In a touching tribute, former bandmate David Lee Roth has dedicated his previously unreleased song ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow Bar and Grill’ to Eddie Van Halen. Here are the lyrics to the new song:

 

” 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 kind of non-conformist
That’s the case and always be
In a sleeping bag front of the fireplace
My girlfriend and me

Somewhere over the rainbow bar and grill
Well I never knew me a better time
And I guess I’ll 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 rhythm kitchen
As you’re walkin’ past the canteen door
120 degrees, the good times spreading like humanity
And here’s what I found out
This one belongs in the book or it oughta 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
It’s a damn good story
And there’s still more to tell
Somewhere over the rainbow bar and grill
You say times they ain’t got better
Maybe they still will

We know all the punchlines
But we still laugh like hell
One thing never changes
Still can’t afford the bill

Wrong kind of non-conformist
That’s the case and always be
In a sleeping bag front of the fireplace
Your girlfriend and me

Somewhere over the rainbow bar and grill
Well I never knew me a better time
And I guess I’ll never will
Somewhere over the rainbow bar and grill
Some say they was happy then
Me, I’m happy still “

 

Roth collaborated with ex-Rob Zombie guitarist John 5 on this and many other songs from a rumored unreleased album. It was confirmed last year that this new album would eventually be released, but so far this new song is the only evidence of that.

 

October 6, 2020: Dutch-American guitarist EDDIE VAN HALEN was the main songwriter and co-founder of the American rock band Van Halen. In 2012, he was voted number one in a Guitar World magazine reader’s poll for “The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”. The legendary guitarist, songwriter, producer, and inventor has died after a long battle with throat cancer. He was 65.(Credit Image: © Fryderyk Gabowicz/DPA via ZUMA Press)

 

When you listen below to ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow Bar And Grill’, you’ll notice that David Lee Roth also left a little message for Eddie Van Halen on the screen which reads: ‘Hey Ed, I’m gonna miss ya. See you on the other side.’