Former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar revealed that his iconic solo track “Eagles Fly” was originally rejected by Alex Van Halen for sounding like a John Denver song. The drummer later furiously regretted the decision once the track was officially released with Eddie Van Halen playing bass on it.
Hagar recounted the moment he first played the song for the Van Halen brothers during recording sessions for what would become the 1988 album OU812. “When I sing ‘Eagles Fly,’ it’s about being born,” Hagar explained. “I had a vision. It wasn’t a dream. When I wrote that song and played it, Eddie Van Halen said, ‘Wow.’ He played bass on it when I recorded it, and Eddie loved it.”
Alex Van Halen’s reception was far less enthusiastic. “I remember Alex Van Halen at the time wasn’t about me coming in the second album,” Hagar continued. “We did ‘5150’ then I made a record with that song on it, and Alex wasn’t about me writing songs for Van Halen. He was about his brother writing the music and me writing the lyrics and vocals. So I showed him that song, and Eddie’s going, ‘Wow, wow, wow.’ And Alex goes, ‘Yeah, yeah. It sounds like John Denver, it’s cool.’ Then we moved on.”
The dismissal stung, but Hagar pressed forward with his solo project. When the finished version of “Eagles Fly” appeared on his 1987 solo album I Never Said Goodbye, Alex’s perspective shifted dramatically. “When it came out and we finished my solo record, Alex heard it, and he goes, ‘Hey, why the f*ck didn’t we put that on a Van Halen record!'” Hagar recalled. “I went, ‘Well, Al, if you don’t remember, I can remember you said it sounded like John Denver,’ because I was playing it on acoustic guitar.”
The song’s journey from rejection to redemption reflects a fascinating chapter in Van Halen’s history with Hagar. Eddie Van Halen’s involvement extended beyond his initial bass contribution. He also added guitar work using his signature tapping technique and co-produced the entire I Never Said Goodbye album alongside Hagar. The bass lines were played through two separately located acoustic amplifier stacks, creating a distinctive sonic foundation for the track that would later become a fan favorite.
“Eagles Fly” had been originally written and demoed before Hagar even joined Van Halen, with three other songs intended as a follow-up to his VOA album. When the band was nearly finished recording 5150 and needed another song, Hagar presented “Eagles Fly” to the group acoustically. The band rejected it as being too folksy for their direction at that time. The song’s lyrics deal with the level of consciousness immediately after birth, where humans are aware of all that is and all that was—a deeply introspective theme that perhaps didn’t align with Van Halen’s rock sensibilities in that moment.
Despite the initial rejection, “Eagles Fly” eventually became a staple of Van Halen’s live set during the Hagar era. The band performed it together on their 1993 and 1995 tours. During these performances, Eddie played guitar while Michael Anthony handled bass duties, allowing the song to reach audiences in its full band arrangement. The track became one of Eddie’s favorite songs that Hagar had written. Both brothers came to cherish it as a beloved part of their catalog. Hagar has reflected that the song should have been on OU812, but he remains grateful to have performed it throughout his career and plans to continue playing it for the rest of his life.
