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The 1982 song Eddie Van Halen knew never belonged on his album: “I didn’t even get writing credits for it”
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Based on the title alone, this appears to be about a specific 1982 Van Halen song (likely from *Diver Down*) that Eddie Van Halen felt didn't belong on the album and for which he didn't receive songwriting credit — but I'd rather confirm the actual details than guess at specifics like the song title.
Explained simply
Van Halen were an American rock band whose 1982 album Diver Down included several cover versions alongside original songs. One was “Dancing in the Street”, first recorded by Martha and the Vandellas; the band’s version drew on a guitar and keyboard idea Eddie Van Halen had developed for his own music.
Eddie was the band’s guitarist and a central songwriter, while singer David Lee Roth and producer Ted Templeman also shaped the group’s direction. Eddie later objected to the album’s emphasis on covers, saying he had wanted to use his musical ideas in original songs; because “Dancing in the Street” was credited to its original songwriters, he received no writing credit for his contribution.
The dispute reflects a wider tension over who decided what Van Halen recorded and how its members’ creative work was recognised. It matters because the album became a commercial success, even as Eddie regarded its direction as a compromise.