David Lee Roth - Eat 'Em and Smile (1986)

Cosmic Harmony

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Re: Eat 'Em and Smile ~~~ David Lee Roth

That isn't irony, Lynch. It's a coincidence. ;)
 

Lynch

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Re: Eat 'Em and Smile ~~~ David Lee Roth

you are correct, I couldn't think of the word I was looking for, so Irony got slapped in instead.
 

Cosmic Harmony

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Re: Eat 'Em and Smile ~~~ David Lee Roth

Well good thing I was here to slap it out then. :D
 

Dave78

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Re: Eat 'Em and Smile ~~~ David Lee Roth

Would you by chance be able to cite that? Because almost every source I've ever read has said it's about the stature of liberty (I say "almost" because a few crazies say it's Satanic). :huh:
I was recalling a radio interview Roth gave in the Summer of '86 with Tawn Mastery of Los Angeles' then-hard rock station 105.5 KNAC, so I can't cite an interview from the music section of the local newspaper or a national publication such as Rolling Stone.

But I still have the interview on cassette tape, recorded from an over-the-air broadcast (as I do several Van Halen/DLR radio interviews from throughout the 80's and early 90's), so I'll dig around for the tape, hook up my tape deck and transcribe it for you when I can.

I know Lady Liberty isn't specifically penned in the song's lyrics but, if anything, Roth may have wanted to keep things open to interpretation and keep the listener guessing, much like =VH= did with the double-entendre title of their fifth album, Diver Down. But I think we all know what's on his mind, and it isn't a green copper statue. ;)
 

Cosmic Harmony

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Re: Eat 'Em and Smile ~~~ David Lee Roth

Well from what I've read the statue of liberty was being renovated at the time so I guess people were really interested in it for the first time in a while. So I suppose with Diamond Dave being the a savvy marketer that he is he could have taken advantage of that with all of the patriotic lyrics about flags and the forth of July and whatnot to score more publicity for the song and this album. Whatever works right? ;)
 

Dave78

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Re: Eat 'Em and Smile ~~~ David Lee Roth

Ok, Cosmic Harmony... here's the first five minutes of the interview. Make of it what you will.

Tawn Mastrey (the leather nun): It's one o'clock and let's begin the David Lee Roth interview. I'd like to say a special thanks to Gary Mitchell who, here at the station, helped me to engineer the actual interview, and Paul Childs, David Lee Roth's publicist, who arranged the interview up at their office in Hollywood. So right now on KNAC I'd like to start off... David's album cover, since you haven't seen it yet, the album cover is *wild*. V-e-r-y wild. It's called Eat Em And Smile, and he looks like a... kind of a... cannibal kinda character, with paint on his face, and it's, it's just great, very colorful. Starting it off, David... what is the meaning behind the title Eat Em And Smile?

David Lee Roth: The 'eat em and smile' thing, it's like, it could mean five different things - and all of them are banned by the PMRC, ya know? [laughs] - so it's like it's a statement, ya know? It's making five different statements at once, ya know? And the, and, and the whole thing is based a little bit on that sense of humor... 'cause who else would paint himself up like that? And if you see the video, all the characters in the front, ya know - [interrupts himself] oh yeah, we've gone after everybody... we've gone after every kind of group that you can possibly imagine - but who's got the most paint on his mug? Who has the most... who has the most feathers in his... [laughs]

TM: [laughing] so it was intentional...

DLR: We'll point the finger first in the mirror, but then everybody else gonna fall in line.

TM: Ya know, that video - speaking of that, sweetheart - that is, uh, not only very wild, but... I think, you must have done some kind of research... to, uh, get the moves down in those dance steps - I mean you've always been very active, David.

DLR: Well, it's, it's not so much as learning the new moves, it's just that we're finally getting the good ones into the video! [laughs] Well, it's supposed to look like it sounds, you know? And the best thing I could serve up to you for your $8.50 is get you to feel just like I feel when that music's goin' on, ya know?

TM: It's effective, David, it... [laughs]

DLR: [laughing] But, but ya know, it, it illustrates the point. We don't know who's watchin', ya know? [laughs] I'll simplify. I'm a big-boy to simplify. [laughs]

TM: And you directed... and wrote... or co-directed...

DLR: Well, let's not get too up-town about this alright? [laughs] It's mostly just mediating, [laughing] and what it is...

TM: [laughing] Mediating?

DLR: [laughing] *you* shoot this, and *you* record that, and then *I'll* do this, and just hope everything turns out right - just trying to mediate in the editing room.

TM: It works. Boy, it works beautifully. I can't tell ya... I mean Yankee Rose... the song alone is so damn strong, and then the video just *punches* it home!

DLR: And, and, the thing is... I seen some people bein' patriotic, so what I served is a little bit of sexy patriotism, and I visualized it like I see a gal walk by the corner candy store and I'm out front being lascivious as usual... "hey baby... need a hot dog to go with that shake?" [laughs] Well you can't put that on the radio so I have to come up with a little more articulate lyric.

Yankee Rose plays...

Guitar: David?
DLR: What?!
Guitar: Wawazat? (or *who's* that?)
DLR: Well, let me roll up to the sidewalk and take a look, here. Whoa!
Guitar: Whoa!
DLR: She's beautiful!
Guitar: Cat-call whistle
DLR: I'm talkin' about a yankee rose...
Guitar: laughing
DLR: laughing... and she looks wild...
Guitar: Wild
DLR: Wild...
Guitar: Wild
DLR: Wild...
Guitar: Wild
DLR: WIIIIIIIII

Song fades out

DLR: It goes, "Are you ready for the new sensation? Well, here's the shot heard 'round the world, all you back-room boys salute when her flag unfurls. She's a vision from coast to coast, sea to shining sea. Hey, sister, you're the perfect host, so here's a toast to your bright lights, and your city lights. I love ya... yankee rose!"

DLR: So if you listen closely, you can't tell if I'm talking about a real gal, the statue of liberty... or ME! [laughs] What is that... metaphore? I dunno... personification? I'm not a big-boy for grammar. [laughs]

TM: Perfect. I know it's about all of us American women, you know what I mean?

DLR: It is. It's supposed to be, it's supposed to be. You *are* a Yankee Rose, Tawn.

TM: Hallelujah. Thank God for that! [laughs]

Yankee Rose fades back in, and the interview continues...

====================================

RIP, Tawn. You rocked!

Tawn.jpg
 
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Groovy Man

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Re: Eat 'Em and Smile ~~~ David Lee Roth

I seen this tour when this album came out...

''Eat 'Em and Smile'' was released around the same time as ''5150'', you know the first Van Hagar album....and I personally thought ''Eat 'Em and Smile'' blew away ''5150'' -- I mean yeah, ''5150'' was good, but ''Eat 'Em and Smile'' was much better...

great tour too - what a concet and album.
 

Cosmic Harmony

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Re: Eat 'Em and Smile ~~~ David Lee Roth

DLR: So if you listen closely, you can't tell if I'm talking about a real gal, the statue of liberty... or ME! [laughs] What is that... metaphore? I dunno... personification? I'm not a big-boy for grammar. [laughs]

Well there we go. Everyone is right then. :D

I seen this tour when this album came out...

''Eat 'Em and Smile'' was released around the same time as ''5150'', you know the first Van Hagar album....and I personally thought ''Eat 'Em and Smile'' blew away ''5150'' -- I mean yeah, ''5150'' was good, but ''Eat 'Em and Smile'' was much better...

great tour too - what a concet and album.

Aww I would have loved to have seen Dave on that tour with the Vai/Sheehan lineup. That must've been great.

And yes, I agree that I find "Eat 'Em and Smile" to be much better than "5150".
 

rtbuck

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Re: Eat 'Em and Smile ~~~ David Lee Roth

Groovy, I was just going to write how I thought this album blew away '5150' but you beat me to it. I seen him too on this tour with Cinderella opening

Great review Cosmic!!
Vai & Sheehan are an unbelievable duo & I'd actually take them over Van Halen & Anthony. I used to see Sheehan in the clubs in Buffalo playing in Talas (where he first was performing "Shyboy"). I never seen a bass player like him. He was wild as hell onstage & he'd go off on these bass solos that you'd swear he was playing lead guitar. Talas was a great band here in Buffalo & that's where Sheehan met up with DLR. VH took Talas on the road opening for them & from what I read or heard... at one point rumor had it that Eddie had asked Sheehan to replace Michael Anthony in the early 80's.
He replaced Pete Way in UFO for one or two tours & he also played bass on Max Webster's 'Mutiny Up My Sleeve' album although he was uncredited(Max Webster was in between bass players when they recorded the album)
I've e-mailed Sheehan a couple of times because I had a couple of Talas questions & he always responded.
 

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