ROCK MOMENT – Van Halen ‘Dance The Night Away’
Released on March 23, 1979, Van Halen II marked the explosive return of one of rock’s most electrifying new bands. Coming just a year after their groundbreaking debut, the album proved that Van Halen wasn’t a one-hit wonder — they were a force destined to redefine late ’70s hard rock. Recorded at Sunset Sound Recorders in Hollywood in just a few weeks, the album captured the same raw, live energy that made their first record so iconic. Producer Ted Templeman once said the band “played like they were still hungry,” and that urgency radiates through every track.
The standout single, ‘Dance the Night Away,’ became the band’s first Top 20 hit, peaking at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. Interestingly, it was one of the few Van Halen songs from the David Lee Roth era that didn’t feature a blistering Eddie Van Halen guitar solo. Instead, Eddie showcased his melodic instincts, layering tasteful riffs and harmonics that gave the song its distinctive pop-rock sheen. Roth reportedly came up with the title after hearing the upbeat rhythm and imagining a carefree night out. Originally, the band had titled it ‘Dance, Lolita, Dance,’ but Templeman convinced them to simplify it.
Van Halen II also featured fan favorites like ‘Beautiful Girls,’ ‘Somebody Get Me a Doctor,’ and ‘Light Up the Sky.”\’ The album went on to sell over five million copies in the U.S. and solidified Van Halen’s reputation as both virtuoso musicians and party-starting showmen. With Van Halen II, the band struck the perfect balance between technical brilliance and mainstream appeal — a formula that would make them rock legends for decades to come.
