.
This same idea was first used during the band’s club sets and appeared on the Gene Simmons-recorded demo of the song, as well as the song “House of Pain” which preceded it on the demo. A four-measure guitar solo is played after the second and third chorus.
The song’s lyrics have often been misinterpreted as being satanic, yet the members have never revealed the full meaning of the song. It is usually interpreted as being about the life of a touring young band.
I'm a Brazilian journalist who always loved Classic Rock and Heavy Metal music. That passion inspired me to create Rock and Roll Garage over 6 years ago.
Music has always been a part of my life, helping me through tough times and being a support to celebrate the good ones. When I became a journalist, I knew I wanted to write about my passions.
After graduating in journalism from the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, I pursued a postgraduate degree in digital communication at the same institution. The studies and experience in the field helped me improve the website and always bring the best of classic rock to the world!
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