Top 10 Sammy Hagar Deep Cuts

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It is really tough to choose 10 Sammy Hagar deep cuts because just about every track on every Sammy Hagar album is a favorite of ours here at classicrockhistory.com. Most hardcore Sammy Hagar fans would probably have the same sentiment. We are all big time Sammy Hagar fans. So how do we embark on a 10 best Sammy Hagar deep cuts list? Well first and foremost, the one requirement that all deep cut lists require is that no singles can be included on the deep cuts list. It doesn’t mean we don’t like big-time hits, it just means they’re not deep cuts. Additionally, we have already composed a Top 10 Sammy Hagar Songs list plus a Sammy Hagar Covers songs list too. So there will be no songs like “I Can’t Drive 55,” or “There’s Only One Way to Rock, I Fall in love again, Eagles Fly,” or any other songs that Sammy Hagar released as a single.

This list will also only look at Sammy Hagar deep cuts that were released on Sammy Hagar’s solo albums. The solo albums will also include the material he recorded with his band the Circle and the Waboritas. The list will not include any Chickenfoot, Van Halen or Montrose material. We have to have some sort of set of rules don’t we? This is serious stuff!

So here are our top 10, best of, most loved, greatest or whatever else you want to call it Sammy Hagar deep cuts. Of course, some people may say these aren’t deep Cuts these are some of Sammy Hagar’s most populous songs. Well, that’s actually a compliment towards Sammy Hagar because basically, every song he’s ever released has just been super. It’s hard to find deep cuts for an artist like Sammy Hagar whose fans brought up every single one of his albums and love every single one of his tracks.

# 10 – Make It Alright

Oh boy, do we love this album. Not 4 Sale is one of Sammy Hagar’s best. It’s a great record to start out our top 10 Sammy Hagar Deep Cuts list. The album was released in 2002. The song “Make It Alright,” was written by Sammy Hagar. The cut featured musicians Sammy Hagar on lead vocals and guitar Victor Johnson on lead guitar, Jesse Harms on keys, Mona Gnade on bass, and David Lauser on drums. This one starts out right away with Sammy Hagar’s smoking vocals matched up against his blazing guitar which sets it all up so nicely

# 9 – Urban Guerrilla

The second track on Sammy Hagar’s debut album just kills. Listen to that opening guitar riff and Sammy Hagar’s scream. The sudden rhythm change and the great groove the band falls into are spectacular. A great one! Sammy Hagar’s debut solo album was entitled Nine On A Ten Scale. The album was released in 1976. There were so many legendary rock musicians that appeared on this album. Sammy Hagar was friends with everyone in the rock and roll business. It pays to be a nice guy. Are you listening, Dave?

# 8 – Bad Reputation

This great Sammy Hagar song was released on the Danger Zone album. The record was released in 1980. The song “Bad Reputation,” was written by Sammy Hagar. The song presents a great mix of pop and rock and roll. This was a style Sammy Hagar had a great knack for especially in his late 70s and early 80s period. The Danger Zone album featured the musicians Sammy Hagar on vocals, and guitar, Bill Church on bass, Gary Pihl on guitar and keyboards, Chuck Ruff on drums, and Geoff Workman on keyboards. A lot of people may not realize that the album was also c0-produced by Tom Scholz of Boston. Sammy Hagar and Tom Scholz knew each other well as Sammy Hagar opened for Boston many times in 1976 and 1977.

# 7 – Rock And Roll Weekend

Always loved this one from Sammy Hagar’s 1977 album entitled Sammy Hagar. The opening drum groove and guitar lick were to die for. Brings me back to being fifteen again in the middle of the 1970s. Good times! You had to be there to get this one. The song was the closing track on side one of the album which we all referred to as the “Red Album.” This is the album where Sammy Hagr earned his nickname the “Red Rocker,” because of the cover and the album’s cranking title track “Red.” “Rock And Roll Weekend became a standard performance during Sammy Hagar’s 70s concerts.

# 6 – Father Son

Boy does Sammy Hagar sound different on this one when compared to “Rock and Roll Weekend.” And we love every second of it. Many years past 1977, Sammy Hagar has continued to release albums filled with great tracks. The Cajun-sounding song “Father Son,” was released on the album Sammy Hagar & Friends. The record was released in 2013.

# 5 -Rise Of The Animal

This killer cut opened up side two of Sammy Hagar’s classic album Three Lock Box. It’s one of our favorite Sammy Hagar vocals of all time. Hagar was on fire during this time period in his career. The song was written by Sammy Hagar. The Three Lock Box album was released in 1982.

# 4 – Psycho Vertigo

One of Sammy Hagar’s writing partners throughout his career at various times has been Journeys Neal Schon. The legendary guitarist played and co-wrote songs with Sammy Hagar on various Sammy Hagar solo albums. Of course, we can’t forget the record as part of the short live band HAAS also known as Hagar Schon Aaronson Shrieve. The two came together to compose the song “Psycho Vertigo,” which was released on Sammy Hagar’s Cosmic Universal Fashion album. The Cosmic Universal Fashion was released in 2008

# 3 – When The Hammer Falls

The great Sammy Hagar deep cut was the opening track to the Sammy Hagar album I Never Said Goodbye. The album was released in 1987. It was recorded after Sammy Hagar had already joined Van Halen to fulfill his previous contract obligations with Geffen Records. Eddie Van Halen was credited as playing bass on the record although itChe really does sound like he’s doing some of the guitar riffs on this one. I never really believed that Eddie just played bass on this record.

# 2 -The Love

The more we listen back to the Red Voodoo album the more we keep arguing that this was an album that definitely does not get the credit it deserves. The song “The Love,” is vintage 90s style Sammy Hagar. Very melodic and powerful. This one should have been a single.

# 1 – 20th Century Man

Coming in at number one on our 19 Best Sammy Hagar Deep Cuts list is the great track “20th Century Man.” It’s the second song to appear on this list from Sammy Hagar’s much-underrated album Danger Zone. The song was written by Sammy Hagar and Gary Pihl. This top 10 Sammy Hagar deep cuts list was a tough one to do. Sammy Hagar has released so many great albums throughout his career.

There were so many more deep cuts from Sammy Hagar that we wanted to place on this list. When reviewing all of the material from his body of work we noticed how reflective each of his albums were of the time periods he recorded them in. It wasn’t just about the style of music he was recording, it was about the sound of the amps, and the microphones. Recording consoles and of course the technology.

Every time period had its own distinct sound. The 1970s had a dry tight sound. The 80s defined that big sound heavily dominated by keyboards. The late 80s and early 90s was his Van Halen period. Every Sammy Hagar album after he left Van Halen got tighter, louder and more ferocious than anything he had ever done before. The man just kept getting better and better. He will probably still be singing when he’s a hundred years old