Everybody Wants Some!! by Van Halen

Album: Women And Children First (1980)

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Songfacts®:

David Lee Roth often wrote reasonably coherent storylines into his lyrics, but this one is a little jagged, with oblique references to subway lines and moonbeams. No matter: Eddie Van Halen's corruscating guitar riffs carry the load. The chorus if vague, but suitable for throwing your fist in the air, because "EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!"
While the band was recording the music for this song, David Lee Roth recorded comments ("I like the way the line runs up the back of your stocking," etc.) onto a separate track. They were then mixed in with the song. At the end, Roth says, "Sure, I'll pay you for it, what the f--k." The obscenity fades just enough that most radio stations don't worry about editing it out.
Eddie Van Halen played the solo for this with both hands on the freeboard of his guitar. At concerts, he used a board to support the guitar and free up his hands so he could play it.
For the first line in the second verse, Roth meant to sing, "I've seen a lot of people just looking for a moonbeam," but forgot the words when he was recording it and just slurred out some gibberish that came close. They liked the attitude in the vocal, so they kept it anyway. The resulting lyric became the topic of wide speculation, but it couldn't be misheard because it was misspoken to begin with.
The song is performed by a claymation hamburger playing an Eddie Van Halen-inspired guitar in the John Cusack movie Better Off Dead.
Richard Linklater's 2016 film Everybody Wants Some!! takes its title from this song.

Comments: 11

Jim Bonner from Wilford Texas"Dave may be an ass, but Eddie is a pompous ass. Thinks he's God's gift to music. He and Nuno Bettencourt make a good pair". Spoken like a frustrated player who tried but never got close to the talent these guys had/have. I don't think I've ever seen a video where he claimed any such thin. If you're referring to him hiding what did early on or during interviews telling people he was pissed that others were trying to copy, then you need to come up with something new on your own and watch other people get paid to steal it and play it. In the end he learned not to give a s--t because it didn't take long before he realized these people weren't a threat to him because they didn't have the skills either nor the playing ability he had. EVH may have contributed more to the rock guitar world than any other player in history. As for Gary Cherone... have you ever heard the guy sing live? Absolute rubbish. Can't replicate what the studio does to his voice live and sounds more like ranting at the top of his voice rather than actually hitting the notes he may or may not have had autotuned for him on the record. As for bettencourt, he freely admits his biggest influence was EVH. Again I've never heard him act as you think he acts.

So again... it's the talentless people who refuse to recognize the contributions of others and merely denigrate them because they can't be them. Top guitarists generally don't s*&t on other top guitarists because they know they have talent and can hold their own. It's the talentless that complain.
Ignacio M from NjI still can't believe that Eddie kicked out Michael Anthony for his son
Sean from Cranston, RiWhen the band members say, "Everybody wants some" the second time in the last chorus, it sounds like there is someone saying, "Gimmie" right when the lyric, "Wants" is sung.
Rob from Duluth, GaDave may be an ass, but Eddie is a pompous ass. Thinks he's God's gift to music. He and Nuno Bettencourt make a good pair - kinda ironic that Cherone ended up singing for them - musta been because he was already used to taking that kind of abuse. Dave's downfall may well have been of his own making, but what about Hagar ... and Cherone ... and Anthony?
Mark from Hayward, CaHey Duffy, The answer is SEX!
LOL Bozon, if you couldn't figure that out then, well.....
They tried to get back together but Dave is still an ass. That's why they broke up to begin with! Dave was the only one not married and still acting like he was 17. Eddie, Alex and Michael all grew up. Dave didn't. End of story.
Dale from Ky, Kyi saw that movie better off dead with john husak however you spaell his name, and that movie got me interested in van halen
Dale from Ky, Kydid you know that alex van halen used to play guitar and eddie van halen played the drums and later onin there life they switched
Magnus from Mountville, PaO.k. I just read the lyrics for the first time in my life. When DLR is supposedly talking with or to the chick in the studio, I pretty sure he says "woo, where'd ya get that SHIRT, OH- YEAH
I don't think it's _hit.
Duffy from Yakima, AlI could never understand what this song was about.Everybody wants some? Want what...a taxi ride? A good job? I just don't get it but I love the song.Why don't they get back together?
Tom from June Lake, CtI know for a FACT the Eddy didnt use the technique you are talking about. I have seen him perform this a dozen times. The board you are refering to is actually something he didnt start till 1984 tour. It is used during his spotlight solo/eruption. The only thing he realy does is use the whammy bar/Floyd Rose.
Greg from Manchester, TnThis song was in the movie "Better Off Dead". The scene featured a claymation "Eddie Van Hamburger" complete with striped guitar.

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