Dance the Night Away - Van Halen (1979) 1/11/21

Billboard Magazine called today's “Great Song of the '70s” a “melodically driving rocker spiked by blaring guitar riffs, keyboards, bass and a powerful lead vocal.”

“Dance the Night Away” by Van Halen was ALL of those things and more--some which didn't make the final cut.

The song was written by the entire group during a break in a recording session for their album “Van Halen II,” and was inspired by Fleetwood Mac's “Go Your Own Way.”

David Lee Roth wanted to call the song “Dance, Lolita, Dance, a very “Roth-ian" title—especially when he insists that the original lyrics he wrote for the song were about a 'drunken hooker with her pants on backwards who was running from the cops right through a sleazy bar where Van Halen was playing.'

Uhh—No.

Eddie and the rest on the band nixed that idea right away. The story MAY have been true, but at this point, they were still looking for their first Top 40 hit, and Eddie was pretty sure THAT song wouldn't be it.

So the lyrics and title were changed, and the tune—in fact—DID become Van Halen's first Top 40 hit, reaching #15 on the Hot 100 in 1979.

“Dance the Night Away:” a “Great Song of the '70s:” thanks to the late Eddie Van Halen's better judgment! :-)