My Sunday Song – “The Seventh Seal” by Van Halen

Published on by 2loud2oldmusic

For My Sunday Song #146, we are going with the Sammy Hagar fronted tune “The Seventh Seal” off the band’s 1995 album ‘Balance’ which happens to be their tenth studio album.  The song was the first track on the album and the first single which only went to #36 on the Mainstream Rock Chart songs.  The song was strong enough that it was also nominated for a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance.

“The Seventh Seal” song opens with some chanting monks from The Monks of Gyuto Tantric University and then turns into a straight-up rock song.  It is full of religious themes and has an almost mystical feel to it.  Eddie’s guitar sound is in full force and Alex’s drum sound is unmistakeable.  It is Van Halen coming out of the gate swinging.  I won’t say its his best solo, but it is still a great lead off track for the album.

The song was inspired by Eddie’s new found sobriety.  Through the help of his therapist, he was encouraged to look at where he was and who he was now that he was sober.  Maybe he was finding religion as there are a lot of religious overtones in the song. Maybe he was still struggling with sobriety and the song is a cry for help in getting through the battle’s he was facing.  The fact that he could feel again probably was hard to deal with and I am sure a tremendous challenge.

Van_Halen_-_Balance

The lyrics seem to come from a very deep, dark and personal place.  Sammy does a great job on the vocals in interpreting the feelings behind those lyrics.  It is one of his better performances on the album (at least in my opinion).

If you haven’t heard the song, give it a listen and let me know what you think.  If you have heard it, let me know your thoughts on the song.  Check it out below and I hope you all have a wonderful and Happy Sunday!!

“The Seventh Seal”

Walk me down to the wishing well
Help me find that miracle
Splash that holy water on me
Drown my faith in trinity, yeah!
Oh yeah
Little by little, gonna get it, I swear
One more piece of the puzzle, I’m there
Gotta get lucky gotta get that done
Little bit of luck never hurt no one
Come on take me down, down, down….
I’m in a cold sweat
Lord don’t let me drown, drown, drown, drown
In mother earth’s soul, yet
Under darken skies
We’ll see the light
Broken now I can’t help but feel
Someone cracked the seventh seal
Nothing sacred, nothing left unturned
When nothing’s simple then nothing’s learned
So take me down to the virgin spring
Wash away my suffering, oh
Splash that holy water on me
Wash my eyes so I can see
Come on take me down, down, down….
I’m in a cold sweat
Lord don’t let me drown, drown, drown, drown
In mother earth’s soul, not yet
Lord I think I found, found, found….
My mother lode, hey
Down, down, down, down, down, down,
Take me down, down, down, down….
Take me
Written by Eddie Van Halen and credited to Alex Van Halen, Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony as well

 

18 thoughts on “My Sunday Song – “The Seventh Seal” by Van Halen”

  3. You know, I have never given Van Hagar a chance, not a single song or album. Hard to justify as I am all about the first two Montrose albums and Dave Halen both before and after Sammy. Listening to ‘The Seventh Seal’ now and sure enough, there’s Eddy killing it… maybe it is time I gave the anthem era of Van Halen a shot.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I like the Sammy era, but not as much as Dave. Actually, as I get older I like the Sammy era less and less and the Dave more and more. With that being said, there are still some great Sammy tracks that are worth checking out…this being one.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  4. I’d take Van Hagar over anything Roth any day (I can’t stand the guy and as he gets older and his voice sounds increasingly like a drag queen’s wig going through the tumble dyrer I get more baffled why he gets any adulation at all) and this album – and F.U.C.K are always worth a spin when the fancy takes me

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I am getting the impression you don’t like Dave. Am I reading too much into this. 😂.
      I like Sammy but only the last two albums. FUCK included. Outside of that, I prefer Dave. Old Dave, not what you get now. They were more dangerous with Dave and too safe with Sammy.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Even old Dave gets on my tits. Calm the fuck down and pay some attention to your singing, dude. Now he’s into his hair-plugged, full-body tattooed old age he seems to have tripped even further into the deranged and annoying.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

      2. I’m still waiting the day Eddie gets sick enough of his antics again to realise the dough isn’t worth it and give Sammy a call… I’m sure there’s enough fan hunger out there to hear Poundcake and Right Now live again to line more pockets than DLR mumbling and barking his way through Stay Frosty and Panama like a Geography teacher who’s been at the punch on karaoke night

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

Leave a comment