Think It Over

Album: Mammoth WVH (2021)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Mammoth WVH is the solo project of Wolfgang Van Halen, son of Eddie. Wolf joined Van Halen on bass when he was just 16 and played on their 2012 album A Different Kind Of Truth. His own music, though, bears little resemblance to the band, especially when it comes to his lyrics, which are a lot more introspective. In a Songfacts interview, he explained: "'Think It Over' lyrically is about nostalgia, and not being able to move forward. Just the idea of nostalgia controlling your life. But song-wise, it was a really fun breath of fresh air. It's kind of a pop song."
  • The Mammoth WVH album was completed in 2018, but Wolfgang held it back to care for his ailing father. He released it in June 2021, nine months after Eddie Van Halen died of cancer.

    Eddie got to hear the whole album as it was created - Wolf would send him demos and bits along the way. This song was Eddie's favorite from the set. "He was so proud and happy with all of it," Wolfgang told Songfacts. "He was the only other person – other than me – to have all the ideas and everything on his phone. He had what would be the album, and then he had about 10 more other ideas that are pretty fleshed out but hit the cutting room floor during the recording process."
  • Just to get our species straight, a mammoth is an elephant-like prehistoric creature. When Eddie and Alex Van Halen formed their first band, they named it Mammoth, which is why Wolfgang used the name.

    The album cover doesn't show a mammoth, but a giant crab wreaking destruction. It's a piece of artwork by John Brosio that Wolf (what is it with all these animals?) felt represented the word "mammoth" in the sense of something enormous.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Todd Rundgren

Todd RundgrenSongwriter Interviews

Todd Rundgren explains why he avoids "Hello It's Me," and what it was like producing Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell album.

Chris Rea

Chris ReaSongwriter Interviews

It took him seven years to recover from his American hit "Fool (If You Think It's Over)," but Chris Rea became one of the top singer-songwriters in his native UK.

The Evolution of "Ophelia"

The Evolution of "Ophelia"Song Writing

How five songs portray Shakespeare's character Ophelia.

Mick Jones of Foreigner

Mick Jones of ForeignerSongwriter Interviews

Foreigner's songwriter/guitarist tells the stories behind the songs "Juke Box Hero," "I Want To Know What Love Is," and many more.

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.

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star Riders

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star RidersSongwriter Interviews

Writing with Phil Lynott, Scott saw their ill-fated frontman move to a darker place in his life and lyrics.