Heavy Metal by Sammy Hagar

Album: Standing Hampton (1981)

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Songfacts®:

This song was used in the science fiction movie of the same name, and was also featured on the movie's soundtrack album (the film was based on a comic book). Released in 1981, Heavy Metal was an animated film with enough cartoon nudity to get an R rating.

Black Sabbath, Cheap Trick, Journey, and Devo are also on the soundtrack.
Hagar wrote this song with Jim Peterik, who was a member of the band Survivor at the time. Hagar had just signed with Geffen Records, whose executive John Kalodner had signed Survivor and deployed Peterik to help .38 Special write songs. Kalodner arranged the writing session between Hagar and Peterik, which took place in San Francisco.

At first, the pair had trouble coming up with ideas, but then Hagar remembered that his manager had mentioned the Heavy Metal movie was in production and looking for songs, so they decided to write one for the film. They came up with the idea of two metalheads attending a rock show, and the session moved smoothly, which Hagar and Peterik coming up with riffs and lyrics based on those moments of anticipation when waiting for the band to come onstage.

They recorded a demo of the song, and Hagar later recorded it as part of his first Geffen album. An alternate version also earned a spot in the film, but not as the main theme: that honor went to "Heavy Metal (Takin' A Ride)" by Don Felder.
Hagar included a new version of "Heavy Metal" on his 1982 album Standing Hampton.
Hagar plays "Heavy Metal" at most of his solo shows, but he was never able to slip it into a Van Halen setlist. He joined the group in 1985 and left in 1996, returning for a short stint in 2004.
This isn't the only song Sammy Hagar wrote for a movie in the '80s. He also contributed the song "This Girl Gets Around" to Footloose and "Winner Takes It All" to Over The Top.

Comments: 7

Annec from CanadaWas based on the Magazine Heavy Metal not a comic.
Chuck from MdSounds similar to Cactus Jack's WWF theme.perhaps
Diverdriver from Northern CaliforniaTrey, that was not Hagar's song. It was Don Felder's song that was used in South Park.
Trey from Kalamazoo, MtThey use this song in an episode of South Park. The one where Kenny gets high on cat yurine.
Artfull from Berkeley, CaIn an interview Sammy Hargar said He was approached to write a song about Heavy Metal Music about a Heavy Metal Music Movie, When He saw the movie, he said it was quite diffrent from what He thought it was going to be.
Mia from Wellston, MiThis song has guitar and vocals that sound just like led zeppelin...or is it just me????
oh well this song is awesome
Zahid from Sacramento, CaThe movie rating NC-17 was previously known as X. They switched it because the porn industry actually made it a selling point to be rated X, so the motion pictures rating group wanted a change. The R rating has always been R.

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