80’s at 8 Rockturnal With Scotty B Thursday 04-27-23

(MANDATORY CREDIT David Tan/Shinko Music/Getty Images) Van Halen band photo shoot by the pool, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States, April 1979. (Photo by David Tan/Shinko Music/Getty Images)
On tonight’s 80’s at 8 we landed and hung in the year 1980 with Van Halen being the first band with a deep cut from their Women and Children First album titled In a Simple Rhyme. Van Halen’s third studio album, “Women and Children First,” was released on March 26, 1980. The album features a unique blend of hard rock, heavy metal, and pop sensibilities, all driven by the exceptional guitar playing of Eddie Van Halen and the powerful vocals of David Lee Roth. Perhaps the most unusual track on the album is “In a Simple Rhyme,” which begins as a gentle acoustic ballad before exploding into a heavy metal onslaught. The song features some of David Lee Roth’s most strongest lyrics, as he sings about a woman who “can’t stay away” from him, no matter how hard she tries. “Women and Children First” represents the pinnacle of Van Halen’s early years, before the band began to experiment with more pop-oriented sounds and before the departure of David Lee Roth. The album is a testament to the band’s virtuosity, creativity, and sheer love of rock and roll.Women and Children First was certified triple platinum and reached #6 on the Billboard 200 album chart. There is no music video for In a Simple Rhyme but you can listen to it below:

Def Leppard during 1989 MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc)
The second track in the 80’s at 8 was Hello America by Def Leppard. It was released on their debut album “On Through the Night” in 1980. It’s a fast-paced, hard-hitting track that perfectly captures the band’s energetic and youthful spirit, as well as their love of all things American. The song starts with a thunderous drumbeat and a scorching guitar riff, before lead vocalist Joe Elliott launches into the opening lines: “Hello America, hello, hello, hello.” The chorus is catchy and anthemic, with Elliott’s vocals soaring over the pounding rhythm section and the wailing guitar solos. “Hello America” was a critical and commercial success, helping to establish Def Leppard as one of the leading lights of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. “Hello America” encapsulates the spirit of Def Leppard’s early years, as the band sought to conquer the world with their unique blend of hard rock, heavy metal, and pop sensibilities. The song is a testament to the band’s talent, energy, and dedication to their craft. you can watch the music video for Hello America by a very very young Def Leppard below: