"Best of Both Worlds"
Single by Van Halen
from the album 5150
B-side"Best of Both Worlds (Live)"
ReleasedOctober 1986
Recorded1985-1986
GenreHard rock[1]
Length3:58 (single version) 4:49 (album version)
Songwriter(s)Sammy Hagar, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, Michael Anthony
Van Halen singles chronology
"Love Walks In"
(1986) 		"Best of Both Worlds"
(1986) 		"Summer Nights"
(1986)

"Best of Both Worlds" is a song by American rock band Van Halen on their album 5150 that was later released as a single in October 1986.[2] A music video taken from the Live Without a Net concert video[3] was in heavy rotation on MTV.[4]

Background

The song is about Sammy's optimistic look on Van Halen's future, and creating your own luck. Primarily a guitar-driven song, the second verse includes a few keyboard chords as incidental backing sounds.[5]

Reception

Cash Box said that "the guitar wizardry of Eddie Van Halen charges through the grooves of this song" and also praised Sammy Hagar's vocal performance.[6] Billboard said it has a "strong pop hook and hedonist philosophy."[7]

In 2011, the song was ranked at #5 on Ultimate Classic Rock's list of the Top 10 Van Hagar Songs.[8] They also ranked the song as best song from 5150.[9]

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1986) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock[10] 12

References

  1. ^ Elliott, Paul (January 5, 2021). "The battle for Van Halen: how Sammy Hagar triumphed over Dave Lee Roth". Classic Rock. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  2. ^ Strong, Martin Charles (1995). The Great Rock Discography. p. 866. ISBN 9780862415419.
  3. ^ Inc, Nielsen Business Media (1986-11-29). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. ((cite book)): |last= has generic name (help)
  4. ^ MTV Programming Billboard December 13, 1986
  5. ^ Wilkening, Matthew (May 6, 2011). "Van Halen, 'Best of Both Worlds' – Lyrics Uncovered". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  6. ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. November 22, 1986. p. 9. Retrieved 2022-08-07.
  7. ^ "Reviews". Billboard. November 22, 1986. p. 79. Retrieved 2022-08-07.
  8. ^ Wilkening, Matthew (March 31, 2011). "Top 10 Van Hagar Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  9. ^ Wilkening, Matthew (December 13, 2018). "The Best Song From Every Van Halen Album". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  10. ^ "Mainstream Rock". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
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