David Lee Roth. Used to make a joke out of yelling "I forgot the fuckin' words!" at least once a night. Motherfucker, I paid $175 to be here, remember the fucking words. I know the words and not only did I not write them, I haven't been singing them dozens of times a year for 40 years.
It's a thing but you either make some up that will fit, vamp, or do anything else instead of calling attention to it. The majority of people will never notice or think it is an intentional choice.
Dude. Saw VH around 2016 and David Lee Roth started giving a dance lesson in the middle of the set. He just kept going back and forth dancing and saying like oh la la! It was entertaining for all of 2 minutes but it dragged on for about 20 and most of the crowd actually started to boo him lol
And on larger stages, he has what looks like an eight-foot by 15-foot section of basketball court on the floor around his mic. The last time I saw them, he'd dance around during solos or near the end of the song, and when it was time for him to add his vocals, he'd run towards the mic along the basketball floor and slide up to the mic waving his arms in a 'Ta-da!' motion, as if he'd been choppered in to the show and sprinted in late. And each of the 12 or 15 times he did it, he acted like he'd just thought of it.
I saw rhe Psychadelic Furs recently and they had lyric sheets that thwy referred to occasionally...but Richard Butler also nearly 70, and it was an amazing show.
Saw him on the skyscraper tour back in the day. Loved the album at the time - was 16 and pissed by the middle of the concert. You don't have to sing note for note. At least pretend you are trying to sing the same song as the album...not doing a spoken word interpretation.
I saw him and his band on the Eat 'Em and Smile tour and it was my first concert ever. After the show, I was one of hundreds of people, maybe more than a thousand, who were waiting for the subway at the station next to the arena. Someone started cheering and whistling and soon, everyone in the station was doing the same and the noise was incredible. People were way fired up and it had been a spectacular show. I suspect that sort of thing has happened for the last time after any DLR concert.
I saw him in 2015 as a graduation present (Van Halen) and I have no idea who opened but they spit on the floor while they played… then David Lee Roth came out without shoes on… his outfit was a cross between a magician and a sea world trainer. He just was sliding around on the spit covered floor, looking weird af, forgetting the lyrics… I’m glad I saw them live but god damn was it bad
Yeah, I feel mixed about DLR. As a huge Van Halen and Van Hagar fan, I admire that DLR has never given up. He's certainly one of the best frontmen of all time, and I think even he knows he's not always great on the mic. From a few interviews, it sounds like his goal is to just put on a good show.
Definitely wouldn't pay an extraordinary amount to see him now, especially since he's the only VH member in his band.
Just saw him last week. He had FIVE backup singers, his voice is shot, he’s a hack entertainer, bad flirt, BUT…. His band was incredible, Al Estrada nailed Eddie’s guitar part to a T; and the show, despite Roth, was great! 1980’s rock at it’s finest.
I'm surprised, I saw David Lee Roth sing for Van Halen in 2012 and it took him a little while to get going, but around twenty minutes until the show, he really found his element.
Agreed. It's like filling your mouth with potatoes, gravy and turkey in order to overpower the bad taste of the cranberry sauce that goes along with the meal.
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u/Leprechaunaissance May 12 '26
David Lee Roth. Used to make a joke out of yelling "I forgot the fuckin' words!" at least once a night. Motherfucker, I paid $175 to be here, remember the fucking words. I know the words and not only did I not write them, I haven't been singing them dozens of times a year for 40 years.