T-shirt #136: Van Halen

This shirt was a Kohl’s special I got a couple of years ago. The first thing I thought of when I knew I would be wearing my “VH” shirt today was that I used to be pretty good at drawing their logo freehand (what else is a bored 5^th grader to do in class?). Last night, I tried to give it my best shot again in my journal (see picture), along with Poison, Ratt, and Extreme)…not bad after a 20 year hiatus, huh? I’m not sure if remembering how to draw these means I have an amazing memory, am a dork, or it’s just one of those things that sticks in your head like lyrics (probably a combination). Van Halen was also one of the first bands I liked (well, the bands my older brother Jon liked, and I followed) after listening mainly to The Beatles and Irish Folk Music growing up. I remember listening to 1984 and thinking how great the “Hot For Teacher” video was (“Sit down, WALDO!”). Like I mentioned before (http://davestshirts.blogspot.com/2010/01/t-shirt-28-nigels-11.html) , my friend Mike and I had an ongoing argument over who was the better guitar player, Eddie Van Halen or Nuno Bettencourt (of Extreme). Of course, the argument Van Halen usually arouses is which version is better, David Lee Roth or Sammy Hagar (sorry Gary Cherone, I love you, but you were definitely put here to be the singer of Extreme). Although I tend to lean towards the “Dave Side”, there are a lot of Sammy songs that I love. I finally saw Van Halen in the fall of 2007 at the Ol’ Centrum in Worcester. I went a Hope Lodge guest (back when I was allowed to do fun things with some guests, and leave others back at The Lodge), and it was an unbelievable time. The only member missing from the original lineup was the bassist Michael Anthony, who was replaced by Eddie’s teenaged son, Wolfgang (who smartly put a Red Sox 2007 World Series Champs sticker on his bass). Dave belted out the songs like it was the late 70’s, and I got to see a guest totally forget about his cancer and have fun for 2 straight hours…add this to the “priceless list”. Here’s one of my favorites which was a song they covered, “Ice Cream Man” also part of a homestar runner video:

Lyrics:

(Words by John Brim)

Dedicate one to the ladies...

Now summertime's here babe, need somethin' to keep you cool

Ah, now summertime's here babe, need somethin' to keep you cool

Better look out now though, Dave's got somethin' for you

Tell ya what it is

I'm your ice cream man, stop me when I'm passin' by

Oh my, my, I'm your ice cream man, stop me when I'm passin' by

See now all my flavors are guaranteed to satisfy

Hold on a second baby

I got bim bam banana pops, dixie cups

All flavors and pushups too

I'm your ice cream man baby, stop me when I'm passin' by

See now all my flavors are guaranteed to satisfy Hold on, one more

Well I'm usually passin' by just about eleven o'clock

Uh huh, I never stop

I'm usually passin' by just around eleven o'clock

And if ya' let me cool you one time, you'll be my regular stop

All right boys!

I got bim bam banana pops, dixie cups

All flavors and pushups too

I'm your ice cream man, stop me when I'm passin' by

See now all my flavors are guaranteed to satisfy, yes

I'm your ice cream man, stop me when I'm passin' by

I'm your ice cream man, stop me when I'm passin' by

They say all my flavors are guaranteed to satisfy Ah one time

(Guitar Solo)

I'm your ice cream man, stop me when I'm passin' by

I'm your ice cream man, stop me when I'm passin' by

They say all my flavors are guaranteed to satisfy

One time boys!

I'm your ice cream man

I'm your ice cream man

B-B-B-B-B-B-B-Baby!

Ah my my my

All my flavors are guaranteed......to satis-uh-fy

Ow!

PEARL JAM TOMORROW NIGHT!!!!