Beautiful Girls

Album: Van Halen II (1979)
Charted: 84
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is a credo of sorts for Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth: all he needs is a beautiful girl. Or more accurately, beautiful girls, as Roth played himself off as a rock-and-roll Lothario.

    The song showcases his clever wordplay ("She was seaside sittin', just a smokin' and a drinkin' on ringside") as well as Eddie Van Halen's deluxe guitar riffs and Michael Anthony's rich backing vocals.
  • "Beautiful Girls" was the second single from the Van Halen II album, following "Dance The Night Away." Their singles did not sell well, but their albums did. Many people bought the first Van Halen album after hearing this one.
  • The group wrote this in David Lee Roth's basement. They had just finished a tour and were under tight deadline pressure to record their second album. They released an album every year until 1984.
  • Roth fractured his foot doing a jump for the album's photo shoot. Since there was no way Roth could stay still on stage, they postponed their tour so he could heal.
  • The album took six days to record. Van Halen was quick in the studio because they laid down most of the tracks live, with very little overdubbing.
  • Brad Tolinski, who spoke with Eddie Van Halen for Guitar World a number of times, had a revelation about this song after a conversation with Steve Vai. "I was listening to 'Beautiful Girls,' and what hit me was that these wild assortment of bends and growls and zany guitar sounds, they functioned almost as commentary on David Lee Roth's outrageously, hypersexual, Bugs Bunny persona," he said. "It was almost like Looney Tunes. Like Carl Stalling, who wrote the music for Looney Tunes. So, what you have, since Ed is such a sensitive musician, he's responding to this outrageous persona of David Lee Roth and just creating sounds that would somehow go along with that. I think that 'Beautiful Girls' is such a perfect example of David Lee Roth being funny and off the wall, and Eddie having to figure out something on the guitar to respond."

Comments: 13

  • A Dubb from Kc MoFirst song to ever mention cell phone. I was about 13 when I first heard this song and I asked what a cell phone was because the lyrics says "sit your cell phone down" and all i got was laughed at. This was before the internet so take it easy on me.
  • Gerald Logue from CaliforniaIs it just me, or does the voiceover at the end of the song sound a lot like Gene Simnmons?
  • Brandon Crapo from Mt Pleasant MichiganVan Halen showed ultimate ambition in recording their sophomore album. What a great effort and a great song. Classic DLR lyrics here
  • Robert from Cleveland, OhIt's amazing how much a song can improve from a demo to the finished product. This song started out titled "Bring On the Girls" recorded on a Gene Simmons funded demo in 1976 but it's not that good. However, this tune is so playful and tongue-in-cheek and has that signature VH humor!
  • John from Wyandotte, MiShmitts Gay....what a memory you guys have. Lmao!
  • Jim from Indio, Ca"a snappy little mammy, gonna keep her pappy happy" BEST. LYRIC. EVER!
  • Chris Labenne from Niles, OhThis is my favorite Van Halen song. Any hard rock band that can play a triplet-feel guitar riff, piccolo bass fills, and absolutely flawless 3-part vocal harmonies is perfect for me. Van Halen is Gawd.
  • Jeff from Austin, Txshmitts gay rules
  • Jim from Anycity, FlOne of their most Vocally Harmonic songs.
  • Robb from Hamburg, NyYeah, except for he (Anthony) sings the backing vocals in all the songs, which in my opinion are the key ingredient to Van Halen
  • Kent Lyle from Palo Alto, CaMichael Anthony's bass fills before each verse probably served as his most direct contribution to a Van Halen song, unless I am missing something.
  • Rob from Santa Monica, CaUsed in a Saturday Night Live skit as the music for a parody ad for "Schmidt's Gay Beer".
  • Greg from Manchester, TnOriginally "Bring on the Girls" in early demos.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Max Cavalera of Soulfly (ex-Sepultura)

Max Cavalera of Soulfly (ex-Sepultura)Songwriter Interviews

The Brazilian rocker sees pictures in his riffs. When he came up with one of his gnarliest songs, there was a riot going on.

Psychedelic Lyrics

Psychedelic LyricsMusic Quiz

Whoa man! Do you know which band came up with these cosmic lyrics?

Song Titles That Inspired Movies

Song Titles That Inspired MoviesSong Writing

Famous songs that lent their titles - and in some cases storylines - to movies.

Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root

Michael Glabicki of Rusted RootSongwriter Interviews

Michael tells the story of "Send Me On My Way," and explains why some of the words in the song don't have a literal meaning.

Divided Souls: Musical Alter Egos

Divided Souls: Musical Alter EgosSong Writing

Long before Eminem, Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj created alternate personas, David Bowie, Bono, Joni Mitchell and even Hank Williams took on characters.

Director Nick Morris ("The Final Countdown")

Director Nick Morris ("The Final Countdown")Song Writing

Nick made some of the biggest videos on MTV, including "The Final Countdown," "Heaven" and "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)."