“But I ain’t home… at night!”
Van Halen’s fourth album, 1981’s Fair Warning, was one of their toughest, edgiest records but on Hear About It Later the band sound more like their old party-hearty selves. The bouncy main riff and the happy harmonies of the chorus are all classic feelgood VH. But, unhappy with band and producer interference, Eddie Van Halen was sneaking into the studio overnight to get his guitar parts just the way he wanted them. And the extra layers of dives, bends and swirling open chords gives the song a nocturnal, neon atmosphere. Pesky frontlegend David Lee Roth ends up stealing the song all the same. His performance is alluringly stand-offish until he offers an emotional olive branch in the middle-eight (“you can try me at home”) that ends up being the song’s, and maybe even his, greatest moment. And he didn’t even have to work any night shifts.
HEAVY METAL OVERLOAD 
Good stuff. I was glad to hear this tune live by VH back in 2012. Musically it was awesome to hear but Dave’s olive branch had been snapped especially vocally hahaha. But he tried.
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Lol at his olive branch being snapped. It was cool they brought this back… it’s kinda underrated I think.
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For sure. I was happy at that time they were bringing back those lesser played live tunes in part due to WVH being in the band.
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My favourite song from the Fair Warning album.
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It’s close with Unchained but I think it might be mine too.
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My fave VH album by far. I love the way it spits and prowls.
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My fave too, but only by a wee smidgen.
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