Artist: VAN HALEN
Album: MCMLXXXIV REMASTERED (CD)

Year: 1984/ 2000
Media type: CD

1984 (written as MCMLXXXIV on the front cover) is the sixth album by American hard rock band Van Halen. One of the band's more popular albums (in terms of both record sales and chart performance), 1984 is the final album featuring singer David Lee Roth, who later left the band in the spring of the following year over escalating tensions between him and guitarist Eddie Van Halen, as well as Roth's desire to pursue a solo career.

1984 peaked at #2 on the Billboard Magazine album charts (#1 at the time was Thriller, which featured an Eddie Van Halen guitar solo on "Beat It," which Roth had criticized) and contained future hits "Jump," "Panama", "I'll Wait", and "Hot for Teacher." "Jump" reached #1 on the magazine's singles chart.

Although recognized for his guitar skill, 1984 gave Eddie Van Halen, a classically-trained pianist, an opportunity to take the band into different territory. Eddie Van Halen's keyboard playing is more prominent on 1984 than on any prior Van Halen album, particularly on the songs "Jump," "I'll Wait" and instrumental album-opener "1984."

Additionally, 1984 was the first Van Halen album to be recorded at Eddie Van Halen's home studio, 5150. The studio lent its name to Van Halen's next album, the first with former Montrose vocalist/guitarist and solo artist Sammy Hagar.

1984 is the second of two Van Halen albums to have sold 10 million copies in the United States. "Jump" was one of the most successful songs of 1984 and was on the 10 most played songs on the radio that year. As a single, it sold over three million copies alone, making it one of the most popular rock songs of that decade.

"Panama" was the third single from the album and reached number 13 on the singles chart in June.

The keyboard driven "I'll Wait" was another single, reaching number 13 on the singles chart in March of 1984.

"Hot for Teacher", a humorous song about a grade-school crush, was also a hit, reaching #56 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as spawning a popular MTV video starring pre-teen lookalikes of the band members.

Other tracks included on 1984 include the title track "1984", a short synth and effects instrumental (the effects had been used as part of Michael Anthony's live bass solo on the Diver Down tour); "Girl Gone Bad", parts of which previously had been played during the same tour during performances of "Somebody Get Me A Doctor" (Most famously at the US Festival show); the hard rock "Drop Dead Legs", and "Top Jimmy", a tribute to James Paul Koncek of the band Top Jimmy & The Rhythm Pigs. The album concludes with "House of Pain", a fast paced heavy song that dates back to the band's early club days of the mid '70s.

TRACKLIST:

"1984" – 1:07
"Jump" – 4:04
"Panama" – 3:32
"Top Jimmy" – 3:02
"Drop Dead Legs" – 4:14
"Hot for Teacher" – 4:44
"I'll Wait" – 4:45
"Girl Gone Bad" – 4:35
"House of Pain" – 3:19

LINE-UP:

David Lee Roth – lead vocals
Eddie Van Halen – guitars, keyboards, background vocals
Michael Anthony – bass, background vocals
Alex Van Halen – drums, percussion, background vocals