Sammy Hagar-VOA (1984)
Artist: Sammy Hagar
Title: VOA
Sell Price: $8.86
Sell Date: 4/13/26
Condition: VG+/VG+
Discogs Last Sold: 12/1/25 VG+/VG $5.95
Low: $0.99
Median: $6.99
Average: $7.58
High: $25.70
Current low price: $4.88 VG+/VG
Current Number on Sale at Discogs: 14
Have/Want: 1100/27
Where Sold: Clifton, VA
Time It Took To Sell: 3 years
Where and When Buught: Facebook marketplace
Gwiz-gau Grade: C-
Sad To See It Go: No
The final solo album before Sammy Hagar joined Van Halen in 1986 went RIAA Gold in 1984 and hit the million mark the next year. You couldn't escape "I Can't Drive 55." I never really liked the song but I have to say the video sold the record and sells the song. I vaguely remember "Two Kinds of Love" and it's why does she cry herself to sleep chorus that has turned into earworm status the last day. I don't remember the other song that made it to video, the title track "VOA." That one, an ode to the Voice of America, is a "patriotic" anthem where he's gonna force his dumb lyrics down your throat whether you want to here them or not. "You better listen" is a threat to all those who came down to the Beach Bar.
This is a hard rock record that isn't very hard. Even the song that made my ears perk up, "Dick In The DIrt" went limp by the second listen. I realized that the lyric wasn't "she got dick in the dirt/then she kissed me when it hurt" was actually the nicer, gentler "she knocked Dick in the dirt/he jumped up and then she kissed him where it hurt." Too many words for the same sentiment despite all the "clever" double entendres.
The rest of the record is mid-tempo syth sweetened glop with buried, constrained or mechanical sounding guitar that reminds me just why corporate radio rock became unlistenable by the mid 80's. Ted Templeton is still at the production helm as he was with Montrose and Van Halen but not with Van Hagar. VOA doesn't sound any better with age. Surprisingly, even though it sold loads in the mid-80's, the songs for the most part didn't make it out of there in Hagar's live shows outside of 55 and 2 Kinds. He prefers to stick to VH and Montrose to fill out the Wabos.
Better to roll the dice on an earlier record, this one kinda sucks.
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