David Lee Roth has released a new song, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow Bar and Grill,” which he wrote with John 5, and dedicated the track to his late Van Halen bandmate, Eddie Van Halen.
In October of last year, the singer confirmed that he and ex-Marilyn Manson and current Rob Zombie guitarist John 5 worked on a lot of new material and that the album’s release was inevitable. No other concrete details regarding the record have emerged, but now fans can hear the previously unreleased acoustic track from Diamond Dave and John 5, who got his big break as a member of Roth’s solo band, which he joined in 1998.
“Hey Ed, I’m gonna miss ya. See you on the other side,” read the onscreen text, which was laid over an illustration that occupies the visual space on the YouTube video player.
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow Bar and Grill” is an acoustic-led track that also serves as an homage to the legendary Los Angeles rocker hangout, the Rainbow Bar and Grill.
Read the lyrics to the song directly below and listen to the track further down the page.
David Lee Roth, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow Bar and Grill” Lyrics
WORKIN’ THE CORNERS
WHEN THE RECORD DEAL HAPPENED
AND THE WEEK BEFORE I FOUND OUT
I WAS SLEEPIN’ ON THE FLOOR
WITH MY NEW BEST GAL
IN A VERY VERY EMPTY HOUSE
WRONG KINF OF NON CONFORMIST
THATS THE CASE AND ALWAYS BE
IN A SLEEPING BAG FRONT OF THE FIREPLACE
MY GIRLFRIEND AND ME
SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW BAR AND GRILL
NEVER KNEW ME A BETTER TIME
AND I GUESS I NEVER WILL
SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW BAR AND GRILL
SOME SAY THEY WAS HAPPY THEN
ME, I’M HAPPY STILL
DOWN AT THE LOCAL CANTEEN
YOU KNOW THE SMELL OF FRESH SAWDUST
WHEN THEY FIRST THROW IT ON THE FLOOR
YOU HEAR A ROCKIN’ LITTLE RHYTHM
FROM INSIDE THE RYTHYM KITCHEN
AS YOU’RE WALKIN’ PAST THE CANTEEN DOOR
120 DEGREES, GOOD TIMES SPREADING LIKE HUMANITY
HERE’S WHAT I FOUND OUT
THIS ONE BELONGS IN THE BOOK OR IT OUGHTTA BE;
WE’LL DO A SHOT AS WE SAIL OUT!THE AUTHORITY’S IMPLORED US
AND IT HAPPENED FREQUENTLY
IN A SLEEPING BAD FRONT OF THE FIREPLACE
YOUR GIRLFRIEND AND ME
SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW BAR AND GRILL
ITS A DAMN GOOD STORY
AND THERE’S STILL MORE TO TELL
SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW BAR AND GRILL
SOME SAY TIME AIN’T GOT BETTER
MAYBE THEY STILL WILL.YEAH WE KNOW ALL THE PUNCHLINES
BUT WE STILL LAUGH LIKE HELL
ONE THING NEVER CHANGES;
STILL CAN’T AFFORD THE BILL
Eddie Van Halen died on Oct. 6 at the age of 65 after a lengthy battle with cancer. The legend was remembered warmly by countless peers, who all hailed the guitarist as a revolutionary.
David Lee Roth, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow Bar and Grill”
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