Mastery of the guitar of Eddie Van Halen was often otherworldly. It was his innovative solos and unparalleled technique that distinguished him from his peers. Despite his ability to push musical boundaries with each Van Halen album, Eddie admitted that bringing the song ‘Right Now’ to life was not an easy task.
However, Van Halen had already performed a miracle before they began recording For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge. The loss of David Lee Roth would have crippled any band. But Eddie forged ahead with solo superstar Sammy Hagar, resulting in a complete rebirth of the group’s sound on the album 5150.
Even though everything appeared to be perfect in theory, tensions began to rise as the band gained traction. Across OU812, Hagar remembered it as a painful experience trying to get the album off the ground. He believed they had no direction because there wasn’t a producer in charge.
Once they entered the 1990s, their next project would see the return of their longtime producer, Ted Templeman. Known for his work with the band’s Roth-fronted era, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge pushed them back into the stratosphere in the right way. It was with songs that included hints of their earlier material, such as ‘Judgement Day‘.
‘Right Now‘ was unquestionably the most successful track on the album. The lyrics about capturing a magical moment were inspired by Hagar’s refusal to be called into work while sitting on the beach, and they blended perfectly with Eddie’s piano lick. The only issue was ensuring Hagar got the most out of it.
When discussing the recording process, Eddie Van Halen recalled how difficult it was to persuade Hagar to commit to the right vocal track. He told Forbes, “Alex and I tracked the entire thing”. Some individuals refused to participate, making it challenging to get them to sing the song. And there are certain things that I fight for because I do write all the music. So I think I have a little bit of say in how things should go.”
Hagar would also remember having trouble getting into the song’s groove. Eddie wrote the lyrics. But he insisted that the song sounds more like Joe Cocker’s ‘Feelin’ Alright,’ which never sat well with Hagar’s vision until months into the project.
This was a far cry from the band’s early fretboard acrobatics. But ‘Right Now’ would go on to become one of their most successful albums, demonstrating their ability to play ballads as well as heavy rock. Eddie may not have had fond memories of putting the piece together. But sometimes the best tracks are the ones that require a little musical elbow grease.
