10 Underrated Hard Rock Songs Of The '70s
7. On Fire - Van Halen
The entire rock landscape seemed to shake the minute the first Van Halen record blared out over the radio. With a new guitar hero for the world and one of the greatest frontmen of all time in David Lee Roth, this was the moment where hard rock wasn't afraid to get a little bit fun in their presentation. Though practically every song could be considered a classic, they really did save the best for last with On Fire.
After being subjected to some of the most ferocious playing the metal world had ever seen, On Fire is one of the heaviest offerings on the album, with Eddie Van Halen striking his guitar strings until they are begging for mercy. As we hear those subtle guitar squeals, Roth is leading the charge as he talks about riding the sonic wave into your eardrums.
Though the solo on here is not nearly as impressive as something like Eruption or Spanish Fly, it makes up for that with Michael Anthony's amazing screams, which soar above Roth's shrieks to create a barrage of chaos that you won't soon recover from. Whereas some fans might like to pick and choose which Van Halen songs to listen to, On Fire proves that when it comes to finishing strong, these guys were ready to leave you in shambles by the time the last note rang out.